Indian label and package printing machinery suppliers dominated Labelexpo India 2024. Over 90% of exhibitors were Indian companies, with most international suppliers exhibiting through their Indian partners. At the same time, Labelexpo India 2024 was the biggest and most vibrant show in the event’s history, drawing 13,752 visitors, up 14% on the 2022 edition and with one-third more exhibition space than the last show.

Read the review, Who’s who of labels vying to shape the future with brand new launches at Labelexpo. 

It was also a buyer's market at Labelexpo India 2024. Read all about the deals made during the exhibition. 

In other Labelexpo-related features, as the labels and flexible packaging industry evolves, DIC India has a solid sustainability solution and an ESG strategy. Dr Kamakshi Christopher, general manager of flexible technology at the ink major shares her insights, and highlights the role of sustainable products.

LK Vasudevan of Epson India and Eisuke Morishita of Epson, discuss the latest Epson’s enhanced
speed, and versatility and why it is a ‘must-have’ digital solution for today’s market.

HP’s A Appadurai discusses the future of flexible and efficient technologies.

Despite being a new entrant, Konica Minolta has been gaining momentum in the label segment. Vijay Kamat Ankit Madan and Ashok Sethi of Konica Minolta share the details.

The launch of the Polyart Group’s product range in India marks a significant moment for the company and the local packaging industry. PrintWeek spoke to Bruno Millery, Shweta Chhabra, and Gerald Iannone, at the company’s stand at Labelexpo India 2024.

Ajit Singh, CFO and BU head, narrow-web of Siegwerk, addresses industry challenges, among those are LED technology and enhanced compliance standards.

In other features, as per Prashant Vats, director of IPAMA, the 16th edition of PrintPack from 1 to 5 February 2025 is set to be the largest, both in terms of area and the number of exhibitors.

In the Publishing section, the roundtable organised by Bindwel and PrintWeek on 29 November 2024 in New Delhi was an eye-opener. Top book publishers and print firms trumpeted the value of books and suggested ways in which to make the business of books easier. leading publishers, printers, and industry experts confabulated for more than two hours about the bookmaking during a closed-door discussion. This year’s theme, Print Renaissance: Innovation, Craft, and Science in Modern Bookmaking, triggered engaging conversations about the potential of print to revolutionise storytelling, with an emphasis on engaging younger readers.

In the Top Job section, Vasai-based Dot Printers, a creative print subsidiary of Arihant Enterprise and The Times of India (TOI) used hydro-reactive ink technology in a campaign for Flipkart Minutes, showing how print can create interactive and engaging experiences for audiences.

Blending tradition with innovation, Samir Pansare has transformed Samir Scantech into a leader in
digital wide-format printing, drawing from his family’s artistic legacy and a passion for modern
entrepreneurship. Vimal Parmar profiles Samir Pansare in the Digital section.

December issue of WhatPackaging? unveils the Power List

The standout feature of the December issue of WhatPackaging? magazine is The Power List: The 50 packaging champions who power the growth engine. 

We asked WhatPackaging? readers and industry professionals to nominate champions that have built the industry. These are the 50 leaders of 2024. The criteria: Popularity, profitability, progressive outlook, process-oriented, people-centric and those who believe in the mantra: packaging zindabad.

In the Survey section, we set out to understand how Gen Z interacts with primary packaging. WhatPackaging? surveyed more than 50 Gen Z people born between 1997 and 2012 to understand the aspects of packaging that drive their purchase decisions.  

The cover story of the December issue of WhatPackaging? is a case study on how EPL manufactures eight billion tubes in a year.

The managing director and Global CEO of EPL, Anand Kripalu has spent much of his career in sales, marketing and management across Unilever, Mondelez and Diageo. Here, he tells his story about the role of packaging.

In the Spotlight section, Dr NC Saha talks about the biomass project that focuses on paddy straws and stubbles as raw materials for paper and packaging. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the global rice production in 2023-24 was at a record 518.1-million tonnes (milled basis). Today, India is the second largest producer of paddy in the world with a production of 132 million tons (milled basis). How can paddy benefit the paper and packaging industry?

In the Opinion section, Samir Limaye offers the essential checklist for auditing your tube-filling machine. Tube-filling machines are essential for products filled into tubes for safe packaging and distribution. These machines may face technical issues, leading to leaks, inconsistent fills, or seal failures. This article provides an in-depth checklist to audit their tube-filling machines.

The Sustainability section features a report on the panel discussion themed First impression, last impression — Packaging innovation in the age of customer care at Drink Technology in India, which saw packaging experts share their perspectives.

The Profile section features DCGpac: How to provide packaging solutions in a competitive landscape. DCGpac is a B2B packaging solutions provider, and its CEO, Suresh Bansal, says it is committed to customer-centric innovation. On 21 November, the company celebrated its 20th anniversary. Bansal reveals the success recipe and how his company aims to meet the diverse packaging needs of businesses across sectors while expanding its warehousing capabilities to enhance supply chain efficiency.

The Technology section features a conversation with Erhardt+Leimer. In the backdrop of the Elite Plus summit in October, Dr Michael Proeller (CEO, E+L Group), Thomas Grimm (sales division manager and business executive, Asia Pacific, E+L), ID Singh (managing director, E+L India), and Seshadri Rajaram (vice-chairman, E+L India) spoke to Anhata Rooprai about the goings-on of the industry and the company’s positioning in India.

The Design section discusses Transformative packaging: Stratedgy's award-winning design for Ziaho chocolate. Mumbai-based packaging design specialist, Stratedgy has been awarded India’s Best Design Award 2024 for its collaboration with Ziaho, an Indian chocolate brand. In this interaction with Noel D’Cunha, the company’s creative director, Krupa Sheth Kapadia, discusses how the innovative design celebrates the brand’s authentic Indian narrative, elevating Ziaho in a competitive market.

In the Focus section, SN Venkatraman of ITC talks about the future of packaging, and how the industry needs to keep an eye on sustainability.