Amar Ujala opts for two Manugraph presses

The Hiline presses are manufactured by Manugraph.

Atul Kumar, deputy general manager, production, Amar Ujala Publications, said, “So far, we have been a dedicated user of the Orient and Pressline series of web offset presses, which are manufactured by New Delhi-based The Printers House and Pressline India. All our 18-print centres are equipped with these presses. This is the first time we have opted for a different brand.”

Kumar said as the new presses were installed as per the company’s expansion plans, the company felt the Hiline presses were well suited for the purpose.

Besides the regular in-house printing (the publication’s flagship daily Amar Ujala and a range of magazines), the company has now diversified into outside job works (in contract printing and as a pre-press bureau) from all its production plants. “All our 18 printing centres are generating good revenues from these new ventures,” Kumar said.

He added that the new Hilines presses would take these initiatives further. The Hiline presses can produce 28-colour pages with a cut-off of 546 and 533 mm.

Besides these, the newspaper publication house has also installed an Orient Express web offset press from The Printers House with a cut-off size of 533 mm. “By opting 533 cut-off instead of 546, we will be able to save on newsprint and the print area will remain the same,” Kumar said.

Meanwhile, according to official sources, the company will list its initial public offering (IPO) by the end of this year. With this, the company hopes to raise Rs 300 crore from the market, which will be utilised for its expansion.

According to sources, the Maheshwary family, owners of Amar Ujala, is likely to offer 15% stake of the company through the IPO. In addition, Pun Undertaking, a strategic investor in Amar Ujala, is expected to sell 9% stake, lowering its ownership to 9%. The fresh issue of shares is expected to account for another 6% of the share sale.