TPH to launch new machine, claims new venue is out of sync with international trends

“This machine will not be a product prototype but an actual production machine, which has been ordered by one of our foreign customers,” said George Kuriakose, assistant general manager-sales, TPH.

As a press manufacturer with a deep understanding of the Indian market, TPH feels that printers are under tremendous pressure to curtail costs. “There is tremendous pressure to curtail costs – be it start-up waste control, manpower planning or power consumption. The corollary of this is demand for more automation in the machine, especially from the international markets where the costs of inputs are typically higher than in India. Revenue of print publishers is also getting increasingly shared with digital media, putting additional pressure on the sustainability of print media,” said George.

Asked if the hybrid technologies showcased at Drupa would help the printers in streamlining costs and production, he said, “These technologies are still in the nascent stage. We do not see as impacting our business till the next decade. Digital technology may take away some share of sheetfed and web press business. However, given the high cost of this technology, it may have a very limited impact in a developing market like India.”

“It is imperative to control raw material costs to sustain business. This can be achieved through better planning, automated machines, automatic inventory control, optimal use of manpower, etc. Printers should be more open to innovation and willing to add value to the client’s business without adding cost,” he added

George feels that there is no comparison between Drupa and PrintPack as the target market, focus and objective of these two shows are very different. “While Drupa is an international exhibition positioned as a platform to showcase innovations, new concepts, new products on a global platform, PrintPack India is more India centric. PrintPack India is positioned as India’s premier print exhibition for people who are unable to visit Drupa or for small and medium printers.”

Sharing his view on the venue change, George said, “This time as the venue is slightly away from Delhi we feel that only serious decision makers will visit the exhibition as logistics to the venue are limited. The location of the new venue in Greater Noida is certainly out of sync with the trends abroad. To elaborate, you would find that most of the major show venues in Germany, UK, Dubai, Singapore etc. are located close to the airport for easy access. A few which are not so close to the airport are always conducted at venues where connectivity for the exhibitors and visitors is good. This might impact the number of footfalls to the exhibition.”

George shared that besides India, TPH foresees strong growth opportunities in China, Latin America and the CIS region.

Talking about the future plans of the company, he said, “The most definite move would be towards optimal use of automation to minimise manpower and save cost. We would also look to consolidate our world-class manufacturing infrastructure by acquiring the best available equipment to manufacture our machines, and by adopting the most innovative business practices worldwide. With the dwindling newspaper sales worldwide, except few countries, we have to gear up for a scenario where total orders will fall and the customer will become even more demanding.”