Last year, Indian Printer & Publisher visited Lucknow to get a first-hand account of trends and issues in Lucknow’s printing landscape. In a follow-up visit to the UP capital this June, we explored if the roadblocks to growth had been removed. We found that the conventional printing landscape was more or less similar to last year, with less volume and shorter margins. However, printers and converters seemed more confident than before.
After drupa 2024, the printers made investments in new and used machinery and companies are exploring new markets to transition and grow. The situation last year was somewhat gloomy as many small and medium-sized printers shut operations since the Covid pandemic. Only veterans or those who could manage operations between short runs and low volume printing remained with jobs from the government, banks, schools, and corporations.
Off late, there has been some relief as Lucknow is growing toward becoming a startup hub with new emerging businesses. A major transition came with the emergence of folding carton jobs that helped printers to sustain, along with demand for advertising material from real estate and startups.
New opportunities
Lucknow printers that survived after the pandemic battled on, leveraging embellishment technology after noticing demand for decorative add-ons such as glossy and enhanced visual effects, embossing, etc – giving rise to new and diverse opportunities. For many, the adoption of spot UV printing, screen printing, foiling, embossing, and embellishment technology to enhance customized solutions helped them raise profit margins significantly.
Despite the diminishing volumes, demand for visiting cards, leaflets, customized menus, material for internal and external decor, and point of sale (POS) is increasing because of the rising small and medium businesses.
While in comparison to Kanpur, Lucknow may lack a robust industrial infrastructure, it is still gearing up and exploring what more can be done to not just sustain but also thrive.
Diversifications and expansions
Printers that shut operations took up entirely new businesses such as LED decor, spare parts and equipment, and restaurants for survival. Those who kept their presses running also diversified their offerings. Digital printers expanded with offset, while offset printers expanded with signage and digital. Signage printers bought more multi-function printers (MFPs) and cutting tables.
In all, because of the diversification, a positive impact could be seen in many businesses as the shopfloors were more bustling in comparison to last year.
The demand for advertising material came as a blessing in disguise. As the city expanded, hoardings along Shaheed Path were all utilized with ads for new properties. Shaheed Path in Lucknow is a 23-kilometer, four-lane road forming part of the East-West Corridor, connecting major highways around the city. New operation units have been set up in Aliganj, Alambagh, and Kapoorthala areas.
New investments
No printer said the printing landscape is improving. There has been, however, an increased inflow of machines into the region despite the short volumes. Almost all printers we met this time had either installed or invested in technology — old or new. Some purchased new offset machines during drupa 2024 and others announced the purchase during the show.
When we were trying to schedule interviews for the visit, several printers said they were traveling to Japan, Singapore, and Germany for business purposes. This could hint at two things — either more capex is taking place or there will be an increased generation of import and export of raw materials and solutions.
