Sachin Dev Sivakumar is director of operations at KSK Printing (M) in Penang, Malaysia. Two things make him special. One, he is still in his teens. At 17, he is the youngest printer that PrintWeek is aware of. Two: Sachin Dev Sivakumar did the implementation of the Indus Print ERP on his own, online.

Is this the new normal that everyone is talking about? We asked Sivakumar. He replied, "Covid-19 has brought print volumes across all sectors into steep decline. However, despite the significant impact in the industry, we are still driving innovation by developing our organisation with progressive solutions and innovative services." Which is how KSK has implemented a Print ERP solution, powered by Indus Analytics. Sivakumar said, "to better manage the administration and operations throughout the workflow."

Allwyn Serrao, the managing partner at Richard’s Prints in Mumbai concurs. He said, "There was an impact on productivity due to reduction in the number of workers. During the initial stages of Covid, managing logistics was a challenge. This resulted in delayed deliveries."

Which is why Richard's Prints implemented automation in various processes. Serrao said, "We brought in control measures to reduce expenditure."

This means improved production planning, speed up production and throughput, and above all, eliminate errors and reduce costs. It can also support a broader range of applications. In the past, PrintWeek has reported how through remote reporting and diagnostics, any downtime can be minimised and maintenance planned when necessary.

Aditya, the director at Colors Packaging Solutions in Indore agrees with Allwyn Serrao. But he added, "Quality is the best business plan on this Printers’ Day (24 February 2021). I would Like to say good - in fact excellent - printing and packaging makes one's product stand out from the competition. Therefore one must work on constant upgradation and innovations. This is the only way print can stand out in the market."

Automation comes in many different avatars in print, from hardware such as intelligent print and finishing kit, virtual proofing and media handling systems through to software that helps a printer to manage its workflow, pricing, accounting, e-commerce platforms or customer deliveries.

For instance, Sachin Dev Sivakumar said, "We are also in the midst of building a packaging-based e-commerce site to enable clients to estimate and purchase their packaging requirements instantly."

One Printers’ Day message that shone through with Sachin Dev Sivakumar, Allwyn Serrao and Aditya: Automation isn’t confined only to the print room. Think about sales process automation, workflow automation, marketing automation, automation of paper and materials receipt, storage and preparation, finishing automation and logistics and fulfilment automation.

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If you want to share your experiences on Printers’ Day about how your company coped with the Covid situation, and one process in which your company has become really efficient, please eMail to me at charmiane.alexander@haymarketsac.com