Printing industry in India expects a greener graph in 2013 over global cues

Heidelberg, recently released its figures for the second quarter and first half of the current financial year stating that the figures were in line with its expectations. “Development in the industry continues to be stable and demand for our products is robust,’ said Heidelberg's new CEO Gerold Linzbach. “Based on the current financial year to date, we are confident we will meet our targets. You have to study them, along with others published this week, and they will provide you with a pretty good idea of how the industry progressing, although still feeling the effects of the current financial situation and economic slowdown that is far from over,” stated the release issued by the company.

Similarly, KBA's third quarter report also reflected positive figures. According to president and chief executive officer, Claus Bolza-Schünemann, KBA is progressing in-line with its targets. The company, reports that it has completely reversed its losses for the same period last year and has managed to record a double-digit operating and pre-tax profit for the nine months to 30 September 2012.

Langley Holdings' Manroland Sheetfed Company claimed to have finally completed its reorganisation, with the dismissal of yet another 77 workers from its Offenbach site at the end of this month, just in time to put a dampener on Christmas and the New Year.

Manroland Web Systems’ new managing director, Eckhard Horner-Marass in an exclusive interaction with PrintWeek India reported that the company is focusing on lean management techniques to achieve positive figures by the end of next financial year.

The digital equipment manufacturer too seem to have been treading towards greener pastures when it comes to finances.

Kodak leads the headlines with its latest announcement regarding its plans and efforts to exit from Chapter 11 in the United States in the first half of 2013. The latest interim and exit financing is, however, still dependent upon the successful completion of the sale of Kodak's digital imaging patent portfolio for $500 million which previously stalled, and other 'certain milestones' being met.

In the third quarter, Xerox’ total revenue of $5.4 billion was down 3% but the revenue from the company’s services business was up 6% in constant currency. “Our third-quarter performance aligns with shifts in our business as services become a larger proportion of our revenue, and reflects the dynamics of a challenging economy that is creating cost pressures for large enterprises and governments,” said Ursula Burns, chairman and chief executive officer,  Xerox.

“Steady growth in services is consistent with our strategy. Scaling our offerings in business process, IT and document outsourcing gives us a diversified portfolio that helps mitigate declines in equipment sales and supplies,” she added. “We’re accelerating growth in print-related markets that are expanding, like serving more small and mid-size businesses through indirect channels, and we’re maintaining our profitable leadership in markets that are contracting.”

For the quarter, HP’s net revenue of $29.7 billion was down 5% year over year and down 2% when adjusted for the effects of currency.  “HP is still in the early stages of a multi-year turnaround, and we're making decent progress despite the headwinds," said Meg Whitman, president and chief executive officer, HP. “During the quarter we took important steps to focus on strategic priorities, manage costs, drive needed organisational change, and improve the balance sheet. We continue to deliver on what we say we will do.”

The positive cues also seems to have trickled down to the software, paper and adhesive manufacturing segments.

Software giant, Adobe received an impetus from its creative cloud subscription. The company achieved revenue in third quarter of the 2011-12 financial year of $1.081bn, within its target range of $1.075bn to $ 1.125bn.

Sappi's latest results for its fourth quarter and financial year (ended September 2012), show that strategic initiatives have yielded solid results and good progress has been made on debt reduction.

Henkel´s sales in the third quarter of 2012 were 4,294 million euros, an increase of 6.6% compared to the figure for the prior-year quarter. Organic sales, which exclude the impact of foreign exchange and acquisitions/divestments, rose by 2.5%. This included Henkel’s adhesive technologies business sector, which generated positive organic sales growth of 1%.

In the last few months, all the interactions I held with the industry giants in India had tint of optimism. While the figures declared by the global manufacturing honchos are yet to show a major trickle-down effect on the India market, the industry seems positive.