Packaging Industry Association of India

What Packaging Industry Association of India does

Packaging Industry Association of India (PIAI) is a private non-profit industry association founded in 2012 by Chandrakant Salunkhe, the founder and president of SME Chamber of India and Federation of Indian SME Associations (FISA). Headquartered in Mumbai at Samruddhi Venture Park in Andheri East, PIAI positions itself as the apex organization for the Indian packaging sector, integrating packaging manufacturers, exporters, importers, raw material suppliers, buyers, technology providers, and end users under a single membership umbrella. The association explicitly does not develop proprietary technology and instead focuses on industry facilitation, knowledge dissemination, and policy advocacy.

PIAI's offerings are structured around a five-tier membership program (Small Enterprises with turnover up to Rs.5 crores, Mid-sized Enterprises at Rs.6-75 crores, two Mid-Corporate bands at Rs.76-250 crores and Rs.251-500 crores, Corporates and MNCs above Rs.501 crores, plus Overseas Members) priced annually by company turnover. Beyond core membership, the association delivers a portfolio of services: a business networking platform for B2B connectivity, export promotion, identification of advanced and patented technologies with joint venture and contract manufacturing facilitation, domestic trade and business lead sourcing, financial facilitation covering bank finance, private equity, venture capital, and external commercial borrowings, training and education programs, market research, and a Packaging Industry Directory. Marketing and member acquisition are predominantly event-driven, relying on trade fairs, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, and overseas trade delegations, supported by a large international trade division network spanning more than 20 bilateral councils (India-US, India-Japan, India-Germany, India-Korea, India-Africa, etc.) and partner organizations including SME Chamber of India, FISA, MEAI, MIDA, GIDA, IITC-India, SMEEPC, PMMI, and LEEPACK. The association also operates the India Packaging Excellence Awards as a recurring annual franchise.

PIAI's economic model is membership-subscriptions-based, with ancillary revenue from event fees, assignment-based service charges, and exhibition support (including financial facilitation for overseas participation). Financial details including membership fee levels and total operating revenue are not publicly disclosed. The association holds no patents, trademarks, or known certifications, and operates from a single registered office. Governance is provided by Founder Chandrakant Salunkhe alongside a small named management team comprising Director and General Secretary S Maheshkumar, Director of International Business and Public Relations Saakshi Kulkarni, and Secretary General Madhuri Khanwalkar, with a National Advisory Board constituted for the September 2024 to August 2027 term. No external institutional investors, parent company, or formal PE/VC ownership is evidenced in the data.

Name

Packaging Industry Association of India

Legal name

Packaging Industry Association of India

Website

https://piai.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Packaging Industry Association of India (PIAI) is a Mumbai-based, non-profit apex industry body founded in 2012 that serves Indian packaging manufacturers, exporters, importers, and suppliers through tiered annual memberships, a B2B networking platform, export promotion, technology transfer facilitation, trade events, training, and policy advocacy, supported by over 20 international bilateral councils.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association - Packaging

NAICS

Packaging and Labeling Services (56191)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Engineered Transit Packaging & Packaging Design Services (IMALAFAM)

Keywords

• Packaging industry association
• Membership services
• Business networking
• Export promotion
• Technology transfer

Headquarters

HQ city

Andheri

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: PIAI generates revenue through membership fees from Small Enterprises, Mid-sized Enterprises, Mid-Corporate Enterprises, Corporates & MNCs, and Overseas Members. Membership categories are tiered by company turnover.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Packaging Industry Association of India is a non-profit industry association providing membership-based services to the Indian packaging sector. Its core offerings include tiered industry membership, a B2B business networking platform connecting packaging manufacturers, converters and allied businesses, export promotion through trade delegations and exhibitions, and facilitation of technology transfer and joint ventures with international packaging organizations.

Product overview

Packaging Industry Association of India (PIAI) is a membership-based industry association operating as an apex organization for the packaging sector in India. Rather than a unified software product, PIAI offers a portfolio of membership services including its core Business Networking Platform for connecting packaging industry stakeholders (manufacturers, exporters, importers, suppliers, buyers), along with specialized services such as Export Promotion Services, Technology Transfer & Joint Ventures Facilitation, Domestic Trade and Business Leads, Financial Facilitation Services, Training and Education Programs, Market Research and Surveys, and the Packaging Industry Directory. The association also organizes Trade Events and Exhibitions and administers the India Packaging Excellence Awards program. All services are delivered through membership tiers aligned to company turnover sizes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industry Membership Tiered annual membership of the apex Indian packaging industry body, available to packaging manufacturers, converters, and allied businesses and priced based on the member company's turnover.
• Business Networking Platform B2B networking platform that connects packaging manufacturers, converters, decision-makers, and international packaging organizations to facilitate partnerships and industry collaboration.
• Export Promotion Services Services that promote the export of Indian packaging products by organizing trade delegations, exhibitions, and international buyer interactions for member companies.
• Technology Transfer and Joint Venture Facilitation Facilitation of technology transfer and joint ventures between Indian packaging firms and international packaging organizations and innovation partners.

