Chennai’s Xpress Imprint invests in Heidelberg Printmaster PM 74 & Polar 78 Cutter

“Your dream is your destiny,” smiles Nagi Reddy, the director of Chennai-based print shop Xpress Imprint, which recently embellished its strong portfolio with value additions from Heidelberg – the Printmaster PM 74 and Polar 78 programmable cutting machine. Nagi Reddy’s association with Heidelberg dates back to his childhood days, where he would play in the press room around the several Heidelberg cylinder presses operating in full swing at BNK PRESS. Taking cues from his roots, Nagi founded a modest, one-man print shop in 1998 – Xpress Imprint, to supply printed stationery for healthcare institutions. He recalls the challenging times with a chuckle, “It was like a movie. I had a mini-offset press and played all roles from machine operator to running the business. But, the experience was educational and inspired my journey towards new horizons.” Today, Xpress Imprint is a compelling presence in Vadapalani, Chennai, and a trusted name among print buyers in the city. The firm installed a Heidelberg Printmaster GTO 52 in 2008, later expanding to a Speedmaster SM 52 five-colour press in 2010. The latest installation, the Printmaster PM 74 four-colour press, is pre-owned equipment from Heidelberg.

Nagi Reddy of Xpress Imprint with Klaus Nielsen, managing director, Heidelberg India and Venkataraman, regional sales manager, Heidelberg India.Nagi comments on the latest addition, “We were looking to upgrade to a press that could run both commercial and packaging jobs, switching between the two activities with ease, and yield better productivity. Heidelberg was our natural choice.”

The highly automated Heidelberg Printmaster PM 74 operates at a speed of 13,000 sheets per hour, delivering increased productivity.

The compact press is ideal for 29 inch format printing. The equipment can process substrates ranging from 0.03-0.6 milli-meter, resulting in high degree of flexibility. On his choice of remarketed equipment, Nagi says, “We decided to go for used equipment, mainly because of our confidence in Heidelberg India’s remarketed equipment division. We are not new to used equipment.

The Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52 five-colour press we acquired in 2010 was also remarketed equipment. The press is in perfect condition even today and its performance is outstanding. We were more than happy with the after-sales support as well. So, we thought why not again? The Printmaster PM 74 was imported from Germany, after a thorough inspection by Heidelberg engineers. Heidelberg offered extended warranty for the spares and replaced rollers and blankets on the machine with brand new ones. From the date of installation, Heidelberg has been supportive out and out.”

The format and substrate-switchover features of the Printmaster PM 74 have helped Xpress Imprint achieve better productivity, inviting more business. “Success begins with a dream. If you are willing to work hard and go the extra mile to make your customer happy, one can make dreams come true.

Believe me, you do not have to be rich or famous to achieve your goals,” Nagi Reddy states emphatically.

The other acquisition is a brand new Polar 78 high-speed cutter, which provides remarkable efficiency. It is equipped with the ‘OptiKnife’ knife-changing system that facilitates easy operation, and precise cutting accuracy. The Polar 78 cutting machine joins an impressive array of cutting, folding and die-punching machines in the post-press division of Xpress Imprint. Venkataraman, regional sales manager of Heidelberg India says, “This is our third successful installation for Xpress Imprint. We will continue to provide support in every way we can. Needless to mention, our experts pay frequent visits to them shop providing technical support.”

A quality-conscious entrepreneur, Nagi Reddy hails from an artistic heritage. His illustrious grandfather, B Nagi Reddy founded and established the famous Vijaya Vauhini Studios, one of the largest in Asia. The studio has now been converted to a multi-specialty hospital. His grandfather was also a printing pioneer and a past president of All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP).

He founded and managed BNK PRESS and Prasad Process—both multi-awardee Litho & Offset printing companies in Chennai from the 60’s until the 90’s.