Since then Anil Agencies, the Indian representative of Italy-based Emmeci, has installed more than ten rigid box machines in India.

Hyderabad’s Pragati Offset, Ahmedabad’s Utility Print Pack (Now Manipal Utility Packaging Solutions), Agra’s Royal Packers, Manesar’s Rave Packaging, Chennai’s Label Kingdom and Noida’s Any Graphics are some of the top names who have installed the machines.

According to Mohit Jain of Anil Agencies, the representation and penetration of the Emmeci machines in India was a natural progression for the company – from commodities (paper) to special equipment. When it came to Emmeci, Jain said the machines are world-class, user-friendly and they have a great future in India.

Jain is right. For example, some of the print packaging firms, which commissioned the machines, did not stop at just one unit. Once, the first unit was up and running, they went for another.

Two of the biggest customers of Anil Agencies, Rave Packaging, and Label Kingdom both have installed and ordered three Emmeci machines each. For the record, Pragati Offset was the first Indian firm to invest in an Emmeci about five years ago.

This is a clear proof that Indian print firms are expecting a rise in the demand for rigid boxes and they believe an Emmeci can help them meet this demand more efficiently.

“We see a rising demand for rigid boxes in India, including boxes such as high-end confectionery boxes, perfumes and cosmetic boxes, and boxes for electronic items. We are focusing on this particular segment,” said Shiv Bhatnagar of Rave Packaging. For this, the company, with three Emmeci machines, is ready. “We can produce more than 12 lakh boxes per month,” he added. “Many MNCs are coming to the country and they need quality rigid boxes, which are not possible manually.”

Label expert Any Graphics is a new entrant to the segment, and the company shows its confidence in Emmeci.

Goel said the company settled for Emmeci because it is involved in producing high-end and at some point of time an very high-end boxes, and it felt that Emmeci is the right machine for such products.

Meanwhile, Bahadurgarh-based Azure Press, a family-owned company, chose Emmeci not only to enter into the specific segment but also to make itself stand apart from the crowd.

“The mono carton segment is full of giants. We don’t have the power to compete with them. Moreover, it doesn’t make business sense to be a part of a crowded market,” said Sanjay Nagpal of Azure Press, adding, in Emmeci, we found a perfect machine to establish a niche in the market.”

The company, run by Nagpal, a first generation printer with creative backgrounds, and his two sons, Siddhant, and Sarthak, has commissioned the machine, which is yet to be installed.

There are also other options in automatic rigid box machines, especially from China, which are understandably cheaper. These include Zhengrun, represented by Sodhisons Mechanical Works and Zhongke India.

According to Jain, the USP of the machine is that it can produce boxes of varied shapes, besides the standard square and rectangular boxes. “There is a huge demand for rigid boxes in the mobile and confectionery segment, and this machine serves the purpose,” he added.

Rising demand for rigid boxes
The rigid box market is varied and highly fragmented. This is a market where quality is more important than quantity. While there has been constant, if limited, demand for rigid boxes from the high-end luxury segment, in the recent years, there has been a rise in demand for high-end boxes for the retail consumer segment. The rise of high-end mobile handsets is a category, which is fuelling this demand.   

The mobile handset retail market is booming and it will continue to do so for some time, as today, mobile handsets are both an essential commodity and a lifestyle statement.

Several multinationals and local companies, including Karbon, HTC, Gionee, Lava, and Intex have setup assembling or manufacturing units for mobile handsets in India. This, in turn, is propelling the demand for rigid boxes.

At the same time, quality remains a priority. “The rigid box market is on an upswing, with the brands insisting on high standards of packaging. There is a clear distinction and edge in rigid box packaging,” said Jain.