Over the last few years, the Indian book printing industry has made many strides. It has witnessed commendable growth in bringing into its fold reputed international players in book publishing. The lucrative but highly competitive export market is picking up, with quality and cost effectiveness being its key mantras. It’s no wonder that major foreign book publishers are sourcing their production mainly from Asia with India being one of the key hubs. Replika Press has been at the forefront of the book printing export segment of the Indian printing industry.
With a combined infrastructure of 132,000 square feet area in the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) in Kundli, Sonepat within the National Capital Region of Delhi, Replika Press was launched as a 100% export-oriented unit (EOU) in 1998. Originally located in smaller premises at Narela in North Delhi, Replika shifted to the new Kundli premises in 2002. Over the last decade, it has continuously upgraded its equipment and technology to create a state-of-the- art infrastructure and to make its operations more organized and efficient. We recently met Bhuvnesh Seth, managing director, and his son Vikaran Seth, director of Replika Press – the present and the future generations of the company. Founded by Bhuvnesh’s father, late Shori Lal Seth, the family has been in the book printing trade for more than 60 years. Begun with a treadle letterpress in Delhi’s Subzi Mandi, now it is an ISO 9001 and FSC certified company.
Visiting Replika is an exciting experience. The prepress and printing are under one roof while the postpress is located in its own building nearby in the same industrial estate. Looking at the two units, with their array of machines, you get an idea of how different and sophisticated it is to have a complete book printing unit compared to just being an offset printer. In the prepress section, there are two Screen CtPs and a basysPrint UV Setter CtCP installed in March 2013. The Trueflow Upgrade Equios workflow software is being used along with EFI’s colour management system to drive the inkjet proofers and the three platesetters.
The new star of the pressroom is the 8-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102-8P installed in March 2013. The maximum speed of this press is 15,000 impressions an hour with a maximum sheet size of 1020 mm x 720 mm. There is an 8-colour KBA perfector as well. There are two 5- colour presses – a KBA Rapida 105 and
a Heidelberg SM 74 with coater; three 4-colours presses – a Mitsubishi Diamond 3000L, and two Heidelbergs: a CD102 and an SM102. Four 2-colour perfectors and four single colour presses round out the offset pressroom. In July 2013, Replika started its digital printing section with two presses – a Canon Oce VP 6160monochrome and a Canon C7010VP 4-colour press.
A comprehensive bindery
In the past two years, Bhuvnesh Seth says, the main focus has been on automating the postpress section. The company has installed and or upgraded online soft cover and hardcover book binding lines. Replika’s postpress infrastructure includes Heidelberg’s TH82 and KH82 Stahlfolders, MBO combi- folders, and a Kolbus Casemaker DA 260. There is a Sigloch for book block preparation attached inline to a Kolbus BF 527 book production line, with facilities of flexi-bind, flat back and eccentric binding. The Kolbus FE 604 book forming and pressing station is attached to a DS 391 book stacker.
In June 2013, a Kolbus SU651 jacketing machine was installed and connected to the Kolbus BF527 to make this a completely inline operation. For book-sewing, there are four Asters and a Muller Martini Ventura sewing machines. The Mechnotechnica 18 station gatherer with signature recognition is attached to two Aster 180 sewing machines. Replika recently added PUR capability with a RobaPur 20 MOD PUR system from Robatech on its Wohlenberg City e-6000 binder attached to a 28-station Sprint Wohlenberg gatherer and Kolbus 3KT to make this an inline operation. Replika has a book printing solution for runs from 500 to 500,000 with every type of book binding – soft or hard-cover, with or without PUR and with added application of special finishes, UV varnish, die-punching, foil stamping and blocking.
Replika is also constructing another plant in proximity to the two Kundli buildings in two phases. The first phase is to be completed in April 2014 and the second phase is scheduled for completion in October 2014. It is planning to shift the binding section to a single floor in the new building with its much larger area for improvements in operation and increased production. It plans to enter packaging with a state-of-the-art plant in the second phase.
Replika has done well even in this seemingly challenging financial year. It hopes to achieve a growth of more than 20%. Currently 73% of its total turnover is from exports, while the domestic turnover is 27%. With a turnover of more than Rs. 140 crore, the company has been very well rewarded for its focus and its systematic investment so that its operations are increasingly organized and automated with improved quality and minimum wastage. However, the company, like the rest of the print industry, faces some constraints.
The first is the rising cost of paper. Bhuvnesh Seth says, “Paper constitutes 60% of the book unit price. Paper mills normally give a quarterly paper price commitment and during the six month peak season their commitment is monthly. Our overseas publishers on the other hand are provided with a one year price commitment. Hence for an annual contract, it is difficult to
compete with our main competitor China which has 80% market share. Normally it takes two to three months for a deal to mature and we have to absorb the periodic increases in paper prices in that time frame and for the future of the contract. Indian print exporters being ‘English speaking’ have an added advantage in working with many overseas publishers, and with government support, we can make India a printing hub. Since our paper requirement is more than the quantity manufactured in the country, the government in order to provide a level playing field should abolish import duty on the import of paper.”
Logistics is another concern for Replika since most of the books printed are educational or have fixed publishing dates and meeting deadlines is a key for any profitable business. Frequently Indian consignments are delayed due to over loading at ports, delays in carriage from train to port and also on account of clearances from concerned departments. Above that, the shipping frequency is only once a week to Europe, UK and the US, whereas in China a consignment is on board within 48 hours.
Seth feels that in the foreseeable future, Indian book printing exports are going to decline due to the increased popularity of eBooks, increased digital printing in the West and competitive prices from Eastern Europe for conventional printing. He believes that the Indian printing industry is passing through a very critical phase where on one hand it has to absorb all the price increases and on the other hand overseas publishers are asking for price decreases as their currencies appreciate against the Indian Rupee. “At present more challenges are expected and only printers with modern infrastructure under one roof will be able to make it,” concludes Seth.
