Made in India: Rollers from Katsura India

Established in 1899, Katsura Roller brings more than 125 years of expertise in roller manufacturing. As the pioneers of Japan’s printing rubber rollers, Katsura has established itself as a producer of rubber rollers. 

With the vision to bridge the gap in the printing industry by providing rubber rollers to the Indian market at pocket-friendly prices, Katsura Roller India was formed as a joint venture company between Katsura Rollers Japan and Provin Technos. Katsura’s roller manufacturing expertise and Provin Techno’s sales and service expertise are at the company's core.

Katsura India is currently focusing on catering to the offset printing rollers market for oil-based, UV and combi-type rollers. 

The technology
According to Akshay Kaushal, CEO of Katsura India, the technology has to do with the compound formulations that are carefully designed and developed to get the best printing results and life. 

“We offer nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) printing rollers, which are suitable for oil-based, UV and combi applications. Our compounds offer excellent dimensional and hardness stability, excellent ink transferability, minimal heat build-up in high-speed runs and minimal changes in the nip width throughout the life of the rollers,” Kaushal says. 

Katsura India began operations on 1 February 2025 and started deploying rollers. According to Kaushal, the company is currently producing rollers for offset printing machines of all makes. 

Akshay Kaushal: Our goal was to offer high-quality rubber rollers at an affordable price

The market
Kaushal acknowledges that India is a price-sensitive market and asserts that Katsura’s products are competitively priced. "Our goal was to offer high-quality rubber rollers at an affordable price, and we've successfully achieved that. There are two perspectives: you can either pay less for lower-quality rollers and replace them twice a year, or invest a bit more in higher-quality rollers that offer better durability and consistent performance. High-quality rollers ultimately save time through easy maintenance, longer lifespan, fewer machine breakdowns caused by roller issues, and fewer printing problems. In the long run, this results in nearly half the cost for the printer."

He adds that customers consistently seek high-quality, precision rollers to ensure quality and uninterrupted output.

The Katsura Rollers USP 
Kaushal states, “Currently, there is no standard quality being provided to printers in India. Printers experience significant variations in the rollers supplied with each batch. We’ve established a system that ensures all parameters are followed during production, and every roller leaving our factory is thoroughly inspected before delivery to customers.”

He adds that the company's compound quality is top-tier, with strong positive feedback from customers. “For example, our rollers offer excellent dimensional stability, outstanding glaze resistance, and minimal heat buildup at high speeds, which improves ink transfer and maintains a consistent nip width, resulting in longer product life,” he says.

Kaushal emphasises that the company’s compound is eco-friendly and phthalate-free, providing customers with an added benefit in meeting sustainability standards. "Many packaging companies are transitioning to sustainable packaging, and having an eco-friendly product in their press is a significant advantage."

He continues, “Given the quality we offer, we don’t see any alternatives that match up to our products. The closest alternatives on the market are at least 50% more expensive than ours.”

According to Kaushal, productivity is directly linked to the quality of the product supplied. “With our rollers, customers experience fewer machine stoppages due to roller issues and a longer product lifespan, which ultimately increases productivity,” he says.

He adds, “After switching to Katsura India rollers, our customers are using 80% less water with our dampening rollers and enjoying excellent ink transfer with consistently superb print results, which were previously inconsistent.”

Katsura India has also established an after-sales support team, backed by expert assistance from Katsura Japan.
Since the company is still in its early stages, Kaushal notes that its goal for the first year is for printers to experience the product's superiority and the improved results. “We are on track with this goal and are already receiving positive responses from customers,” he concludes.