Offset printers must innovate to keep up with digital: Ashish Sharma

Which products have seen the most demand in the past year?
We market high-quality printing consumables, including Novurania printing and coating blankets, Kris creasing matrix, Helios IR & UV lamps, and now EMMECI machines for luxury rigid box manufacturing.

Are print volumes increasing? How do you see demand shaping up? With digital printing gaining ground, how is your company adapting?
We’ve been able to increase our volumes, but overall demand should have been stronger. Yes, digital printing is taking market share from commercial offset. As a policy, we have focused on packaging, which we see as a growth area.

Research suggests that digital printing output will grow by 65% globally by 2029, while offset is projected to grow modestly at 1.8%. Is this trend similar in India?
Those numbers don’t directly apply to the Indian market. Digital printing will continue to grow and challenge commercial offset, but offset printers will need to innovate to match the speed and versatility of digital.

Have you entered into any recent partnerships to enhance your offerings or expand into new markets?
Yes, we’ve partnered with EMMECI from Italy for the Indian market. EMMECI is known for high-quality rigid box making machines, which aligns with our focus on luxury packaging.

How is Aarushi Agencies leveraging automation and AI to improve efficiency?
We see automation and AI as tools that will become essential in our daily operations in the near future.

Customers now expect faster turnarounds and higher-quality output. Many new-generation CEOs are also well-versed in plant efficiency and certifications like ISO 9001, BRC, and FSSC. Have you noticed this shift?
Yes, customer expectations around speed and quality will continue to challenge the packaging industry. We are well-equipped to offer unique and cost-effective solutions for offset packaging printers.

Offset packaging involves a steep learning curve, especially in tobacco and food segments. What advancements are shaping this sector?
Our principals, like KRIS in Italy, offer unique creasing matrix solutions such as ROUND and U-Bend for fluted cartons. Similarly, Novurania provides high-quality UV printing and coating blankets tailored for packaging.

Mergers and acquisitions have increased in the past few years, with Canpac acquiring Saptagiri. Do you see more consolidation happening?
Yes, this trend is here to stay and will likely grow.

Leading packaging companies are expanding into new segments. What’s your view on this diversification?
It’s a healthy trend for the industry. It also helps counter unhealthy competition, which has been affecting the packaging sector.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for offset and digital printing in the next five years? How is Aarushi Agencies preparing?
We are diversifying into all major packaging segments—offset packaging, labels, corrugation, and now rigid boxes.