The multicrore deal maker: What Pamex 2026 really sold — The Noel D'Cunha Sunday Column

The Pamex show (27 to 30 January) has closed its doors, but the real story, as always, was not on the main thoroughfare. It was in the back rooms, over lukewarm cups of chai, and in converters signing on the dotted line. This was not a trade show; it was an investment bank with better lighting. The prevailing mood was one of clear-eyed determination to automate, diversify and scale.

This was a deal-driven Pamex, a point reinforced by the numbers. Pratham, for instance, closed a deal with a pharmaceutical specialist. The Pune-based manufacturer is eyeing a total investment of INR 3.75 crore, a quiet testament to the enduring complexity and profitability of the pharmaceutical print space. Meanwhile, the pace of capacity building was embodied by Om Vir Print O Pack’s haul, with an astonishing 63 types of machines seen at its stall. One visitor described it as a mini-Pamex within Pamex. Once again, significant machine deals defined the narrative.

The offset chest
Komori India, after confirming ten press orders spanning GL-640s, GL-740s and various UV-equipped configurations, was bracing for a final tally of 15 to 20 machines. This was less a sale and more a coordinated, cross-country deployment of printing power.

Equally compelling was the battle for the high-end carton segment. Canpac Trends opted for a Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 seven-colour press for its upcoming Indore plant, marking the eighth K&B press for a company that buys confidence at scale. Not to be outdone, Provin Technos clocked three RMGT orders, including a six-colour 10 Series, proving that for serious players, volume continues to demand robust offset.

The post-press power play

The real energy of the show was devoted to what happens after printing. Here, the story centred on replacing muscle with motor.

Bobst, the Swiss specialist in finishing, found a significant Indian audience. The sale of India’s first SP 106 Evo die-cutter to SPS Packaging in Sonipat marked a symbolic moment, representing a definitive step from manual operation to full automation. Beyond domestic shores, Bobst also facilitated Nepal’s formal entry into high-end carton production, with the Maruti Group investing in a Novacut 106 E 3.0 die-cutter and a Novafold 110 A2 folder-gluer.

Repeat business was perhaps best illustrated by Zhongke India, whose Wenhong die-cutters saw Vijayshri Packaging invest in its eighth machine, the WH-1050SS. A premium statement in the post-press segment came from Ansapack, which acquired the Wenhong WH 1050SF automatic hot-foil stamping and die-cutting machine, a 400-tonne system designed for the growing luxury packaging market.

Meanwhile, DGM signed three machines with Multivision Packaging for a new Vasai facility, alongside a repeat order from the ten-machine-strong Miracle Group. For converters, this is not discretionary spending; it is an operational imperative. On the domestic front, Boxtech officially launched its Momentum FL 1100 folder-gluer, the result of three years of local engineering, and immediately lined up at least four installations.

Labels and the digital edge
The labels and converting hall reflected a sharp turn towards specialisation and inkjet momentum. S Kumar–Zonten recorded a strong show, including the sale of a seven-colour intermittent offset press to Tanishq Packaging, a calculated move into specialised labels. The brand’s reach extended from Dark Horse

Impressions, which invested in a heavy-duty flatbed die-cutter for cigarette cartons, to Royalex Himalaya Inx, which purchased Zonten’s first one-metre-long ZMQ IML converting machine.

Adding to this momentum, Wanjie India delivered one of its strongest performances to date, closing multiple deals including a flagship WJPS-450 intermittent offset press and six finishing machines as part of a single project for a mono carton player diversifying into labels and flexible packaging. On the digital front, Ronald booked two confirmed deals, with more potentially in the pipeline, for its SpetraForge C-330 digital inkjet machine. Arihant Publications, meanwhile, transitioned from narrow-web offset to inkjet.

Digital, inevitably, remains the long-term trajectory. Since the Covid year, the digital print journey has continued steadily, with around 2,700 digital devices installed in 2025. A similar performance is expected this year.

Kridwinn Innovations, making its Pamex debut, sold two Digimac Series inkjet POD presses and five variable data imprinting systems. Fujifilm India reported strong early momentum, selling three high-end digital machines on Day One alone. In digital label finishing, Nippon Color placed Vorey’s AuraCut A8 at Winways Digitech, enabling roll-to-roll cutting without dies and reinforcing the short-run, fast-turnaround model as the new standard.

The embellishment and novelty report
One of the more telling shifts at the show was the growing emphasis on value addition. Packnology emerged as a quiet winner, selling three digital embellishment systems even before the show opened. These systems combine printing, foiling and spot UV in a single pass, signalling a clear preference for faster, less operator-dependent workflows.

That trend gathered pace. Ashwin Enterprises sold its newly launched Sprinter SVE-906, a next-generation spot UV coating and print enhancement machine capable of 3D raised spot UV and foiling effects, to Delhi-based Baba Graphics. The finishing momentum continued with Creofoil, which sold a total of nine machines, including fully automatic screen-printing systems with UV dryers and foilers to Sainath Polylam and Bhuma Print & Pak.

The show’s depth was further demonstrated by niche investments. In the photobook segment, Druck & Bindung sold its Layflat Imagebook-3000X to Kadam Digital Transprints in Pune. Responding to rising demand for sustainable solutions, NBG sold a Znep automatic paper-bag-making machine, integrated with inline handle-patching, to Ranchi-based Amate Products.

                     

The takeaway? Pamex 2026 was less about the spectacle of metal and more about confident investment in future capacity. Repeat buying, first-time automation and multi-crore deals defined a market that is not pausing; it is accelerating.

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If you wish to share more information about your deals at Pamex 2026 for coverage on PrintWeek, please reach out to noel@haymarket.co.in or sai.deepthi@haymarket.co.in