The Indian signage industry is going through a transformational phase. The last decade has witnessed several changes that have led to the organized industry we see of today. From sourcing to manufacturing and end product development, the Indian Sign Industry has adapted to the changing times and demands with fervor. Technological developments have played a crucial role in causing this transformation as well as factors like growing retail and infrastructure industry, increasing need of advertising and growing number of MNCs in India that are providing a further boost to the signage industry.
A distinct change in the functioning of the Indian Sign Industry can be noted in how the industry is slowly moving towards domestic sourcing of raw materials and manufacturing rather than relying on foreign imports; an aspect that has more or less ruled the market till date. The number of manufacturing units found in the country has shot up in the recent past and R&D has taken centre stage in most company agendas. Secondly, the government is concurring with Indian companies to encourage domestic manufacturing by providing subsidies and tax rebates.
If we take a look at some industry statistics, the large format printer market value is expected to reach up to $9171.20 Million at a CAGR of 6.69% from 2014 to 2020, the inkjet printing market is forecasted to reach $67.3 billion by 2017, revenue from digital display signage systems is expected to surpass $14 billion in 2014, growth projections for the digital signage market range from the single-digits to more than 40% per year over the next few years and the market for UV inkjet printed products will reach $15.9 billion by 2018, while the UV inkjet equipment market will double in size, reaching $1.02 billion, across the same period.
The above mentioned statistics shows a clear leap in various signage-related markets. Sign & POP World reviews the contribution of some of the top Indian manufacturers that have caused seismic industrial change in the Indian signage industry. Owing to various collective initiatives undertaken by them, things such as raw materials, inks, flex, CNC routers etc. are now being manufactured in India. Some of the companies that are worth mentioning are Pioneer Flex, Technova Imaging Systems Private Limited, SRF Limited, Suresh Indu Lasers Pvt. Ltd. Mehta Cad Cam Systems, Astrojet, QR Flex, Colorjet, Negi Sign Systems & Supplies Co., Trinity Inks and many more.
INKS
Inks are an essential element for the printing process. With a lot of FMCG companies entering the Indian market, the use of inks for signage printing has also grown exponentially. The different types of inks used for signage printing are solvent printing inks, aqueous printing inks, eco solvent printing inks etc. that offer high quality visuals and sharp color resolution, greater durability, excellent print quality, light resistance and water resistance. Several global brands have been dedicatedly doing ink manufacturing in India. Trinity Inks & Aqua Tint Inks are amongst the popular ink manufacturers in India.
TRINITY INKS
A reputed name in the signage industry, ink manufacturer Trinity Inks was established in 2003 with a key focus on the design and development of inks. The company is based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
According to Mr. Amar Patel, the ink industry was importing ink from foreign market, when Trinity Inks was first established. At present 80% of total ink industry is now controlled by Indian manufacturers.
Trinity Inks’ strength has increased three times, expanding its present production capacity with latest technologies, Indian as well as foreign. Trinity Inks’ wide product range encompasses: solvent printing inks, aqueous printing inks, eco solvent printing inks, and print head cleaning solutions.
Trinity Inks manufactures eco-friendly base curable inks using negligible energy, thus coming of age as an environment friendly manufacturer
It has grown leaps and bounds in terms of infrastructure too over the years. It now boasts of a manufacturing facility, a fully equipped R&D Centre, state-of-the-art laboratory, a wide network of sales & distribution offices across India and an international marketing office in the U.S.
Trinity’s vision is to cater inks for all type of solvent machines and eco solvent machines. It is now working towards creating dye sublimation and reactive inks for the textile market.
The company is planning to expand across several verticals such as production capacity, employing technicians, and discovering dealer markets in remote areas in India.
Contact info:
Email: amar.patel@trinityinks.com
Website: www.trinityinks.com
AQUA TINT INKS
Mumbai-based ink manufacturer Aqua Tint Inks has been in the business for the past 50 years. Its long stint in the industry makes it a trusted name and formidable competitor in the industry today.
Backed by vast experience and heightened market knowledge, A.T. Inks displays expertise in both impact and non-impact printing on a number of substrates like paper, textile, flex, PVC, vinyl, backlit, frontlit, clear vinyl, reflective media, wet on wet printing on ceramic glaze tiles etc.
