The packaging producer of Kala Amb not only standardizes process but also takes advantage of the capabilities like compact footprint and run-length flexibility of the KODAK Achieve Process-free CtP.

In the year 1999, one of Kala Amb’s leading packaging businesses got established when Sh. Vijay Kumar Aggarwal decided to diversify from his ‘Kirana’ family business. His son, Mr.Anirudh Aggarwal was doing his graduation at that time and has remained a part of the business ever since. The young business had already installed its first fully automatic 5-ply corrugation plant by the year 2008. In 2010 they installed their first Offset Printing machine which brought their printing also ‘in-house’; earlier it had been outsourced to Narayana (Delhi). The company today produces mono cartons, flute cartons, fancy cartons and master box cartons and supplies to leading industries in the entire region.

All these years the plate requirements of Jai Ambey Containers Pvt. Ltd. were being met through PS (Pre-Sensitized) plates based workflow. Down the years when they started facing issues of quality and non-availability of films, they procured an old CtP. That CtP helped them to familiarize with the Computer-To-Plate process. They used that old CtP, also a Kodak, for quite some time. The present Kodak, the Achieve CtP is a state-of-the-art, process-free, advanced technology and absolute production friendly device. “We are very impressed with the quality it produces,” says Anirudh. They installed the latest Kodak CtP last year in 2021. Describing the Kodak device, he says, “Being a process-free device, it went perfectly in line with our requirements – we wanted an environmentally friendly and chemical free plate production platform. It eliminates all the associated hassles – including disposal of harmful chemicals as is the case with conventional systems. Moreover, Himachal Pradesh has stricter environmental norms than other places and having a chemical free production environment keeps you out of the usual passing, certification, approvals and audits etc. pressures.”

What played a deciding role in favour of the Kodak Achieve process free CtP were the device’s multi-faceted advantages. It proved a perfect solution in terms of space, thanks to its compact profile. Another advantage was the run-length advantage – the device is absolutely flexible in terms of offering run-length variability to customers. Last but not the least was standardization of the whole process with just one device. “Anirudh and his team has been reprinting with the Sonora process free plates for almost all repeat jobs thus saving costs and adding to their bottom line – another advantage of having a Kodak process free CTP,” informs Natesh Puri, National Manager Plates & Chemicals and Packaging Segment at Eastman Kodak Company.

“As demands increased and production expanded, it was high time to go for standardization of processes. CtP was one of the foremost areas we focused and hence the Kodak Achieve happened for us,” says Anirudh.

Though cost difference of a processed-plate and a process-free-plate was up by about 7-8% with the new device, the advantages outweighed this marginal cost increase. Besides, there was less expense on processor as well as chemicals, which eventually led to more savings for the company. And, now they needed fewer operators for same production, and saved significantly in production time too. Environmental footprint and quality came in as extra bonus.

The Kodak Achieve platesetter has been supplied by Aarushi Agencies of Chandigarh. Ashish Sharma, MD of Aarushi is very happy about Jai Ambey Containers carving success under the able management of the son and father duo and coupled with the latest technology. The association between Jai Ambey Containers and Aarushi Agencies has been quite a long one. “We are associated with Ashish Ji since 2004. In fact, we were brought into Offset printing by Mr. Ashish,” says Anirudh.

Speaking about the Kodak Achieve installation, Ashish says, “We had been discussing the possible solutions to the issues of outsourcing, machine downtime as well as quality. Outsourcing to those who have different or non-standardized processes would create huge quality issues in final products.”

“Besides, there were security issues while sending customers’ crucial and trusted resources for outside job work. We took it as a moral responsibility to further strengthen our customers’ confidence in us,” asserts Anirudh. He corroborates with this particular incidence, “One of the tobacco products we did required a mono carton with high security features – it had features like heat transferred holographic sticker with foiling. Even that product faced duplication issues in the market with fakes surfacing as usual. This requires continued upgrade in security features to safeguard customer products.”

He showed us a few high security hologram sample they procured which carried a hidden image which revealed itself when put under bright light. He informs us that the highly secured hologram is for a client who usually gets it changed every 3 months to ensure that the product remains impeccably secure against counterfeits.

The business is ably managed by competent management, technical and other staff. There is also an ERP system to manage accounts, purchase, orders, sales, stock and reporting etc. Production, they are presently managing manually.

Besides, they have API Drugs, their Pharma division which manufactures drugs for the Pharmaceuticals Industry. Active Pharma Ingredients (API) supplies drugs to pharma manufacturing companies. The business was established in 2008.

The combined turnover of the automatic 5-ply plant and the Offset facility producing mono cartons, fancy cartons and other products presently stands at around INR 80cr. In 5 years Mr.Anuridh aims to achieve the INR 300cr mark. For this he is clear about infrastructural and other expansion plans. One of them is to set up another Offset mono carton plant in a year or so. All the different business divisions are collectively managed by the father and the son duo. The father chiefly handles the pharma business that comprises three units – one each in Kala Amb (HP), Panchkula (Haryana) and Lalru (Punjab). The latest being the Lalru unit which is coming up on a recently bought 10 acre land in the area.

They have a 6-colour Heidelberg and a 2-colour Heidelberg machine in the Printing division.