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Mumbai Digital360 installs MGI digital press

July 12, 2010 | By Gregory Alvares

Digital360 is a brand of Kamal Offset – a printing company based in Mumbai since 1987. The company is a specialist print provider on all types of cards – paper, board and plastics. The paradigm shift from offset to digital was recent, in fact as late as 2009. The company installed a French make MGI DP60 in early April. It is a 4-colour press that can print on any substrate including textured paper, foil, PVC, polycarbonate, and vinyl. “The biggest advantage of this machine is its capability to print large size jobs – 13 x 18 inches, 13 x 26 inches and 13 x 39 inches – with coating. It can also print 13 x 59 but this requires some manual handling of the substrate. We evaluated other digital presses, compared all parameters and then took the call of buying the MGI,” said Vikas Choudhary, founder and CEO.

Vikas Choudhary beside the MGI DP 60

What are the business opportunities that Digital360 was looking at? “There are two segments actually. One is the paper printing business. We can offer end to end solution. Right from designing the concept to final product. Here we are looking at POS (Point Of Sale) displays, photo books and albums, books, desktop displays, brochures, posters, and labels with our complete in-house capabilities for all finishing and value addition like spot UV, and foiling as well. The other segment is the plastic card business. Be it government cards, insurance companies, loyalty cards, prepaid telephone cards and photo ID cards. We also see huge potential in the central govt funded UID project being executed by Nandan Nilekani. If the respective state governments decide on issuing cards of the UID, that’s going to be huge business. We are perfectly placed to execute such precision jobs,” said Choudhary.

So why the focus on digital business? According to Vikas short runs will be big business. It compliments the offset business. It also offers 95 per cent accuracy of output and is a far more organized business. “We can also offer a web based MIS interface to clients. Over time we will see only recognized players in this segment, we being one among them,” added Choudhary.

The set up, located in Lower Parel, is spread over couple of units and is pristine — clean and well organized. The entire set up is securitized considering the client demands. At the heart of it all is the MGI DP60. There is also the artwork studio, IT cell and dispatch department. “We offer our clients an art work facility too. Basically, we are not just into jobs, but also deliver the end solution. A client can walk in with just an idea. That’s ok. We will do the rest,” say Choudhary confidently.

Digital360 has complete high end plastic card finishing equipment including an automated card punching machine and an industrial type laminator, and a high speed hot foil stamping machine. In conclusion, Vikas Choudhary conveys great confidence in the potential of this segment.