Mumbai’s Hitech Systems’ multiple installations across India 

Finishing equipment installs for short-run and on-demand since June

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Parag Shah, chief executive officer of Hitech Systems
Parag Shah, chief executive officer of Hitech Systems

Mumbai-based print finishing solutions provider Hitech Systems has notched up several successful installations since June. After the 25 March nationwide lockdown announced to stop the spread of Covid-19, it has been gradually eased since end-May. With many printers restarting operations, restrictions have continued to be reduced further since then. “We have been fully operational since early June and have managed some successful installations in the last three months. These installations are across the country,” says Parag Shah, chief executive officer of Hitech Systems.

More than 40 machines have been installed by Hitech beginning 8 June when the lockdown was relaxed in Mumbai. At the same time, its engineers have continued supporting customers across the country. Established in 1989, since 2007, Hitech Systems has emerged as a leading name in the short run, on-demand, and quick print finishing solutions business. Representing multiple global brands, the company operates from the Shah and Nahar Industrial Estate in Lower Parel in Mumbai. It has teams in Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi as well as partners across India. 

Bengaluru – Yono Packaging 

Since June, some of the highlights include the installation of a semi-automatic insertion/closing machine at Bengaluru-based Yono Packaging. This machine would enable the printer to produce up to 1,000 wiro bound books and or calendars an hour. “The machine supplied by Hitech Systems meets the demand of the easy to use and operate principal. A unique feature of the machine is to easily change the size of the wiro (in diameter and pitch) without any tool change,” says Shah.

Hitech has installed a heavy-duty digital die-cutting machine at another customer in Bengaluru. While declining to name the customer, Hitech says the customer is using the machine to do its regular work such as kiss cutting, box making (sample maker), and full-cut jobs. The solution enables the customer to cut materials up to 6 mm in thickness.

Mumbai – Hitesh Print Hub

In the eastern Mumbai suburb of Ghatkopar, Hitesh Print Hub has installed a range of print finishing equipment from Hitech Systems at its newly opened print hub near Ghatkopar station. Hitesh Print Hub has commissioned a fully automatic and programmable paper cutter; a roll laminator; semi-automatic creasing and perforation machine, a digital die cutter; and a visiting card cutter. Hitesh Savla and Navin Savla, along with Keking Savla, are the owners of the company.

Chennai – Rathna Offset 

Continuing its association with Hitech Systems, Chennai-based Rathna Offset has placed an order for a heavy-duty digital die cutter and a foil printer. “Hitech and team Rathna made special efforts to install the machines under the pandemic situation, and the whole exercise was a great success. We were also able to train their staff effortlessly,” Shah says.

Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu 

In Karaikudi, another HP Indigo user has installed a range of print finishing equipment from Hitech Systems. Apple Graphics has installed a heavy-duty double hydraulic paper cutter and Gemini digital die-cutter with an auto feeder to do its regular wedding album work.

Amritsar 

In Amritsar, Hitech has installed a foil printer at an Amritsar. It did not disclose the name of the customer.

2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India

Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.

The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry. While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.

The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.

Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.

Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.

Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.

– Naresh Khanna

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