70 Years of Bag-in-Box – Invented for better – Meet Dhandutt Shah

Please introduce yourself and share how your journey in flexible packaging began.

I’m Dhandutt Shah, and I serve as the Managing Director of SIG’s Bag-In-Box and Spouted pouch business in India, previously known as Scholle IPN & Bossar India. My journey began during my student days, working with my father in the injection moulding industry. That hands-on experience became the foundation for a career I never planned — but one I’m proud of every day.
In 1999, I founded DD Polyplast, producing caps and closures for packaging. A pivotal merger in 2013 with Scholle IPN marked a new era of global integration and flexible packaging innovation — and eventually led us to join SIG.

What inspired the shift into flexible packaging?

It was the market. I noticed how spouted pouches were replacing glass bottles for products like ketchup and cosmetics. It intrigued me — the speed, the convenience, the future potential. I saw an opportunity and took the leap. That shift became the spark that has driven me ever since.

What makes this industry exciting or unique?

Flexible packaging is constantly evolving. The pace of change — from new technologies to rising sustainability demands — keeps you thinking ahead. Just when you think you’ve explored every avenue, a new challenge or possibility opens up. That’s what makes it exciting: you can always invent better.

What’s a challenge you turned into an opportunity?

One defining moment was deciding to bring mould manufacturing in-house. It was a risk, but it gave us full control over our designs and IP. That step helped us safeguard innovation and maintain a clear competitive edge. It changed the way we operated — and it’s still paying off today.

What’s a proud accomplishment from your journey?

Without a doubt, establishing our three specialized plants in India:

Palghar Unit 1 – Fitments for spouted pouches
Palghar Unit 2 – Film extrusion, lamination, and Bag-in-Box
Bossar India – Horizontal Form Fill Seal machinery

Out of that ecosystem came one of our biggest successes: the Total System Sale. Offering films, fitments, and filling machines from one place was a breakthrough — it allowed us to deliver complete, tailored packaging solutions that reshaped our relationships with customers and elevated our market presence.

How has the business evolved — and what has remained the same?

We’ve seen mergers, acquisitions, global expansion, and new technology. But what hasn’t changed is our entrepreneurial spirit. From DD Polyplast to SIG, the heart of the business has always been about taking smart risks, innovating boldly, and staying customer-focused.

What advice would you give to the next generation of leaders?

Awaken your entrepreneurial mindset. Take risks. Be bold. And most of all — never stop learning. In every challenge, there’s an opportunity. If you stay curious and keep evolving, this industry will reward you in ways you can’t imagine.

Any final reflections?

With deep gratitude, I reflect on a journey built on innovation, resilience, and quality—made possible by incredible employees who believed in me and shared the same passion for packaging. As part of SIG, I envision a future full of promise and look forward to empowering the next generation of innovators with this legacy.