EDITORIAL: "10 reasons why I love print as much as I do," says Sachin Shardul

This is my first editorial for PrintWeek India in the past three years. And I'm happy because I love print. Especially since it is growing.

24 Mar 2011 | By PrintWeek India

Print firms are being manned by second and third (and at times fourth) generation CEOs who are advocating chic management style and new positioning.
Print accounts for 2% of India’s GDP – and will generate $31.25 billion by 2012.
The period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 saw 283 brand new sheetfed units being installed. 2,813 pre-owned offset printing units were imported into India. This includes key sizes like 52 cms, 74 cms and 102 cms. Heidelberg leads the way with 29%, Komori (18%,) Mitsubishi (14%) and Adast (9%).
Plant expansions among commercial printers, which is growing (in spite of all the doom and gloom reports) at 18%.
Exciting new print centres like Ahmedabad, Baddi, Coimbatore, Daman, Ernakulam etc.
Bending the rules means firms are innovating across pricing, promotion and products. Plus a 60% conversion to CTP technology.
Packaging is growing at 34%. Of this folding box cartons is seeing an annual growth of 18% – and a print media production value of $1.07 bn in 2012. Furthermore, labels is growing at 24% at a value of $ 2.31-bn in 2012.
Rs 2.32 trillion for education. Spending on higher education in India will grow at an average 18%. India currently spends Rs 46,200 crore on higher education.
This is good news for my daughter, Tansihka’s generation. It’s also good news for print. More education, means more students, which means more books, and much more of print.
With consumers getting brand conscious, consumers are being mesmerised by retail stores; and print is the best way to lure them.
And finally, the advent of women in print thanks to digital presses. I was impressed when I was visiting Kadam in Pune, and one of my juniors from PVG was handling the Nexpress.

Sachin Shardul is tech editor at PrintWeek India