Rudrapur serves as epicentre of Uttarakhand and Western UP
Rudrapur is one of the major industrial and education hubs of Uttarakhand. The city boasts of being a home to a host of signage players which work impressively for customers dwelled in the far-flung hill stations of the state and in the narrow by-lanes of neighbouring western UP towns. Jyaneswar Laishram interacts with some of them to find out their backgrounds, machines and technologies they use and their endeavour to get back on the pathway to pandemic recovery.
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Engaging in multi-vertical tasks, Creation Advertising goes far beyond doing just traditional flex printing job. Work profile of the company includes outdoor hoarding, unipole, LED boards and other innovative applications. “Incepted around 17 years ago with some government tenders in our hands we have come far amid all sorts of challenges to gain our current position,” says Sachin Raheja, Director, Creation Advertising. He adds that the main focus of the company was totally on rooftop hoarding sites, then they further penetrated into other domains.
Creation Advertising is signage vendor for Rudrapur Nagar Nigam. In this respect, Sachin says that they have done quite a number of projects for the municipal council. When asked about mentioning one such project which he considers as challenging and landmark, he mentions that they have recently made 200 unipoles for the council and installed across the city. “It was quite a challenging project for the fact that we were told to complete the overall installation in 15 days and we successfully did it,” tells Sachin.
The production facility of Creation Advertising is equipped with some advanced machines. The portfolio consists of Roland VersaCAMM S-540, 64-inch eco-solvent printer and Neptune ColorJet, both from Apsom Infotex. The production team at the facility is of 20 well-experienced staff. The company hires around 15 more when required for fabrication and installation jobs. As the pandemic now gradually subsides, Sachin informs that they are planning to upgrade their production facility with new machines, probably a new UV printer, in near future.
Creation Advertising
Counting for creativity
Creation Advertising is considered to be one of the popular signage shops in Rudrapur. This 12-year-old one-stop signage shop gains its popularity not only in Rudrapur but also in many hill stations of Uttarakhand. In his remark on their stronghold presence in other cities and towns beyond Rudrapur where the company has a vast client base, Asif Ansari, Co-Founder of Creation Advertising, says Roorkee and Haridwar are two important cities where some of their valued customers are located.
When it comes to creative work of the creative team of Creation Advertising, the company has a team of six well-qualified staff who engage in designing and other related tasks. “At the end of the day, what it counts is the creativity you can play around to impress the customers. Apart from a chunk of corporate customers our client list consists of local companies who need our help to create designs and layouts. This is where we earn our popularity in creating some creative and impressive work for our local customers,” mentions Asif.
Other than the local clients, Creation Advertising works for a handful of corporate clients such as Oppo, Nerolac, TVS Motor, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra, among others. “It’s not just prints but all sorts of signage solutions we offer for the corporate clients. For example, for the retail store of Oppo we make back-lit displays as well as LED-boxes,” says Asif. About the company’s production facilities, he mentions that they have two units—one equipped with HP Latex 570 and another with Edgeprint solvent printer.
World Advertising
Locally engaged
Around ten years ago World Advertising had nothing to do with advertising as the firm was a dealer of framing glasses. Rajat Chawla, who is now at the helm of this popular signage company, narrates how they come into the business of signage. He explains, “It was when we were dealing in fancy glasses and framing work we could sense the need of some signage solutions among our customers. To meet the need of our customers we first installed Caldron CJ printer which helped us tremendously.”
“After the Caldron machine, we upgraded our production facility with a new SkyColor eco-solvent printer,” tells Rajat, adding that they are now looking forward to adoption of another new advanced machine after the market gets better in the post-pandemic period. The client list of World Advertising predominantly consists of local schools and colleges. Rudrapur is a rapidly emerging educational hub of Uttarakhand where dotted an archipelago of reputed academic institutes. When asked about corporate clients, Rajat says very few as they are quite busy and fully engaged with local customers. “However, we have done projects for some select customers like Microtek,” he adds. On pandemic, he says everything seems to be getting on normal track soon and it was only in the first quarter last year the company’s overall business had a standstill. He conclusively and optimistically says the pandemic woe in business may end in the coming festive seasons.
