THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For many drinking water companies, ayurvedic product manufacturers and confectionery makers, K K Gopalakrishnan is an inevitable part of their business. For, he is the one who supplies PET containers (polyethylene terephthalate) of various shapes and sizes from his factory at Chowara. Started 16 years ago, World Wide Industries claims to be the only bottle-manufacturing facility in the state that makes coloured bottles.
Gopalakrishnan’s kiosk is one of the major attractions among the stalls set up by the District Industries Centre at VJT Hall. As many as 53 different products made of PET plastic are displayed here. The capacity of bottles vary from 3 milli to 5 litres. The collection caught the interest of the representatives of United Kingdom-based diary company holidaying in the city.
“They were looking out for small bottles of 3 ml capacity to pack their product. As UK is phasing out plastic pouch, they were on the lookout for a replacement. Luckily, they liked my product,” said Gopalakrishnan.
He is likely to get a contract for providing 13 lakh bottles a month. The deal will be finalised after the company officials visit the factory on Saturday.
Gopalakrishnan had earlier travelled to Dubai to get orders from super markets there. His bottles have also gone to stores in Switzerland.
His is one of the rare success stories on entrepreneurship supported by the DIC. He has also won the best product award by DIC in 2016.
It is a visit to a PET bottle making factory in Gujarat that changed the life of this RSS volunteer. He brought the raw materials and technology on his return and set up the four-machine plant at Chowara. Supported by DIC, Gopalakrishnan has so far invested Rs 3 crore in his factory and employed nice workers. He produces 30,000 bottles a day and supplies in most part of the state.
Gopalakrishnan also takes classes on entrepreneurship to college students and gives pet bottles to schools at a heavy discount.
If his health permits, he plans to launch bottled drinking water ‘World Water’ from a plant in Neyyatinkara.