Avenue Graphics
(Lower Parel)
A drift along new changes

Ashwin Maheshwari

It’s the matter of fact that there are many print shops around Mumbai city which have been magnified from small offset printing business units to mega wide-format digital facilities delivering stunning jobs to corporate clients. Avenue Graphics, as one in the league, started in 1987 as a pre-press unit engaging exclusively in typography, typesetting, processing and others has come a long way to find its place in the wide-format digital printing. “We had good time with our first Mutoh printer installed in 1993,” recollects Ashwin Maheshwari, director, Avenue Graphics Pvt Ltd while talking about the company’s maiden entry into the wide-format zone.

Even technology has conspired Avenue Graphics to escalate its production facility which took a new turn with the installation of high-tech Vutek 3360 EC printer in the year 2005. Its sturdiness is still edging in the overall portfolio by adding new printers. Latest in the company’s corpulent line of high-end printers includes roll-to-roll Keundo Supra Q 3300-S. Today, all that hand-earned efforts of the company have converted into the strength capable to produce one of the best ever signage graphics in Mumbai.

Now that many multinational companies flocked around Avenue Graphics, lured by the dazzling outputs, a mix of clients the company has been roped in so far are from different industrial segments like telecommunication, banking, insurance and infrastructure. On his appraisal about the printers churning out the best outputs, Ashwin proudly comments, “I enjoy working with Vutek printer for fastest deliveries and equally I relish to work with Keundo Supra when it comes to printing on quality vinyl.” He further mentions that any other printers in the industry could never match the vinyl prints produced on Keundo Supra.

“Today, Indian signage market has drastically changed as demands equally come from all industrial segments,” comments Ashwin adding that there was a time when FMCG was the most demanding segment but other sectors like telecom and banking are in the same pace today. Avenue Graphics maintains its coverage for both Maharashtra and rest of India. Fabrication and installation works at pan India level are arranged through the company’s partners based in different parts of the country.

“As ‘go green’ is a mantra uttering widely in every corner of the industry, we are in the phase of good expansion over the ‘green’ technology,” asserts Ashwin. However, he opines that it would be effective only when the government passes necessary regulations to sideline all solvent printers and increases overall availability of environment-friendly materials in the country.

ike many others in the Mumbai printing market where those engaged in photocopying business finally landed on flex printing, this would be the similar story to introduce Apsara Graphics, which has been into colour photocopying business since 1987 and a big turn was taking place in 2005 when the company entered into the business of wide-format printing with the installation of an 8 ft Mutoh printer. Rapid growth in their business instilled the company to expand its production unit supplemented by a new 10 ft Mutoh printer.

It was the Mumbai’s signage market that always exploded like live volcano and deeply influenced Apsara Graphics to enter the signage domain for a new business. Today, clientele of Apsara Graphics include Brite, Pioneer, Lux Media and other local companies. “Gradual changes taking place in the technology front has inspired us to update our production unit for churning out newest texture of impressive outputs”, says Meghraj Nishar of Apsara Graphics. Addition of Matan Barak 5 that can run 3,400 sq ft per hour has recently boosted its production facility to deliver whatever demands surfacing from any corner of Mumbai signage market.

Kanika Digital
(Goregaon East)
Down the new business lane

Ashok Sharma

Headquartered in Indore, branches spread across other cities, yet another production unit of Kanika Digital Prints Private Limited opened in the hot spot market of Mumbai in early 2009. Business at the new unit immediately swells and then picks up tempo as a number of clients in the western Indian market are decisively impressed by the company’s quality outputs. Kicked off with an 8-colour Vutek printer, portfolio at the new facility has augmented with the addition of 4-colour Vutek, HP XLJet, Mimaki eco-solvent, etc.

In fact, the swift business gain in Mumbai eventually infused Kanika Digital to magnify its floor of production facility. “Total area of our production unit was only 1,000 sq ft, but the new line of printers we kept adding compelled us to broaden the area because we constantly began to face problem during seaming process,” tells Ashok Sharma, general manager, Kanika Digital. Now a total area of 30,000 sq ft spreads to spaciously furnish the robust line of printers in the company’s production facility, which can churn out 60,000 sq ft prints per day.