Lotus Advertising
Limitless performance
Two young partners—Neeraj and Inder—joined hands to launch a signage firm that would work to deliver some out-of-the-box signage solutions. This is how they gave birth to Lotus Advertising, a one-stop signage corner for all kinds of innovative works. Niraj Massey, Managing Director, Lotus Advertising, says they enjoy working on projects that stand out like anything that never done before. In this respect, Inder Arora, Managing Director, Lotus Advertising, reveals the fact that they have accomplished a lot of outdoor promotional campaigns as well as environmental installations all over Uttarakhand. Pointing out some of the company’s landmark projects, Neeraj mentions that they are proud to be the creator of the environmental installations like ‘I Love Nainital and Kasara Almora’ for the Uttarakhand Tourism. “We don’t want to be just printer doing only printing job. The real joy of sign making would come only when you play with creativity and engage in limitless performance,” tells Neeraj, adding that they are quite lucky to work with a handful of customers who come up with totally unique projects.
Lotus Advertising is sole vendor of some of the leading corporate companies like Voltas, LG, Oppo, Big Bazaar, Red Tape, etc. The company works extensively for these customers across Uttarakhand and western UP. “We have a team of 21, which consists of well-trained fabricators and installers. Our team reaches to far-flung towns like Almora, Nainital, Champawat and others for installation works,” mentions Neeraj.
What it created the creative works at the production facility of Lotus Advertising is the line of advanced machines, which include a ColorJet IRISJET, Roland Roland VersaCAMM S-540, HP Latex 365 and others including a cold laminator and finishing equipments. Regarding the next update in machine portfolio in the production facility, Neeraj informs that they are chalking out plan to adopt an entry-level UV printer.
AS Art & Enterprises
T-shirt printing corner
Popularly known as a T-shirt printing corner in the local, AS Art & Enterprises is indeed a shop cum gallery where T-shirt printing, mug-printing and printing many other gift items take place. Ajay Patel, a young and energetic owner of this corner says that the idea of such personal item printing clicked him when he saw big gift shops in big cities. “I used to work in a signage printing company wherefrom I learnt my technical now-how to kick-start my own firm.”
The production facility of AS Art & Enterprises is equipped with a My Print T-shirt printer and a Sky Color solvent machine. Apart from T-shirt and gift items, the company engages in large-format printing as well, working for a handful of eminent corporate customers such as Bajaj, Nestle, Titan, etc. In this respect, Ajay mentions that they serve as local vendor of these corporate clients. He adds, “We are so proud of all our achievement and capability to gain full trust of their clients in a short period of time.” AS Art & Enterprises is just three years old in the market.
Regarding their clients who get printed T-shirts from them, Ajay mentions that they are very open to everyone. They entertain end users who come to AS Art & Enterprises to buy a single piece of T-shirt for personal wear. But most of their clients are garment retailers who run shops in hill stations like Almora, Nainital, Champawat and other parts of Uttarakhand. Even the T-shirts and mugs at AS Art & Enterprises are available for customisations as per customer’s demand.
Sai Media
Young and growing
Some signage companies in Rudrapur are as young as new start-ups just initiated by young people. One such company in the league is Sai Media, which was launched five years back by Sumit Gavri and Manpreet Singh. In a brief note, Sumit says that they are now chalking out plan to expand the company’s overall activities and machine portfolio to explore various unexplored area in the market. “What we see in the current signage market is the new wave which signage makers are bringing in for innovative introduction or new applications. For example, some mobile chaat vendors in Rudrapur are well decorated with channel letters which are illuminated in the evening,” he explains.
Sai Media has a production facility equipped with a ColorJet NEPTUNE printer from Apsom Infotex. A team of four staff is the workforce at the facility. “As of now we are focusing our coverage area only on Uttarakhand. In future, we may expand our footprint in other states in north India. I hope the scope and prospects in the signage industry are expanding day-by-day with the introduction of new machines and technologies,” says Sumit.
In the client list of Sai Media are some big corporate brands, such as Bajaj and Honda. However, according to Sumit, they now have got some government tenders that give them busy all the time, otherwise they would have added more corporate companies to their client list. Regarding the company’s plan towards increasing manpower and update in the current machine portfolio, he mentions that they need to wait and watch the market situation. If the pandemic is over in the next few months, they are planning to upgrade the facility with some new machines including a finishing line.
Paras Publicity
Serving all around
In the league of young signage firms in Rudrapur is Paras Publicity, a brainchild of Paras Chawla. Paras opened his signage firm around seven years back and within this sort span the company has been widely recognised among big corporate clients as well as local customers. “We serve both local walk-in customers as well as big corporate brands. In order to make our presence felt we need to execute some landmark projects, not only in Rudrapur but also in other cities and towns around UP, Haryana and Punjab,” says Paras, adding that they are on the move to expand their footprint anywhere where the winds blow. Working for big retail brands like Croma, Samsung, Oppo… Paras Publicity has a customer base which consists of all these corporate customers whose promotional campaigns are carried out in all cities and towns of Uttarakhand. In this respect, Paras says that they serve every big and small customer all around the region. “From Rudrapur to Almora, Pithoragarh and in any far off hill station of Uttarakhand, one can find our work and footprint,” he adds.
