Dec. 3, 2013
Sunder Balakrishnan (PhD Chem Egr ’04) has been named the general manager of a new subsidiary at Northern Technologies International Corporation, Natur-Tec India Private Limited. The majority (90 percent) owned subsidiary based in Chennai, India, will capitalize on the increasing market demand for Natur-Tec® bioplastic products in India and the surrounding South Asian region.
G. Patrick Lynch, president and chief executive officer of Northern Technologies International Corporation, said, "NTIC has built strong credibility in the Indian market over the past few years. Our Natur-Tec bioplastic packaging solutions have been readily adopted by major consumer brands, including a large global marquee garment brand. This newly formed subsidiary will allow us to build upon this initial momentum and better serve our customers in the growing market for bioplastics within India and the surrounding countries of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan."
Balakrishnan is a graduate of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, India. He also earned a PhD in chemical engineering at Michigan State University in 2004, under the guidance of Professor Ramani Narayan, a world-renowned expert on bioplastics. Balakrishnan has co-authored several patents and international publications in the area of bioplastics and is currently a representative on bio-polymers at International Standards Organization and Bureau of Indian Standards, and an expert consultant to UNIDO, International Centre for Advancements in Manufacturing Technology in the area of Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers.
