Saicom Code overcomes lockdown hurdles using Konica Minolta’s digital printing solutions

Installed Konica Minolta’s Accurio Label 230 Digital Label Printing at its Sonipat plant

400
Saicom
A Konica Minolta’s Accurio Label 230 Digital Label Printing Machine

In the wake of the mandated pan-India lockdown, Saicom Code, one of the leading label converters in the country, has switched to digital label production to keep the supply of essential goods and services in seamless motion. To achieve this, the company is leveraging Accurio Label 230 Digital Label Printing solution from Konica Minolta, major digital solution provider in the country from print business perspective.

With label production facilities in North, East, and West India, Saicom Code produces pressure-sensitive labels for various industries such as Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Oil, Food, Liquor, Perfume among others. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government of India implemented a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of infectious disease. Against this backdrop, the demand for labels of essential goods including preventive medicines, sanitizers, liquid soaps, health supplements, cough syrups, among others registered a massive surge.

Consequently, manufacturing companies required labels urgently in small batches and at regular intervals to cope with the sudden spike in demand. To bridge this extraordinary need-gap and in view of the impaired supply chains amid the lockdown, the company decided to embrace the power of innovation. In sync with this, Saicom Code, under its production business vertical Sai Digistik, has met all the urgent label requirements on Konica Minolta Accurio Label 230 label printing machine at its Sonipat Plant.

Harish Gupta, director, Saicom Code, said, “To overcome the mobility restrictions imposed by the lockdown, we decided to print labels digitally to enable immediate delivery of labels to the manufacturers of essential goods and services such as soap, sanitizer, medicines, among others. Besides the travel restrictions, the other main challenge we had to deal with was the low workforce availability. This is exactly where Konica Minolta came to the rescue by resolving the lockdown-induced operational bottle necks. After receiving the required permissions from the government authority managing essential goods services, we started digital label production on Konica Minolta digital label production system. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Konica Minolta engineering team that supported the production remotely by offering the technical expertise required to improve productivity during these difficult times.”

Manish Gupta, general manager, PP and IP marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions India, commented, “We are pleased to have Saicom Code as our patron. Driven by the motive of supporting humanity, Saicom is leveraging its expertise to enable the industry to meet the present-day requirements. Doing so, Saicom has created an unbreakable bond with its end-customers by serving as unflinching support during the stressful manufacturing environment.”

Speaking on the advantages of digital label production, Manish Gupta added, “Digital label production process has few advantages, like short turnaround time, variable data printing, quick delivery time, ease of operation with one labor, fast job changeover, less media wastage, and cleaner environment.”

With a maximum print speed of 23.4m/min and a warm-up time of less than 30 seconds, the Accurio Label 230 is designed to deliver superlative value addition through best-in-class print quality, productivity, and operational flexibility. It facilitates higher print output and faster turnaround times between print jobs and is capable of handling a wide range of print media – including non-tack/tack paper, tack coated paper G/M, synthetic paper, PP, and PET – and thicknesses of up to 256 gsm.

Besides its operational speed and flexibility, the Accurio Label 230 differentiates itself from competing products with its unique overprinting solution that automatically adjusts the overprint position for accurate registration; this reduces print wastage and lowers operational costs for print businesses. The machine also comes equipped with advanced variable data printing (VDP) capabilities, making it perfect for short-run print jobs that require a high degree of personalisation. Its compact, ergonomic design also makes it possible for the Accurio Label 230 to be installed in large print setups alongside other machines, as well as in smaller print shops.

The impact, resilience, and growth of responsible packaging in a wide region are daily chronicled by Packaging South Asia.

A multi-channel B2B publication and digital platform such as Packaging South Asia is always aware of the prospect of new beginnings and renewal. Its 16-year-old print monthly, based in New Delhi, India has demonstrated its commitment to progress and growth. The Indian and Asian packaging industries have shown resilience in the face of ongoing challenges over the past three years.

As we present our publishing plan for 2023, India’s real GDP growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 will reach 6.3%. Packaging industry growth has exceeded GDP growth even when allowing for inflation in the past three years.

The capacity for flexible film manufacturing in India increased by 33% over the past three years. With orders in place, we expect another 33% capacity addition from 2023 to 2025. Capacities in monocartons, corrugation, aseptic liquid packaging, and labels have grown similarly. The numbers are positive for most of the economies in the region – our platform increasingly reaches and influences these.

Even given the disruptions of supply chains, raw material prices, and the challenge of responsible and sustainable packaging, packaging in all its creative forms and purposes has significant headroom to grow in India and Asia. Our context and coverage engulf the entire packaging supply chain – from concept to shelf and further – to waste collection and recycling. We target brand owners, product managers, raw material suppliers, packaging designers and converters, and recyclers.

In an admittedly fragmented and textured terrain, this is the right time to plan your participation and marketing support communication – in our impactful and highly targeted business platform. Tell us what you need. Speak and write to our editorial and advertising teams! For advertisement ads1@ippgroup.in , for editorial info@ippgroup.in and for subscriptions subscription@ippgroup.in

– Naresh Khanna

Subscribe Now
unnamed 1

NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our Newsletter

As 2023 begins and FY 23-24 unfolds, will you support us?

What lies in store for the packaging industry in India and South Asia this coming year? Inflation, disruption of supply chains or environmental regulation? Or the resumption of high rural demand, continued investment and industry consolidation? Whatever happens, Packaging South Asia will be there, providing clarity and independent technical and business information in India and South Asia and around the world. We are a compact Indian organization bringing a window of fair and rigorous technical and business information that the industry can access this year and beyond. Please support us with your advertising and subscriptions, to keep us going and growing.

Thank you.