Vigneshwaran S: Unless one is passionate about print, it is very difficult to survive in this industry

What is your idea of a perfect print firm in India?
A firm which is competitive and still profitable. The market today is very competitive, it gets very difficult to charge extra for quality and consistency.

What is the trickiest colour that you have had to print?
Reproducing certain shades of grey is always challenging.

What is the trait you most deplore in our industry?
Cut-throat pricing. There are very few profitable jobs in the market and most of the bulk jobs are done with zero profit or a discount.

Which print technology would you prefer and why?
Offset. Nothing else is as versatile as an offset press. It offers flexibility and it is more profitable.

What is the greatest strength of your printing firm?
Ability to adapt and achieve. We try our best to find solutions to meet our customer’s demands. This has given us a strong base of loyal customers.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue in printing?
The fuss on colour. Buyers want a perfect match of their artwork color. Given the quality of local materials, it is extremely challenging and thankless at times.

Which print technology, according to you, is the future? Why?
Printed electronics. The demand for flexible, adaptable and compact electronic devices will grow exponentially in the coming years.

If you could change one thing about your printing plant, what would it be?
Reduce wastage. It is an extremely tough job. I believe a penny saved is a penny earned. In today’s competition your actual profit will only be the money you saved by reducing wastage. At Lovely Offset, we are actively progressing in lean management.

What is your favourite print joke?
Pundits saying that print is dead. They have been talking about the death of print for a long time, but print has survived and is actually getting stronger in different forms.