Paras Publicity has a strong team of 18 staff and its production facility is equipped with a ColorJet Neptune printer and TPS channel letter bending machine. According to Paras, had it not be the pandemic around the production facility of the company would have upgraded with some new finishing machines. He conclusively asserts, “We feel optimistic about the ongoing pandemic which may curb sooner than later and our hope is that the slowness in the market will gain pace in the coming festive seasons.”
AD Line
Customer’s choice
One of the big names in the realm of sign makers in Rudrapur is AD Line. This company is known for executing landmark signage projects for big corporate brands around Uttarakhand. Regarding the company’s background and work culture, Raaj Ghai, Managing Director of AD Line, explains that around 17 years back in a corner of Rudrapur he opened a sign making shop which nobody would recognise and corporate companies refuse. “After all ups and downs in business and our journey we are here today as a bastion standing tall.”
“We never expected that someday, we would be turned out as ultimate choice of our customers. There are many in our client list who have been our close associates and never to other vendor for their projects,” mentions Raaj. He says Bajaj Auto, SBI, ACC Cement, Ultratect Cement, to mention a few, are their major clients. When asked about a landmark project, Raaj reveals the one they did for SBI. In the project, they took part in rebranding of all SBI branches across Uttarakhand in a given 14-day deadline.
AD Line has a well-equipped production facility where installed a ColorJet Netune (with KM 512i printhead) and some solvent printers. A team of seven well-trained sign makers is behind the overall fabrication and installation works. According to Raaj, they hire near about 12 people when it comes to handing big projects in far-flung hill stations of Uttarakhand.
Singh Sign Art
3D letter zone
One-of-its-kind sign corner in Rudrapur, Singh Sign Art is the shop where 3D letters of all kinds are available. Regarding the company’s establishment, Harvinder Singh, Managing Director of Singh Sign Art, recalls that he wanted to open a normal signage printing shop in the city. However, he changed his mind and felt something in the 3D letter making, which is trendy, new and innovative in many ways. With such ambition, Harvinder opened his shop around five year back and within such a short period he has garnered a brand name which nowadays is known to a host of corporate companies for excellence in 3D letter making.
3D letters produced by Singh Sign Art are unique for the fact that they are made of finest raw materials and tested for quality and life before delivering to clients. In this respect, Harvinder mentions that they choose quality aluminium channel materials and SS rolls to make the 3D letters. He adds, “It has been our quality control that makes our customers impressed and they come for repeat orders.” Some of the company’s long-term customers are based in neighbouring western UP towns and big cities like Delhi and Lucknow.
Main applications of Singh Sign Art 3D letters are for retail outlets. To mention a few major brands which have used Singh Sign Art products to beautify their flagship retail outlets, the list includes big retail brands like Van Heusen, Wrogn, Louis Phillips, Allen Solly, Himara, Bajaj Finseve, etc, which are located in far-off places like Ranikhet, Gangotri Ghat, Champawat, etc. The production setup of the company is equipped with a versatile 3×4 Mehta laser engraver.
Sippy Publicity
Old bastion in the block
Sippy Publicity is considered as one of the oldest signage companies in Rudrapur. The company’s establishment is dated back to the year 1986. Shakeel Malik, owner of the company, is an artist by profession. His zeal of fine art eventually converted into a commercial artist to run a painting shop, Sippy Publicity, where he and his team made portraits, shop front signs, movie posters, etc. As it happened in the mid-1990s when cutting plotters and acrylic sheets brought a new wave in the signage and graphic art market, Shakeel took part into the new paradigm shift.
A big turn took place at Sippy Publicity in 2012 when the company unveiled a digital wide-format production facility with the installation of a ColorJet NEPTUNE printer from Apsom Infotex. The company recruited a team of 12 well-experienced professionals and a new journey started into the world of wide-format graphic printing. “I feel lucky to have witnessed all the revolutionary changes in the signage industry. We need to follow the trends and technologies from time to time to upgrade ourselves to keep running business,” informs Shakeel.
Some old customers in the client list of Sippy Publicity are ACC Cement, Birla Group, Avon Cycles, etc. “It has been the trust factor as well as quality in work and service that glue us with our customers for a long period of time. However, it all couldn’t be built up in an overnight. We were totally shut down for three months when the first wave of pandemic hit the market. Now we wake up to the call of our valued customers. This how business runs in trouble time,” says Shakeel.