A spotlight on signage arenas of Navi Mumbai and Thane
Navi Mumbai and Thane are two neighbouring metropolitans in Maharashtra, just a few-minute drive from Mumbai city, which boast the vibrant and burgeoning signage markets. The travelling bandwagon of Sign & Graphics has roamed around the two cities to meet with a handful of signage companies whose works are commendable because of the advanced machines and technologies they integrate and innovative ideas they implement to produce eccentric signage solutions.
7ply Venture (Navi Mumbai), A pride of sustainability
Even though their presence in the industry is barely a couple of years, 7ply Venture has been widely known for its products, service, and technologies they use. Started with a focus on short-run jobs for packaging products like corrugated boxes, mono cartons, and others made of 100 percent sustainable materials, the company keeps expanding its tasks and product range. Mahesh Choudhary, Director, 7ply Venture LLP, says, “Eventually, we are now into the arena of display and promotional solutions such as POSMs, shop racks, 3D signs, etc.”
“We could pull off everything productively and successfully because of our team’s dedication and ultramodern machines which Emerging Graphics provides us,” mentions Mahesh, adding, “Currently, we use iECHO TK4S wide-format cutting system and a KingT scanning digital corrugated printer with EPSON I3200-A1 inkjet printhead for printing and finishing. Combo of these two machines works wonderfully to meet the needs and demands of our quality and innovation-conscious clients.”
With a team of seven highly-skilled professionals engaging in all tasks right from CAD designing up to printing and finishing of end products. Produced precisely, incisively, and unconventionally, every single end product which 7ply Venture has crafted so far has been acclaimed by the company’s from different sectors. Big brands like ITC and others from different industrial clusters are in the current clientele of 7ply Venture.
Jyoti Publicity (Navi Mumbai), A high-end convertor
Genesis of Jyoti Publicity is dated back to the early 1990s. Recalling the company’s early days, Karan Malvi, Director, Jyoti Publicity, narrates, “I’m the second generation in the business. My father, who hailed from Rajasthan, started the business as a manual sign maker using little or no machine. As a student, I used to accompany him when he extensively worked for prominent brands like Vanila Ice Cream then. This was how I got inspired and instilled to make my presence in the industry.”
“It was in the year 2012 when I started to involve professionally and officially in the signage market. What all started was with Arlon, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of pressure sensitive cast and calendar vinyl media. When the company discontinued its India operation, 3M became my sole partner,” tells Karan, adding, “Since then we don’t look back as our activities keep magnifying, client base is expanding, and overall business is attaining a new height.”
He further adds, “If we recall our beginning, it was just a one-man venture. Now, I am accompanied by a team of 40, among which 18 are project managers. Our current client list is filled with a host of big companies, predominantly from the banking sector, such as Kotak Mahindra, Indusind Bank, PCB Bank, etc.” Jyoti Publicity’s current setup is stood on a plot of 7500sqft with two floors of working spaces where installed machines and equipment including a MIMAKI UCJV 300-160, 12’x5’ CNC router, 8’x4’ laser engraver, laminator, plotter, among others, etc. “Currently, we are proud of Rs 16cr turnover and expecting it to be Rs 25cr by next year,” tells Karan.
The Signage Expert (Navi Mumbai), A locally active expert
Since its presence in the industry over the last 14 years, The Signage Expert has been a locally acclaimed sign-making expert working for both walk-in customers and some businesses in and around Navi Mumbai. The company’s production facility is equipped with a line of high-end machines such as MIMAKI UCJV 300 Series, HP Latex 600, among others. Led by Amol Deepak Thakur, Proprietor of The Signage Expert, the company has a team of 10 experienced sign making professionals.
Amol states that the company’s activities involve in catering complete signage solutions. “In addition to our latex and UV printing technologies, we extensively engage in CNC routing and laser engraving for which our facility is equipped with an array of cutting and finishing equipment,” he mentions. When it comes to counting the clients for whom the company caters everything about signage and promotional graphics, some prominent builders from the real estate sector make a long list.
Telling about the future plan, Amol says they look ahead to getting more involvement in delivering complete signage solutions. In this respect, he asserts, “Time has changed in the signage printing and production market. You need to be a provider of whole lot related to printed and non-printed solutions to the increasing demands and desire of customers—they could be either some big corporate companies or simply local businesses like retail shops and others.”
Komal Prints (Navi Mumbai), A dye sublimation house
When it comes to dye sublimation printing carrying out in an exclusive manner to produce bulk shirts and jerseys, Komal Prints is the name to be mentioned. The company is engaging exclusively in sublimation printing using a line of high-end textile printing machines, viz. EPSON SureColor F6270, SureColor 6330, and others. Akash Nikam of Komal Prints says, “Over the last 15 years of our existence in the market we have set our footprints well all around.” Akash is second generation in the business as he joined his father Suresh Nikam.
According to Akash, there has been increasing demand for T-shirt printing in the textile printing market of Navi Mumbai. When asked about the profiles of Komal Prints’ major clients, Akash mentions that the company currently has a list of garment shops who deal in T-shirts and jerseys for sporting associations, sports clubs, fitness clubs, etc. “We have closely partnered with around 10 companies whose main clients are sports clubs dotted across Maharashtra.”
About their works and productivity, Akash says, “EPSON SureColor F6270 and SureColor 6330 are such advanced dye-sublimation textile printing systems which are versatile and capable to meet every need of our customers who turn out to be quality conscious most of the time.” About the future plan, he mentions that they look forward to adding more advanced and ultramodern dye-sublimation printers for high-volume productions of printed garments.
