Shakthi Paper Cups

Out in M. Thannirpandal Palayam, near the Rn Pudur Post, is where we set up Shakthi Paper Cups. It’s a bit of a drive from the main city, which makes it a quieter place to work. We have a few machines that turn rolls of paper into cups all day long. They make a steady clicking sound that you get used to after a while. Most of the people who work here are from the surrounding village. We don't have any big signs or bright lights. It’s just a simple building where we do our work. The main challenge is making sure the machines don't jam, so someone is always watching them closely. We pack the cups into sleeves and then into big boxes for the trucks to pick up. It’s not very exciting work, but it’s steady and it keeps everyone busy. We don’t have a marketing department or anything like that. Word usually just spreads from one person to another. Sometimes we have tea breaks under the tree outside when it gets too hot inside the shed. It’s a very local operation. We don’t try to act bigger than we are. We just focus on making the cups and getting them out to the shops that need them. It’s a simple life out here, and we like it that way. We just keep the machines running and the floor swept.