PrintPack 2011 transpires at a time when there's a raging debate which says: Change is too expensive; but the status quo is unsustainable. Print company CEOs are saying, the cost of changing existing print production routines in India seems too high, but the cost of not changing is, in the long term, even higher. This is a huge predicament for print firms. What is your view?
Cost of change in existing print production depends upon the new technologies, which you choose. Ultimately the cost is to be borne by the customer. Change is required as per the demand of the market, whoever brings the new technology first, wins.

Today, trust in major manufacturers (Indian and international) has declined. How does one pick and choose who are the winners and the losers?
Aligning strategically with the winners is key to success. There is a mushrooming of growth among Indian and international manufacturers in every product. Some are standard and some non-standard. Branded products are still dependable, but it is costlier.

We think higher raw material costs and shortages will be the main issues in 2011.
Due to forward trading in all products, the government is unable to check prices. The manufacturer will remain under severe pressure to find the proper balance between the cost of production and sale prices. Unless and until the prices remain stable, there is always a risk in booking long delivery orders.

Under such circumstances, what should be a good strategy for a print firm in India?
The best thing in India is that in-spite of inconsistent supply of electricity, inadequate infrastructure, inefficient and corrupt bureaucracy and unrealistic price of raw material, our economy is booming.

PrintPack 2011, with more than 400 exhibitors has everything up for grabs.
In PrintPack 2011, we will see something new in digital print; plus some new and better processing softwares. The number of exhibitors who manufacture products may increase.

What are the new technologies we should expect during PrintPack 2011?
With the rise in literate population and race between big newspaper to cover each and every corner of India with their headlines, the newspaper industry is exporting not only imported, 4x1 presses but at the same time buying two by one presses manufactured in India. India is the largest manufacturer of 2x1 web offset presses in the world. Today, K K Printing Machines is the third largest manufacturer of 2x1 presses made in India after Manugraph and TPH.

Will the traditional players dominate; or will some new players do well too?
When digital printing cost will be comparable to cold set printing cost, the digital printing presses will replace coldset machine. We have to wait and watch when this will happen.