Sky is the limit for an aspiring company like Kanika Digital whose aim is to achieve production volume upto 80,000 sq ft with the adoption of another Vutek printer. Delivering a gamut of outstanding outputs to a list of corporate giants, major players in the clientele of the company include Axis Bank, ICICI Bank from the banking sector and telecom giants like Reliance and Idea as well as some renowned agencies based in Mumbai. Despite being involved fully with fabrication and installation service, Kanika Digital however manages their jobs by associating with some agencies. “An added advantage is that we can handle entire south Indian states, Mahrashtra and Goa from our Mumbai unit,” remarks Ashok.

“Unlike other cities or regions in India, Mumbai has a unique business model. If you properly maintain quality, time and capacity, growth is guaranteed in an overnight,” conveys Ashok proudly. Certainly, Kanika Digital swooping in on its zenith position today walks along with these consistency and efficiency mantras, aiming to embark upon UV printing in near future.

Shubh Plastics
(Goregaon West)
Ideal trendsetter in time

Anand Bhandari

Already a most arresting media dealer hovering across the country since 1965, Subh Plastics is one of the oldest bastions moving ahead more visibly with newer products all the times. At the dawn of its business, the company used to exclusively deal with distribution of acrylic plastic sheets only. The same old product line remained as the mainstay of business for a pretty long time. But it thus changed with the emergence of polycarbonates, flex media and vinyl, which eventually formed major portfolio of the company’s product line.

“I still remember the days when there were just a limited number of wide-format printers in India in the early 2000s and we were sole supplier of flex media to those revolutionary printers,” recollects Anand Bhandari of Shubh Plastics. The company had a good business while serving as an authorised distributor of Hanwa media across India for quite sometime. However, Shubh Plastics recently added ACE flex and banner (which fully acquired Hanwa), premium products manufactured in Korea.

Alongside the astounding line of ACE products is ONIX that makes a complete array of flex and banner materials in the company’s product line. ONIX brands shelving at Subh Plastics include solvent and eco-solvent media, lamination films, self-adhesive films, PVC sheets, etc. Other notable brands the company has been dealing with include self-adhesive vinyl from Avery Dennison, Astani, YNG Guang acrylic plastic sheets, Alu Dicon aluminium composite panels as well as display stands and adhesive bonds. “In association with Avery Dennison, we have been undertaking turnkey projects on high-end signage requirements for corporate leaders,” mentions Anand adding that they recently completed projects for Bank of India and Dr Batra’s Clinics among others.

Liberty Graphics
(Lower Parel)
On the fast lane of latest technology

Pankaj Bhatt

The company has now become a popular stopover for a herd of corporate clients rushing in for best ever signages in Mumbai, but many in the region’s printing market still have the preconceived notion of recognising Liberty Graphics as the erstwhile pre-press shop solely engaged in block making or positive processing jobs. Emergence of a healthy wide-format digital printing market had inspired the company to set foot into the new sector. Pankaj Bhatt, partner, Liberty Graphics says, “We ultimately reached across the wide-format printing market quite successfully with the opening of our production unit initially equipped with Mutoh Toucan printer and updated with Vutek, Keundo and HP 5000 printers.”

Old business dies hard! Despite the diversification taken place, Liberty Graphics recently equipped with a new CtP machine in their offset wing. Well, on its move to tap new business in future, the company eyes UV flatbed printers that would be added in its portfolio after examining the market pulse. “We have also finalised to adopt Latex technology as it brings a new zeal in the market,” asserts Pankaj. Having been working with agencies for a long time, Liberty Graphics finally gains liberty to work directly with big corporate players like McDonalds, VLCC, Cipla and others from different industrial clusters.

Signage market in the big city like Mumbai certainly moves on the fast lane. Liberty Graphics proves it with its swift development from a single Mutoh machine-company to a jumbo firm serving across the country. “We have teamed up with a list of companies located in south and north Indian cities for distribution, fabrication and installation while working at pan India level,” says Pankaj adding that the tie-ups with the companies located in other parts of the country save time and expenditure. Liberty Graphics undertakes others’ works only when it comes to carrying out their jobs in Mumbai or in the region of Mahrashtra.

Commenting on their one-stop shop structure, Pankaj explains that the inclusion of fabrication is important in today’s signage market as clients want to get done their end-products under a single roof as rushing from pillar to pillar for different components is time consuming and expensive.

Vinayak Exports
(Goregaon West)
Prominence in quality media supply

Abhishek Lohia

This media supplier in the upmarket signage segment of Mumbai is savvy and sophisticated enough to harness a pack of high-end consumers. Vinayak Exports has been occupying an outstanding position for supplying an exclusive range of media since last eight years. Started with the distributorship of acrylic and polycarbonate sheets along with a very little range of vinyl and frontlit materials, foam EP sheets in roll form had recently been added in the company’s product line, which is now bulged with other materials including a gamut of frontlit flex, PVC foam sheets, vinyl films, etc.

