Playing cards were a preferred mode of social gatherings till they were overshadowed by smartphones and the internet. In India, playing cards on various occasions, festivals, and celebrations such as Diwali helped in building strong relations while following the age-old rituals and traditions.Â
Card games provide a bundle of health benefits to players – improving social skills, keeping the mind sharp and active, developing patience, alleviating stress, boosting memory skills, and enhancing cognitive and motor skills. While some like them for the thrill and profit of gambling, others see playing card games as a way to flex their powers of memory, concentration, and daring.
The rising number of cafes specializing in cards and board games across Indian cities has contributed to the market growth. Ministry of Games, Creeda Board Game Cafe, Hoppipola, Pair-a-dice Cafe in Mumbai; Abongchiiz in New Delhi; Dice N Dine in Bengaluru; and Get On Board Cafe in Hyderabad promote card and board games among millennials. Many offices offer card games as a recreational option for employees during work breaks.Â
Playing cards printed at Chandni Industries. Photo PSAWith the use of smartphones and internet addiction in urban areas, card games seem to have gained popularity for recreational and entertainment purposes in rural areas. The Coronavirus pandemic led to a huge increase in the sales of playing cards and board games as people were cooped up in homes due to the lockdowns announced after the outbreak and the promotion of WFH (work from home) culture. According to the latest data from DataIntelo, the global playing cards market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.5% during the forecast period from 2016-2030.
Chandni Industries diversifies into packaging
Chandni Industries, one of the leading playing card manufacturers in India, installed a brand-new Suprasetter A 106 CtP with Prinect Workflow recently because of its in-built registration punch, good quality, and speed at high resolution.Â
The company, which has acquired the Proman version of the Prinect software appropriate for packaging, diversified into monocartons and corrugated boxes in 2021 as managing director Vipul Jain felt that the playing cards business was stagnating in India. The company experienced numerous hiccups in the packaging segment initially, including targeting customers and the fierce competition in pricing. Nevertheless it has grown in monocartons and it presently provides packaging to the pharma and toys segments.
The company uses an SM 74 plus coater Heidelberg press (acquired in 2017), another SM 74 from Heidelberg and a Bestech printing machine along with a Robus die-cutter and a DGM folder gluer. All machines, apart from the Bestech one, were acquired in the last 3-4 years.
Chandni Industries moved to its present premises in the Bahri Industrial Estate in Sonepat, in the Delhi NCR in 2017. The company began manufacturing playing cards initially from its plant in the Wazirpur Industrial Area in New Delhi in 1973. Started by the present owner’s father CP Jain, it supplies playing cards across the country through its network of dealers in Chennai, Vijayawada, Patna, Delhi, Ahmedabad and other major cities.
Spread over a total built-up area of 40,000 square feet, Chandni Industries has more than 10 registered brands offering 40 distinct designs of playing cards. Its popular playing cards are priced between Rs 10 and Rs 50 per deck.
