Printing industry in India
The printing industry in India[1] is a large industry in that country.
Printing, means of producing reproductions of written material or images in multiple copies. There are four traditional types of printing: relief printing (with which this article is mainly concerned), intaglio, lithography, and screen process printing. Relief printing encompasses type, stereotype, electrotype, and letterpress. Flexographic printing is a form of rotary letterpress printing using flexible rubber plates and rapid-drying inks.
Printing Industry
The Indian Print Industry has undergone a revolutionary change in the last 15 years. In 1990, India initiated a process of reforms aimed at shedding protectionism and embracing liberalization of the economy. Privatization was initiated with the aim of integrating the [[Indian economy]] with the world economy. This change opened the doors for the Indian Print Industry to modernize, by investing in the latest of technology and machinery. The average compound annual growth rate has been higher than 12% over the last 15 years. Our packaging industry is currently growing at a rate of more than 16% a year. Prior to 1990, most printers found it easy to invest in East German and Czechoslovakian machines. Post 1990, the trend has been to acquire the latest and the best equipment & machines. The progressive printers of today are equipped with the latest computer controlled printing machines and flow lines for binding, while state of the art digital technologies are being used in pre-press. Leading print companies have optimized the use of information technology in each and every area of their business. These printers are today equipped at par with the best print production facilities in the world.
Today, India is fast becoming one of the major print producer & manufacture of printed paper products for the world markets. The quality standards have improved dramatically and immense production capacities have been created. Some printers have won recognition by winning prizes at international competition for excellence in printing. The current annual turnover of all the components in the Indian printing industry are more than Rs.50,000 crores. That is in the region of USD 11 Billion.
Indian books, journals and printing jobs, etc. are being exported to over 120 countries of the world both developed and developing. Indian exports of books, printed pamphlets, newspapers& periodicals, job printing and printed materials during 2004-05 was estimated to the tune of USD 550 million.
Overview
The compounded annual growth rate of the Indian Printing Industry is estimated to be 12.2% for the period 2007-12. The objective is to achieve 60% growth by the year of 2014. The printing industry of India is highly fragmented. Newspapers and magazine publishing section have the large printers apart from a few in package,label and commercial printing. About 77% of the printing houses are family-owned. From 2002 inwards the government allowed foreign investment. Foreign investors can now invest up to 26% in daily newspapers and 100% in scientific or other publications with government approval. Printing sector has evolved from a manufacturing industry into a service industry in India of late. Publishing have come up to the international standards as well.
Most of the large printers are found in big cities of Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Sivakasi, which has emerged as a commercial printing hub and accounts for a major share of exports from the Indian printing industry.
The Indian printing industry will reach nearly $20.9 billion by 2015, a government official said Thursday at the ninth edition of the international exhibition on printing and allied machinery industries (PAMEX 2013) which was inaugurated at Greater Noida near here. The event is hosting about 258 exhibitors from 22 countries with approximately 26,000 visitors. With the exponential growth, the organisers expect India to become the largest printing market by 2015 aided by low-cost production and ready-to-adopt new technology. The event is also being supported by the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) and the Federation of Indian Publishers. It is the only dedicated international exhibition for the industry organised in Asia.