Orafol is a popular media brand from Germany, which Vinayak Exports has been distributing and marketing in various parts of the Indian signage domain. “Orafol products are tested and trusted by many in the Indian market,” tells Abhishek Lohia of Vinayak Exports. He further states that this German company has more than 300 products, but what Vinayak has in India is just around eight select ones. “As per the demands and requirement in the Indian market, we will add newer range of Orafol products,” adds Abhishek.

Confinement of Vinayak Exports’ presence in western India is now unleashing as the company makes inroad into the southern region with the opening of a new branch in Chennai. The expansion continues! Kolkata and Delhi have been highlighted as two new destinations where Vinayak Exports would be landing soon to mark the company’s pan India presence. Mentioning the USP of Orafol, Abhishek affirms that this media line is a very dependable material for many printers. “Compare to the quality it possessed, costs of Orafol products are quite affordable,” he adds.

In addition to the company’s existing monomeric range, cast films for vehicle wrap will be new arrivals in the product line. “The cast films would come out to be slightly expensive, but we are seeing to adjust pricing in the current Indian market,” mentions Abhishek.

ADGLO
(Goregaon West)
Along the line of newest trend

Mahesh Rajput

Simply irresistible about this signage player is their range of stunning outputs. ADGLO has been around in Mumbai’s signage sector since 1989 under the proprietorship of Mahesh Rajput, who was simply in service working in an ad agency. “I was smitten by the signage works developed from time to time in the big cities like Mumbai,” he narrates his initial impression of the industry. Always crazy about unfolding a signage printing business of his own, Mahesh today owns ADGLO, one of the leading sign shops working for a list of prominent clients based in and out of Mumbai.

Opened with a big vision with small amount of profit, production facility of ADGLO was simply equipped with a Mimaki cutting plotter purchased from Negi Sign Systems & Suppliers Co. Steady addition of a new line of high-end printers, such as Roland HiFiJet Pro, a couple of HP Grandjet, HP 5500 inkjet, Mimaki plotter and others moved the company boasting of its current state-of-the-art facility, which comprises a fabrication unit having its own transport facility to deliver end products to clients.

ADGLO’s major tasks extensively involve with jobs from the retail sector. Now the company is planning to make business bigger with a specific focus on POP displays. “We are a complete solution provider delivering an exclusive range of in-shop signage materials through our network spreading over other cities like Pune, Bangalore and Delhi to meet the increasing demands at national level,” remarks Mahesh.

Highlighting the prospects of UV technology, Mahesh opines that the country’s retail sector has been boosting up to a new height. “Now we are simply going for usual displays normally used in in-shop environment. But the options would be expanded the moment we embrace UV technology,” says Mahesh adding that the emergence of new malls and shopping complexes in metropolitan cities will create bigger room for UV applications in the industry. With all that ADGLO is looking ahead, the company now plans to invest further with more HP printers.

Aditya
(Goregaon East)
One-stop source for all qualities

Aditya and A K Ajmera

In the year 1999, Aditya started importing flex materials for the Indian market. An introducer of materials in the Indian digital wide-format domain the company is also accredited for being the first importer of water-based media (inkjet) from Apro (Korea) and coated fabrics from TNG (Korea). Apart from being a sole distributor of Saven Inks in India, Aditya has been associated with a gamut of companies from Korea, China and Taiwan for a range of high-quality materials. And the company is now assigned as an authorised distributor of 3M for the western Indian region covering Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

“We ourselves are considered to be a sourcing company whether dealing locally or internationally,” says A K Ajmera of Aditya. He further mentions that the company’s aim is to understand the customers’ requirements in terms of three parameters—quality, price and service. Whatever demands come from the clients, Aditya always endeavours to provide them the right products. “We have 150 products, which is really a huge array in this industry and most of these are first timers in India,” remarks Ajmera.

Aditya’s vinyl range starts with Sunfix, which is their own brand. In the ink segment, the company distributes Blackjet Titan (Rohs-certified inks designed for solvent printing) and Triangle inks from Sakata. The company also deals with display materials like rollers and banner stands from different companies, which are distributed via a nationwide network formed by its branch offices based in Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, Indore and Udaipur.