A.T. Inks’ commitment to providing the best solutions in the industry can be amplified through its state-of-the-art Research and Development center which is engaged in developing cutting edge technology in the colors area.
Taking a step forward in customer service, A.T. Inks provides its customers with ICC profiling service on their machines using AT inks to get the precise color gamut per their needs. This way the user is tuned to the exact color gamut the ink can give and this helps in providing better control over the quality of printing.
Contact info:
Email: info@atinks.com
Website: www.atinks.com
FLEX & RAW MATERIAL
Flex is a sheet of polythene which is widely used to deliver high quality digital print for hoardings and banners. PVC flex plays a crucial role in the signage and banner advertising. There are two types of PVC flex- front lit flex and backlit flex that are used for applications such as billboards, indoor & outdoor displays, banners, bus shelters, exhibitions etc. Flex offers a strong structure & is resistant to various chemical solvents and that’s how it became one of the popular choices for the traditional out-of-home advertising. Pioneer Polyleathers Pvt. Ltd. is the first in India to manufacturer and offers a range of front lit & backlit signage flex widely used for digital printing of flex banners. Let’s have glimpses of some of the leading flex and raw material manufacturers in the Indian signage industry.
PIONEER FLEX
Pioneer is India’s first and one of the world’s largest integrated manufacturers of frontlit/backlit flex banner, PVC foam sheet and self-adhesive vinyl.
Established in 2008, the company has grown to become the largest player in the fast growing Digital Media industry. Factors such as consistent quality, customer service, customized product and a complete range to compete with Chinese as well as Korean high quality products have contributed to Pioneer’s growth in the market over the years.
Pioneer first started manufacturing frontlit flex. It then went on to expand its product line by introducing backlit flex for outdoor and indoor signage, vinyl for outdoor/indoor signage and in-shop branding and foamboard for printing and pasting vinyl for all types of signage. The company introduced the new Celluka Board this year for the furniture segment and signage router cutting.
The company factory, spread over 10 acres of land has multiple production lines for flex banner, foam sheet, vinyl and reinforcement fabric. It produces flex banner in different color tones like bluish, whitish, yellowish, pure white, and off white.
Pioneer uses imported machines and technology from Taiwan, Germany, Korea, and China to bring out quality products for the international market.
Commenting on the company’s anti-dumping stance, Mr. Purnendu Kashyap, G.M. (sales & marketing) says, “Back in the days flex was imported from China and Korea and the minimum gsm in the market was 340 gsm. At the time when Pioneer started production, China started supplying 260 gsm and started dumping material to India. This forced Pioneer to go for anti dumping.”
Pioneer has a PAN India network and also exports to various countries. An advantage it offers its national and international clientele is low prices made possible through low cost of Indian manpower and low ocean freight from India. This has led to Pioneer successfully capturing the markets of Nepal, Bangladesh, UAE and Singapore.
Contact info:
Email: sks@pioneerflex.in
Website: www.pioneerflex.in
SRF LIMITED
SRF Limited, the erstwhile Shri Ram Fibres established itself in 1970 as a manufacturer of nylon tyre cord fibres, becoming one of the first companies in India to do so.
Over the years, the company expanded its product line in technical textiles and also diversified into other businesses like chemicals, packaging films and engineering plastics and hence changed the company’s name to SRF Ltd. Today with a turnover of around Rs. 4000 crore and a global workforce of around 5,500, the company is the market leader in most of its products in India and also enjoys global leadership for some of its products such as Nylon 6 Tyre Cord (global no 2) and Belting Fabrics (global no. 2). Besides, SRF is the only Indian manufacturer of ozone friendly refrigerant HFC 134a and polyester tyre cord fabrics.
Known and respected for its indigenous R&D capability especially in the field of fluorine chemistry, SRF is well on its way to becoming a force to reckon with in this segment. Currently, the focus is on enhancing and enriching the basket of speciality chemicals to be able to cater to increasing demand of all global agro and pharma majors.
In the past, SRF did make a few unrelated business diversifications into auto components, finance, IT and healthcare before deciding to divest them and concentrate only on its core businesses.
