Karan Mohta is super-busy, these days. The director of Navi Mumbai-based Kiran Business Forms Print (KBFPPL), one of India’s largest colour variable data printers is currently in the middle of what he describes as the company’s busiest time of the year and both he and his company appear to be firing on all cylinders.

The digital printer specialises in full colour variable data printing of banking statements, mutual fund statements, loyalty programs, government statutory statements and transactional printing of credit card statement, utility bills and telephone bills for banks, telecom companies and FMCGs, a market that, according to Mohta, heats up around this time of the year.

It’s a good thing, then, that the company’s recent kit investments means it can output more than 18 lakh impressions on its Miyakoshi MJP600 and Kodak Versamark digital web printing press. It is this sort of production capability that should help the firm meet its stated aim of breaking the targeted turnover barrier by the end of the year.

KBFPPL’s journey began in 2002, when Kamal Mohta along with his son Karan Mohta set up the company to work in the digital print segment. We had plans and were ambitious, so we set out to make those ideas happen,” says Mohta.

Invest to innovate
Investment has always been central to the firm’s strategy. KBFPPL, invested in South East Asia’s first Miyakoshi MJP600 digital inkjet press.

Karan Mohta, director at KBFPPL, said: “Each page can be printed uniquely with variable colours and data on the fly. Some of our clients have been blown away by the image quality and are already using our services for more variable data printing requirements with value addition.”

He adds that the new kit gives the printer the ability to explore new markets. Variable data printing was something the company was particularly concentrating on, anticipating that it would help the company grow its colour business.

With the additional colour firepower, the company is also looking to implement new shift patterns, moving to 24/7 in order to cater for the increased workload.Mohta says: “But now, with the extra press power of the new machines, we see personalisation as the next stage to build on that extra capacity.”

Mohta believes the business is well-positioned to grow. “The high-end colour digital market is definitely the place to be, which is where we are now,” he says. “Clients’ timescales for print jobs are reducing dramatically due to the pressures in their workplace.”

Mohta adds that customers are now favouring variable data printing in full colour for an instant response and turnaround time, which has remained a key factor behind the company’s continuing investment.

Karan adds: “For years, transaction bills and statements have been printed in black and white using pre-printed forms but now full colour variable printing is possible at economical costs on the fly, the benefits are tangible. Each page can be uniquely customised, profiled to the last detail using variable colour. This has its long lasting benefits, helps in cross selling, brand building, customer loyalty and customer’s delight. Each customer could be targeted using variable colour and benefits could be reaped by using transpromo- giving a promotion on the transactional statement, based on profile, area, spending pattern, gender etc. Bills and transactional statements would become a “visual pleasure” using this technology. This would be a win-win situation for the customer and the service provider. I strongly see this as the future.”

Solid post-press
KBFPPL prints more than eighteen lakh impressions per day. To support such a huge print requirement, KBFPPL has invested in solid post-press equipments which consists of two German sheeter, four German inserters, one automatic inland forming machine and a German automatic envelope making machine.

Karan says: “We have invested in fully automatic post-press equipment. This enables us to produce quality work at a faster speed. The inserter is the fastest in its category. It has an operational speed of 15,000 inserts per hour. The post-press equipment complements our printing machines.”

Karan adds: “We have invested in a fully automatic equipment as we have large orders. We cannot take chances by using manual process, thus using automation we can achieve 100% accuracy, better turn-around-time, customer delight and error free operations.”
 
Mailing solutions
Besides printing, KBFPPL also provides mailing services. The colour variable data printing firm is authorised by India Post. For this KBFPPL has invested in five franking machines and has an on-site post office.

Karan says: “We cannot afford to say no to a single additional requirement. If the clients want us to provide the mailing service then we are in position to provide the same for pan-India. The packed envelopes are segregated as per their destination and then they are sent to the GPO.”
 
Turnover targets
Targeting significant turnover growth by the end of the year, the 40-staff team, formed in 2002, is aiming to hit the 100% efficiency mark. It is currently carrying out work for some big names, while allowing KBFPPL to cross sell and offer existing clients the ability to take their huge requirements on-board.

Mohta says: “The clients seem to really like the fact that they can come to a professional facility to order both their large- and small-format full colour variable data printing requirements.” With the current economic climate undeniably taking its toll on the print industry, along with so many others, it is surely a positive sign for the industry that KBFPPL is busy.

And the future? “We’re now in the position to maximise our capacity and build upon our success,” says Mohta. As the meeting draws to an end, I ask Karan about his plans for the rest of the day. “Quoting for jobs,” he says, “And lots of it.”

KIRAN BUSINESS FORMS PRINT FACTFILE

• Founded in 2002

 

• Location Navi Mumbai

 

• Equipment Miyakoshi MJP 600, Kodak Versamark, four German inserters, one envelope making machine and nine franking machines.

• Staff 40

 

 

 

 

This article was published on 11 January 2012 and received 176 views