Manugraph diversifies into flexible packaging; launches Manuflex

Speaking to WhatPackaging?, Pradeep Shah, managing director, Manugraph, said, “Manugraph has built a strong brand name in terms of quality and manufacturing of web offset machines over the years. We want to bring the same professional quality management system in making a CI-flexo machine. We aspire to make CI-flexo machines not just for India but for many parts of the world. The plan is to manufacture more than 15 CI-flexo presses a year. We will go into full production in the next six months. We should be ready with a scale of building 12 machines a year in the next nine months.”

Manuflex is an eight-colour 1.3-metre wide gearless CI-flexo press that runs at 400 metres per minute.

“This is the ideal configuration that we arrived at after studying the needs of the Indian market,” said Luigi Carraro, president, Carraro C&C Flexo, who found in Manugraph a “reliable partner” who could take the know-how from Carraro to manufacture and sell CI-flexo presses in India.    

 “In such a big market like India, you cannot think of selling machines from Europe. The first major issue is the cost of transportation of the machine. Secondly, servicing a client in India from Europe is not feasible, you need local people on the ground to provide prompt after-sales service. Hence, we decided to collaborate with a company like Manugraph who has a strong background in manufacturing,” added Carraro.

Talking about the technology transfer, Shah said, Manugraph has accomplished 10 technology transfers in the offset segment, so we know the drill, we replicated the process with Carraro and today we have a machine in about two years of collaboration.

Manugraph also announced the sale of the first CI-flexo press to Uttarakhand-based Osho Flexibles in December 2017. The machine is currently under installation, informed Shah.

The company aims to manufacture and sell six machines in the next fiscal year.

“We formed a new packaging division under the name of Multigraph, where a team of over 10 experts are already selling machines for Kohli, Printgraph, Kunrun, and Zonten among others. So, I have a team of experts who know the business and are respected in the industry. This gives us the necessary headstart in the CI-flexo segment,” concluded Shah.