Touching Everyone’s Life
While most of the company’s products from all the businesses are not visible to the naked eye except coated and laminated fabrics, they, however, touch everyone’s lives in more ways than one such as the tyre cords inside the tyres, the belting fabrics inside conveyour belts, refrigerants inside air-conditioners, engineering plastics inside many auto and electrical parts, plastic films in the packaged goods and chemical compounds inside medicines and pesticides including mosquito repellant.
Technical Textiles Business
The Technical Textiles Business continues to be the largest business segment of SRF constituting almost half of the total revenue of the company. The company is also recognized as the largest manufacturer of Technical Textiles in India. With a range of products in its stable, the business caters to different industries for a wide gamut of applications.
The Technical Textiles Businesses of SRF comprises 7 manufacturing plants with two international operations, one in Thailand and the second one in South Africa. The company boasts of supplying to most of the global major players in all its product segments.
Giving a perspective on the business, Sushil Kapoor, President & CEO, Technical Textiles Business, SRF, explains, “Building on our R&D capability, we will continue to leverage our market leadership to find newer applications through continuous focus on product and process innovations.” He further adds, “The demand for NTCF will continue despite radialisation of medium and heavy commercial vehicles.” The growth in the demand for NTCF, according to him, will essentially be driven by two-wheeler and off-the-road vehicles.” As regards future plans, he says, “As a company we will keep looking for opportunities to expand in our chosen area of businesses.”
Research & Development
Committed to providing cutting-edge solutions to its customers, most of SRF businesses boast of their own dedicated R&D centers. The Technical Textiles Research & Development Center located in Manali (Tamil Nadu) is a premier institution, leading the industry through continuous improvements in technology and processes for futuristic products. The centre also offers joint product and process development with customers, providing them with customised products to suit their specific requirements.
TQM Management Way
Adopting continuous improvement as its motto, the company follows the principles of TQM as its Management Way. The company has the distinction of being the first tyre cord company outside Japan to win the prestigious Deming Prize in 2004. In 2012, the Chemicals Business of the company also bagged the award.
Green initiatives
SRF recognizes its responsibility to minimize the impact on the environment by reducing waste and emissions from its operations. Reducing carbon footprints, energy conservation, water conservation, replenishment of groundwater and resource conservation are some of the areas where the company has been working proactively to optimize the usage of natural resources.
Corporate Social Responsibility
The company through its social wing, SRF Foundation, remains committed to contribute towards the cause of education, health, vocational skills and affirmative actions.
Contact info:
Email: mukundtrivedy@gmail.com
Website: www.srf.com
TECHNOVA IMAGING SYSTEMS PRIVATE LIMITED
TechNova Imaging Systems Private Limited is one of the world’s leading Imaging Solutions provider company and was established in 1971. It has been a pioneer in the graphic imaging industry and offers complete integrated solutions that include consumables, systems, software solutions and services for the print, publishing, packaging, textile, engineering, cartography, signage and photo industries. It’s also a pioneer of the “Go Green” revolution in the Indian Printing Industry.
TechNova indigenously manufactures its media at the state-of-art plant located in Taloja MIDC in India. The decade long journey for their Digital Print Media (commonly known as coated substrates) started with the development of media for HP aqueous dye printing. With the back bone of indigenous R&D, TechNova collaborated with leading hardware manufacturers to custom design the full range of media for all printhead technologies. Today it has the widest portfolio of inkjet & laser media.
Today its full spectrum of Wide Format Digital Signage Media consists of Photo Media, Poster Media, Banner Media, Backlit Media, Specialty Canvas Media and Sublimation Media. These media are offered in a choice of surface finishes (gloss, satin, matte), in various sizes and thicknesses and with or without self-adhesive back.
The popular brands under which TechNova sells its wide format digital signage media are “NovaJet” & “NovaSign”. The NovaJet range of media consists of coated media for aqueous dye & pigment-based inkjet printing. The NovaSign range of media consists of media for eco-solvent, solvent, UV and latex printing.
TechNova markets its widest range of products both in domestic and international territories with the objective to suit every customer’s needs and to match every pocket.
