Nippon Color will support Oyang's foray into India and ensure access to inkjet printing solutions. Akshat Pardiwala, director at Nippon Color, said, “Through the partnership, we will provide publishers with tools to adopt print-on-demand and respond to market changes.”

Pardiwala added, “There is a significant shift toward print-on-demand (POD) services powered by digital printing in the book publishing sector. POD allows publishers to print smaller quantities and customise content while reducing the risk of overproduction. This approach also shortens production timelines and improves time-to-market for new titles.”

In addition to the publishing sector, the demand for educational materials, niche publications, and short-run books is increasing in India. Pardiwala noted, “Digital printing is growing, offering opportunities for publishers to provide services and reduce inventory risks.”

Oyang launched the digital printing project in 2018, starting with research and development of corrugated digital printing equipment. Later, in 2023, for strategic development considerations, the company acquired a top domestic digital printing equipment supplier.

Oyang's primary offerings include its monochrome and colour rotary inkjet printers. The colour models can print at 600x1200-dpi at speeds of up to 90-m/min. The monochrome printing device benefits from the Epson I3200A1-HD print head, which has two colours in one head, allowing the black printer to achieve a speed of 120-m/min, the company claimed.

In a conversation with PrintWeek, David Ouyang, chairman of Oyang, said India's GDP is projected to reach USD 5-trillion in 2030, and the country has the largest population in the world, presenting growth opportunities in the printing industry. “Our strategy involves competitive pricing for the Indian market and training for Nippon Color's technicians to ensure proper operation of our machines,” Ouyang said. 

He added, “The partnership seeks to establish a factory for inkjet printing in India, which will serve as a model for potential clients and illustrate Oyang's printing capabilities.”

Oyang's inkjet printing solutions, which use Epson I3200A1-HD print heads, are designed to address the limitations of traditional methods. While offset printing remains dominant in India, digital solutions are gaining traction due to their cost advantage for shorter projects.

However, the path to adopting inkjet technology in India's book printing sector faces challenges such as price fluctuations in raw materials, regulations, and market competition. Still, the benefits of digital printing — personalised content, quick updates, and varied readership — make it appealing for publishers. Currently, digital printing, including toner and inkjet, makes up about 15-25% of the book printing market in China, said Ouyang, and he estimates similar growth in India.