Amber Packagers in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is today a powerhouse in packaging printing and conversion – an organisation that needs no introduction. Yet, two decades ago, it held no significant position in the industry. Its transformation from the vision of a founder with no business background into a standout force in packaging is not only remarkable but deeply inspiring. Komori India has played a pivotal role in this journey, supplying Amber Packagers with the right machines and steadfast support.

Here goes the story, narrated by Wafa Abbas, managing director of Amber Group. He says, “We under Amber Group are basically two companies – one is Amber Press and the other is Amber Packagers (India). It all started gradually after my graduation in 1998. I was born and brought up in a middle-class family with no connection to any business; so, many around me opposed to my idea of starting a business. But my passion and determination finally brought me to this stage of where we are today at Amber Group.”

First print order

“In 1998, I was ‘Mr. UP’ and ‘Mr. Lucknow’. At a fashion show in Delhi around 2000, I met an IAS officer who was the chief guest. We continued to meet regularly thereafter. At the time, I was unemployed, with no source of income, and even my weekly expenses were hard to manage. One day, the officer gave me a visiting card and said, ‘Wafa, get this printed somewhere. It will at least cover the petrol expenses for your motorcycle.’ I got it printed at a friend’s press for Rs 350 or Rs 250, and I managed to save Rs 100, which genuinely covered my fuel for the week. I realised this could work and decided to pursue it. That is how my business journey began – with small orders,” recounts Abbas.

In 2002, Amber Group established Amber Press as its commercial division focused on offset printing. As the demand for premium packaging boxes grew, the group launched Amber Print Pack in 2018 to cater specifically to this segment. In 2021, it further diversified into manufacturing non-woven fabric products, including bags. The following year marked a major milestone, as all operations of Amber Print Pack were consolidated into the newly launched Amber Packagers (India) – a strategic move that introduced the group’s fully automated packaging plant, equipped with a suite of advanced Komori presses.

Major technological transition

From 2002 to 2015, Amber Group operated solely with a set of pre-owned machines. “Our major technological transition came in 2015 when the sales team from Komori India approached us. Among them, Sahil Ajmani – who is still with the company – encouraged us to invest in around five to six machines. I will always remain thankful to him for his consistent support and warm cooperation,” says Abbas. He adds, “Our decision to invest in our first brand-new machine worth Rs 2 crore was a major challenge. We had to prepare ourselves mentally for it, but we eventually took the step – and succeeded.”

Abbas continues, “The first brand-new Komori machine we purchased in 2015 – a Lithrone GL37 – is still running efficiently in our facility. With this press, we could print in 24 hours what our six pre-owned machines collectively produced earlier. It is truly a tension-free machine. It’s plug-and-play – you simply load the job and forget it, because the Lithrone GL37 takes care of everything flawlessly. And if it ever stops, one phone call is enough; the Komori team resolves any issue within 24 hours. Problems with Komori presses are rare, and when they do occur, the solution is immediate.”

Growth and expansion

With the brand new Lithrone GL37 in 2015, Amber Group significantly grew its business. “After the all new Komori machine, our growth graph had shot up rapidly because we tremendously increased our production capacity and print quality. We could maintain the strictest delivery deadlines for finished products as per our customers’ demands and desire. All could be done with our confidence boosted by the tension-free brand new Komori machine,” says Abbas.

Amber Group’s production facility originally occupied a modest 10,000 sq ft, spread across three floors of roughly 3,000 sq ft each. “As we grew from one stage to the next, we established a new campus with nearly 80,000 sq ft of built-up area in Kakori, about 20 km from Lucknow city. Following this expansion, we purchased our second brand-new Komori machine in 2018 – another Lithrone G37, which serves as an excellent substitute for the commonly used 28×40-size unit in book printing. For us, it is the ideal machine for book production, as it saves plates, time, and power, and requires less space. It delivers the same trouble-free performance as our first Komori machine installed in 2015,” says Abbas.

Latest acquisitions

Satisfied with Komori’s technology, Amber Group purchased its third Lithrone G37 in 2019. “With our continuous expansion – both in infrastructure and machinery – we steadily strengthened our presence in the packaging segment. In 2023, we finalised a deal with Komori India for a brand-new six-colour machine with coater, the Lithrone GL40 Advance, which was installed the following year,” says Abbas. “Today, we confidently operate four Komori machines, and we deliver every order to our customers with 100% on-time commitment.”

Sustainability initiatives

“Here the real question is: What are we giving to our future generations—a polluted country or a clean one? In this sense, I believe that operating a fleet of Komori machines has truly benefited us and allowed us to contribute to society. These Lithrone presses do not use alcohol, making them eco-friendly. Secondly, the power consumption of each Komori machine we use is significantly lower than that of other machines in their category. For these reasons, I believe we are making a contribution to the global movement toward eco-friendly and sustainable printing, and packaging conversion,” says Abbas.

Furthering its commitment to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), Amber Group established the Amber Foundation Trust. “We allocate a portion of our income to the trust, through which we have carried out numerous social initiatives over the past three years. So far, we have conducted over 2,500 cataract operations and distributed spectacles to 25,000 people – individuals who could not even afford Rs 100–500 for eye care. Today, the lives of these 30,000–35,000 people have been positively impacted under the Amber umbrella,” shares Abbas. Another initiative, Collector Bitiya (Collector’s Daughter), focuses on supporting girls aspiring to prepare for Civil Service Examinations.