Halfway point: From A to Z Drupa – Sunday column by Noel DCunha

And for automatic printing. The Coimbatore-based group was busy with international buyers from 22 countries who were interested in the newly introduced Checkmate 50 UV coating and inspection machine.

B is for Bindwel he was busy. We saw some of the Bengaluru-based company’s international clients. When we were at their stand. A huge contingent from Morocco shared their views on Bindline, which was launched a year ago.

The Bindwel team with their client MAPAF Morocco

C for Canon. Canon and Heidelberg have announced a global partnership for inkjet printing sales and services. With this partnership, the German giant will launch its own inkjet product, based on the newly announced Canon B2 sheet-fed inkjet machine and the well-known B3 sheet-fed inkjet machine.

D for Drupa. Drupa 2024 is already the 13th edition. The first Drupa took place over 50 years ago, in 1951. Experts suggest that this event can be compared to the Olympic Games, as it showcases the world’s leading suppliers of machinery, materials, software and services for the industry. However, unlike the Olympic Games, Drupa is always held in the same place. For those who have never been to Drupa, it takes place in 17 rooms, each slightly larger than a football pitch.

E for Education. And the group that’s driving this is Line O Matic. Sultans of Stationery based in Ahmedabad. The company presented four of its machines. Among them, Bolt RB104 is the company’s flagship, fully automatic exercise book.

F for Fujifilm. We spotted the Revoria GC 12500, the world’s first B2 XL toner-based press, and the Revoria PC 1120 digital press. As Priyatosh Kumar told us: “Our products are designed for increased productivity and expanded applications. These products embody our vision for the future of printing in India.”

G is for Gmund Papers. The leading European paper manufacturer headquartered in Germany has launched several new paper lines in January 2025 specifically designed for the Indian market. With over 200 years of experience in producing beautiful, high-quality papers made from 100% plant fibers, Gmund brings its sustainable and innovative products to India. The company will partner with Srinivas Paper and Jay Raj Fine Paper based in Mumbai.

H is for HP. The digital event showcased eight automated production lines. Meanwhile, in India, Swiss Pac has secured the HP Indigo 25K to increase its packaging ambitions.

Me for India. But I’m also in favor of an inkjet printer. We’ll tell you more…

J is for Jean-Pascal Bobst, who is the CEO of the Bobst Group. He said: “Our solutions enable printers and converters to go digital.” What’s impressive is that a packaging company has a product for every element of the production line, thus enabling a smooth, end-to-end workflow.

K is for Konica Minolta, which presented 20 new products at Drupa. Our attention was caught by the Accuriojet 60000, which takes first place.

L is for Landa. Landa’s show attracted eyeballs. Landa S11 and S11P nanograph presses provided production versatility, achieving printing speeds of 11,200 s/h. The samples look yum. But what about Capex and Opex?

M is for Made in India. With 76 exhibitors from India and a net floor area of ​​approximately 4,700 m2, India is among the top 10 countries at Drupa, ranking 4th.

N is for NBG. Also N is for Narendra Paruchuri. The president of Pragati Group of Companies confirmed an order for two Hongming 4030M machines with a double head and a double feeder at the NBG stand.

About for Orange printers. Orange is one of two Indian printing companies (the other is Imprint Technopack) that has signed a contract with Fogra. This means that they have committed to undergoing the Fogra PSO certification process.

On May 31, the Fogra PSO certification agreement was signed at the Drupa fair

P is for Pharma. P is for Pratham. All eyes were on the fully automated outsert system with automatic robotic tray packaging at the 188 m2 stand.

Question for QuantumJet. Faridabad-based APL Machinery has unveiled its QuantumJet digital printing machine, which the company says is a testament to its commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology. According to the company, years of continuous research and development have culminated in the creation of a revolutionary technology that promises to redefine the standards of excellence in printing.

R is for Ramesh Kejriwal. He was voted number one in PrintWeek’s Power 100 for 2024. The Maharaja of monocartons was caught saying ‘vankkam’ to ITC’s SN Venkataraman. By the way, the May anniversary issue of PrintWeek can be found on Drupa’s media shelves. Just in case you want to shoot the “shelf” in the 274-page special issue.

S is for Shah. Pradeep Shah, who informed us that the second CI flexo press from the Manugraph factory in Kolhapur is on its way to the customer’s premises in Japan. This is a huge achievement for the Made in India brand. It also says a lot about the patience of the Manugraph team. Pradeep Shah is a golfer. He tells us: “The most important mantra in the game of golf is that you must learn patience to achieve success. You need to have a plan and stick to it to reach your goal. There are no shortcuts.”

T for TPH. India’s first fully domestically manufactured seven-color inkjet printing machine was an eye-catcher at the exhibition. If you haven’t seen it, please listen to this conversation with Rishab Kohli from TPH Orient Group (Building the future of printing and packaging).

U is for Uflex. The group achieved a solid fourth quarter of FY24, achieving sales volume of 1,57,847 MTPA, net revenue of Rs 34,967 million and adjusted EBITDA of Rs 4,550 million. At Drupa, Uflex unleashed its technological power. Target: To achieve EBITDA of Rs 2000 cr by FY25.

V is for VariJet. Together with its partner Koenig & Bauer, Durst presented the single-pass VariJet 106 press at the exhibition, during which production processes were regularly demonstrated. VariJet 106 supports the B1 format and achieves a printing speed of 5,500 sheets per hour. Thanks to the hybrid design, several finishing units can optionally be integrated into the VariJet.

In for wide format. As part of it, Fujifilm Group presented a technical preview of the new 1.6 m wide Acuity Triton printer. The Acuity Triton project brings together two titans of the large-format inkjet printer industry. The equipment is manufactured in Japan by Mutoh. Aquafuze ink is developed and manufactured by Fujifilm based on its unrivaled track record of ink innovation.

X for Xeikon. Xeikon has announced the appointment of Printers Supply Co as its distributor for the Indian market. Amitabh Luthra told us that the partnership will officially launch on June 1, 2024.

Y is for Jen. And Japanese production. And RMGT. Three Indian customers have already finalized contracts for the installation of RMGT presses at Drupa. These include an eight-color perfect press and two four-color RMGT 9 series presses. Several more deals are in the pipeline, Vinay Kaushal of Provin Technos told PrintWeek.

Z is for Zund. Kochi-based Purandara signed the contract for the S3 M800 sampler at the Zund stand.

Raju Kutty from Purandara signs the contract for the Zund S3 M 800 sampler

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If you have any Drupa updates, please share them with Dibyajyoti Sarma and Charmiane Alexander