Apple invests in a second KBA; eyes oppurtunities in packaging segment

Driving on a growth curve, the 20 month-old firm overcomes infrastructure challenges, to place itself as an key player with a whopping CAGR of 30%. A report by Rahul Kumar.

13 Dec 2013 | By Rahul Kumar

When one starts a business from scratch it requires immense dedication, perseverance and a stomach to face and dispense any problems that may arise. Any business is at its most vulnerable in its infancy, due to red tapism and shabby support systems for a start-up. Enter: Apple Print Pack, a Delhi-based packaging printer. This 20-month old firm, has had its baptism by fire. And the good news is, it emerged with head held high and is galloping at a compound annual growth rate of 30%. Today, the firm is evolving and investing to boost its capacity.
Amidst the usual hiccups of bad roads and sanitation in an industrial zone, the Bansal family (Trilok Chand, Vinay, Vimal and Shyam Bansal) set a respectable growth rate.
Recently, the company installed a Bobst post-press kit including autoplaten die-cutter SP102E, Visionfold folder-gluer 110A2 and Heiber+Schroder WPS 1100 liner machine to strengthen its finishing segment.
 
The Bansals are currently working on expanding the production capacities for two new print facilities, recently established by the company. While the facility has been built in the vicinity of the parent production facility, the other is in Kundli Industrial Area, Haryana.
 
The discussion with the directors revealed that they have invested in a KBA printing press, which will be delivered and installed at the new Jahangirpuri unit. The press was supplied by Indo Polygraph Machinery, the Indian dealer of KBA sheetfed division.  “We are growing at around 30% CAGR. Since we are a 20-month-old company, expansion is the only way to grab opportunities in the market. That’s why we have invested in a KBA printing press. In addition, several post-press, cutting and folder gluers machines will be installed at both the units,” said Vinay Bansal, director, Apple Print Pack. 
 
The company is also planning to invest in another six-colour printing press with a sheet size of 28x40-inch and add new equipment in the pre-press segment.
 
Apple Print Pack is a sister concern of Shyam Jute Industries. “We have been dealing in jute and flexible packaging for more than five decades. Since the government is planning to ban plastic packaging, we decided to enter the paper and paperboard packaging business,” explained Bansal when asked about the decision to diversify into packaging printing business.
 
Bansal feels that there are ample opportunities in rigif packaging. “Overseas companies are entering our market which will create opportunity. To grab such opportunities we are on an expansion spree,” he stated. 
 
Apple already boasts of a KBA six-colour printing press with online coater of 28x40 inch in size, two die-cutters and folder gluers, lamination machines and manual dies.
 
The company has purchased a 70,000 sq/ft property in the Kundli Industrial Area, Haryana for its future expansion plans. Bansal also shared that they are also expanding their current unit by adding 14,000 sq/ft area but eventually plans to shift the entire printing facility under one roof at Kundli. 
The Bansals expect around 100% year on year growth once Apple's plans are complete.