The company which converts around 600 tonnes of paper and paperboard for cartons and corrugation packaging felt the need to automate its pre-press once it found that it could up productivity as well as save on wastages. “We did a bit of internal checks and found out that we need to automate our systems. We already had an ERP system in place, modernising our pre-press with Esko software was need of the hour,” said Giriraj Kothari, managing director at Lipi.

The highlight features of Esko software for his company, according to Kothari, is the ability to create carton designs in 3D format within minutes and having the ability to share the 3D design options with customers is a huge USP during development and approval stage. “Earlier, it used to take us weeks or sometime months to get a design approved. Now the cycle has been considerably shortened with Esko. This has also helped us to line-up more jobs to run our press & post press more efficiently.

“Esko has some quality control tools which can arrest errors in early pre-press stage and save us lot of money going forward,” said Kothari.

Established in 1945 as Lipi Printing Press by Kothari’s father Ashok Kumar, the company diversified into packaging and is presently one of the leading printing and packaging specialist in Nagpur. The senior Kothari is the chairman of Lipi.

The company houses two multi-colour presses, one of which has a coater; and punching and folder-gluers for post-press. The 80,000 sq/ft site also houses a line corrugated box-making.

At present, Lipi oursources its plate requirements but has plans to bring CTP in-house.

The Esko Suite was sold by TechNova, Esko’s folding carton segment partner for the India region. “We have shared a cordial business relationship with Lipi for the last 25 years, providing pre-press solutions. It is this trust and TechNova’s ability to handhold its customer into newer territory, that clinched the deal,” said Parag Pimple, general manager for sales and marketing in the packaging segment at TechNova.