Prakash Offset celebrates 25 years of association with Heidelberg

-installs Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102 four-colour press with Suprasetter 105 CtP to effectively cater the book printing applications and enter into the packaging segment Starting their association with Heidelberg by installing their first Heidelberg MOV four-colour press in the year 1987, Mangalore-based Prakash Offset is now equipped with a fleet of Heidelberg equipments. And aiming to effectively cater the book printing applications and enter into the packaging segment, the company recently installed a Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102 four-colour press and a Heidelberg Suprasetter 105 CtP.

The Speedmaster SM 102 press handles paper stock ranging from 0.03 mm to 0.80 mm and prints maximum sheet size up to 720 x 1020 mm at 15,000 sheets per hour. With perfector, the press chiefly caters to the book printing applications at Prakash Offset. With Intellistart – process oriented software, setup time for job changes cuts down and the patented sheet guide plate with venture air nozzles ensures protective air cushion under the sheets which delivers the sheets without marks and scratches. Also suitably for the packaging segment, Speedmaster SM 102 can print on a variety of substrates of higher gsm stock as well and they would like to capitalize on that. However, before venturing into the packaging printing segment, they plan to first strengthen their post-press department and invest in folder-gluers, die-cutting machines and so on.

Prakash Offset was established in 1983 by late KM Shanker Prabhu, uncle of Raghuveer Nayak, director of the company, to get the Beedi-labels printed in-house. For the first eight years, their entire turnover came from printing the Beedi labels. However, when the Beedi business started declining, they had to look for other print jobs to keep the press in production. Soon thereafter, they had an excess of print jobs to handle. Also, they began to face quality issues while catering to external print jobs. As a result, the company installed their first Heidelberg MOV four-colour press in 1987. Anand Shanker Prabhu, who studied printing in Germany, joined the business in 1997, actively supporting Raghuveer. Both Anand and Raghuveer decided to take Prakash Offset to next level by installing a brand new Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52 four-colour press as well as Heidelberg Primesetter CtP in 2004. This combo install turned out to be of great benefit to them.

Prakash Offset progressed at a very fact pace, which called for another round of expansion in infrastructure. Filled with confidence of Heidelberg manufacturing and service, they once again opted for Heidelberg Technology in 2008 and this time they installed Mangalore’s first CtP – Heidelberg Suprasetter 75 along with Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 four-colour press with a coating unit. Within a period of four years, they were ready for another upgrade of technology and equipment procurement and recently installed a Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102 four-colour press and a Heidelberg Suprasetter 105 CtP.

“Heidelberg presses are work-horses and their service is one notch ahead of the competition and whenever there’s a need, their staff shows up immediately; and availability of parts in India at any time is another great confidence booster. Our excellent rapport with Heidelberg India is a great factor too. They constantly assess our growth needs and offer appropriate solutions at the right time,” says Raghuveer.

Prakash Offset has been able to maintain its client-base by adhering to two key things – quality and ethics. Quality of printing and timely-delivery are of utmost importance to the company and they stand by their principles. In 29 years of journey in the printing business, Raghuveer considers investment in Heidelberg as his major milestone. “When we invested in our first Heidelberg, quality printing became a part of our day-to-day printing and it got us many new customers. Its very high production capabilities enabled us to deliver on time and the user-friendliness of Heidelberg equipments has always been a big bonus,” concludes Raghuveer nostalgically.