The Nashik-based company has bought a six-colour plus UV coater Rapida 75 Pro, a Bobst Novacut 106E and a Bobst Ambition A1 folder-gluer.

Sakal Group chairman Pratap Pawar, said: “We have been running a successful newspaper and commercial printing business, and diversification into packaging segment, though a new one for us, is only a natural progression.”

The group aims to target the pharmaceuticals, beverages and FMCG sectors.

The plant is expected to be up and running by this October. Pawar said setting up the Nashik plant is only the first stage: “Sakal has 12 printing units across [the state of] Maharashtra and we hope to extend each of the 12 units with a packaging arm.”