Spotlight - Mukeshh Pal of Galaxy Digital Print

From 2002-2006, I was working in the garment industry (In India and Egypt). About 15 years ago, I used to go to work (a garment export firm in New Delhi) on a bicycle. Today, in 2017, thanks to Almighty I travel in my own Volkswagen to go to our new garment printing factory, spread over 13500 sq/ft which houses 22 fusing machines, five digital sublimation, 5 x 20 metre garment screen printing tables and of course GraficaTex, an automatic garment screen printing machine.

Once upon a time, I used to work. Today our company employs about 100 people. This is not my single handed success; I have with me Ravinder Kr, a brother-cum-friend, as my equal partner in the business.

Over the past ten years, whatever the name and wealth we have earned is only because of screen printing. I worked in screen printing field and then started own screen printing business.  Today Galaxy Digital Print has orders and a solid clientele.

Let me tell you one thing, many people take screen printing for granted. It looks like a simple printing process, but it is very creatively oriented field especially in garment printing. In other processes, the machine does all the magic, after the design is completed. However, in garment printing, there is a lengthy and critical process such as pre-press, screen making, before the job is taken for printing. And we believe screen making is a very crucial stage to achieve excellence.

Galaxy produces 60% jobs for the domestic market; 20% for export jobs; and 20% for branding/corporate jobs

Today, Galaxy Digital Print has customers spread in Delhi-NCR, Ludhiana, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, etc. Apart from our regular market (domestic and export), we are also a registered vendor for many leading international garment/apparel brands. In addition, we also cater to MNCs, mobile companies (network and handset companies), IT companies, institutes and government departments, etc who require different types of merchandises and gift items. We also undertake events and campaigns jobs. On the sports front, we have printed and supplied Sportswear to IPL matches (Delhi Dare Devils) and CommonWealth Games. These jobs are undertaken through the digital sublimation transfer process.

Besides, garment printing, we also undertake manufacturing and printing of gift bags for regular market and for promotions/campaigns.

One memorable order involved 25,00,000 (2.5 million) school bags for the Uttar Pradesh state government. The bag had a slogan: Khoob Pado, Khoob Bado (Learn and Progress). It was for free distribution for school kids - 1st to 8th standard, as a part of the then state government’s educational awareness campaign in 2016.

A the moment, Galaxy Digital Print produces 60% jobs for the domestic market; 20% for export jobs; and 20% for branding/corporate jobs.

Our positive energy and happy work environment have caught the attention of some people over the years. Anyone visiting our work place will witness many like-minded professionals displaying work, admiring work and discussing work. We have a team of creative minds who learn and collaborate with customers and make them smile. Caring about others and taking pride in our work through the core values of the Golden Rule, Ownership, and Innovation makes all the difference.

Let me give an example about quality. It comes from qualitative thinking. When we started our printing unit with manual set up, we used to buy local mesh and inks; we used to use the wooden frame. Moreover, we used to make the stencil with improper stretching of fabric, emulsion coating and exposing as we lacked knowledge. Now we use only branded mesh and inks; make screens the way it should be made. Now we use aluminium frame only. That is the qualitative transformation which took our business to greater heights. Moreover, it is our experience that in garment printing, once your fundamentals are strong (quality and creativity), nobody can beat you. And name, fame, money, respect all follow you, and we do not have to run after it. We believe in the belief: ‘Inspired to do our best every day, and the bottom line takes care of itself.’

‘Live and let live others’. My mentor is SS Das, a garment exporter with whom I worked till 2001. He was such a selfless person that he sent me to Egypt to work in a garment factory there. Upon my return when I approached him, he straightaway advised me to start my own business in garment printing instead of a job. Taking inspiration from him I started garment printing. And over the years I followed his legacy. We follow his motto ‘Live and let live others’. So, we train people. And if they are interested in taking up the job abroad, we send them. Over the years, we have trained around 50 people in garment printing and we sent them to Turkey and Egypt to enable them to earn better.

I respect and appreciate Grafica for running the DMI institute wherein hundreds of print professionals and students gain knowledge. I compliment Grafica although we could not attend their workshop. Taking some inspiration from their educational activity, we have also tied up with fashion institutes to impart knowledge to their students in garment decoration (screen and digital printing).

As a part of this mission, initially, we used to visit institutes such as NIFT, Pearl Fashion Academy, etc, as guest lectures. But now we ask the institutes to send their students to our factory so that they can gain practical knowledge by seeing the live production.

We discovered that many of the fashion institutes lack practical knowledge and industry exposure. Moreover, they teach the knowledge of the ‘old methods’. For example, there is so much advancement in the way garment printing is done by using advanced machinery, inks, special effects, screen making, world class mesh, squeegee rubber, and other materials. But the institutes or the students do not have exposure to these advanced technology and technique.

So, we appeal to garment printing community to extend their helping hands to fashion and print institutes. It will help students get exposure to advanced technology and practical knowledge. This is badly needed for the industry to grow.

It’s also giving back to the society.