AIFMP elects new office bearers for 2016-17

Two mutual agreements inked with Reed Exhibitions (Shanghai)
Following the annual meeting, All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP) has recently announced its family of newly elected office bearers headed by the president Prof Kamal Chopra. Besides regular activities, the federation is planning to develop fruitful networking relations with member printers and other strategies. Representing a host of 250,000 members (printers) located across the length and breadth of the country, AIFMP is one and only apex body of the Indian printing industry and it’s perhaps the world’s largest printing association too. “Printing industry is globally one of the largest and fastest growing sectors with a capital investment of US$83 billions,” mentioned Prof Kamal Chopra, adding that the country boasts of printing presses of all sizes that include commercial digital printers. He revealed that the federation is open to all for membership including commercial digital printers, which currently comprise three percent.

As per an industry source, Indian printing industry provides direct employment to more than 1.5 million people and 4.5 million indirectly. In this, according to Prof Kamal, the industry is now surging to garner Rs 374 billion by the end of 2018. Even though the federation has many goals, its main fields of concentration after the recent election of new office bearers are on networking, government recognition programmes, promotional activities, print education, among others.

“In the term 2016-17, we are planning to develop an absolute networking with all the printers and allied associations, not only India but the world over,” announced Prof Kamal. He added that it would help them to create a common platform for all. In order to create awareness of the industry, AIFMP is planning to approach the government for proper recognition of the industry. “We are also planning to approach the UNO and UNESCO, even to declare ‘24 February’ every year as ‘International Printers Day’,” he said.

Under the banner ‘Romancing Print’, Prof Kamal asserted that AIFMP would plan to organise the conference in four regional zones under the aegis of the federation’s regional vice presidents. “Printing is the mother of all inventions; and the history of printing is the history of civilisation. Noting this, we are planning to launch a campaign to persuade printers to be ‘proud of being in the profession’,” appealed Prof Kamal. In another key move, AIFMP has arranged a collaboration programme between Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication (BIGC) and three Indian universities for free education to brilliant students from the country (India).

Mutual agreements

AIFMP has signed two mutual agreements with Reed Exhibitions, a leading international event organiser with a growing portfolio of 500 events across 41 countries, for new ventures in the realm of ‘Make in India’ initiative. Through this collaboration, according to Prof Kamal, AIFMP will invite Chinese machine manufacturers to produce their products in the plants of their Indian counterparts. “We are excited about our collaboration with AIFMP, which we expect that it will give us an opportunity to explore the growing Indian printing market,” mentioned Keith Ma, senior marketing communication executive, Reed Exhibitors.

Felicitation ceremony

Welcoming the newly elected office bearers, AIFMP organised a felicitation programme in New Delhi which was hosted by Greater Delhi Master Printers Association (GDMPA). Hundreds of print professionals as well as others from the allied sectors thronged the event. As a chief guest, Vijay Kumar Chopra, chief executive and editor-in-chief of Punjab Kesari and ex-president of AIFMP, encouraged the new office bearers, uplifting their spirit to carry the industry forward.

The newly elected league of AIFMP’s office bearers include: Kamal Chopra (president); Anand V Limaye (general secretary); Dalip Tuli (general secretary); Arun Gupta (VP-north); Sandip Kumar Sanyal (VP-east); CD Kumaravel (VP-south); and Rajendra Jain (VP-west). The event was well coordinated by Satish Malhotra, moderator and ex president of AIFMP.

What’s next?

AIFMP is the organisers of the popular printing trade expo PAMEX in India, whose very next edition is scheduled from December 18-21, 2017.

Heidelberg clearly increases
net result in the second quarter

During the second quarter (July 1 to September 30, 2016) of financial year 2016-2017, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) significantly increased its operating result compared to the previous year, as previously envisaged, and also achieved a clearly positive net result after taxes. After the first six months, the result was still below the previous year’s figures due to sales and the costs associated with the drupa trade show. However, as a result of drupa, incoming orders (up around 6 percent) and the order backlog (up 19 percent) were increased significantly. The Group has thus created a sound basis on which to achieve its targets for the year as a whole.

As announced, sales and the result in the second quarter were much better than in the previous quarter of the current financial year. Net sales thus rose by 100 million compared to the first quarter to 586 million (previous year: 599 million). Total sales up to the half-year point were 1.072 billion (previous year: 1.162 billion). Thanks to strong demand at drupa, incoming orders for the first six months were up around 6 percent on the previous year’s figure (1.323 billion) at 1.408 billion, while the order backlog at 765 million was even some 19 percent higher (previous year 644 million). As a result, Heidelberg has a good starting base for achieving the anticipated significant sales growth in the second half of the year.

Thanks to solid incoming orders and the increase in the order backlog, Heidelberg has its sights set firmly on its year-end targets for 2016/2017. The portfolio expansion in rapidly developing markets, possible acquisitions and the drupa industry trade show will substantially affect sales performance in the financial year 2016/2017 and the years ahead. The investment priorities in the areas of digitalization, digital printing and services are expected to contribute to an average sales growth of up to 4 percent per year.