Visitors soar to record high at PackPlus South 2018 co-located with PrintFair 2018

Present at the inaugural function of PackPlus South 2018 and PrintFair 2018 was a host of industry stalwarts, namely, S Dayaker Reddy, President, IPAMA; Rohan Victoria, President, Asia Packaging Federation, AMSG Ashokan, President, AIFMP; Dharampal Rawat, Treasurer, IPAMA; C Ravinder Reddy, President, TOPA; A Krishnan Reddy, General Secretary, TOPA; V Sambasiva Rao, President, APROPA; Ravindra Babu, General Secretary, APROPA, among others.

More than 250 exhibitors from diverse parameters showcased the whole gamut of machines, technologies, materials and ideas for commercial printing, package converting and digital large-format graphics at PackPlus South 2018 and PrintFair 2018. Visitors had the chance to witness more the 150 live demos of machines during the expos executed in three different halls at HITEX, Hyderabad.

PackPlus South 2018

PackPlus South 2018 in Hall 1 & 2 of HITEX showcased some of the latest game-changing machines, materials and technologies that include high-end security and anti-counterfeiting packaging solutions, weighing and labeling machines, automated slitting, rewinding systems, paper-cup making machines, fully automated multi-track (fill and seal) machines and much more. The show attracted some first timers too, such as I-Stix, a manufacturer and importer of silicon sealants and a range of adhesive tapes, from Mumbai. “Our objective of participating in PackPlus South 20018 is to explore the southern market in a deeper way. This show is the right platform for us to introduce ourselves in the region,” said Idris Officewala, founder, I-Stix.

‘Automation’ a buzzword

The package printing and converting market today is no longer stuck in the traditional way. Everything is automated or upgraded to automation—this is what exhibitors at PackPlus South 2018 showcased. Alongside highly-automated package converting machines, arrays of ultra-modern equipments for carton coding, metal deduction, bar code scanning, colour sensor, laser making (bar and QR codes), box compression testing and many such systems pulled crowd at the expo. USP from Chennai showcased its line of machines for carton coding, which nowadays is mandatory in packaging. Bengalore-based Leuze Electronic displayed its bar-code scanners, metal deductor (double-sheet deductor), colour sensor, etc. HG Tech from Chandigarh demonstrated laser marking machines that can mark bar and QR codes on any rigid material. Telangana-based Presto presented a line of paper and package testing instruments, viz. crush tester, peel strength tester (computerised), bursting strength tester (digital pneumatic), scuff resistance tester, etc.

Machines sold

Trade visitors rushing from all over Hyderabad and other parts of the country showed keen interest in the exhibits at PackPlus South 2018. Many exhibitors were overjoyed as they sold machines during the show. Snehaaflex sold its Lamicoat 200 solvent-based laminator to Jagadamba Roto, Hyderabad. Signode announced that one of its taping & strapping combo machines has been purchased by Varsity, Hyderabad, during the expo. Weighing machine company JSR Instruments sold its Digital Bursting Strength Tester to Meerut-based Arihant Publications. Moreover, almost every exhibitor at PackPlus South 2018 was jubilant about the amount of enquires they received during the expo, which they hope could convert into business in near future.

PrintFair 2018

Organised in Hall 3 of HITEX, Print Fair 2018 showcased array of state-of-the-art machines, materials and technologies that ranged from production presses, wide-format printers to specialty printing materials for the commercial printing, package converting and digital sign industries. Among the crowd-pulling exhibits presented by the key exhibitors at PrintFair 2018 were full colour production printing systems designed for rock-solid professional image quality.

The exhibits included complete lines of commercial printing systems and materials, which consisted of flatbed printers, production presses and special substrates and consumables. Konica Minolta, Canon, Arrow Digital, EPSON, Monotech Systems, Xerox, Riso, Crystal Digital, Sai Enterprises, Avery Dennison were some of the showstoppers at PrintFair 2018.

“The PackPlus South together with PrintFair, alternating between Hyderabad and Bengaluru every year, has been constantly growing. This immensely successful edition together with the thriving market should provide the base for an exponential growth in the coming editions,” said Neetu Arora on behalf of the organisers.

Handful of wide-format printers at Print Fair 2018

Among the total of 250 exhibitors showing whole gamut of ultramodern printing machines, technologies and materials at PrintFair 2018, some key exhibitors showing wide-format printers pulled good crowd in Hall 3. The mention of some among them would include Canon, Arrow Digital, JN Arora Group, Monotech Systems, and Venkataramana Graphics, showing wide varieties of products comprising T-shirt printers, UV flatbed machines, wall graphic media and more.

In the league of exhibitors showing wide-format printers, Arrow Digital demonstrated EFi VUTEk H1625 LED UV flatbed and SII ColorPainter M-64s. “Crowd we see here are predominantly people looking for entry-level printers and they are quite novice to EFi VUTEk H1625, but their keenness about UV wide-format printer is exciting,” says Namit Singhal, Senior Sales Manager, Arrow Digital Pvt Ltd.

Monotech Systems showed its PixelJet wide-format eco-solvent series and a gallery full of applications produced on UV flatbed machines. Also showcased at the company’s stall were Canon IPF 6410SE, Oce 345 and Easy Cut paper cutter. Venkataramana Graphics demonstrated its V-Jet flatbed live, alongside the showcase of a line of EPSON SureColor Series (SCS30670 and P5000). BV Krishna Prasad, Managing Director, Venkataramana Graphics Pvt Ltd, said the expo helps them to contact with some of the right crowd showing keen interest in their products.

Some crowd that gathered at Canon’s stall was for catching the glimpses of how the company PRO 520 wide-format printer worked. The printer demonstrated live printing of rock solid large graphic prints. In addition, some exhibitors at the show demonstrated various other machines and applications. JN Arora Group presented Siser heat press for garment printing, and a group of exhibitors on the other side of the show floor demonstrated wide-format printer inks, machine spare parts and other allied products.

The next edition of PackPlus South and PrintFair is slated to be held from April 10 to 13, 2019 at BEIC, Bengaluru.