Mr. Thyagarajan Iyer, Chief Operating Officer, Digital Imaging & Positive Solutions Digital Print Media states, “We at TechNova are determined to offer a complete range of digital media for all printhead technologies like aqueous dye & pigment, eco-solvent, solvent, UV, latex and sublimation printing. This makes it convenient for print service providers (PSPs) with multiple technology printers installed, to use a suitable media for each technology. We at TechNova strive to offer a variety of media which is not only consistent in quality and finish but also comes at an affordable price. TechNova offers off-the-shelf access to high-quality media, 24×7 total technical support and value-added services like color management assistance, logistics, marketing support and training.”
Contact info:
Email: Chetan Dave- chetan@technovaindia.com
Website: www.technovaworld.com
MAX FLEX & IMAGING SYSTEMS LTD.
Max Flex & Imaging Systems Ltd. was established in the year 2002 and started off in digital printing consumables; a time when the market was highly segmented and unorganized. Over the years it has expanded its product portfolio by including LED modules, offset printing chemicals & plates.
Speaking of the market scenario back then, Mr. Jaspal Singh, Sr. Vice President – Information Management and Public Relations, Max Flex and Imaging Systems Limited says, “Back in 2002 when we started, the market was completely unorganized with no national player in place. The market was controlled only by unorganized players who had a very limited reach geographically. We at Max Flex believe that we entered into the market at the right time as a national player with a wide variety of products and services bundled together for the industry. Our target customers are the printers and convertors in India, irrespective of their location of business and their size of operations.”
Max Flex currently employs over 400 professionals and has 21 branches and 3 CNF agents across India. A huge leap and pride for the company in terms of infrastructure has been the setting up of a manufacturing unit at Badlapur.
“The reason for setting up of manufacturing units is backward integration. We were importing goods from China and other countries and it needed us to stock a higher level of inventory and also forced a longer lead period for the goods to arrive at our warehouses. With the manufacturing facilities in place, we will be able to provide the goods of the required specifications immediately upon the orders from the customers and there will be no lead time involved and also that the quality will be completely controlled by us. It will also extend a cost benefit to us which we would share with our customers”, says Jaspal Singh.
Max Flex has one of the widest ranges of signage consumable products in India. Its product portfolio consists of: Flex, vinyl, sunboards, sunpacs, lamination films, wall papers, wall-graffiti media, offset printing chemicals and plates, LED lighting solutions and more.
At the forefront of pushing the possibilities of media technology, Max introduced two outstanding products this year: the Max Wall-Graffiti Media and Max Vinyl and Max Lamination Films which are manufactured in its factory at Badlapur, Maharashtra.
“We have over the years worked with a mission of being a ‘one-stop-shop’ for the signage industry in India. Living with this mission, we always look forward to introducing new products into the market, thus enabling our customers to buy all their printing and signage consumables needs from us directly and not feel the need to find multiple suppliers for different products,” says Jaspal Singh.
In 2009, Max was awarded the “Excellence Award” as a certificate of excellence in productivity, quality, innovation and management by the Institute of Economic Studies, New Delhi.
Contact info:
Email: Jaspal Singh- jaspal@maxflex.in
Website: www.maxflex.in
JINDAL SPECIALTY TEXTILE LTD.
A subsidiary of Jindal Cortex Ltd (JCL), Jindal Specialty Textile Ltd is a leading manufacturer of PVC laminated products for boat, trucks & tarpaulin.
JSTL’ main product line is PVC laminated product, front banner fabric, backlit banner fabric, and inflatable fabric for boats. The annual capacity of its plant is 20000 TPA.
R&D: The Company’s R&D lab is fully computerized and equipped with the latest hi-tech quality control gadgets like Evenness Tester, Hvi Spin Lab, Classidata, Fibre Contamination Testers, Hairiness Tester and other various quality control tools. The R&D lab is also equipped with knitting to ensure the finest quality during end use.
Contact info:
Email: info@jindalspecialty.com
Website: www.jindalspecialty.com
SIGNAGE MACHINERY
In today’s scenario, the booming Indian market and exhaustive list of signage applications calls for an advanced, highly specialized and user friendly technology. This is where machinery & equipments plays a major role to boost the industry in a big way. Various Indian and international signage machinery manufacturers are collaborating to produce supreme quality products.
