A day in the life of M N Pandey

When you read your early morning newspaper, besides half tones and colour reproduction you look for...
I look for what are futuristic challenges in print production business from technology and business growth perspective.

When and how do you begin your day?
I get up at 7 am and go for a walk.

Do you plan your day, meticulously? Or is it ad hoc? Or is there a blueprint for the day?
I have a quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily work plan and religiously follow the same.

One person with whom you like to share your daily drive to office. Why?
At Avantika, it is team work. It can be with one of my team member as we can discuss the daily execution plan.

What’s the first thing you do on entering the office?
I do my puja.

How frequently do you interact with print production supervisors? What do you discuss, commonly?
Twice in a day and understand how they are managing the quality, schedule and the cost.

With the fierce competition, high cost of entry and above all, the increasing threat from other media, do you find that traditional ink-on-paper is facing a serious threat to its survival?
Global business dynamics and modes of communication are changing but traditional printing will survive except for specific cases. One will have to innovate to create niche for his company to survive.

Which press does the best printing in India? And why?
This is quite subjective, it depends on various factors.

How do you rate your press as compared to leading printers the world-over?
We are doing reasonably good jobs and our clients are quite satisfied.

If you won Rs 10 crore through Playwin which printing equipment would you invest in? Why?
I will invest 50% in automation in finishing and binding to produce innovative products and the remaining will be kept as liquid working capital to sustain the new production line.   

Today, we hear of innumerable printing presses closing down or being on the verge of closing down. Why is this happening? And, what does this portend for the future of the industry?
Only people who can differentiate their offerings and deliver value for money will survive.

Your favourite adda? Personal accessories?
Any good place is fine with me. Personal accessories keep changing with time depending on value and contemporary utility.

For a working lunch if you met Johanes Gutenberg (the father of modern printing), what would you talk to him about?
His passion towards print.

How do you motivate your sales and marketing team? Any new promotion strategy?
Through appropriate reward and recognition.

The most frequently used mantra in your organisation. Your corporate philosophy.
To deliver value for money to the customer, take care of your people and constant innovation.

Your favourite excuse to your family when you’re late?
I don’t give any excuse, it is always the truth.

Has the domination of the printing industry reached a plateau with the arrival of new competitors?
Constant change will keep on adding new dimensions to competition, live with it and survive successfully.

Please comment of the technology and machines (press / pre-press / post-press / others) that you have invested in, in the past few years?
Digital presses, art studio with latest software and hardware, finishing equipment and also skilled manpower.

In India, the two most important barriers are technology and cost. What advise do you have for the printer?
Investment in technology should justify the business bandwidth.

How do you stay in touch with technological developments? In this sense, please comment on your official view on CTP technology and digital printing.
By attending conferences, reading news magazines, sharing views with like-minded people.

One person with whom you would like to have a face to face.
Any one who means business.