Delhi-based Kwality Offset Printers, which specializes in the manufacture of wet glue and self-adhesive labels, has installed a new Gallus ECS 340 press at its plant. The 8-color narrow-web flexo press, installed just before the lockdown was announced in India in end March 2020, features a cold foil unit and a premium matrix removal unit. Krish Chhatwal of Kwality Offset Printers said, “The Gallus ECS 340 is a sturdy press with high speed and efficiency. It is a cost-effective press with quick makeready time and low wastage. Addition of the new press has increased our capacity by about 10%.”

Established in 1972, Kwality Offset used to produce cartons and cups for the ice cream industry using a letterpress. A decade later it installed an offset press and entered the label printing business, producing beer labels. Since then the company has added flexo and digital technologies to its existing offset unit. And all the three technologies are currently being used at its Naraina plant, Delhi, to produce a wide range of labels to cater to various customer needs.

With the new Gallus ECS 340 press, the company has now three flexo presses at its plant. In addition, for digital label printing, Kwality Offset has a Xeikon 3030 Plus label press installed in 2017. The company also runs two Heidelberg presses for offset label printing.

Kwality Offset has also invested in Packz software to help reduce mistakes during pre-flight stage of the artworks and increase the efficiency of its prepress department.

Speaking about the challenges during the pandemic, Chhatwal said, “Major challenges are in terms of decrease in cash flow and skilled manpower availability. We are aiming towards more automation and only for high quality jobs. We welcome the government’s initiatives in terms of availability of more loans, but we really think some part of fixed costs should have been covered by the government, especially for MSME.”