Since, signage making is a complex process; the whole production cycle demands a specialized set of machinery to deliver a good quality ‘signage’ as an outcome. Machines like CNC Router, digital inkjet UV curable flatbed printers, solvent/eco solvent printers etc. are the major tools that are generally used in the signage manufacturing process. Corporate giants like Colorjet, Arrow Digital, Apsom Infotex, EtchCut are some of the leading Indian brands that deal in machinery manufacturing and are going places, thanks to their technology & innovations. Here’s a preview of some of these companies-
COLORJET
Colorjet India Limited was established in the year 2005 with a vision to deliver the highest quality products and services to the digital inkjet printing fraternity. Continuing the journey with the same zeal and an indefatigable spirit, Colorjet has established its products for print in multiple market segments. Today, the company has an impressive portfolio of products. For the signage industry, Colorjet is the premium supplier of entry level and the higher performance printers- The Neptune and Polo.
The company’s diversification into the fabric print industry has yielded rich dividends. Colorjet offers both direct to fabric as well as the transfer technology solutions to the discerning and demanding buyers. To add to this rich portfolio, Colorjet has released the digital inkjet UV curable flatbed printers for serving the rigid print requirements.
The rich spectrum of products includes signage- fabric and rigid that helped Colorjet achieve a dominant share in the Indian and South Asian markets.
Talking about the success of the company, Mr. Sultan Singh said, “We owe this success entirely to our clients who have supported our endeavors and projects with their indubitable faith in our products, promoted by our business partners and supported by our untiring support team who has seen Colorjet reach greater heights every successive year. Colorjet sees a huge potential in the marketplace for its existing supplies. Colorjet will continue to strive to use the latest technologies in its R&D to further develop products of greater relevance and usage”.
IDEA FACTORY EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD.
Starting with a small unit in a 100 sq. feet room and stretching up to 40,000 sq feet area within 7 years, is the journey worth traveled by Idea Factory Equipments Pvt. Ltd. “Etchcut”, a brand of Idea Factory, has the widest range of automated metal etching and cutting machines which can etch and through-cut any metal up to 1.2 mm with precision. 100% made in India, these machines give the production cost of 70 paise per square inch and is known for its hairline precision cutting, which is unmatchable with any laser or water jet technology. Idea Factory has been catering to the signage and export industry since 2004.
The company offers low-cost etching machines and rapid exposure technology (only 12 Volt as compared to bigger exposure machines). All the machines are patented and use branded electrical spare parts that are easily available across India. Mr. Ajay Wadhwa, Director of Possibilities, Idea Factory said, “The USP of Idea Factory is high precision and exposure received in addition to the low-maintenance cost. The company’s etching unit is based on spindle jet etching technology which is used in high-end machines only. Since the machines are compact, they are suitable for installing in shops.”
PRODUCTS
Idea Factory offers 18 models of chemical etching & cutting machines catering to the signage industry for PCB etching, metal cutting & chemical etching. Some of the popular machines from the brand are Rapid Etcher, Rapid Exposure, Color Plus, Dual Jet Etching machine, Electroforming machines, Stripping machines and Etching line.
ACHIEVEMENT
- EtchCut is currently exporting to 22 countries worldwide
- Received an award from Ambassador of UAE in 2013 among 19 participating countries
- The company shares platform with international leaders of the sign industry like Mimaki, GCC and many others.
- Famous designer Rohit Bal’s showroom was designed using EtchCut Technology
The company has a production capacity of twenty machines every month. EtchCut regularly receives foreign clients in their manufacturing facility. EtchCut machines are used for applications in various industries like jewelry, signage, wedding cards, corporate gifts, awards, business cards etc.
ARROW DIGITAL PVT. LTD.
Arrow Digital is a pioneer in the digital printing and cutting industry. With a strong training, research and development over the span of 20 years, Arrow Digital has carved a niche for themselves as one of the leaders in providing materials and equipments for the digital printing and cutting markets.
With offices across India, the company supports the customers and educates the end users regarding the technologies and various solutions offered by them. They provide 24X7X365 support through their wide channels & networks. Arrow Digital has five verticals- Graphics division, ceramic division, packaging division, glass division and textile division under which they offer a wide gamut of digital printing and cutting solutions.
