How a Small-Town Entrepreneur Turned Local Resources into a Rs. 220 Crore Turnover Paper Empire

In 1998, Arvind Kumar Mittal started Chandpur Paper in the small town of Chandpur, Uttar Pradesh, with just 50 employees and a dream to turn local resources into a thriving business.

What began as a small craft paper manufacturing unit on a 3-acre plot has grown into a 20-acre sustainable enterprise with a turnover of Rs. 220 crore, employing over 400 people today.

Amit Mittal, who established the company along with his father, proudly asserts that their manufacturing practices are fully sustainable (Photos: Special Arrangement)

It operates under the registered name Chandpur Enterprises Limited. The company produces 140 tons of paper daily, including MG Poster paper and Chromo paper.

The paper manufacturing industry has two major verticals: one produces paper for publication, and the other focuses on packaging paper, known as MG paper, which is used for industrial purposes.


Chandpur Paper specialises in the second type, producing white paper with a thickness of around 35-40 GSM (grams per square meter).

These papers are used in the making of tobacco pouches, sachets, shoe wraps, labels, soap wrapping, food wrappers, thermal paper that is used in billing, and in the textile industry for packaging.

Chandpur Paper’s practices are fully sustainable. It recycles 35,000 tonnes of waste paper annually, treats 5 lakh litres of water daily for irrigation, and has reduced 962 tonnes of CO2 emissions so far.

They purchase waste paper and process it to create high-quality material for manufacturing paper. The factory does not use coal to operate. Instead, it relies on alternative and eco-friendly energy sources.

Amit's brother-in-law, Devesh Kumar Singhal, oversees the production

One primary source is bagasse, the fibrous residue left after extracting juice from sugarcane. Another source is biomass from the plywood industry, where small branches and leaves of eucalyptus trees are used as fuel.

Additionally, solar power supplies 80% of the factory's energy needs. The founders have partnered with a private company to purchase solar energy. This company supplies solar power to the government grid, which then reaches the factory.

The water used in the paper production process is treated and repurposed for irrigation, benefiting farmers in the nearby areas of the factory. “Our paper manufacturing practices ensure minimal environmental impact,” shares Amit Mittal, Arvind Kumar Mittal’s son, who now leads the company.

Located in a region known for sugarcane farming, Chandpur Paper benefits from the availability of bagasse.

Amit explains, “The area around Chandpur and Bijnor district is popular for sugarcane farming. Once the sugarcane juice is extracted, the remaining waste is used in paper factories to manufacture paper. This was the only reason that paved the way to come up with a paper factory in Chandpu.”

Amit Mittal, along with his brother-in-law Devesh Kumar Singhal, manages the business today. Amit handles marketing and finance, while Devesh oversees production.

The early days of the factory were not without struggles. Amit shares, “There were two major issues; one was getting the finance done. These days we get loans at a very small rate, but in those times it was much higher. So arranging the money was a major factor. Apart from this, UP had a problem of irregular power supply; this was another major struggle that we faced.”

Chandpur Paper has a monthly production capacity of 3,300 tonnes

The company serves both regional distributors and corporate clients, with 27 distributors across India contributing 90% of its business. The remaining 10% comes from corporate customers like Siddumal Paper Company, Uslex Ltd, Montage, and Huhtamaki Packaging.

Reflecting on the growth of the business, Amit says, “The first year wasn’t great; we closed at Rs. 3-4 crore, but by 2014, we reached Rs. 45 crore, and in 2018, we crossed Rs. 100 crore. Today, we stand at Rs. 220 crore.”

The company has expanded its monthly production capacity to 3,300 tons, up from 600 tons when it started. It now employs 400 people, including 300 full-time staff, with 90% involved in production and the rest in sales, marketing, and finance.

Born in 1973 in Chandpur, Amit completed his Class 12 in 1989 and initially enrolled in a B.Sc. programme in Lucknow before switching to engineering. He completed his B.Tech from Manipal University in 1994 and an MBA in marketing from Lucknow University in 1996.

Joining his father’s business the same year, Amit worked to set up the factory, which began production in 1998.
“I came from a very simple family and studied in a Hindi-medium school, while my classmates in Mangalore spoke fluent English. When I couldn’t communicate as well, they made fun of me,” says Amit, recalling his challenges.

His father and uncle were part of a joint family of 60 members who shared a single kitchen. The family also operated five cinema halls in the Chandpur area.

“Chandpur was such a small place that it didn’t even have STD/PCO facilities until 1996. I used to write letters to my parents, while my classmates made phone calls. This difference often made me feel guilty,” says Amit.

The top brass of Chandpur Paper at their plant

Amit is married to Nidhi and they still live in a joint family. The couple are proud parents of elder son Aditya, 25 who has joined the business. Their younger son Abhay, 21, is pursuing education.

Amit’s suggestion to the upcoming entrepreneur is, “Entrepreneurship is thrilling but you have to be prepared to take the challenges and be patient. Both of them go on a parallel basis.

“If you have the mindset of working in a secure atmosphere, you should not get into entrepreneurship. I would still say that entrepreneurship gives a lot of opportunities to learn. India requires more job creators than job seekers right now.”

In leisure, Amit likes to watch movies with his family. - ©TWL