Ten top Indian buys at Drupa - halfway through the show -The Noel D'Cunha Sunday Column

As the big orders are being sealed, alarming news spread at Drupa about an alleged terrorist attack on Dusseldorf's Heinrich-Heine-Allee. Thankfully, no one is hurt. Also, it was business as usual at the show.

Indians at Drupa have been asking: is print having a Renaissance? Or is it more of a continuum?

The buzz at Drupa is: print is about to level off in terms of worldwide volumes, even though India can boast of double digit growth. What's going to go digital (online) has gone digital and what's left will be printing as we are seeing it.

The ten deals half-way through the show provide an indicator of what shall unfold in 2016.

Deal 1.

Pragati in SBL automatic foil stamping kit buy

Pragati Offset has booked an automatic foil stamping machine SBL 1050 from Taiwan-based SBL Group, which started selling packaging finishing equipment under its brand name after the 10-year long cooperation with Heidelberg ended in 2015.

Narendra Paruchuri, CEO, Pragati Offset, said, “We always look for the price-performance ratio that the machine can deliver. With Heidelberg's name associated with the company for over 10 years, gives us the confidence for investing in the Taiwanese machine.”

Deal 2.

Provin Technos signs four RMGT deals at Drupa

Japanese press manufacturer Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology marked the inclusion of four Indian printers into its sales book.

Ryobi did not name the companies for obvious reasons but informed that one printer in West India, one in South and two in the Northern region of India have booked the four presses. These printers picked up a six-colour+coater Ryobi 790 series, two picked up the four-colour Ryobi 920 series, with one picking up a 2x2 perfector 920 series.

Provin Technos managing director Vinay Kaushal, who facilitated the sales, said, "Among the bookings, two belong to RMGT 36-inch 920 series. One is a simple four-colour and the other is four-colour perfector (2+2/4/0). The third belongs to RMGT 790 series. It is a six-colour with coater, with a print size of 23x31-inches."

Deal 3.

Kanpur’s Ramji Press invests in Heiber + Schroeder machines

Kanpur-based Senior Box Factory Ramji Press (SBFRP) has inked a deal to purchase two WP Speedliner rotary window patching and lining machines manufactured by Heiber + Schroeder. The machine handles paper and cardboard from 220 to 600 gsm, corrugated board up to five mm and film from 0.03 to 0.3 mm.

Of the two Speedliners, one will be installed at the company’s Kanpur facility and the other at Haridwar. The delivery is expected by September 2016. Sparsh Mehrotra and Ankur Mehrotra, owners of the company, inked the deal at the Drupa exhibition ground in Dusseldorf.

Deal 4.

Insight closes Indian deal for Screen Truepress Jet 520 at Drupa

Insight Communications has closed a deal for a Screen Truepress Jet 520 digital web press which will be installed at the premise of an Indian customer.

George Mathew, the director of Insight Communications said, "We are delighted to open our Drupa innings with the sale of a Screen Truepress Jet 520 press."

With this Insight debuts in high end digital web press sales, said Ajay Aggarwal from Insight. He added, "As 2016 is a digital Drupa, it was apt for us to start with the sale of digital press."

Also, the first 10 feet HP Lyra newly introduced press which is capable of doing double-sided day-night signage at plus Signage Graphics in Chennai.

Deal 5.

Insight scores a perfect 10

SLV Printers in Bengaluru picked up a Komori Lithrone A37 on day one.

Today while talking exclusively to PrintWeek, Sangam Khanna, president and managing director at Insight Communication and Komori who has been stressing on why Indian printers should invest in future technologies said, "We at Komori report a highest order taking from India of 10 machines and one digital IS 29 the 1st one in India."

Await more news on this front.

Deal 6.

High-end Rapida 106 for Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s first Rapida 106 will be delivered at the end of August to NRG Printing & Packaging who operate 18 sheetfed offset presses. The seven-colour Rapida 106 with coater and UV kit soon ensure that the company can target new markets in India.

NRG is one of Bangladesh’s largest textile manufacturers and has had its own printing company with 175 staff and a head office in Dhaka since 2007. The Rapida 106 will be installed in the printing plant in Jamirdia. The new press will be equipped with a cardboard and plastics package and will be raised by 450mm. Print quality will be controlled via ErgoTronic ColorDrive and LogoTronic Professional links pre-press and MIS. NRG Printing & Packaging produces food packaging and folding carton for the cosmetic industry and pharmaceutical products.

Bhupinder Sethi handled the sale for KBA in Bangladesh.

Deal 7.

Joystar India from Mumbai, Offset printer opts for Scodix

Chennai-based Monotech System have notched a prestigious deal for Scodix in India. Monotech's TP Jain said to PrintWeek India “Print embellishments provide an opportunity for converters to add value to products, when there’s often little scope to do this elsewhere in the converting process. As average run lengths decrease, Scodix digital enhancement presses – with no tooling costs and next to no set-up – become an attractive option to replace analogue equipment."

Deal 8.

Morgana targets high-capacity market; Kadam picks up DigiBook 450 PUR

Creasing and folding specialist Morgana has launched two new creasing and folding machines which are aimed at high-capacity needs, along with new booklet maker that can produce a perfect-bound looking book but saddle-stitched.

Among other machines on display is the DigiBook 450 PUR perfect binder, which has been picked up by Pune’s Kadam Digital. The sales was facilitated by Malhotra Graphics, Morgana’s India representative.

Deal 9.

Glamod Techno Labels invests into Focus Proflex

Mumbai-based Glamod Techno Labels has signed a deal for Focus Proflex E narrow web flexo printing press in Drupa, 2016.

Monotech Systems represents Focus Machinery in India.

Deepak R Bedi of Glamod Techno Labels, said, “Printing today requires the ability and confidence to serve a wide range of markets. The ability to produce small volumes balanced with high productivity, cost-efficient operation and versatility while maintaining key elements of quality are essential.”

Deal 10.

A major global player is about to announce, its 100th cutting table installation in India. As they say, watch this space for more.