No average time left in the Paper Industry: Rahul Khanna highlights unprecedented volatility in the sector

No average time left in the Paper Industry: Rahul Khanna highlights unprecedented volatility in the sector

The Pulp and Paper Times | New Delhi, Paperex 2025:

Rahul Khanna, MD of Khanna Paper Mills Ltd., addressed industry leaders at Paperex 2025, offering a candid and realistic assessment of the paper industry’s future amid shifting global dynamics. Opening his remarks, he said, “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, while I was sitting at the dais, I and Pawan ji were talking for four minutes what best we can present to this gathering. So that, I mean somebody asked me yesterday, how do you see future of paper industry, next six months. So that actually goes with this changing global scenario.”

Speaking on the uncertainty facing the sector, Khanna added, “How do I see? Actually I think the only thing that we can know is that everything has become very unpredictable. Ten years ago, we used to have good time, we used to have bad time and we used to have average time. Now the industry will have lot of bad time and some good time. There is no average time left in this industry.”

Khanna emphasized the sharp fluctuations witnessed in recent months. “I mean in last six months also the volatility of the industry is phenomenal. So the new global scenario is volatility. The new global scenario is times which are unprecedented,” he said.

He highlighted the growing external pressures, including global dumping of paper products and market disruptions. “You will hear the overseas people dumping, all those challenges coming in this industry and the industry leaders here would be representing to government, trying to sustain this industry. So that is going to be a new normal because we can't run away from that.”

Turning to solutions, Khanna underscored the sector’s encouraging shift toward technology and youth-driven participation. “How do we sustain? So I think the good thing is that people are working on technology. Last few years, there is a lot of technology push by the industry. There is a lot of youngsters coming in the industry.”

He noted that earlier, the paper sector was perceived as dominated by the older generation, but that trend is changing. “Every time we used to always discuss there is a older generation in this industry and we don't see lot of youngsters coming. But I think now we do see lot of young faces in the crowd. So this industry is attracting few youngsters as well.”

Calling this a positive sign for the industry's future, Khanna said, “So it's a good thing. So the whole idea here is that we have to now gather to have best technology with changing this scenario.”

He concluded his address briefly, stating, “So that's all about me. I think. Thank you very much.”
 

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