Men behind the web offset machines: Pradeep Shah, managing director, Manugraph India
The top Indian manufacturer discuss everything from the height at which a newspaper should be read; and whether the ideal cut-off should be 546mm or 533mm.
08 Sep 2013 | 4214 Views | By Rahul Kumar
On market share: For any printing press manufacturer, finding the right balance between technology and price is critical. This has been the characteristic of our company in bringing products to newspaper publishing houses. Starting from Coroset to Hiline; one can see the evolution of technology and speed which has worked successfully for the market and us. Till now we have installed over 6,700 units worldwide. In India, our market share is over 70% for web offset machines.
On standardisation: It is critical to have standardisation when you have multiple printing lines. By implanting standardisation, you can also move your crew, consumables and parts which are common. This results in a lower operating cost. With the rising costs, it is every manufacturers dream to pass on higher cost to the end user. Unfortunately, today it’s a buyer’s market and one cannot burden the customer with additional cost. Hence, some of it has to be absorbed. Therefore, cost effective solutions to continuously upgrade quality has to be looked into at all times, in order to manage costs. In any manufacturing plant, the key to success is to have zero defects. Six Sigma, Kaizen or any other components are all modern tools to achieve zero defects. We have followed quality measures and have upgraded the shopfloor knowledge of each and every worker in order to ensure zero defects. However, quality can only be taught up to a certain extent; thereafter, it should be a part of one’s everyday life.
On cut-offs: Newspaper publication houses prefer smaller sizes. Anything between a compact tabloid and a smaller sheet will be the future. In my view, an ideal newspaper should not go, beyond one’s shoulders while reading.
On new media: I think mobiles etc. are only giving you alerts on news and people still wish to read an article at length. Reading on a mobile is cumbersome as compared to a tabloid or newspaper. Therefore, I do not perceive it as a threat at all.
On FDI in print: With globalisation there is no doubt that electronic media has grown phenomenally. Nevertheless, print media will always remain a key. Government’s stand to introduce 49% FDI in print media is encouraging as it will generate the participation of foreign media, which will enhance print and content to a certain degree. Many publications around the world may consider joining hands for printing in India if they have a financial interest; therefore overall it is a good move.
On hyper-local editions: This is good for our country. This is one way in which newspapers can have a bigger outreach in tier II and III cities; in their local dialects. Television news is limited to the main dialects, so newspapers with such a reach will be significant. It shall be good for the people and the industry.
What’s next: We are looking forward to introducing faster and highly advanced machines at competitive prices – and remain one of the a leading producer of web offset kit, worldwide.