Print industry veteran Iqbal Kherodawala traced the unconventional journey of Amit Shah, founder of screen-printing specialist Spectrum Scan, during a session at the Print Summit, where Shah’s life and career were showcased through a specially produced video film as part of Kherodawala’s Maverick series celebrating industry trailblazers.
Print Summit 2026, organized by the Bombay Master Printers’ Association, took place on 4 February at the Tata Theatre, NCPA in Mumbai, bringing together more than 1,000 printers, brand custodians, creative thinkers and industry innovators under the theme Be Unstoppable.
Kherodawala described Shah as a multifaceted personality — an industrialist, marathon runner, Stanford alumnus, environmental enthusiast and philanthropist — whose professional path reflects a willingness to take risks and challenge established industry practices.
Spectrum Scan’s breakthrough came in the late 1990s when Shah pursued halftone screen printing despite industry skepticism about its feasibility for large-format applications. After months of failed trials and heavy financial strain, the company eventually achieved offset-like halftone quality through screen printing, reshaping production standards for point-of-purchase displays in India.
The company later expanded its technological capabilities by successfully integrating screen printing with thermoforming, overcoming complex distortion challenges through nearly two years of experimentation. The development opened new possibilities for retail and display graphics manufacturing.
Kherodawala also highlighted Shah’s emphasis on customer experience, including the creation of immersive demonstration spaces where clients can interact with printing solutions and better understand Spectrum’s production capabilities.
Beyond business achievements, Shah’s contributions extend to social and environmental initiatives, including the adoption of over a hundred schools supporting thousands of students, the promotion of women’s employment in nearby communities, and the creation of green spaces and hydroponic farming projects at company facilities.
His personal pursuits — marathon running, cooking and executive education at Stanford — were presented as reflections of the discipline and curiosity driving his professional success.
The session concluded with the story behind one of Spectrum’s most ambitious exhibition projects, a massive steam-engine installation created for a trade fair, symbolizing the company’s bold approach to innovation and experiential branding.
Print Summit 2026 continued its legacy as a platform for knowledge exchange and industry networking, reinforcing the ongoing relevance of print technologies, innovation and entrepreneurship in shaping future business narratives.