What has been carrying out in Aditya’s business is not just the supply of materials but also as an education to the industry people. “We keep update any new trend hovering around the globe to help our customers maintain consistency and efficiency,” affirms Ajmera.

Gita & Company
(Masjid Bunder Road)
As good as it always delivers

Siddarth and Vishal Doshi

What’s worth mentioning about Gita and Company in the first place is the company’s long undefeated innings in the industry. Inception of this leading media distributor dates back to the year 1962 when it was exclusively engaged in manufacturing of self-adhesive paper tapes. Over the years, the company also started to produce sunmica sheets and trading of acrylic sheets, plywood, PVC foam boards, PP sheets and others. “In the year 2001, we ventured into the realm of flex media supply to wide-format digital printing segment, which was a growing market, interesting field and prospective business,” says Siddarth Doshi of Gita & Company.

Pacing along the trends of new products and prospects taking place in the industry, Gita & Company has become a big media supplier housing a wide range of products including backlit and frontlit flex, self-adhesive vinyl, one-way vision, lamination films, specialities eco-solvent medias like translites, banners, ‘Magic’ canvas from the USA, etc. Above all, this company is an authorised Indian distributor of Belgium-based GRAFITYP whose media line comprises various digital printing vinyls, such as monomeric, polymeric & cast vinyls, air-escape vinyls, colour vinyls and more.

“Car wrapping vinyl is our major focus as of now,” says Siddharth mentioning that a line of interesting and impressive range of cast vinyl and laminates will be introduced during forthcoming exhibitions in India.

Since ‘go green’ is a new tagline everybody is yearning for across the industry, Grafityp Ecological Film (GEF) series is attuned to the current eco-friendly trend. “The most stirring feature about GEF film is its inexpensiveness,” remarks Siddharth assuring that the products will hit the market in a big way in near future. Other attractive products in the specialised GRAFITYP line include glow in dark laminates and Colour Wave Series which can wrap cars and facilitate instant change of colour, altogether available in half the price.

Overall GRAFITYP line of products consists of vinyl films for outdoor and indoor signages, automotive segment, eco-friendly films, floor graphics and many more. In addition, other signage products at Gita & Company are from Taiwan and China.

Glamour Graphics
(Goregaon East)
Determining best steps forward

Deepak Bedi

There’s nothing so strange about Glamour Graphics’ endeavour to pull out a unit of digital wide-format printing from its main offset business. Like many firms involved directly or indirectly with offset printing in Mumbai entering into signage sector, this company was incepted in 1997 as a pre-press house equipped with an image setter to supply processed films to offset printers. But in the year 2001, its business diverted to the digital wide-format printing with the installations of a couple of HP printers—HP 5000 and HP 5100. Sooner than later, rapid progression in business encouraged the company to add a Mimaki eco-solvent printer and HP 5500 in its portfolio.

Running parallel with the wide-format unit is its pre-press activity where Glamour Graphics recently adopted a basysPrint CtP as the company is still engaged largely as service bureau, delivering around 300 plates per day. Also in the other side of the facility, new set of wide-format printers have been constantly adding to meet the increasing market demand. Polaris 330PG from CMYK Impex India Ltd with Spectra printheads and a seven feet Mutoh flourished their portfolio.

“Though the Polaris 330PG printer is running on solvent inks, it produces the quality equivalent to that of eco-solvent inks,” says Deepak Bedi, director, Glamour Graphics Pvt Ltd. He further mentions that this printer producing eco-solvent quality via solvent inks serves two purposes as it can run for both flex and vinyl. Glamour Graphics works only through agencies and some contract printers in the markets are their major clients coming particularly for standies.

Keen Graphic
(Jogeshwari West)
Looking for bigger jobs ahead

(L-R) Nasruddin Meridia, Rahim Umatra and Saiyad Umatra

Merely a Mutoh vinyl cutter machine was installed to unveil a business in signage. But the healthy market environment around Mumbai encouraged Keen Greaphic to go for a bigger portfolio capable to deliver signage printouts. A production unit housing a Mutoh NX and a Flora printer was set up but unfortunately destroyed completely in the flood occurred in various parts of Mumbai city in 2005. But the calamity did not deter the company’s enthusiasm to venture a brand new business start. So their business reopened with the adoption of an HP 5500 printer in a steady progress.