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SME Chamber of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization. SME Chamber of India is a major business chamber that PIAI operates under. Founded by Mr. Chandrakant Salunkhe in 1993, it integrates SMEs, manufacturers, start-ups, suppliers, exporters, importers, and service providers.
• MEAI (Marine Engineers Association of India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner organization supporting the packaging sector.
• MIDA (Maharashtra Industry Development Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level industry development association for Maharashtra supporting industrial growth.
• GIDAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner organization.
• FISA (Federation of Indian SME Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederation umbrella organization for SME associations in India. Mr. Chandrakant Salunkhe is also President of FISA.
• IITC-INDIA (India International Trade Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational trade support organization.
• IBF (International BizForum)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational business forum for global trade connections.
• India-US Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-US trade and investment.
• India-Japan Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-Japan trade and investment.
• India-Canada SME Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-Canada trade and SME cooperation.
• India-UK Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-UK trade.
• India-Germany Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-Germany trade.
• India-GCC SME Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral council facilitating trade between India and GCC countries.
• India-China Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-China trade and business cooperation.
• India-Korea SME Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-Korea SME cooperation.
• India-Poland SME Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-Poland trade and SME cooperation.
• India-Bulgaria Business CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBilateral business council facilitating India-Bulgaria trade.
• SMEEPC (SME Exports)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSME export promotion council supporting international business development.
• SME ImportersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupport organization for SME importers.
• SME Credit CheckminorOthersCredit checking services for SMEs.
• SME Industrial ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization helping set up SME industrial parks in India.
• SME Business Management InstituteminorOthersBusiness management training institute for SMEs.
• World SME Trade CentreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational SME trade support organization.
• WEDC (Women's Entrepreneurship Development Council)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil supporting women entrepreneurs.
• Start-ups Council of IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport organization for startup ecosystem.
• SMETalksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia platform for SME content and discussions.
• SME-ConnectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSME connectivity and networking platform.
• SME InsuranceminorOthersInsurance services for SMEs.
• SME TVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelevision channel for SME content.
• SME E-NewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerElectronic news platform for SMEs.
• PMMI (The Association for Packaging & Processing Technologies)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational packaging association. Mr. Chandrakant Salunkhe met with PMMI President & CEO Charles D Yuska in 2013 in Las Vegas, USA.
• LEEPACK (Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKorean packaging company. PIAI leadership had interaction meetings with LEEPACK executives including President Jacob Lee.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PMMI (The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies): PMMI is the leading US-based trade association for packaging and processing machinery manufacturers. PIAI explicitly lists PMMI as a strategic partner, and both organizations serve as apex industry bodies connecting packaging machinery and processing technology companies with end users.
• Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP): IIP is an autonomous body under India's Ministry of Commerce that serves as the national apex institute for packaging, providing training, testing, and standards work. Both PIAI and IIP operate as apex bodies for the Indian packaging sector, though IIP is government-affiliated while PIAI is private.
• Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP): IoPP is a US-based individual-membership professional association for packaging professionals, offering networking, education, and certification. Comparable to PIAI in mission around developing packaging industry human capital and professional community.
• All India Plastics Manufacturers' Association (AIPMA): AIPMA is the apex trade body of the Indian plastics industry, including plastic packaging manufacturers. It is directly comparable to PIAI in role and structure, serving a major subset of PIAI's packaging industry member base across plastics.
• Flexible Packaging Association (FPA): FPA is the US trade association serving manufacturers of flexible packaging and their suppliers. It is directly comparable to PIAI's role in convening and advocating for a specific packaging format's industry stakeholders.
• Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA): IPMA is the apex industry body representing Indian paper and paperboard manufacturers, a key input segment for corrugated and paperboard packaging. Comparable to PIAI as a sector-specific trade association serving a major vertical within packaging.

Broad incumbents

• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII): CII is a leading India-wide industry confederation with a dedicated packaging vertical and substantially larger resources. Comparable to PIAI as a competitor for member attention and policy influence on packaging issues in India.
• World Packaging Organisation (WPO): WPO is a global non-profit federation of national packaging institutes and associations, headquartered internationally. It is comparable as a packaging trade body but operates at a global level, with PIAI functioning as an India-focused member equivalent.
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI): FICCI is a large India-wide industry chamber with an established committee/council structure for packaging and allied sectors. It competes with PIAI for engagement from large corporates and MNCs in the packaging value chain.

Regional players

• Asian Packaging Federation (APF): APF is a regional federation of Asian packaging industry associations. Comparable to PIAI as a packaging trade body, though operating regionally across Asia rather than focused on India specifically.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PIAIINDIA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Packaging Industry Association of India