Sumeru Advanced Materials Pvt. Ltd. is a leading Indian innovator in specialty polymers and advanced materials, backed by more than three decades of intensive research, development, and manufacturing expertise. The company delivers high-performance solutions to critical sectors including electrical insulation, battery technologies, and paper additives.
Leveraging its state-of-the-art R&D laboratory and rigorously controlled production facilities, Sumeru engineers customized adhesives, resins, binders, and insulating materials that meet the highest industry benchmarks. Its portfolio, ranging from solutions for oil-immersed transformers to laminated pressboards, combines reliability with exceptional precision, addressing the most demanding industrial applications.
Driven by a commitment to innovation and customer-centricity, Sumeru works closely with clients to design and supply materials that elevate performance, quality, and efficiency. By continually investing in advanced technologies and specialized expertise, the company strengthens its vision to serve as a trusted provider of cutting-edge polymeric and chemical solutions in India and global markets.
In an exclusive interaction with The Interview World at Paperex 2025, Akshay N, Managing Director of Sumeru Advanced Materials Pvt. Ltd., discusses the company’s diverse solutions for the paper and related industries, shares insights on domestic and international market reach, outlines the innovative products planned for the next five to ten years, and articulates his broader vision for the decade ahead.
The key insights from this compelling conversation follow.
Q: Could you elaborate on the range of solutions Sumeru offers to the paper industry?
A: We manufacture a product called wet strength resin, a technology that has existed for more than five decades and supports a wide range of paper grades. Traditionally, the industry has relied on it to reinforce tissue products so they retain strength even when wet. For example, toilet tissue is designed to lose strength when exposed to water because it must disintegrate in the drain. In contrast, towels and napkins must maintain durability during use, making wet strength resin essential.
This, however, is only the most visible application. We are now extending the resin’s properties into many other everyday uses. Until recently, the kraft paper segment barely used wet strength resin, assuming it offered little value. Yet, as we collaborate closely with end users, we are developing paper applications that can withstand high moisture, rain, and other challenging conditions. As a result, the demand is shifting. Users now recognize the need for wet strength in kraft paper, and the market is steadily responding to this requirement.
Q: Since your resins are utilized in electrical insulation applications, could you provide more details on their characteristics and typical use cases?
A: We specialize in a set of electrical insulation resins used in transformer insulation, commonly known as B-stage epoxy resins. In simple terms, consider a familiar system like Araldite, where a resin and hardener are mixed to cure into a solid material. Our technology deliberately halts the curing process at an intermediate stage.
When reheated, the resin reactivates and completes the curing cycle, creating a highly effective, dry-to-touch adhesive. This controlled reactivation makes our B-stage epoxy resins an essential component in advanced electrical insulation applications.
Q: Are your products supplied exclusively within India, or do you also export them to global markets?
A: Our products serve both domestic and international markets. We supply extensively across the Middle East, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, and several Southeast Asian countries. Moreover, we have begun steadily expanding our presence into Europe as well.
Q: What innovative products are you planning to develop over the next 5 to 10 years?
A: We continue to build on our wet strength resin platform and adapt it for a range of new applications. Along the way, the market has revealed several interesting opportunities. Take tea bags, for example, a simple, everyday product. Despite the scale of tea consumption in India, the country does not manufacture its own tea bag paper. The gap is small but significant, and we are exploring what it would take to produce high-quality tea bag paper domestically.
At the same time, we are conducting research to eliminate formaldehyde from plywood and particleboard adhesives. These initiatives form part of a growing pipeline of products and technologies.
Our company was created by a group of polymer engineers who came together with a shared technical vision rather than a traditional business origin. Research and development has always been at the heart of our work. Yet we recognize that R&D alone cannot sustain the enterprise. As a result, we now focus our research efforts on innovations that not only advance technology but also generate sustainable revenue, allowing us to keep expanding our capabilities.
Q: Where do you envision Sumeru in the next decade?
A: We continue to expand the wet strength resin platform and adapt it for new applications. Along the way, the market has revealed several unmet needs. Take tea bags, for instance. They are used daily across India, yet the country does not manufacture tea bag paper. Although it is a small product, we see significant potential and are exploring what it would take to produce tea bag paper domestically.
In parallel, we are researching formaldehyde-free adhesive systems for plywood and particle boards. These initiatives form part of our broader innovation pipeline.
At our core, we are a team of polymer engineers who came together to build this company. We were not born as a traditional business; instead, R&D has always been our foundation. However, R&D alone cannot sustain the organization, which is why we now focus on commercially viable research that not only advances materials science but also generates revenue.
