Labelogy: the top five converting heroes and how they join the dots

Ajanta Packaging

The first company to introduce waterless offset label printing in India – and highly successful in marketing it. With multiple locations in India and abroad, it is one of the fastest growing label converters in the country. Having both, waterless offset and flexo presses in all the locations, is a big advantage as it is able to cater to the long- and short-run jobs and yet be profitable. A well spread-out marketing backed by highly technical and dedicated production team has been the strength of Ajanta. Being very focused in the core business of labels and continuously upgrading the technology in all the locations has been its forte. This has helped it to retain a lot of big accounts in the FMCG segment in spite of severe competition.

Interlabels

Again, one of the only label converters which has taken full advantage of the FMCG segment with constant upgradation of the machines. It went multi-locational when it was the order of the day for this market segment. The firm is probably one of the first few professionally managed label converters in the country. With multiple units including one overseas, it is able to lead the market with volumes. Also, the first label converter to get a P&G certification was a commendable achievement.

Pragati Pack

Probably the only successful commercial printer in the country which has earned the distinction of being one of the most sought after label converter within a very short span of time. The only company which has never followed the herd when it came to making right decisions on technology and equipment every time. Futuristic investments, being prepared well in advance of the market requirements and reaping the benefits at the right time has been the success mantra for Pragati. Some of the unconventional decisions taken by the firm has given a new lease of life to a lot of equipment, consumables and service providers in the industry. It is one of the few companies to run on systems, processes and automisation at every stage of production. Pragati has increased the productivity as well as maintained consistency and reliable quality. Pragati Pack is the company to look out for in the near future.

Sai Packaging

Sai's intention of entering this industry meant taking the single digit lottery market to the next level towards just in time delivery. But unfortunately just months after its custom made twelve-colour press was installed, the single digit lottery was banned by the government. Therefore Sai's foray into the label industry was "by chance". The machine was later put to good use by converting the beer labels, which otherwise was predominately printed on gravure. Sai was one among the early players which revolutionised this market segment. It did this by introducing print on metallised paper, which could reproduce silver and gold without actually using foil. This technique reduced the cost of the label. Now it has taken advantage of the pharma and the FMCG boom by investing in high-end printing and finishing equipment in this segment.

Wintek (ITW)

The company was one of the front runners, which ventured in when the industry was at its infancy. Wintek was able to adapt well and overcome the challenges of flexo printing mainly because of the immense knowledge and experience in pre-press. It was probably the first in the industry to educate the customers about the advantages of flexo printed labels and also the limitations of the process. This was the most valuable contribution to the industry at large. Once it mastered the art of printing, the firm moved in the right direction of investing in the latest presses, which not only delivered high quality but also incorporated screen-print and hot foil at an early stage, which set them apart from competition. The recent takeover by ITW was an eye-opener; and I expect others in the industry to follow suit.