PTA, a 72-year old organisation which inlcudes 450 members, moved into a new office at Fort in Mumbai in the month of October, 2013.

Nimesh Vora, managing director of Srinivas Paper and a member of the PTA committee, said that traders have a laid-back attitude towards the printing industry. “This needs to be changed. There is so much for the traders to learn and improve their business,” he said.

According to Vora, this is the first seminar of the bi-monthly events, which PTA has planned for the future. “The paper trading business is now moving from the old to the new brigade and this initiative is aimed towards creating awareness among the new crop of paper traders and to enlighten them in the fields of administration, finance and management and several technical aspects.”

Speaking on the onset of the initiative, Bhavesh Gala, honourable secretary of PTA informed that the PTA had invited expert speakers to lecture at the seminar.

RL Soni, a management consultant and advisor on labour laws spoke on Bombay Shops & Establishment Act, 1948. Soni advised the members on various laws applicable in setting up and running a factory/ shop. Along with this he also discussed the payment of wages act and payment of bonus act wherein he gave a glimpse on what an employer’s minimum wage and bonus has to be.

The second session was shared by Ashok Desai, lecturer at GIPT (Government Institute of Printing Technology). Desai imparted knowledge on basic printing technologies and importance of print.


Ashok Desai

Gala acknowledged that the two sessions were very useful for the participants. “While the understanding of labour laws will help administratively, it is important that the paper traders educate themselves with the basic print processes, some technical aspects and how paper affects print processes.”

With more seminars on different topics, PTA hopes paper traders will reach out to the printers and develop a partnership with the printers. “We hope to change the mindset and bridge the gap between the printers and the paper traders through such seminars,” concluded Gala.