Kolkata-based CDC Printers, with its stronghold in educational books, children’s publishing, packaging, and commercial print, recently started a new plant clear across the country in Ahmedabad.
Manu Choudhury, who is a director of the family-owned company, joined the business in 2010. Choudhury is a computer science engineer with a master’s degree in color science from the Rochester Institute of Technology. “I have always been a geek. One of the first things I did after joining CDC was to build our own ERP system from scratch. For almost eight years, it was our only management tool. Even today, I consider it one of the most efficient systems we ever used.”
Later, after completing an executive program at the Indian School of Business on operations, he adopted lean manufacturing principles and the theory of constraints as guiding frameworks for CDC’s operations. Passionate about technology, he continues to explore generative AI tools and is constantly seeking ways to apply innovation in business processes.
CDC’s business spans three main verticals — book printing, commercial printing, and packaging. Book printing is the largest segment, covering academic textbooks for grades 1 to 8, children’s books, puzzles, board books, and sticker books. “Children’s books are fascinating because they demand more creativity, such as glitter, UV, die-cutting, and even puzzles. They are a step beyond standard textbooks,” Choudhury explained. According to him, CDC is also among the top five exporters of printed books from India, and one of a handful of Indian printers enlisted by Oxford University Press UK.
Since 2019, when the company started its packaging unit, CDC has produced monocartons and litho-laminated boxes for clients in eastern India, including textiles and FMCG producers. Sharing his thoughts on the commercial printing industry, he said, “It was once a major vertical, but now we focus only on high-end brochures and catalogs. Basic commercial printing is declining, but premium catalogues still hold steady.”
Highlighting the company’s growth, he said, “Our growth has been consistent—20% to 40% year-on-year. But what keeps us ahead is our process orientation. We track our on-time delivery every week, and last year, we maintained nearly 90%.”
New plant in Ahmedabad
In June 2025, CDC Printers commissioned its new factory in Ahmedabad. It is equipped with two Manugraph web offset book presses, Kolbus binding lines, a 5-color Heidelberg CD102 UV offset sheetfed, stitching lines from Muller Martini, sewing machines from Aster and Polygraph, a Kodak CtP, an automatic laminator, and two automated packing lines. With an initial investment of over ₹50 crore in land, machinery, and infrastructure, an annual expenditure of ₹15-20 crore is envisioned over the next few years.
“This is our new plant, and it will be our growth engine for the next five years,” Choudhury noted. “Right now, it is dedicated to book printing. Packaging may come later, but not immediately.”
Sustainability, for Choudhury, is an important factor that needs to be adopted at every step. The CDC Ahmedabad plant’s sustainability roadmap includes the use of FSC-certified paper, green building design, 100% rainwater harvesting, and zero liquid discharge systems, ensuring that not a single drop of contaminated water leaves the facility. The upcoming 100% solar-powered operations are meant to eliminate dependence on grid electricity,
Choudhury firmly believes that adopting sustainable practices is not about cost but about intent. “Sustainability and pricing are two separate issues,” he says. “Take FSC-certified paper or waste segregation; these hardly add to your costs. It’s just a matter of choosing to comply. People often look for excuses, but if you go deep, sustainability rarely costs more. It’s about mindset.”
Book printing exports and paper imports
India has emerged as a key exporter of printed books, and CDC Printers is among the leading exporters from the country, according to the Indian book printing exports article in our August issue. However, Choudhury notes that while exports have grown marginally for his company, the growth is not commensurate with its aspirations, “This has less to do with global markets and more to do with how well we align with our customers’ needs.”
Regarding paper import from ASEAN countries, Choudhury is candid – “It’s purely economics. The quality is equivalent, and the price is lower. Not importing makes Indian printers less competitive globally.” While local paper manufacturers push for government support, Choudhury said that the choice ultimately rests between supporting mills or supporting exporters, and both cannot happen simultaneously.
Digital versus offset
While many in the industry debate digital printing’s rise, Choudhury is paying close attention to techno-economics. “Electrophotography has matured, but it remains too expensive for long-run jobs. Inkjet is promising, especially as machine costs drop from ₹15 crore to as low as ₹2-3 crore. But the market is still two to three years away from stability. When our customers move toward inkjet, we’ll move too.”
For Choudhury, the future lies in sticking to fundamentals, process efficiency, technology-driven management, and a sustainability outlook. “We don’t see ourselves as innovators chasing every new idea,” he concludes. “Our focus is on being process-oriented, aligning with customer needs, and building a sustainable future. That’s what will keep us relevant in the long run.”
