India-based printer Hora Arts Centre has invested in a Xeikon 3500 label press, opening up new opportunities to the family-run business.
Based in Noida (Delhi NCR), Hora Arts Centre is a short-run packaging and label supplier to global manufacturers of white goods and electronics, such as Panasonic, LG and Samsung. Printing is done using offset, flexo, screen and digital. The company is currently managed by the second generation of the Hora family, Pradeep and Sanjay, and in the past year the third generation has also joined the business.
The Xeikon 3500 has been installed at its plant in Ranjangaon near Pune in Western India. This is the first digital press installed at this site. It is also the first 20in wide digital label press in Western India, according to Xeikon.
The investment was made to ensure that labels reach customers’ just-in-time production lines in the region. The digital press also gives Hora Arts Centre creative opportunities to explore new markets.
Shailender Kapoor, plant head in Noida, said, ‘Frankly, this decision is based on our customers’ demand, and this was also the reason why we set up the plant in Ranjangaon years ago. We needed to replicate our digital capabilities in that region to help us supply special labels at very short notice, even on a Saturday morning or a Sunday or at any time, and to keep the customers’ assembly lines running.’
Already familiar with the production capabilities of narrower digital presses in the Noida plant, Kapoor and Sanjay Hora have identified the Xeikon press as an important investment for the future.
‘Because of its technical capabilities and its 20in width, the Xeikon 3500 digital label press is exactly what we need. It will help our assembly lines run 24/7 without a hitch and cater to each client’s specific type of label,’ said Sanjay Hora. ‘We have done our homework, and while we are not keen to say too much before we have worked with the machine in production for a reasonable length of time, we are confident about its reliability.’
Ramneek and Shivam Hora, who recently joined the family business, are equally enthusiastic. They see the new Xeikon installation as an adventure with many opportunities.
‘The Xeikon 3500s capability of printing with invisible inks for brand protection and anti-counterfeiting requirements are important features for our customers,’ said Ramneek Hora. “For us, the new press also opens up an opportunity for learning, discovering and being creative. We can see innovations and new products for our existing customers and the possibility of diversification into new areas as well – for instance wallpapers. As the press is capable of printing with food safety compliant inks, it can be used for short runs, personalised paper cups and other new products too.’
Such diversification will be facilitated by the capabilities of the Xeikon 3500 digital label press. This includes printing ion heavier stock such as 350gsm paperboard for mono-cartons at 9.6m/min. The fifth print unit of the Xeikon 3500 can be used for coating applications or for special colours, including a flat white. The Xeikon 3500 press is capable of printing heat transfer, water transfer, and IML, and continuous length wallpaper materials. Production of continuous lengths of roll-to-roll wallpaper designs is of particular interest to Hora Arts Centre.
Vikram Saxena, general manager, sales at Xeikon in India, said, ‘We consider Hora Arts Centre as an important player in India and we are delighted to partner with its ambitious growth plans. At Xeikon, we are pleased to have a customer that is keen to bring new applications to market and use some of the unique features and capabilities that the 3500 digital press offers.’
