In the mid–1990s, when India’s packaging industry was still defined by modest converters and manual processes, one small facility operated with outsized ambition. There were no declarations of scale or sustainability then, only a quiet obsession with doing things better: printing more precisely, sourcing more responsibly, and building capability where none existed locally. While competitors chased volume, this venture focused on control over materials, inks, cylinders, processes, etc.
What started as necessity soon became a strategic instinct. Over the decades, that steady accumulation of capability transformed a handful of machines into an ecosystem and a regional supplier into a vertically integrated force serving industries where precision, hygiene, and trust are not just preferences but prerequisites. We are referring to none other than GLS Group, the quiet force reshaping India’s packaging landscape.
What makes GLS’s trajectory particularly striking is not just its scale of evolution but the deliberateness behind it. Here, each capability has been built to solve a problem before the market fully recognised it. This story emerges from an in-depth virtual conversation with the group’s leadership team, offering readers a rare look into how strategy, technology investment, and sustainability-focused thinking converge behind the scenes of a modern manufacturing enterprise.
The interconnected verticals powering their end-toend solutions
The group was founded in 1994 as a modest flexible packaging unit named Sandeep Laminators and evolved into one of India’s most quietly comprehensive, end-to-end packaging and materials solutions providers. Today, the group operates across five specialised verticals that together span the entire value chain of modern packaging solutions.
GLS Films delivers flexible packaging formats, including metallised films, window packaging, pouches, and labels; GLS Polyfilms manufactures key substrate films such as BOPET and GLS Speciality Chemicals supports the ecosystem with gravure and flexographic inks, coatings, lamination adhesives, primers, and polyurethane resins. Extending into Liquid Packaging, GLS ELOPAK produces aseptic carton systems under the Purepak and Alpak formats, while GLS Aluminium anchors the group’s barrier solutions with high-quality aluminium foil.
Together, these five companies form a fully integrated enterprise designed not only to supply packaging but also to control its science, safety, and sustainability at every stage.
Three decades of strategic and purposeful growth
In the last thirty years, the business growth at GLS has never followed the template of linear expansion, but unfolded through strategic capability-building. The launch of GLS Film Industries in 2003 marked the first decisive scale-up, followed in 2009 by a crucial move toward vertical integration with the establishment of in-house ink formulation and cylinder production. It was a step that secured process control long before it became an industry imperative. By 2012, production capacity at GLS Films had expanded fourfold, positioning the company among promising Indian players.
The following year saw diversification into infrastructure through GLS Infra Projects, signalling cross-sector value creation. Manufacturing depth widened further with the setup of GLS Specialty Chemicals strengthening the group’s supply chain foundation. In 2020, GLS entered large-scale logistics infrastructure with the development and leasing of India’s largest single-shed PEB facility, reinforcing its industrial backbone.
The transformation accelerated in 2021 with the commissioning of North India’s first aseptic carton manufacturing unit under GLS Elopak, followed swiftly in 2022 by the establishment of a state-ofthe-art aluminium foil rolling mill and the deployment of a 10.6-metre-wide BOPET production line. This diversification placed GLS among a rare class of packaging groups that command control across substrates, chemistry, conversion, and barrier formats under one integrated platform.
Blending entrepreneurial instinct with industrial discipline
With the evolution of the group, a new and dynamic generation of leadership has emerged to steer its next phase of growth. The leadership team is young, deeply hands-on, and grounded in operational realities. Each leader has approached expansion not as an exercise in scale but as a question of capability. Early recognition for reliability and enduring client relationships set the foundation, but rising volumes and more sophisticated customer demands soon required deeper manufacturing control.
The pivotal strategic shift while pursuing backward integration across films, foils, and core material inputs was led by this leadership cohort as a means to secure quality consistency, supply assurance, and cost discipline. The move strengthened the group’s internal ecosystem and sharpened its response time to market needs, enabling GLS to transition from supplier to solutions partner.
The key differentiator in the group’s journey so far is the insightful leadership philosophy that comes with an entrepreneurial clarity, i.e., to invest ahead of demand, adopt technology early, and expand only where meaningful value can be created. In this view, growth is not an end in itself but an outcome of disciplined capability building. That mindset has shaped GLS’s evolution, allowing the group to scale steadily, diversify responsibly, and maintain the operational rigour that continues to underpin its reputation for trust across industries.
Riding the wave of industrial realignment
India’s packaging industry is now grappling with stricter safety standards, global sustainability benchmarks, and increasing demand for traceable, reliable manufacturing. Here, GLS Group has strategically positioned itself at the forefront of this newage transformation. Through its joint venture with Norway-based Elopak, GLS has already introduced world-class aseptic packaging systems to India, enabling brands to meet stringent quality and safety requirements. Backward integration across films, foils, inks, etc., ensures tighter process control and reduces reliance on multiple suppliers.
GLS Group’s proprietary R&D labs drive innovations in barrier films, sustainable materials, and advanced coatings that allow clients to scale quickly while being in sync with the compliance. Keeping a steady focus on combining speed, reliability, and technological foresight, the group is not only responding to the evolving market but actively shaping it.