Mr. Samir Patel, CEO, Arrow Digital says, “Arrow Digital, with its vast experience and knowledge of packaging, coatings, labeling, and most importantly inkjets in general; gives you a partner unparalleled in this industry. Arrow/Grace papers are the pioneers in India and one of the first to manufacture self-adhesive materials in the 1970s. We know labels, labeling and packaging; and now Arrow is the leader in digital printing technologies in various segments like ceramics, glass, textiles etc. With a multi crore facility for trials, R&D and hands on training in Ahmedabad and offices in all major metros – we are here 24/7/365 to support our customers. In today’s market situation; creating new and saving existing good customers is the key to future success and growth.”
PRODUCT SEGMENTS
- Graphic Division– The solutions include Polytype, Direct Color System, Epson, Jetrix, Seiko, Rollsroller, UV Ink, Solvent Inks, Gerber, Arrow Speed Cut, The Fletcher Teri Company
- Ceramic Divisions– Includes a variety of Kerajet solutions, Multientry, configuration and ceramics inks
- Packaging Division- Arrow label press, Arrow label finisher, Edge (EDGE FX), Epson Sure Press L-4033AW & A, VIP Color
- Glass Division– Vitojet MT, Tecglass Jet CR, glass inks
- Textile Division– Epson Surecolor- F2000
Arrow Digital has carved a niche for itself by providing innumerable ground-breaking technologies in the Indian market. With a decade long leadership in the digital printing & cutting field, the company’s future seems to be promising.
For more information about the company products & services-
Email: sohel@arrow-digital.com
SURESH INDU LASERS PVT.LTD.
Suresh Indu Lasers was conceived by Dr. Suresh Shah, a world-renowned Laser scientist (ranked among the top Laser research fellows, since 1975). He has been involved in the designing and production of Laser systems for various industrial and research applications. Suresh Indu Lasers was established by Dr. Suresh Shah in 1990. With SIL, his mission was to bring engraving, marking and cutting systems, based on Lasers and allied technology to a wide range of clients and verticals. Today, the company is one of the leading manufacturers of laser engraving, cutting, marking systems, CNC metal laser cutting systems and welding laser systems in India.
The company has a registered office and two manufacturing units located in Pune. The company’s new branch office is situated in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The 20 year old journey of SIL can be summed up as follows-
- ISO 9001:2008 Certified company as well as a CE Mark company.
- Launched industry’s first low-cost entry-level C02 laser engraving & cutting system: Yag Marking Systems
- Laser marking systems
- Pulsed YAG welding systems
- Economical laser cutting systems
- High-speed laser cutting machines
POPULAR PRODUCTS
Over the last 20 years, SIL has developed larger sized, low-power-consumption laser systems. The company has expanded their product Iine to offer the latest marking and cutting systems that integrate the most advanced laser source technology.
- Laser engraving & cutting machine- Large format, small & medium format
- Laser marking machine- Fiber Laser Marking Machine, CO2 Laser Marking Machine
- CO2 laser metal cutting machine
- Fiber Laser metal cutting machine
- Nd YAG : Laser spot welding machine
- Nd YAG : Laser welding machine
- YAG Laser metal cutting machine
- Die-board Laser cutting machine
- CNC router
- Laser cladding machine
- Laser optics
- CNC metal laser cutting systems
- Welding laser systems
NEW LAUNCHES
SIL is all set to launch new products in the market. These include- CNC router NAMO 1325 and Fiber Laser Metal Cutting Machine F-3015.
The company has been in the laser business longer than anyone else in the Indian market. The huge number of laser installations backs the fact for seemingly endless applications of the machinery. SIL’s systems are used both within India, as well as in the global markets. The company has a strong network of suppliers and distributors who offer endless support to the customers. SIL is known for implementing new and useful features that enhance the customers’ ability to work more efficiently and gain higher profits.
For more information about the company products & services-
Email: sales@silasers.com / laserever@hotmail.com / vshah@silasers.com
APSOM INFOTEX LTD.
