Goodwill always turns into best business: Paper cup-A Green Business

The idea came when I was performing hajj with my mother in November 2010. I was given some dates and coffee for iftar in a disposable cup. I was fascinated by the cup that it was eco-friendly and hygienic food grade products. I felt that i got what i was looking for. I went to Malaysia and later to china, I stayed one and a half months to receive training on the technology to make paper cups. However, training and some cash was not enough to start this business, then I applied for loans to some banks when most of them denied but finally got only 30 lakhs taka from islami bank. With the loan and 10 lakhs in hand I ventured this paper cup manufacturing business by renting a small 1200 sqft factory space in Tejgaon. In February 2012, KPC Industry was born. Initially I hired 3 employees and never looked back.

Higher import duty on raw materials total 61% making paper cups popular to everyone and making people aware about the bad impacts of plastic cups are the key challenges for this emerging sector. On the other hand, the cumbersome and expensive process of getting trade license, BOI permission, VAT Registration, Environment Certificate, Industrial IRC, and all other government documents was a big challenge for me. But the biggest challenge due to higher duty to cope up with the price of one-time plastic cup which is not good for the environment and also bad for human health. Recently when we build a comfortable market position of paper cups in Bangladesh then the Indian paper cups get in through under invoicing on import with non-food grade low quality and unhygienic paper cups with low price. Still now Bangladesh bank not even declared this paper cup is an eco-friendly product whereas plastic products are availing eco-friendly category.

The prospect in the domestic market is huge. Just think how much tea we drink on a daily basis. If the tea stalls begin using paper cups, there will be a huge demand and also helps to protect the environment as well as human health. Some 15 crore pieces of plastic cups are used annually in the country whereas paper cups are used only 4 crores. If government band the plastic cups then immediately 15 crore market comes under paper cup sector. Globally the market for paper cups is $316 billion per year which will be open a new window of export and earn foreign currency. If the sector rise and grab those market it will help to reduce the unemployment of this country. Just think how much money we are expending on our health and medical treatment only because by taking beverages and foods in unhygienic way. To build the people aware of eco-friendly and hygienic product uses of our daily life will be a huge revolution to our social community. 

I did not work to achieve an award. It was my passion to introduce a new idea which would help the consumers as well as the country. Though the achievement by getting the best entrepreneur award in 2016 by SME foundation and also best entrepreneur award in 2019 by IFIC Bank and The Daily Samakal inspired me to go further. Print and electronic media helped me a lot to overcome the obstacles on the way of this journey. It’s a dream comes true when I established my new factory total 16000 sqft at purbachal, rupgonj near the bank of the river shitolokkha. Where 40 workers join with me with the pride that they also contribute to make Bangladesh green. But achieving these goals we are not enough to make this happen. First of all our government should think deeply and take positive steps to help this sector be at the top in Industrial sector. And I also inviting the young generation stood with us to build the awareness for using eco-friendly and hygienic products as well as abandon one time plastic products.

As a young entrepreneur I should say to our youth, there are lot of opportunities to be an entrepreneur. But entrepreneurship is not very easy. You have to proof yourself that you are a leader. To do that you have to open your eyes for grabbing the right opportunities when it comes, to use your brain for making the right decision, to use your experience for overcoming the obstacles. The best quality you have to show your patience. You never be successful without hard work. For longer version honesty is mandatory. If you want to be a special one then you should not follow others, invention can take you at the top where you can feel proud. Always think what our need is and calculate the market gap between the needs and the demands. If your calculation is perfect then you never loose. And finally you should pray to your God to become a successful social entrepreneur.

Kazi Sazedur Rahman

Managing Director, KPC Industries

(KPC Industries is the driving paper glass company in Bangladesh. They produce Eco Friendly Paper Cups)