Vishwanath Shetty: If waste can be used to make paper bags

Are we innovating too slowly - as compared to the other industries?
Yes. Also, the reason is demand is not escalating as expected.

One innovation on your shopfloor?
Cleanliness and worker participation, plus feeders closer to paper movement from stock.

Do you have to be much more innovative than your counterparts of a similar scale? How do you cope with that, constantly learning new innovations?
Find substitutes for substrates. Improve paper planning and improvise the fabrication process to save cost.

What is the most innovative skillset you’ve had to develop in your team?
Summer vacations. Summer holidays/leave are planned with the help of workers. They have to coordinate their arrivals and departures between the equal in ranks so that the production team doesn't suffer. A chart/graph for holidays is prepared.

In terms of creating innovation, do you invest in R&D in your organisation or you follow industry trends?
Though we do not have a full-fledged R&D we do a lot of Jugad (improvisation and innovation) with the existing fabricàtors and binders for Pharma jobs. We experiment and suggest solutions to clients which keeps us in good stead. They look forward to us as solution providers. Most often it's gratis but it gains a lot of goodwill.

What drives innovation? Is it a necessity or technology?
Necessity drives; and technology facilitates to make it possible.

Almost all print companies have diversified into new markets or applications – what is the key to that? How are you spotting opportunities?
Right now looking at opportunities in the paper bag market.

Anything else? 
Add design abilities to augment opportunities.

How do you measure creative success within your organisation? Is there an innovation index?
No, unfortunately.

What about automation? Is automation an area that manufacturers can help in?
Automation is a must to reduce cost, particularly in paper bags. It helps in the standardisation of product quality and consistency.

What are the key challenges facing your vertical in the industry?
High capacity and dwindling workload. Secondly, there is the cost-cutting at clients end.

The culture of print businesses 20 years ago is very different from what it is now. How do we make print more attractive?
Add features that can embellish. But it's still not easy to make clients pay more.

One innovation in our industry you hope to see in 2030?
Recycle printed waste and convert them into products. Like if the waste can be used to make paper bags for general use. It will reduce the task of waste management task.