Leaving a mark with tangible metrics
In recent years, GLS’s carefully constructed integration strategy has translated into unusually rapid scale. The group’s turnover has scaled from approximately 500 crore to over 3,000+ crore. This significant growth has been fuelled by targeted investments into highcomplexity manufacturing verticals, most notably liquid aseptic carton systems under GLS Elopak, large-format BOPET film production through GL Polyfilms, and aluminium foil manufacturing via GLS Aluminium.
These moves have placed the group among one of India’s largest players by installed capacity across multiple segments of the packaging materials spectrum. Needless to say, it is a rare achievement for a company that has scaled without dilution of operational control.
Execution speed has emerged as a defining strength. GLS has demonstrated the ability to conceptualise and commission capital-intensive industrial projects at a pace that many larger enterprises struggle to match. In Haryana alone, the group has invested over 1,000 crore, generating large-scale regional employment.
Strategic partnerships have further accelerated GLS’s global integration. The group’s joint venture with Europe-based Elopak, the world’s largest Gable top carton manufacturer, brought over $35 million in investment and 130 crore in foreign direct investment into India, establishing one of the country’s most advanced aseptic carton production facilities. The collaboration exemplifies GLS’s operating model, combining global technology partnerships with domestic execution depth to form a competitive advantage in the industry.
Inside the Engine of GLS’s Next-Gen Growth
Sustainability and technology are emerging as the twin engines of progress in the packaging world. Businesses are recalibrating their processes, not simply to meet compliance standards, but to build packaging systems that are future-proof and globally competitive. In this direction, sustainability has become a measure of operational credibility and is no longer used for marketing intent. For GLS Group, this shift has translated into designing factories, processes, and materials that anticipate evolving compliance demands rather than respond to them.
Its full spectrum production model enables the group to innovate directly at the source. Advanced extrusion technologies, in-house chemical formulations, energy optimisation systems, and solvent management programmes support the development of lighter, high-quality, and more recyclable materials while maintaining industrial scale. It is pretty evident that here innovation is not confined to laboratories but embedded into the manufacturing architecture itself.
GLS stands out in the crowd owing to its focus on the fact that sustainability drives growth rather than restricting it. Sustainability is not just a checkbox at GLS but a strategy in action. The leadership aptly aligns environmental responsibility with operational performance, elevating compliance into a differentiator.
Accolades and operational prowess
With a turnover surpassing 3,000+ crore, GLS has grown into one of India’s largest integrated packaging and manufacturing platforms. Its flagship expansions, such as GLS Elopak, GLS Polyfilms, and GLS Aluminium, have secured leading capacities domestically. GLS Group is also charting a bold path into international markets with the launch of GLS Europa. This vertical is targeting Europe’s high-demand packaging sector, supplying polyfilms, and aluminium foils tailored to local regulatory standards and sustainability expectations.
Meanwhile, GLS Americas establishes a presence in North America, a market defined by fast-paced innovation, stringent compliance, and premium consumer expectations. Advanced R&D labs, robust backward integration, and continuous plant expansions have enabled the group to combine quality, efficiency, and innovation at scale. Recognised for excellence and sustainable manufacturing, GLS is now positioning itself for a future IPO and a broader international brand presence.
Most recently, GLS Aluminium has earned the ASI Performance Standard V3.1 Certification (Certificate #513), a milestone that marks its commitment to responsible, sustainable, and highquality aluminium production. This fully audited facility that covers rolling, slitting, annealing, packing, and dispatch is now known to meet global best practices at every operational stage.
Mr Arpit Goyal, the young driving force behind the group’s expansion, bagged the “Entrepreneur of the Year in Product or Manufacturing Business (Plastics & Polymers)” award at the 12th Annual Entrepreneur India Awards. This recognition is a nod to his vision and operational discipline. Beyond personal accolades, GLS Group has translated ambition into tangible industrial outcomes. Each of these achievements reflects the group’s ability to combine entrepreneurial leadership with large-scale execution.
Moreover, beyond infrastructure and capacity, GLS Group invests deeply in its people. The organization runs women-led initiatives and development programs to promote diversity, nurture leadership, and provide equal opportunities across all levels. For leadership, safety, skill-building, and continuous training remain core priorities, ensuring that every employee feels valued, supported, and equipped to contribute to their envisioned growth.
Insights from the leadership
Before wrapping up, we share a leadership message from the directors,“Our leadership philosophy blends experience with fresh thinking, investing in capabilities, not shortcuts, and embedding innovation into every process. From global partnerships and operations in Europe and America to advanced R&D labs across all five business verticals, GLS has demonstrated that scale, quality, and sustainability can grow hand in hand. Integrity, patience, and the right talent have been equally critical, ensuring that growth is not only fast but also responsible.
GLS believes in being bold yet grounded, innovative yet disciplined, and always building for the long term. To the readers of Business Connect, we extend our gratitude for sharing this journey. Together, we look forward to shaping a future of industrial excellence, sustainable growth, and meaningful impact.”
