Packagers in suburban Mumbai discuss "print viability" during the second round of At Your Doorstep meet

The initiative had the support of Atul Mehta of J&S Creation who was the host.

Continuing with the focus on print, the second session got underway with the hotly debated and pertinent question: Is print viable? All the 25 participants made an initial round of introductions, and then they highlighted the top concerns and challenges the industry faces in today's times.

The freewheeling discussion raised a few pertinent questions like pricing, marketing among print firms, duty structures, inspector raj, etc. It offered an opportunity to the participants to understand the changing dynamics of print.

Rohit Patel of Rajni Printing Press said that there were no price enhancements in the past two decades, even though the cost of raw materials has shot up. He added: "Print firms have to indulge in marketing warfare. After 20 years we are still working on old prices. The client wants the best practices but he is unwilling to pay for it. Have we done anything to build on print strengths?".

Jay Jariwala who produces handbag tags, barcode sticker and garment accessories, said: "Cutting edge research must be defined by market needs and what the buyers and sellers decide." He added that price was important, but his buyers (most of whom are based in the USA) did not look at price as the "be-all and end-all" for print purchase. "They are much more interested in service and value," he added.

Anand Limaye, editor of Print Bulletin and former president of MMS whose brain-child the At Your Doorstep project is, said: "There is a great need for dialogue and understanding the need of medium-sized print companies. The present pricing pattern was conceived 30 years ago and is still moving on in the same direction. We still follow the same business processes. It needs to be modified.

Today, print firms have to ask tough questions like who is paying what, how big is the consumption, how and what is being produced, and so on."

Commenting on the initiative, Uday Dhote, who chaired the evening said, "MMS has taken this initiative to bring industry players across all the print districts and industrial galas in Mumbai to discuss and debate issues that impact the growth of our industry."

He added, "As one of Mumbai's premier association, we at MMS felt that such initiatives will benefit the industry as a whole and needs to be encouraged and supported." PrintWeek India is a supporter in these sessions.

The next At Your Doorstep for label converters will be held at Mahape in Navi Mumbai.