ARS Graphics leaps into digital printing with Kodak Nexpress

Chauhan also liked that the size of the machine is compact. “We are going to use this machine for commercial jobs and photo albums. As of now, we print around 60,000 business cards per day. With this machine, within three months, we hope to reach up to five to six lakh cards per day,” he said.

Chauhan believes, with the new machines, he would be able to increase his business more than 50%. A CtP service bureau, going digital was the natural progression for the company. The idea behind investing in the machine, Chauhan said, was to get more work done in less time, so that they could cater to more customers. 

A loyal Kodak customer, ARS Graphics was the first Indian company to install Kodak VLF CtP Platesetter in India, and churns about 1.5 thousand sqm of plates per month. Today, ARS Graphics boasts of a full-fledged pre-press and finishing setup, with a workforce of more than 70 people. 

“Our digital printing capabilities will supplement our offset printing. The Kodak Nexpress differentiates us in the market and opens new avenues for business. With the newly installed Nexpress, we can cater to new trends in the market by printing high-quality, short-run jobs. We have ventured into photobook printing, a high-growth segment that delivers quick return on investment. The unique Fifth-Imaging Unit Solution is an added bonus, enabling us to push the boundaries of digital print and establish our position in the printing market as a unique solution provider,” Chauhan added.

Chauhan said the new machine gives extremely accurate front-back registration and consistent colour reproduction. “Also, the speed of DFE in processing files reduces the overall time taken to process a job, giving us the opportunity to take on higher volumes,” he said.

Bhalchandra Nikumb, managing director, Kodak India, said: “The Kodak Nexpress provides versatility, photographic image quality, and benchmark productivity for high-value print applications, while mixing easily into a full-service printing environment.”

The machine supports a wide range of substrate types, sizes, weights and thicknesses for application flexibility and prints at full speed for all supported substrate weights. Open architecture integrates seamlessly into Kodak Prinergyworkflow system and is compatible with existing digital colour, mono, offset, and blended workflows, helping your operation run at peak performance.

Chauhan, who aspires to be the largest visiting cards printer in the region, has equipped his post-press segment with visiting card cutter, UV coater, roll laminator, electric creasing and perforation machine, round corner cutter, photobook maker, die cut machine and foil fuser. All the finishing machines has supplied by Mumbai-based Hi-Tech Systems.

On his future plans, confident and aggressive, Chauhan said, we will repeat the order very soon.

Based in Rani Bagh in Delhi, besides ARS Graphics, a proprietorship firm, Chauhan has another outlet, Charu Graphics, both of which are run by him and his wife. The company has a turnover of Rs 2 crore.