HBD Packaging: moving fast forward

-poised to take a quantum leap
A respectable, dependable and strictly adhering to quality in carton packaging, the name one can not miss out, comes of Greater Noida-based HBD Packaging Pvt Ltd. Spread over an area of approx 8,000 sq m, this family run packaging unit is all set to grow to next level very soon. A recent visit to their plant and brief interaction with duo brothers Rajiv and Neeraj Bhargava reveal little more about them.

Quality in package printing is the backbone of the product actually being packed into any carton. The factors behind ‘quality’ include reproducing the right shades of colours and scuff free every time, and above all offering value-addition like UV coating, embossing, etc. As of now HBD Packaging is fully equipped and houses a fleet of equipments comprising Mitsubishi six-colour press with inline coating capability, Roland 707 seven colour full UV press with inline coating, Planeta Super Varient four colour machine apart from offline UV and aqueous coatings. Fully automatic die cutters from Bobst, Automatic foil stamping from Yoco; folder gluers from Bobst and ExpertFold with complex design handling facility. Pre-press is fully equipped with Esko Packaging software and Kongsberg sample maker.

With a very strong QC department they possess all necessary infrastructure of measuring instruments for testings like GSM, Caliper, Cobb, Gloss, Scuff, Bursting Strength, pH, Humidity, L,a,b & L,c,h colour readings through Spectrophotometer, Bar Code verification software for quality assurance, Viscosity, Plate quality checking by X-rite IC Plate II XT in addition to complete in-house ink matching facility with ink formulation software (X-rite) in technical collaboration with Siegwerk India.

Narrating a bit of history behind HBD Packaging, an ISO 9001:2008 certified company, Rajiv informed that the name HBD has been adopted from their parent company ‘Hindustani Book Depot’ which had been a known name in book publishing field based out of Lucknow established in late 1930’s. Their popular publications included Bal Mahabharata and Bal Ramayana for which experienced artists used to come and create artwork from Kolkata (Then Calcutta). Few persons would also remember that this printing and packaging company earlier was known as Konark Printing and Packaging in Okhla Industrial Area in the year 1980. But later it was altogether established with the new name ‘HBD Packaging’. Established in the year 1985 in Okhla (New Delhi), HBD is now housed in a most modern industrial area of Greater Noida in North India.

With an impressive turnover figure of Rs 40 crore, HBD is moving forward to install host of new equipments so as to achieve a target of Rs 100 crore sooner than later, thermal CtP, and window patcher/liner as well. Brand new screen printing machine of 22”x32” size has already been procured and will also be installed simultaneously. Having a list of prestigious clients in their portfolio, HBD has been running their existing facility by utilising its capacity to the tune of more than 100 percent sometime. “With the proposed expansion in the pipeline, we will be able to add some more names into our clientele and also serve our existing customers more efficiently with shorter delivery timings,” conveyed Rajiv.

Rajiv, with an Engineering degree in Mechanical stream from Roorkee University (1979 batch), believes in short and steady progress, but always keep updated technologically. A regular visitor to all major expos internationally, Rajiv is supported by his family team comprising Neeraj, his younger brother taking care of all raw material purchases, cousin Sanjay who focuses on marketing initiatives, and his wife Seema, who is dedicated to keep checking the ‘quality’ of all jobs produced by them regularly, and then last but not the least Ritu, wife of Neeraj, who is altogether involved into their ‘cash rich’ activities, nothing to do with packaging directly. This is their copier paper production activity covering the area of sheeting, counting, and packing into A-4 size ready to use products. “As a service providers to several paper mills finishing houses, we have come a long way from handling 2,200 tonnes from the year 1997-98 to over 1,80,000 tonnes of paper currently, and striving to move forward, we are all poised to take a quantum leap,” informed Ritu, with great hopes for continuing business expansion at HBD.