The centre is called Sigma Institute of Screen Printing (SISP). Narendra Paruchuri, managing director of Pragati Offset inaugurated the institute in the presence of dignitaries from the screen-printing industry on 3 July 2011.

Highlighting the importance of practical training in screen-printing, Paruchuri recalled that two of his company’s staff had benefited from a three-day workshop at DMI in Vasai.

He said, "competition is an unavoidable factor in the market, and it is necessary for printers to be innovative. This requires regular up-to-date knowledge and institutes such as DMI or the newly opened Sigma Institute for screen printing will go a long way in boosting the screen printing industry.

Paruchuri added, "behind every award-winning job at Pragati there is some value addition (special effects) done through the screen-printing process."

SISP, headed by Dhiren Shah, houses facilities required for training. It includes: pre-press and a screen-making set-up, along with Grafica’s Nano-Print and Nano-UV, plus a sample gallery. Initially, the training will be for one or two days and shall cater to the Andhra Pradesh market.

Sigma Corporation is a dealer for screen and offset printing materials, and caters to print firms in Andhra Pradesh. Also, they are dealers for Grafica’s Nano screen printing machines.

"Over the years, we found there was something lacking in our business without the dealership of screen-printing machines. Once we had Grafica’s dealership, we thought it appropriate to start a screen-printing institute so that customers can get basic training," said Dhiren Shah.