Sankalp Enterprise (Navi Mumbai), A source of special materials
A source of premium quality sign making materials in the region, Sankalp Enterprise is in a step ahead of others. The company’s product range consists of such materials which are used for unconventional signage and display solutions, particularly for those sign makers, design firms, architectures, and others who primarily engage in turnkey projects at airports, malls, highways, and such locations.
Sankalp Enterprise has been in the industry over the last one decade. The company has been partnered with a number of clients from different industrial sectors. Chintan Goda, Proprietor of Sankalp Enterprise, states, “We are not the usual media supplier who provides flex or vinyl materials to print service providers. Our clients are those who are mainly from the architectural and designing domains. Materials which we offer are for CNC routing and laser engraving tasks for cladding, decors, floor graphics, etc.”
Having been an authorised channel partner of some of the leading brands in the market, current product portfolio of Sankalp Enterprise includes Eurobond, Merino, EQ, Alstone (WPC/WPP/ADF), Galgo, among others. Chintan conclusively mentions that they keep watching the changing trends and ongoing demands in the market, with which they upgrade their product portfolio.”
Ideal Signs (Navi Mumbai), A unit for signs of success
Ideal Signs usually manufactures 3D sign solutions. The company’s presence in the region’s signage market has been over the last two decades. Nitin Bodhe, Managing Director of Ideal Signs, has completed his studies specialising in graphic designing and print production. Narrating the beginning of business at Ideal Signs, Nitin recalls, “Right after my education, it was in the year 2007 I got my first break to join Parulekar Hospital as a Public Relation Officer.”
He continues, “During my tenure in the hospitality sector, I got my exposure to various categories of doctors and hospital services. It was during that period I had learnt how to deal with doctors and patients, which in turn helped me to develop new skills. A big turn took place in 2009—the year I kick-started my own business, Ideal Signs, in the branding and promotional signage market with the installations of a line of printing machines and opening of a new fabrication unit.
Ideal Signs currently crafts 3D letters, acrylic channel letters, SS letters, etc. “Our works are mainly for those who are in need of cut-signs and such solutions. Though we make and produce usual printed signage solutions for backlit and frontlit displays, most of our products are of letter signs and such items we normallu supply to malls and retail stores,” tells Nitin. Ideal Signs’ current client list consists of top retail companies such as Future Group and Landmark Group.
The Padma Prints (Thane), A source of all prints
An old bastion in the Thane printing market, The Padma Prints has been a source of all prints where customers can get everything under one roof, with a team of 27 staff. The reason how the company is capable of catering everything about prints, whether commercial graphics or signage solutions, is its fully-equipped production facility. On the company’s facility, Vikas Sule, Proprietor of The Padma Prints, comments, “We are proud of owning right from a Xerox Versant V280 digital colour production press up to an HP Latex 310.”
According to Vikas, The Padma Prints was established as a commercial printing corner engaging in services to produce cards, brochures, fliers, catalogues, and such end products. “As the demands among our walk-in customers gradually increased for many other printed graphics such as promotional and branding items, we eventually added some machines for the purpose,” he mentions.
Vikas further mentions that it has been POP/POS graphics, backlit displays, wall decors and such signage and promotional items are they currently produce. He adds, “It’s not the printing but cutting and finishing too, which we normally provide our clients in a complete manner.” One of the key machines installed in post-press division of The Padma Prints is a Zund S3 digital cutter, which compatibly cuts diverse materials including textile.
SignSmith Displays, An immortal impressionist
Award-winning SignSmith Displays Pvt Limited is a brainchild of Ajit Dahake and Smita Dahake, Directors. It was established 1985 by engaging in advertising business, which then switched to signage production in 2005. The company boasts a production set up of more than 2000sqft where installed best-in-class machines and equipment, such as MIMAKI CJV 300 Series, HP Latex 500 Series, Skycut C24 cutting plotter, among others, in two different units. The printing and production team of the company consists of 12 skilled staff.
“We extensively indulge in core activities right from graphic designing, development of advertising & promotional materials, which are indoor & outdoor displays, manufacturing signage solutions, etc,” mentions Smita. She adds, “To produce finest quality printing, to deliver end products in strict timeline, we have stringent quality check at every stage.”
So far, SignSmith Displays has worked for more than 2000 satisfied customers from different sectors. Among the company’s landmark projects accomplished so far is the new design & development of ‘QR Code Display Stand’ for Thane Janta Sahakari Bank Ltd (TJSB) for their UPI ID payment facility. Thousand of such QR Code Display Stand are manufactured & distributed to various outlets by SignSmith till date.
Hari Krishna Digital Print (Thane), A one-stop printing corner
Situated in a busy lane of Dada Patil Wadi Road, opposite the bustling railway station in Thane (W), Hari Krishna Digital Print is a one-stop printing corner. It’s a provider or printer of all sorts of graphic prints, whether commercial or signage or anything which hordes of walk-in customers demand. Sandeep Agarwal, Proprietor of Hari Krishna Digital Print, asserts, “It’s not just printing that we provide, our jobs and solutions include graphic designing. Then, yet another item for which we are known in the market in this region is ‘gifting’.”
A line of digital production presses for commercial printing for end products like business cards, brochures, product catalogues, fliers, etc, then, a fleet of digital large-format machines including a couple of Alwyn digital large-format printers with KM 512i printheads, alongside a set of finishing equipment, eventually make the completeness of Hari Krishna Digital Print’s machine portfolio. The facility is backed by a team of 25 printing and production staff.
About the next-step plan of Hari Krishna Digital Print, Sandeep says they are going to add UV flatbed machines in the company’s facility, sooner than later. “With the addition of UV printing technology to our current tasks, we will able to offer our customers the most comprehensive range of graphic prints which any print service provider or a commercial printer in Thane has ever offered till date,” concludes Sandeep.