Along with a new Mutoh ValuJet installed in 2007, Keen Graphic made a mark in business footfall that helped them gradually update their production facility to a new standard. Last year, the company added a new HP DesignJet L65500 (Latex) printer. Its updated portfolio is an ultimate virtue that attracts corporate clients like ICICI, IDBI, HDFC and Reliance Media Works. “We have been entering into different new segments like telecommunication sector and are in touch with Uninor for our future tie-up with this mobile service company,” says Nasruddin Maredia, partner, Keen Graphic.

“In the green front, HP Latex printer is excellent when working for both indoor and outdoor markets,” asserts Saiyad Umatra, partner, Keen Graphic signifying the added advantage of water-based ink technology. He further mentions that their clients complemented them for the Latex technology inks that never get faded even in the outdoor exposure. Nano solvent machine from CMYK Impex India Ltd is one of the latest additions in their portfolio for delivering varieties of outdoor graphics.

Keen Graphic now goes on to expansion plans at all India level. Very recently, the company signed contract with BIG Cinemas. “We have to cover thirty theatres across the country under a project to install standies on the cinema premises. In the retail sector, Keen Graphic marks its historic presence as the company has done a great branding job for Vishal Megamart, for both outdoor and indoor signs in major cities like Indore, Bhopal, Pune and others across Mahrashtra. Looking for bigger pan India jobs is the company’s future vision.

Pacific Digital
(Fort)
Pulling alongside all new developments

Mansukh Gala (left) with a colleague

Yet another player in the block is Pacific Digital which branches out a signage unit from its pre-press set-up established in the year 1994. The company is accredited for its association with big movie production companies like Yash Raj films. Highlighting a flashback of the company’s establishment, Mansukh Gala of Pacific Digital narrates their business voyage started with a pre-press setup producing four-colour positives and separation work along with some short-run digital printing jobs on colour laser printers and colour photocopiers. But over the last five years, the company changed its stance pacing towards digital wide-format printing with the installation of a couple of Mutoh printers.

From time to time, Pacific Digital geared up with constant upgrade of its facility adding new eco-solvent printer like Mutoh Valuejet. “As per the demands for newer applications increasing in the city’s signage market, we have added one new eight-colour Vutek printer, which delivers 30,000 sq ft prints per day,” says Mansukh. Now the company is strong enough to deliver anything surfacing around indoor and outdoor segments. For indoors, its facility is equipped with an HP5500 inkjet printer, two Mutoh Valuejet eco-solvent printers while four solvent printers—one Vutek, two Mutoh and a WitColor printers are for outdoor graphics.

“We have a complete fabrication unit where mounting and cutting are done under one roof,” mentions Mansukh. Outdoor agencies, advertising agencies and corporate players like MTS, Tata Indicom, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda and HDFC are in their client list. “Most of our clients are based in Mumbai and installation works for such clients are done instantly across the city,” says Mansukh mentioning that more than 70 percent of its banner prints however goes to clients based outside Mumbai.

UV flatbed printers, such as Gerber Solara machines, are what the company is looking forward to adopt. “We are also looking ahead to add HP Latex technology to meet the growing demands in the current signage market, which is growing great at 70 percent rate while other sectors merely receive 10-20 percent growth,” exclaims Mansukh. Pacific Digital is responsible for overall outdoor campaigns and indoor theatre standies for big Bollywood companies like Moser Baer, Eros and Yash Raj Films. Interestingly, the company ropes in more than 50 percent of digital printing jobs in Bollywood film industry.

Laxmi Sales Corporation
(Goregaon West)
Provider of the best ever media range

Ramakant Mandhana

Manufacturer of sanitation pipes and others in agriculture and chemical industry during the early 1990s, Laxmi Sales Corporation began to hunt for a new line of business, which was finally happened to be in PVC form sheets distribution. “After a long tussle to study the market, we learnt useful lessons from our customers who helped us find momentum in business,” says Ramakant Mandhana of Laxmi Sales Corporation.

Walking hand-in-hand with some media distributors based in New Delhi and Mumbai supplying vinyl and polycarbonate sheets all over India, Laxmi Sales Corp steadily grew to a new height in the business of media supply in the Mumbai signage market. But in the year 1996, Kodak brought in a new charm to the company’s business. It was not only vinyl but also a range of high-quality papers added in the company’s product line after its tie-up with the world’s leading imaging company, which chose only four distributors in Mumbai. “When we outperformed the rest while handling north and western region, Kodak immediately assigned us as an all India distributorship within a year,” asserts Ramakant proudly.