Apsom Infotex Ltd. is the master distributor of the leading global brands for technology products in the large format digital inkjet print markets. The main principals for Apsom are Roland DG and Colorjet India Limited. Apsom Infotex Ltd. has a strong infrastructure and a national distribution network across major cities in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Today, Apsom Infotex Ltd. is identified as the premier supplier of inkjet printers for Solvent, Eco-Solvent, Fabric and UV printers. These address the market segments of signage, textile and 3D printing. Apsom has been mandated by some of the largest and most successful companies in the world to promote, distribute and support their products and services. These include Roland DG, Procam, Rowmark, OBJet, Colorjet and many more.
While sharing the business philosophy of the company, Mr. Deborshi Pal Choudhury, said, “The success that Apsom enjoys is built on the trust and faith reposed in it, over the last 20 years of operation, by its customers. We strive to achieve this goal by building close relationships with our business partners, assisting them in relationship building with vendors to achieve great pricing and product delivery for their customers. We provide product training and skills transfer to our customers to ensure that they become self-sufficient on a long term.”
MACART EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD.
Macart Equipments Pvt. Ltd. (MPEL) is the only inkjet equipment manufacturing company in India. It was established in the year 2000 under the strong vision of Mr. Atul Gandhi. The company is headquartered in Pune, India and has two manufacturing units with a modern R&D center specialized for designing high quality inkjet printers for sign industry and other industrial applications. The company has a dedicated team of more than fifty qualified engineers across India along with a strong sales & service network so as to reach every nook & corner of the demand-supply chain.
The company has a lot to offer from its kitty of endless services for the sign, decorative and packaging industry. The main products include flex printing, wallpaper printers, curtain printer, UV label printers, water-based label printer, box jet corrugated box, sheet printer and variable data printers. Apart from RIP softwares, inks and electronic kits, the company also offers hi-end electronic equipments. Macart has undertaken various product development projects in digital printing and inkjet printing application using its powerful VLSI and embedded-based technologies.
Throughout its highly successful growth years, Macart has developed several products related to inkjet printing. The company is OEM’s of Xaar UK, Fujifilm Dimatix USA, Seiko Japan, Kyocera Japan, Konica Minolta Japan, Fujifilm Sericol UK and Toyo inks Japan. MEPL has supplied thousands of printers to various print houses, advertising agencies and sign makers across the country.
BRITOMATICS INDIA PVT. LTD.
Britomatics Group, a leading solution provider in wide-format digital technology was established in 1995. The company envisions being a world-class company in providing innovative and technologically advanced solutions & services for the commercial graphics industry.
MILESTONES
1995: Established headquarters in New Delhi, India
1998: Set up delivery centers for adhesive tapes partnering with Beirsdorf AG and 3M
2000: Introduced outdoor printing substrate from Star Flex, Korea in Indian signage market
2004: Opened state-of-the-art R&D center and factory in Greater Noida along with its 1st international
Office in Singapore to support the South East Asia & Middle East/Africa market
2005: Became one of the first XAAR OEM partner in India
2007: Became one of the first Spectra OEM partner in India.
2008: Became one of the first Konica OEM partner in India.
2009: Opened its office in Chicago, USA to support North America and Latin America market
2009: Established state-of-the art large format equipment manufacturing facility in Shanghai China
Britomatics Middle East was established to support Middle East and African market
2011: Britomatics America Inc. became official OEM partners for Seiko Printeck Inc.
PRODUCT RANGE
With a wide gamut of products related to wide format technology including inkjet printers, print heads, inks and related consumables for commercial graphics industry, Britomatics have come a long way. Some of the popular products from the company are-
PRINTERS
- Konica: Britejet 3304/3308 KB (KM 512/42), Britejet 3304/3308 KB (KM 512/14)
- Sepctra: Britejet 330 SW+, Britejet 330 Polaris (15 PI)]
- Xaar: Britejet 3308 B+/330 Speedy, Britejet 3304/3308 PB (Proton 382/35)
- Seiko: Britejet 3304/3308 SB
PRINTHEADS
- Xaar: Printhead Xaar 126, 128, 500
- Spectra: Spectra Nova JA 256/80 AAA, Spectra SE-128 AA, Spectra SL-128 AA, Spectra SM-128 AA, Spectra Skywalker JA 128/50, Spectra Galaxy JA 256/50 AAA, Spectra Galaxy JA 256/80 AAA
- Konica: Konica Minolta 512 14pl/42pl
MEHTA CAD CAM SYSTEMS PVT. LTD.
