Industry shifting from rotogravure to CI flexo mode, says Ramesh Panchal
At the recently concluded Hiplex 2023 in Hyderabad, Echaar Equipments highlighted its machines for the converting industry. Participating for the first time, the company highlighted key features of the CI Flexopress, Stack Flexo press, and the Solventless lamination machine. In CI Flexopresses, there were the Flexomaster HR600 and HR500; Flexodelight EL300 and HL400; and Flexosmart HR300 and HR200. The company’s fully automatic plate mounter was also shown. Book Cover
Calling it an Indian machine, Kirti Panchal, managing director, Echaar Equipments, discussed the Flexosmart series, the company’s recent innovation. “In the Flexosmart series, we have made a lot of improvements, customizing to the needs of the Indian industry.” Discussing other innovations, he adds, “Our fully automatic plate mounter has a unique technology of smart plate positioning. We are going for a patent.”
Panchal says the southern market has a big potential and the company got an opportunity at the event to interact with players and gain insights about the current trends and needs of the customers in the region. “The exhibition proved to be a good opportunity to get into the southern market.”
With four manufacturing units in Mumbai, the company says its core competency is manufacturing high alloy steel parts with accuracy and precision. “Even the European countries don’t have a manufacturing unit like Echaar,” said Panchal. The company has started making CI drums, an important part of CI flexo machines, indigenously in India.
According to Panchal, though many companies in India eye foreign machinery, once they get to witness a live demonstration of Echaar’s products, they will know its capabilities and will invest in its machines.
Reflecting on the current scenario in the industry Panchal says, “Our four installations in the last five years show the industry is growing exponentially. They show the market scenario and how the industry is nowhere near decline.”
The four installations are: a Flexomaster HR500 for Soparkar & Kothari Technologies, Ahmedabad; a Flexodelight HL 400 for Pioneer Packages, Kanpur; a Flexosmart HR300 (Gearless) for Flexure Print n Pack LLP, Ahmedabad; and a Flexomate GL250 (Gearless) for Om Papers in Bangalore.
Shedding light on the recent changes in the industry, Ramesh Panchal, chairman, Echaar Equipments said, “Due to the easy availability of plates for CI and less ink consumption, people are shifting from rotogravure machines to CI flexo machines for better ROI.” Panchal says the stakeholders need to be educated about the new technology so that the industry can move towards a better and economical mode.
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