Questioning the status quo, rethinking rules and seeking sustainable solutions, PrintWeek has published its first Forty Under 40 special, which celebrates tech-savvy, result-seeking, and above all, a cool vibe that the group brought to their organisation and our industry.

In the Indian print and packaging industry, more than 70% of businesses are family-owned. As per a mini-survey we conducted during the PrintWeek Awards 2024, more than 75% of the businesses continue to have the founders playing a key role in the family business, with 70% of them having inducted a second-gen or third-gen member.

“This brings us to the topic of technology. It’s the theme of PrintWeek’s Forty Under 40,” Noel D’Cunha, managing editor, PrintWeek and WhatPackaging?, said. 

Almost every single person is asking tough questions about how to use multiple technologies to create that one great job. The good news is: transparency. Traditionally, our industry has been too slow about information-sharing and offering support to a competitor.

D’Cunha added, “Our interactions with the Forty Under 40 exude good news. The point is, our industry has remained a bright spot for top-end spending despite slowdown in many other markets. The forty winners (and there are many more) are the backbone of this growth. Three cheers. And more power to the Forty Under 40.”

In other features in the issue, Noel D’Cunha looks inside the operations of Ahmedabad-based Letra Graphix. Also, how the forward-thinking managing director of the company, Nirav Shah, invested to keep pace with the needs of the label industry and win accolades.  

Pragati’s new calendar is stunning, stylish and subtle. At PrintWeek, we were thrilled to see this new collection. Narendra Paruchuri, chairman of Pragati Group, shares the concept and the making of the newest edition of the Pragati calendar.

Shopfloor efficiency is a simple thing. It does not require tech-heroism. It involves paying attention to the small nuts and bolts ops in the factory. With the advent of new echnologies, the potential to achieve more with less is required. The gen-next print and packaging specialists share their thoughts with Noel D’Cunha

Kai Buentemeyer, director of Bindwel has experience of more than 30 years in manufacturing machines which have produced almost half the books consumed around the world. As the erstwhile CEO of Kolbus - a market leader in soft and hard cover adhesive binding machines - he has seen how the publishing industry and book printing evolved globally, from close quarters. Buentemeyer has been visiting Indian book print firms and one multinational publisher in Delhi-NCR. 

The cover story of WhatPackaging? supplement this month is Looking back 2023, looking forward 2024, where Team WhatPackaging? talks to eight industry stalwarts about how the year (2023) was; what the learnings were; and how the packaging industry should march forward in 2024.

Mahadevan Iyer, vice-president of IPMMI, briefs Aditya Ghosalkar about IPMMI’s motto to bring the packaging "together" This is through education, training, and fraternising.

Parakh Flexipacks has harnessed technology for production in high-barrier films and blown film. Aditya Ghosalkar talks to Vinay Nalawade who helms the ops.

Mumbai-headquartered Nido Group’s managing director, Nirav Doshi talks about how packaging players can streamline their processes with automation.

InfinityBox provides sustainable packaging service in the food operations industry with its reusable serviceware. Its CEO and founder, Shashwat Gangwal shares insights about how his company has been solving the waste conundrum in the industry.

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