Established in the year 1987, Mehta Cad Cam Systems is one of the oldest companies in the signage industry. The founder of the company, Mr. Shailesh Mehta says that, “The success of the business is powered by its people and principles that defines the company”.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The company has a well trained staff of electronics engineers, software engineers, marketing team and administration staff that are assets to the company. Spread across 10,000 square feet of area, the company’s headquarter is located in Ahmedabad and posses in-house demonstration room with a wide range of machinery for training purposes. There are 23 branch offices across India in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Patna, Ludhiana, Nagpur, Indore, Lucknow, Jaipur, Cochin, Coimbatore, Guwahati, Surat, Pune, Raipur, Jodhpur, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Hubli and Vizag. Dilse (India) Pvt. Ltd. is the sister concern of Mehta Cad Cam that deals with new items & consumables in the field of gift industry, trophies, awards & mementos.
The company mainly deals in wide format hybrid UV flatbed printer, digital solvent printer, vinyl cutting plotters, CNC engraving & router machine, laser engraver, laser cutting machine, digital flat bed printer, acrylic polishing machine, CNC mould making machine, thermocol cutting machine, counter top tool engraving & marking machine.
Super Wide UV Flatbed Printers, CNC Engraving & Router Machine, Laser Engraver- Mercury III, U-Marq Counter Top Tooling Engraving and Marking Machine are their upcoming products.
NEGI SIGN SYSTEMS & SUPPLIES CO.
Negi Sign Systems & Supplies is a renowned company that deals in distribution of wide-format printing with high-quality hardware, software, consumables and finishing solutions since 1995. The company caters to a multitude of verticals and application segments like sign & graphic industry, textile printing industry, architectural segment, and ceramic industry through its wide range of printers. The company has a manufacturing unit in Dehradun under the brand Negijet Solvent & Textile Printers for assembling printers in India.
With state-of-the-art facilities at their unit, Negi Sign Systems has a lot to offer to the industry. Their products include water-based solvent, eco-solvent printers, digital textile printers, UV printers, ceramic printers, sublimation transfer printers, direct sublimation printers, direct reactive printers, cutting plotters etc. The company offers a wide range of printing inks under the name ‘PZO Inks’. These inks are used for eco-solvent printers, Xaar Head, Konica Head, Spectra Head, Spectra Polariz Head and textile inks such as reactive dye, acid dye, & disperse dye.
The company is in partnership with industry’s key strategic printer manufacturers like Mutoh Japan (Exclusive distributor since 1995), Matan Digital printers, MTL Print Ltd., Anderson Group of America, Wasatch, Onyx, Rip Master. NAC Online, a wholly owned subsidiary of Negi Sign Systems & Supplies Co. (NAC) is an innovative concept by the company to serve the OOH graphic needs. There are more than 200 authorized set-ups across India.
LOTUS PRINTERS PRIVATE LIMITED
Lotus printers have earned a name for themselves as one of the leading presses in Bangalore. The company was established in the year 1969 and caters to a wide spectrum of national & international software & hardware companies, educational institutions, research organization, advertising agencies, financial institutes and government organizations.
The company serves its customers right from designing to printing stage. With years of expertise, constant up gradation of printing infrastructure coupled with induction of new techniques, Lotus Printers offers a perfect blend of highest parameters of printing technology, creative implementation and quality. The company is in the list of offset printers in India and supplies the best offset printing services in the country.
Conclusion
By charting the journey of some of the many established companies in the Indian Signage market today, it can be established that the move to domestic manufacturing has effectively contributed to the Indian economy and resolved numerous issues that have been plaguing industry players so far. Some of the aspects that have resulted in positive measures due to domestic manufacturing include: reduction in the import bill, better after-sales service, fewer addressable issues regarding complaint of foreign products and increased competitiveness in the domestic industry.
We’ll continue to elucidate on the transformation of the signage industry in India in the next issue as well by featuring a few more game changers that have played an imperative role in shaping the industry as it stands today.