Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (31 August 2025)– Bindwel, India’s leading post-press solutions company, represented the country at the third Print Pack Sign Expo Tanzania, held from 28–31 August 2025 in Dar es Salaam. The four-day event brought together key players from the printing, packaging, signage, digital printing, and stationery sectors across Africa and beyond.
The exhibition, organized by Takshikka Trade Fairs under the leadership of Meera Mathew, hosted global majors such as Heidelberg, Canon, Konica Minolta, Epson, Bindwel, and Brother. Over 20 Chinese manufacturers also took part, alongside leading Tanzanian print and promotions houses such as Identity, Magenta, Vista Print, Dar City Promotions, Jamana Printers, Five Star Printers, Masumin, and Delfina Promotions. Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited (MeTL) and its Packaging Division further signaled the seriousness of Tanzania’s print growth.
For India, Tanzania has become a crucial partner market. Speaking to Indian Printer & Publisher, Sudheeran Nair, director at Bindwel for MEA and Africa, emphasized, “Tanzania is one of the largest markets for Indian book printers and all of them are our customers. The textbooks are produced and controlled by the Tanzanian government, and there is currently no sufficient local infrastructure to address this huge requirement. We are seeing growth in digital printing in the market, and our fast-selling machines for bookbinding and digital post-printing will have a ready market here.”
Indian book exports: a strong growth story
India’s exports of printed books to Tanzania have surged in recent years, doubling between 2019 and 2022, with trade reaching nearly ₹100 crore in 2022. The education sector dominates this trade, as the Tanzanian Government centrally manages school textbooks, providing a consistent demand that Indian printers are well-positioned to serve. In contrast, Kenya, Tanzania’s neighbor, has invested heavily in building its own book printing infrastructure. Even in such a competitive landscape, Bindwel has managed to secure a market share of over 70% in Kenya, underlining its strength as an Indian engineering brand capable of serving diverse African markets.
Tanzania: A Market in Transition: The Tanzanian printing industry is projected to grow steadily at nearly 6% CAGR through 2031, driven by rising demand in education, packaging, and advertising. While offset printing continues to dominate due to cost and scalability, digital printing is expanding rapidly for short runs and customization.
The country, however, struggles with high equipment costs, limited skilled labor, and outdated technology — making it reliant on imports from India, China, and the UAE. This environment provides Indian firms, especially in book printing and post-press machinery, with a sustained competitive edge.
Bindwel’s Edge: Indian innovation for global publishing
Bindwel has established itself as the go-to partner for bookbinding solutions in India and many similar markets. Its portfolio includes advanced binding lines catering to short-, medium-, and long-run requirements. Its focus on automation, precision adhesive application, waste reduction, and sustainability aligns well with the evolving needs of the global publishing industry.
Earlier this year, Bindwel’s presence at PrintPack India 2025 and its Monsoon Open House in Bengaluru showcased its innovation pipeline, positioning it as one of the few Indian manufacturers offering end-to-end post-press solutions for both traditional offset and digital workflows.
Tanzania as the next chapter in Indian exports
With Tanzania emerging as a key export destination for Indian books and printing technology, Bindwel’s presence at the Dar es Salaam expo signals more than just a trade fair participation — it underlines India’s role as a global hub for print exports.
For Indian printers and publishers, this growth trajectory offers a double advantage: steady demand for book exports, and an expanding market for allied services and technologies. Bindwel, through its leadership and innovation, exemplifies how Indian engineering is shaping the future of publishing and post-press not just at home, but across Africa.
