New look Siegwerk has sustainability focus in India

The “new Siegwerk” which is younger in outlook is galloping on the road to success. According to Pradhan, “the India results are healthy and indicate a stable market position”. The India operations of Siegwerk is now into its eleventh year with a factory in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan and offices spread across India. With a growth of 20% per annum, Siegwerk India, employs over 450 people and according to Pradhan is “deemed as one of its best performing entities worldwide”.

Today Siegwerk has grown into one of the three biggest producers of printing inks worldwide. The German headquartered major, boasts of 34 national subsidiaries on all five continents which represents “the company prominently and in a customer-focused way.”

Ever since Pradhan took over the mantle, his focus is on sustainability. The printing ink manufacturer has published its first-ever Sustainability Report, based on the international GRI standard.

Pradhan said. “By launching the Sustainability Report, we want to provide even greater transparency and enter into an open dialogue with brands owners and our customers.” The main aim is: responsibility for environment and society. He said, “When formulating its inks, Siegwerk is not only looking for optimum performance based on customers’ processes but also to ensure that these inks are safe to use for the packaging applications. As a global leader in providing product safety, Siegwerk supports its customers when protection against regulatory risks or product contamination is required.”

Pradhan added that the company will expand its manufacturing capabilities, in order to provide better products for its Indian customers. This means better systems and procedures.

One area of importance for Siegwerk is its Masterbatch system and blending centres, which Pradhan said provides numerous benefits for customers in India, including higher flexibility and reductions in ink handling and storage, manpower, time and costs.

This provides improved ability to respond quickly to customer demands, simplicity in changing ink series (systems), the ability to produce as needed, the reduction of non-returnable cans and drums, the optimal use of press-return inks, and cost savings through rationalisation. Now Indian customers can mix their own inks from concentrates supplied by Siegwerk.

Siegwerk’s roots go back to the opening of the family-owned calico factory in 1840, which printed on cotton cloth and also produced the required inks. Incidentally, the calico factory, Kattunfabrik Rolffs & Cie, was the first industrial company in Siegburg. At the end of the 19th century, 850 people worked for the calico factory, which had by then gained international recognition – especially after the successful participation in the world exhibition in 1873 in Vienna.

After 180 years, Siegwerk, a sixth-generation family-owned company, is one of the leading international manufacturers of printing inks and individual solutions for packaging, labels, and catalogs. In keeping with the company’s philosophy “Ink, Heart & Soul,” Siegwerk seeks long-term cooperation with its business partners. Siegwerk employs some 5,000 people worldwide in more than 30 country organisations and is headquartered in Siegburg near Cologne.