Chennai’s Print & Design enhances digital print services with flexibility

In a Chennai print shop, Samy Shrinath recounts his journey from a 19-year-old newcomer to leading Print & Design. “I learnt design software online, without classes,” he says, highlighting the passion that shaped his career. Starting his career at Saroja Printers, Srinath, who hails from Hyderabad, transformed his skills into a 14-year-old business balancing urgent digital jobs with high-volume offset printing.

Founded in 2011, Print & Design evolved from brokering print jobs to operating a Canon V900 digital press and a Mitsubishi offset press. Employing 56 staff across 5,000-square feet, the firm produces brochures, packaging, leaflets, and gift items for clients needing quick turnarounds or bulk orders.

From humble beginnings to dual operations
Print & Design started in 2011 after Shrinath, then 23, left Saroja Printers, where he managed accounts and learnt design for two years. He arrived in Chennai at 19 due to his father’s migration. “I knew nothing about printing,” he admits, but self-taught design software online, driven by enthusiasm.

As an agent, Shrinath outsourced jobs to local presses, building a client base. In 2016, he acquired a Canon C800 digital press, enabling in-house printing of small-batch jobs like invitations, leaflets, and brochures. This shift allowed the firm to meet urgent demands efficiently.

In 2019, Print & Design invested in a five-colour Mitsubishi offset press to handle larger orders, expanding its capabilities. Post-recovery from the pandemic, the firm upgraded to a Canon V900 digital press in April 2025, supporting jobs such as posters and multi-fold leaflets.

The company operates two units, with a third planned for expanding to 8,000-square feet. This set-up caters to both short-run and high-volume clients, offering flexibility across a range of print applications. Chennai’s print sector, bolstered by post-Covid digital adoption, supports firms like Print & Design that blend digital and offset technologies to serve clients needing both speed and scale.

Technology for flexibility and scale
The Canon V900 digital press handles jobs up to 13x51-inches and supports variable data printing with PDF imposition software. “It calibrates colours automatically,” Shrinath explains, minimising manual tweaks.

The five-colour Mitsubishi offset press manages orders exceeding 100 sheets. Offset colour matching uses a monitor-based system, with operators adjusting density via printed strips. “Digital suits runs below 100,” Shrinath clarifies. Digital presses handle a variety of substrates, while offset demands stricter tolerances. “They serve distinct needs,” he notes. This duality supports a wide range of print jobs.

Operational model for diverse demands
A custom-built software system, developed with a freelancer, manages estimation, billing, and job scheduling. “It oversees every step,” Shrinath says, streamlining the process from order to delivery. Digital printing handles urgent jobs under 100 sheets, such as 10–20-leaflet runs. Offset presses support bulk work like 1,000-unit packaging orders. This division optimises output and resource use.

Print & Design achieves three-lakh impressions monthly and generates INR 21-lakh in billing. “We’ve recovered INR eight-lakh of the V900’s cost,” Shrinath says, with full recoupment expected within six months.

Future plans in a shifting market
In 2025, Print & Design will add a 20x32-inch offset press in its third unit, expanding its footprint to 8,000-square feet. “It will boost packaging capacity,” Shrinath says, aligning with a broader market pivot as traditional commercial printing declines.

He is evaluating an INR one-crore investment in blue foil and UV finishing, citing a rising demand for embellished outputs. “Clients demand embellished prints,” he says. This upgrade aims to distinguish the firm in a market where speciality finishing is gaining ground.

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