Grafica products creating wonders all over

Till yesterday, screen printing process was treated as an art and the outcome quality was totally dependent on the skills of operators. But Grafica has changed the whole concept of the process by introducing semi-automatic as well as automatic screen printing machines ranging from very small size (Nano model) to extra large size (Cylinder Press). Their equipments are well proven and accepted not only in India but overseas as well. We bring you here the tale of two successful enterprises who have adopted the technologies offered by Grafica belonging to Punjab and Gujarat. Ludhiana-based Verma Packers, who specializes in wedding cards and boxes, switched over to automation in screen printing in the year 2009 with Grafica’s Camshell, the semi automatic screen printing machine and now reaping the benefits of their initiatives in a big way. Why did they switchover to automaton, Rajan Verma, managing director and one of the partners of Verma Packers conveyed, “There was a call of the time to go for automation: to enhance print quality of our wedding cards and boxes, as higher quality is not possible with manual operation; to meet customers’ requirement for quicker delivery, which becomes a crucial issue when our customers’ base is growing; and then to stay ahead in the competition.”

“We preferred Grafica machine because of quality, their knowledge and technology, high precision of the machine, and their professionalism in dealing with customers. And, more importantly we were assured with excellent after sales service and technical support. With Grafica’s machine and screen making system, we are able to standardize our printing process,” stated Rajan Verma “At the moment I was still carrying the memories of my visit to Grafica’s stall at a German exhibition in the year 2005. Since an Indian company was offering world class machines, from a patriotic point of view, it was my earnest desire to support Grafica which have been making fairly good efforts for the betterment of screen printing. When we finally decided to buy their machine, we planned a visit to Grafica. After meeting them, I was convinced that Grafica would fulfill our requirements and felt secured especially after seeing the DMI’s world class facilities,” he added.

Started in the year 1984 by late Joginder Verma to produce hand-made cardboard boxes, Verma Packers diversified its operation after Rajan Verma joined his father’s business in the year 1993 with the age of just twenty and engineered a diversification into wedding cards and sweet box business. Later, his younger brothers too joined the business. From a humble beginning in North India, the company is now one of the leading manufacturers of innovative luxury wedding cards and sweet boxes, offering solutions right from concept and design to printing, while serving customers from US, Canada, Australia, Europe, UK, apart from domestic market. “I am skilled in designing hence I look after the concept, design, and customized operations. My younger brother, Nikhil looks after production and Neeraj looks after sales,” said Rajan, adding, “When we started off we used to get frustrated because we used to think that there was not much growth in printing line. Due to inferiority complex, we used to feel ‘printing is a small business’. But we all three brothers took a bold decision to make this small business grow and get appreciation from customers. We are now on our way to achieve newer goals.”

The other fast emerging printing house Dee Ech Art, located in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, begun new journey in screen printing being equipped with Grafica’s sate-of-the-art technologies: from Nano-Print to Cylinder Press. Dobariya brothers – Dinesh and Hitesh – of the company tuned their dreams into a reality not only by purchasing two Nano-Prints, semi automatic screen printing machines within one year, but also fully automatic Swing Cylinder Press from Grafica with inline UV, thus creating a big value addition storm in the printing industry of the region. Talking about why they chose brand Grafica again, Dobariya brothers conveyed, “First of all, it was our firm conviction that we should invest on the best technology instead of buying a cheaper machine and compromise on quality and then repent later. Secondly, we are already a fully satisfied customer of Grafica and that is clearly reflected in our latest buy of Cylinder Press from them. In the past, they have fullfilled their service commitments, encouraging us to invest in a high speed fully automatic screen printing machine.”

Rajkot-based Dee Ech Art undertakes foil printing, lamination, regular Spot UV (matt and gloss), varnishing, blister coating, value addition with variety of UV special effects on brochures for tile industry, sweet box, agarbatti boxes, imitation jewellery boxes, corporate brochures, foil stamped paper bags, etc. Sharing their strategy behind deploying a fully automatic screen printing machine, Dobariya brothers said, “Though we had two Grafica’s Nano-Prints working in full force, we found these machines insufficient to meet the growing demand for value addition. So, we decided to acquire Grafica’s cylinder press to achieve higher production with less effort, keeping in mind our future growth strategy – to tap value addition market aggressively.”

“When we first switched over from manual to automation just a year ago, our customers noticed marked improvement in our quality and delivery time, hence the demand for our value addition service shoot up drastically. That inspired us to buy another Nano-Print within two months. The appetite of the market for print finishing was such that we were encouraged to buy one more semi automatic machine – Nano-Print plus. But we were advised by team Grafica to go for a Cylinder Press instead of keeping on adding more semi automatic machines which will require more manpower and space. So we decided to invest in Cylinder Press from Grafica. Speed and accuracy delivered by their Cylinder Press make it the best economical investment to undertake bulk jobs,” they explained.

“Prior to buying Nano-Print we had five screen printing tables. With two Nano-Print automation in screen printing with UV, our business increased by three folds (production capacity up by twenty percent and quality improvement by eighty percent). A little more than year ago, we were no where and running only our manual screen printing unit. But today we are running a fully automatic cylinder Press! That’s the kind of change Grafica has brought in our business,” concluded the two brothers.

Sigma Institute of Screen Printing inaugurated in Hyderabad

Greatly inspired by DMI, an initiative of Grafica Flextronica, Sigma Corporation, Hyderabad opened an institute for imparting practical training in advanced screen printing process under the name ‘Sigma Institute of Screen Printing’. By lighting the traditional lamp, Narendra Paruchuri, managing director of Pragati Offset inaugurated the institute on July 03, 2011 in the presence of dignitaries from the screen printing industry. Aiming to cater the Andhra market, the institute, headed by Dhiren Shah, houses all the facilities required for training that include prepress, screen making set up, Grafica’s Nano-Print and Nano-UV, sample gallery. On the occasion, highlighting the importance of practical training in screen printing, Narendra said that since competition is an unavoidable phenomenon in the market, it is necessary for printers to be innovative constantly which requires regular updatation of knowledge and institutes such as DMI or the newly opened Sigma Institute for Screen Printing have a long way in helping the screen printing industry. He also mentioned that behind every award winning job of Pragati there is some value addition (special effects) done through screen printing process.