“In addition to Kodak, in the early 2000s, I eventually approached to 3M for distributorship through an ad appeared in Sign & Graphics magazine. Since that day we became a distributor for 3M vinyl, flex which were most affordable and cost-effective,” remembers Ramakant. In the progress, Laxmi Sales Corp then tied up with DUPONT and Technova. In the new venture, the company is promoting different products under ‘Novastar’ brand which includes shelf-adhesive silver metallic film, PP glossy, PP matt, silk banners, matte canvas, backlit, frontlit films, lamination films, mounting films manufactured in Korea, Taiwan and China.

“What we are planning for future expansion is that the products which are popular in the overseas market should be introduced to the Indian market. We regularly observe the changes and new arrivals in the product range whenever we travel abroad,” remarks Ramakant. Laxmi Sales Corp has a strong marketing team, which does not merely sell products but also educate customers. Recognition of its overall excellent performances has been proved by Pinnacle Awards from ENCAD Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Company, conferred on the company for exceeding sales target in the year 2002. And the company is also winner of Media Business Development Award in 2003 for its recognition in media business growth in Asia.

Prince Digi Graphics
(Kandivli West)
Innovative delivery of creamy outputs

Manmohan Singh (second from left) with his team

Being a sister concern of Prince Poly Prints which was incepted in the year 1987 engaging extensively in plastic coating on household articles, the root of Prince Digi Graphics is linked neither with signage industry nor other printing segments. But the company came into being as a signage major involving with some of the world class wide-format printers that serve the purpose of its plastic coating activities. “Prince Digi Graphics was set up in the year 2005, but as long as I had little to do with the conventional signage market, we just run the machines for some other purposes,” says Manmohan Singh, managing director, Prince Digi Graphics.

But a twist in the company’s wide-format production brought in a robust turnover all of a sudden. Since the company has not been into much of signage materials like outdoor graphics, hoarding, banners... the mainstay of wide-format printing at Prince Digi Graphics revolves around interior ceramic tiles, interior ACP, acrylic and sun boards, glass and tiles produced in a way that had never been designed before. “In 2009, we faced some competition in the market, so we updated our facility with Vutek QS2000, Mimaki eco-solvent and Gerber Solara ionx,” mentions Manmohan.

“Some corporate players knocked on our doors for their big projects because they trusted us for our unmatched outputs and long-term relationship we have developed with them,” asserts Manmohan adding that Prince Digi Graphics just serves cream clients in the signage market. Those who are in deep understanding with the company will always be with them. Bengaluru, Goa, Nasik, Belgaum and overseas country like Russia are where Prince Digi Graphics finds their market.

Sai Krupa Photo Offset Pvt Ltd
(Lower Parel West)
Set to continue a big journey

R G Chavan with a colleague

Even the name itself tells half of the story behind the origin of Sai Krupa Photo Offset Pvt Ltd, which was incepted as an offset pre-press unit in 1990. The company still produces plates on Screen PlateRite 8300S CtP machine delivering around 200-300 plates per day. On the other hand, its entry into digital wide-format printing was in 2003 with a new Mutoh Toucan 87 printer. Within a couple of years, Sai Krupa established itself as a big signage printer in the city of Mumbai. In order to walk along the swift changes in technology and service, the company immediately installed Vutek UltraVu-II 3360EC and HP Scitex XL1500 in their production facility.

“Now we are planning to add another Vutek printer soon,” says R G Chavan, CMD, Sai Krupa Photo Offset Pvt Ltd. He also mentions enthusiastically that the printer is really great in producing big volume jobs. Sai Krupa has another production facility in Ahmedabad where installed a Keundo printer. “Keundo has an amazing technology capable to produce 800 sq ft for ACV materials, in double-sided printing,” praises Chavan. Though there is no urgency for UV technology, it has been Chavan’s plan to go for UV flatbed printers soon.

Zee TV, MTV, Zoom, UTV and some agencies based in Mumbai are regular clients of Sai Krupa. “We even worked with IPL where we did all print jobs of Mumbai India team through Reliance,” says Chavan. In the telecommunication sectors, Aircel, Airtel are two telecom giants the company has already been roped in. Since the industry is going for green technology, Sai Krupa is now in a position to install a brand new HP Latex technology printer—a choice for its speed and eco-friendliness!

Sandaw Prints
(Fort)
For a move into UV zone

Kishor C Shah (R) with one of his partners

Popularly known as S R Sandaw & Sons, it was established in the year 2000 as a pre-press unit. A Dianippon drum scanner in their unit helped them engage fully in the pre-press activity. But in 2006, its sister concern Sandaw Prints surfaced to carry business in the wide-format printing. First installed a DGI Mega Jet printer, the unit added two more printers of same models from the same company within a span of two years.

