Twenty-five years ago, KCL made tin containers for the ghee industry. Today it runs 42 to 45 machines and has its own brand, Safari.
That is how Muhammad Naeem, General Manager at KCL, opens his interview with HiTech Machinery.
With more than 30 years of professional experience, including work at some very large organizations, he knows what it takes to run a manufacturing business.
Read on to know KCL’s journey and what Mr. Naeem talks about working with HiTech Machinery.
How KCL Got Started?
Karim Containers Private Limited (KCL) did not begin in plastics.
The name says it: the company was first in the tin industry, making tin containers for the ghee industry and supplying companies such as Dalda.
About 25 years ago, KCL changed direction. It started with one or two injection moulding machines and then moved into PET stretch-blow moulding.
Today, KCL operates from Karachi and has a big name in Pakistan’s plastic industry.
What KCL Makes Today?
KCL works with all three main plastic technologies:
- Stretch-blow moulding: its leading area
- Injection moulding: used for preforms and other products
- Extrusion moulding: roughly on a par with injection moulding
The business has two sides. One is the corporate sector, which KCL supplies. Another is its own brand, Safari, which makes school bottles and refrigerator bottles.
Mr. Naeem says KCL is a market leader in both, and that Safari is a well-known name across Pakistan.
How the Partnership with HiTech Machinery Began
KCL’s relationship with HiTech started around 2018–2019 with auxiliary equipment (chillers and dryers).
In the same period, KCL bought three UWA IMM and stretch-blow moulding machines through HiTech. They are still running today.
Then came a bigger step. In 2019–2020, HiTech began a new collaboration with Tederic.
KCL was among the pioneers of Tederic’s two-colour machines in Pakistan. It bought one through HiTech and started two-colour production in Karachi.
At that time, perhaps only five two-colour machines were operating in the whole country, and one of them was KCL’s HiTech Tederic machine.
“Our Tederic machine has been operating here since 2019 and has been very satisfactory,” Mr. Naeem said. It is still operational today.
Every pet-blow moulding machine at KCL comes from HiTech. There are no others.
Energy Savings and Better Cycle Times
KCL’s most recent addition is an electric injection moulding machine, used to make preforms.
Mr. Naeem says they tried it and the experience was genuinely beneficial.
The numbers backed it up:
- Around 10–12% energy saved
- A reduction in cycle time
- A place in his future capital expenditure plans
Plastic Manufacturers ask for three things: energy-efficient machines, higher production, and shorter cycle times.
Mr. Naeem says HiTech Machinery meets all these requirements, and that combining both benefits gives KCL a good return.
Can Pakistan Make International-Quality Products?
Many people believe products of the same quality as imports cannot be made in Pakistan.
Mr. Naeem disagrees.
“We can manufacture all kinds of products in Pakistan that meet international standards,” he said.
The same technologies and the same types of machines are used here, whether from HiTech or other suppliers.
He also pointed to China. Even there, industry works according to each market’s requirements and cost expectations, so products can be made in lower, standard, substandard, or high quality.
The same is possible in Pakistan.
In fact, production already happens here at a standard that allows exports.
KCL has the quality needed to export, and it plans to take Safari in that direction.
After-Sales Support: What KCL Experienced
Mr. Naeem agrees that HiTech’s technical and sales teams are professional. He also believes timely after-sales service matters for every industry, not just HiTech.
“Perhaps everyone has money and can invest in better machinery. But if you do not provide timely after-sales service, you cannot compete in the market,” he said.
KCL has worked with HiTech for around eight to ten years or more. Out of his total 42 or 45 machines, around 40% are from HiTech.
In his words, that is proof that whenever KCL calls, it gets a timely response, and the technical team is available in Karachi.
He was open about the hard parts, too:
- Spare parts: Response is fast, but spare-part availability can sometimes hold things back.
- Power supply: Electricity in Pakistan fluctuates, so PLC panels and electronic circuits need extra care.
- Local vs. electronic repairs: Mechanical work can be handled locally, but electronics can leave you dependent on outside support.
- His advice: Keep the parts most likely to fail in stock. He says HiTech has done this to a considerable extent.
When KCL first installed the Tederic machine, there were compatibility issues between the mould and the machine. Both had been ordered together through HiTech.
A lot of troubleshooting followed, and both sides supported each other for about a year while the support team worked through it.
HiTech’s head office is in Lahore, but it also has service support in Karachi.
As the host put it, HiTech Machinery is only one phone call away.
Rating HiTech Machinery
Mr. Naeem rated HiTech at least 9 out of 10 for technology and 8 out of 10 for after-sales service.
His reason for the 8: “Because there is room for improvement everywhere. If I give you 10 out of 10 today, the rest of the team might become too comfortable.”
His suggestion was clear. HiTech is doing well in technology, but in after-sales service, it could increase the team size and improve response times.
He added: “God willing, I will move further towards Tederic in the future, and towards your company as well.”
His Advice for Other Businesses
The host asked whether people already in the plastic industry, or planning to enter it, can trust HiTech Machinery. Mr. Naeem answered: “They can absolutely trust HiTech Machinery.”
His second tip was about automation. “The more we automate things, the more we can avoid troubleshooting. Wherever human intervention is involved, we face some difficulties. It is better to depend on machines.”
Watch the Full Interview on Our YouTube Channel:
A Partnership Built Over Time
KCL went from tin containers to a plastics business with its own brand.
HiTech Machinery has been part of that journey for eight to ten years, from the first chillers and dryers to three UWA machines, a two-colour Tederic machine, and an energy-saving electric machine.
HiTech Machinery is a complete turnkey solutions provider and machinery supplier.
We offer plastic manufacturing machinery and auxiliary equipment across Pakistan, Asia, Africa, and the GCC region, along with technical support and local warranty services.
Whether you run an existing factory or are planning your first one, we can help you choose the right machines and keep them running.
Contact HiTech Machinery to start the conversation.