Silver Prints ups conversion four times following Bobst VisionFold investment

PS Manikanta Varma of Silver Prints, said, “Earlier we were converting around 25,000 litho-laminated cartons per day. Right now, we are converting more than one-lakh litho-laminated cartons in one day. Thus, the folder-gluer has helped increase our folding and conversion up to 400%.”

Varma, an engineering graduate, is the second generation of the family-run business. He said, as the company’s existing folder-gluers were not capable of manufacturing litho-laminated boxes, and as it was struggling, it found the perfect solution in the VisionFold. “We found that Bobst solutions are best for our segment of both fluted and solid board cartons. The best part is that the technical support is very sound,” Varma added.

The VisionFold is Silver Prints’ first brand-new post-press equipment. “We have two die-cutters (SP 900 and SP BMA102) from Bobst. So the brand is tried and tested for us,” Varma said.

The VisionFold 110 A2 with 4&6 corner attachment has helped the company enhance the capacity as well as enter into segments where 4&6 corner boxes are required. The machine was installed also keeping the three-ply segment in mind.

Established in 1983, Silver Prints is a partnership firm by P Sitaram Raju and RV Ram Raju. In 2009, the commercial printing company diversified into packaging printing and established a new and separate unit in a 40,000-sq/ft area. Later, a second unit, with a 20,000-sq/ft area was added. Thus, Silver Prints has three production units – one for commercial and two for packaging.
The packaging printing company has two five-colour coater printing presses from Manroland and KBA. Both can print a sheet size of 28x40-inch. The Manroland press is equipped with interdeck lamp to print MetPet sheets.

Silver Prints caters to customers from pharma, confectioneries, tobacco, cosmetics and agriculture industries.

Varma, who joined the company in 2009, said, “I am focusing more on automation and synchronisation of operations. We have invested in software and finishing equipment. Software investment includes Engview and Pasharp supplied by SPMS Graphics. Soon, we will implement ERP solutions; we are on a homework stage. Thus, we are in process of streamline the operations.”

The company is also planning for a pre-owned printing press. “Our recent investments will double the production. Presently, we convert around 150 tonnes of paper and board per month. In terms of sheets, it is around 30,00,000 sheets of 28x40-inch,” Varma said.

Next, Silver Prints wants to venture into label printing, hopefully in the next financial year. For this, Varma said, the commercial printing facility will be separate and the packaging and labels units will be synchronised. “We print labels for our existing customers at a lower scale. We have to increase our label printing capacity to meet the demand,” he said.

As the company grows, it is targeting the whole of South India, including Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. Varma said, initially Silver Prints grew at 100%, but right now, the year-on-year growth rate is 20%. Around 90 people work in the packaging unit of Silver Prints, which has a turnover of Rs 19-crore.

“Being a service industry, we have to deliver on time, and quality parameters have to be as per customers’ requirement. We meet our expectations up to 80% times. We are trying to bring it up to 100%. Our investment in software and equipment will help us to achieve the target,” Varma concluded.