In order to give pace to their marketing strategies, Bobst India organised an ‘Open House’ at their facility in Pune. At the two day event, held during December 08-09, 2011, the company presented live demonstration of die cutting at top speeds with stripping on NovaCUT 106-E, Braille embossing on Accubraille and a special job run on ExpertFOLD 110A-2. Bobst also used this occasion for the world premiere of LILA 106 A-2 ES folder gluer for litho laminated micro flute.
“Packaging box can be made of without printing but not without die-cutting,” said Subhasis Roy, business director, SEA, India, Mideast & Africa, Business Unit sheet-fed, Bobst SA, underlining the importance of state-of-the-arts die-cutting and folding solutions from Bobst, “We understand the inefficiency of operation in this segment, and accordingly offering the solutions.” Unlike most of the printing machines, Bobst machines still retains respectable resale value, he added. “Hundred percent quality check in folder glue is provided, enabling quality, consistency as well as high productivity, and ensuring reliability in delivery.”
On the occasion, other relevant suppliers EskoArtwork, Reliance Finance, Steneman, Pratham Technologies, etc, were also provided info stands to make printers known about their offerings. A unique and incredible ‘Extra Sensory Perception Show’ by Deepak Rao, a workshop on ‘Breakthrough Cost Management Strategies’ by Dr Anil Lamba from Lamcon Training were also appreciated well by the attendees. Around 150 invitees from 100 companies (including 30 percent existing customers of Bobst and 70 prospects) from all India attended the event. To explain all relevant queries of the attendees, a team of six persons came from Switzerland, apart from local support team.
On the sideline of the event exclusively talking with SK Khurana, editor-Print & Publishing, about this open house concept, Subhasis Roy said, “To make this event expectedly effective, conceptualization was done around six months ago and we also did constant home work so as most of the printers who are already involved in packaging printing or keep in mind to start it, can be educated about the performance of our cutting-edge technologies. Relevant solutions and material suppliers were also given stands to explain their offering to our invitees.” Prior to this, Bobst had also organised such open house in India way back in the year 2006.
“With focus on those who are willing to opt packaging, we would further follow up the attendees under a dedicated city-wise marketing plan, providing them more insight about our solutions. Unlike printing machines, our products enable to offer many variable solutions,” he informed.
“To meet the requirements of every size of printers, we have four levels of technologies for die-cutting, folding, and gluing applications, like in die-cutting segment, NovaCut is an entry level machine, while MasterCut is for the high-end production, and VisionCut and ExpertCut are available for medium level,” explained Roy, “So far financing was bottleneck for Indian printers on the issue of collateral, but now finance companies have come forward to help them. One of such companies is also providing Bobst machines on the pattern of ‘leasing’ to printers and printers should take advantage of such offering to get a major pie in fast emerging packaging market.”
“We have started manufacturing folder gluer machines in India, and produced 100 units this year: sixty of these were exported and forty were installed in the local market. However, we have a capacity to produce 180 units in a year,” Roy concluded.
Talking to most of the participants who were as of now not involved in packaging, revealed keen interest in entering into this high growth area. ‘Packaging’ for them seems to be on their top of agenda in next phase of investment.