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First Screen TruePress 344 installed at Sahaya Print Services in Mumbai

January 27, 2009

In the September 2008 issue of IPP Naresh Khanna writing about the Truepress 344 demo centre at Proteck’s plant in Chennai, guessed that this compact new technology multicolour press might find customers among the space challenged printers in the galas of industrial estates in Lower Parel, a hub of print shops in central Mumbai.

Mr Fernando and his sons Benny and Roshan with the Truepress 344 at Sahaya print, Mumbai

It so happens that the first buyer of the DI Truepress 344 is Sahaya Print, established in 1997. The promoter, Elizabathan Fernando, took the step of buying this technology through a chance meeting with a walk-in salesman of Proteck. The whole process took a month and a half before the machine was finally installed. There has been no looking back for this dynamic entrepreneur whose organisation’s motto is a simple, “We do not just print, we devote ourselves.” In the first working week of January 2009, Gregory Alvares of Indian Printer and Publisher’s Mumbai office interviewed Edgar Fernando, managing director of Sahaya Print Services Pvt. Ltd.

Gregory Alvares: What was the rationale behind buying the Truepress 344 digital offset press?
Fernando: The objective was to target the short run print business. We believe there is huge potential in this category. A typical commercial printer would mostly target big jobs, ignoring the other small businesses. When actually, there is huge potential in this small run segment. Also, by buying this machine, I am freeing capacity of my bigger Heidelberg machines thus opening scope for more big print jobs.

It all happened rather quickly when a salesperson, walked in and explained the features of the machine. I was coincidentally keen on buying another machine but undecided on which one. Some quick discussions and negotiations followed -- resulting in the final buying decision. [The Screen Truepress 344 was actually installed and commissioned in the first half of December 2008.]

GA: What is your job experience on the Truepress 344? What is the level of customer satisfaction?
Fernando: We have done quite a few jobs already and our customers are satisfied with the output. On the job experience has been tremendous. The Truepress 344 is no doubt a good machine for the long term. Being software/IT driven, our outputs are only getting better by the day. Every day is a learning experience. Our outputs are only evolving for the better. We are expecting 100 per cent quality output within the next 15 to 20 days.

GA: What is the viability of the machine?
Fernando: It is a viable investment provided the machine is running for 16 hours a day. Also, this machine is ideal for those in the prepress business, considering that this is a software-controlled technology. Large printers, not proficient with prepress, would take some more time to adjust to all the functionalities. This could also mean average output and possible loss of business.

GA: Describe your relationship with Heidelberg?
Fernando: We were among the first in Western India to buy the Heidelberg SM 74. Thus we helped open up for them the Mumbai market. We have a long-standing and healthy relationship with Heidelberg.

GA: Do you have a CtP set up?
Fernando: Yes we do. We were earlier on a Lotem filmsetter. We have now migrated to a Kodak Magnus CtP.

GA: What is your general take on the current flux in the economy?
Fernando: I believe this is the right time to invest. Prices are at low levels. Organisations with decent cash-flows and sound business principles, (considering the Satyam mayhem) must go in for expansion. There is bound to be a turnaround in the economy. It’s just a matter of time. Also, the Indian economy is built on a solid foundation. So we will survive the current flux.

GA: What is the future of the small and medium printers?
Fernando: If they do not modernize, they will definitely perish. Technology upgradation is of primary importance. I see the fly by night operators vanishing. The future is bright for those with sound businesses, integrity and modern technology.