As we wrote in our August issue in the current financial year to 31 March 2016, the number of packaging configuration presses installed are likely to be similar as the previous year — anywhere from 14 to 17. This number of mostly 104 to 106 cm and some in the 74and75 cm is still holding. These number sare in fact strengthening especially if one adds a new wrinkle to these ‘dream machines’ such as a 6- color coater with interdeck and end of press UV curing being imported in the 36-inch (92 cm) size in Western India. Many of these are of course sales from the previous year which are being installed this year for various reasons such as new buildings not being ready, or extra options being shipped after the main machine is installed.
Significantly while most monocarton investments are in plants near or surrounding the major metros and 15 or 20 packaging clusters in the country, increasingly there are structured investments in the smaller cities and towns. Structured investment often means first buying brand new diecutters and folder-gluers even along with a good quality but used 6-color plus coater press. Laminators for applying metallized polyester to board have also become popular as have professional packaging software solutions along with sample making and creasing tables. This points to a slight shift in how the monocarton business is growing – although the brand new 6 and 7-color plus UV presses are the most glamorous acquisitions, converters are increasingly realizing the complexity of setting up a structured plant and the various relatively smaller investments that are crucial in making these successful.
Converting capacity creation
In converting we expect this year to have reached about 100 new machines – approximately 35 diecutters, 35 folder-gluerinstallations, perhaps 10 laminators and 20 coaters. The overwhelming majority of the new diecutters, perhaps 10 will be from Bobst while another 5 or 7 may come from Brausse and others. Bobst will install about 25 folder-gluers while another 10 may come from others, mostly manufacturers.Itis also likely that about 20 Indianmade Autoprint Repettodiecutterswill sell perhaps half a dozen within the country.
In addition at least a dozen computer driven cutting and creasing sample makers in the monocarton segment will be added. Professional packaging software as opposed to multi-purpose shrink wrapped software such as Autocad and merely Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator are also being seen as must haves for their quality, efficiency and productivity in the packaging supply chain.