“Since the demands from the corporate clients increased drastically, we brought in two Vutek printers and a HP5500. In addition, we also added new CtP from Monotech to boost the offset segment, on the other side of the business,” mentions Kishor C Shah of Sandaw Prints Pvt Ltd. But the turnover in the digital wide-format printing unit is growing every year. Sandaw Prints vastly associates with big corporate clients like Reliance Communication, Ambuja Cement, Tata and others at local level.

As per clients’ requirements, Sandaw Prints goes beyond Mumbai city, stretching around other cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, etc through its channel partners. Biggest achievement of Sandaw Prints so far is the company’s pan India campaign for Reliance, when the latter changed its logo. “Now that the in-store sector in big cities is getting boomed, so UV flatbed technology will find its place for high-end in-shop decorations and displays. We have even got some enquiries from a few in-store clients in this respect,” says Kishor adding that the market for UV technology is still a long way to go, but there is a definite prospect to grow in near future.

Vijas Digital
(Goregaon West)
Maker of everything in anything

Altaf Agwan

Established in the year 1995 as a pre-press processing house when it was still a time of manual operations, Vijas Digital (I) Pvt Ltd then diversified its business into digital wide-format printing in the year 2005. Equipped with four Mutoh printers initially, the facility expanded with two more eight-colour Vutek printers within a period of six months. Today, the company taps at least some clients in every industrial sector. Idea, Vodafone, Airtel, Uninor, Tata DoCoMo, Aircel, BSNL and MTS are some corporate giants from telecommunication sector, which form the company’s client list.

Vijas Digital made big achievements during the launch of Uninor in four circles in the south Indian region. Similarly, the company associated with Tata DoCoMo when it first launched across Maharashtra. Even MTS was launched in Maharashtra producing around 70 percent of its overall campaign signages at Vijas Digital’s facility. Other potential clients the company has been working with include Indian Railways, UTV, Zee TV, Sahara, Yash Raj Films, etc.

Altaf Agwan, director, Vijas Digital (I) Pvt Ltd says that the company does not involve much in fabrication and installation work. “We however did in case of working with the railways. Even for Yash Raj Films campaigns, we handled complete solutions at pan India level,” he adds. Vijas Digital is planning to magnify its facility into a mega setup that would be unveiled in Goregaon East.

Jyoti Print Solutions
(Andheri West)
Hope for a rise in near future

Ankit

With its main title as Jyoti Stationery & Xerox, a one-stop shop for computer typing, colour photocopy, rubber stamps, stickers, labels, lamination and screen printing has been successfully carrying out since last four years. As long as the company has brought all possible kinds of printing under its roof, why not wide-format printing could be part of it? This is how this printing shop diversified a unit called Jyoti Print Solutions equipped with a Nutek Multijet-III printer. Opened in the year 2008 to meet the increasing demands for flex prints from its regular clients, Jyoti Print Solutions delivers all kinds of signage products popularly used at local marts and cultural events.

Seeing the expansion in the city’s signage market, Ankit of Jyoti Print Solutions plans to boost their production facility with the addition of new printers. “I’m planning to create space first in our production facility. After setting up a good line of printers, I would target to tap business with big corporate players,” he says concluding that the company receives inquiries from many potential or customers. Hopefully, it may be in near future that Jyoti Print Solutions will be a recognised name to some corporate clients.

Allwyn Jumbo zerox
(Andheri East)
Get set to rope in corporate giants

Narendra Chheda

In the year 1984, while wide-format printers were out of sight in the printing market, Allwyn Jumbo Xerox zoomed in as a trendy print shop comprehensively dealing with photocopy jobs. The state-of-the-art print shop equipped with Rico and Modi Xerox machines had eventually been expanded its portfolio into the new domains of offset and flex printing activities. In fact, the company’s production facility is perfectly designed to term it ‘jumbo’ literally.

All that Allwyn Jumbo has travelled in its long journey into the industry did bring in the jumbo facility equipped with a long line of machines/printers to deliver any sorts of jobs. Offset printing unit of the company is equipped with four-colour Komori Lithrone while its flex printing facility is equipped with high-end HP 5100, HP 4000. “It was strong demand from the printing market that encouraged us to make an entry into the digital wide-format printing,” says Narendra Chheda of Allwyn Jumbo Xerox.

Retail customers hovering around the city market and agencies who contract with other companies across Mumbai generally come to Allwyn Jumbo Xerox for varieties of works. Now the company’s plan is to expand its facility to grow business. So far the company has been working through agents, a new potential to develop a new level of business is its plan to tap the direct market. “We would like to grab business with corporate clients, so is the reason why we are planning to install an HP flatbed printer,” says Narendra. Upon reaching a level in the corporate zone, IT companies are what Allwyn Jumbo Xerox will set to rope in.

Perfect Digital
(Andheri East)
Brave new world for local demands

Mukesh K Rita

A perfect print shop for all kinds of solvent and eco-solvent prints, Perfect Digital has been in business of digital wide-format printing in Mumbai since last seven years. Though it’s not that all those big corporate giants the company has been working with, Perfect Digital is always satisfied working with local clients. Equipped with HP Designjet 5100, Roland SJ 740, its production facility could meet the all every demand from its local customers.

Perfect Digital feels itself perfect in terms of its line of printers currently adopted in their facility. “It may take another few months for us to decide some new additions in our production facility.

We feel great to use printers like HP and Roland, with which we deliver versatile outputs to our customers,” says Mukesh K Rita of Perfect Digital.

Apsara Graphics
(Goregaon West)
Ready to deliver anything

Meghraj Nishar

Lt’s the matter of fact that there are many print shops around Mumbai city which have been magnified from small offset printing business units to mega wide-format digital facilities delivering stunning jobs to corporate clients. Avenue Graphics, as one in the league, started in 1987 as a pre-press unit engaging exclusively in typography, typesetting, processing and others has come a long way to find its place in the wide-format digital printing. “We had good time with our first Mutoh printer installed in 1993,” recollects Ashwin Maheshwari, director, Avenue Graphics Pvt Ltd while talking about the company’s maiden entry into the wide-format zone.

Even technology has conspired Avenue Graphics to escalate its production facility which took a new turn with the installation of high-tech Vutek 3360 EC printer in the year 2005. Its sturdiness is still edging in the overall portfolio by adding new printers. Latest in the company’s corpulent line of high-end printers includes roll-to-roll Keundo Supra Q 3300-S. Today, all that hand-earned efforts of the company have converted into the strength capable to produce one of the best ever signage graphics in Mumbai.

Now that many multinational companies flocked around Avenue Graphics, lured by the dazzling outputs, a mix of clients the company has been roped in so far are from different industrial segments like telecommunication, banking, insurance and infrastructure. On his appraisal about the printers churning out the best outputs, Ashwin proudly comments, “I enjoy working with Vutek printer for fastest deliveries and equally I relish to work with Keundo Supra when it comes to printing on quality vinyl.” He further mentions that any other printers in the industry could never match the vinyl prints produced on Keundo Supra.

“Today, Indian signage market has drastically changed as demands equally come from all industrial segments,” comments Ashwin adding that there was a time when FMCG was the most demanding segment but other sectors like telecom and banking are in the same pace today. Avenue Graphics maintains its coverage for both Maharashtra and rest of India. Fabrication and installation works at pan India level are arranged through the company’s partners based in different parts of the country.

“As ‘go green’ is a mantra uttering widely in every corner of the industry, we are in the phase of good expansion over the ‘green’ technology,” asserts Ashwin. However, he opines that it would be effective only when the government passes necessary regulations to sideline all solvent printers and increases overall availability of environment-friendly materials in the country.

ike many others in the Mumbai printing market where those engaged in photocopying business finally landed on flex printing, this would be the similar story to introduce Apsara Graphics, which has been into colour photocopying business since 1987 and a big turn was taking place in 2005 when the company entered into the business of wide-format printing with the installation of an 8 ft Mutoh printer. Rapid growth in their business instilled the company to expand its production unit supplemented by a new 10 ft Mutoh printer.

It was the Mumbai’s signage market that always exploded like live volcano and deeply influenced Apsara Graphics to enter the signage domain for a new business. Today, clientele of Apsara Graphics include Brite, Pioneer, Lux Media and other local companies. “Gradual changes taking place in the technology front has inspired us to update our production unit for churning out newest texture of impressive outputs”, says Meghraj Nishar of Apsara Graphics. Addition of Matan Barak 5 that can run 3,400 sq ft per hour has recently boosted its production facility to deliver whatever demands surfacing from any corner of Mumbai signage market.