Mumbai-based Mudrika Labels needs no introduction to the world of label printing & production! This award-winning label conglomerate gets commended for its outstanding works and use of ultramodern machines. In an exclusive chat with Labels Flexibles & More, Mr Manish Desai, Director, Mudrika Labels Pvt. Ltd. narrates how high they are riding now on newest trends & technologies, focusing on boosting exports and security printing.
Constantly advancing to the changing trends, Mudrika Labels has been a label major that continually raises quality bar on self-adhesive labels, in-mould labels, heat transfer films, mono cartons, and many more. “Over the last two years, we keep upgrading our machine portfolio with constant adoptions of machines in accordance to the industry-wise requirements,” mentions Mr Desai, adding that one of their strategic moves is to scale up exports and security printing.
He continues, “A reason why we are now focusing on exports is that the Chinese market is currently down, eventually opening up a new prospect for us and it’s time for us to tap such growing business opportunity. We will relatively boost exports of our products from all our departments, viz. offset, flexo, and gravure. In addition, we are gearing up to change our game in security printing with extra innovations.”
A Group
Mudrika Labels is one of the four divisions of Mudrika Group of Companies. The other three are Multivision Packaging (Vasai, Maharashtra), Interpack Industries (Daman, Daman & Diu), and Mudrika Sand Bong Foils (Bhillad, Gujarat). Production facilities of the group’s four divisions collectively occupy a gross area of more than one-lakh sq ft, equipped with high-end machines comprising a line of flexo presses from Gallus Labelmaster, Lombardi Synchroline, etc. All is managed by a team of more than 500 professionals.
“Our respective production facilities have been upgraded over the last couple of years,” informs Mr Desai, adding, “And in the next one decade or so, we are planning to go to another level in counterfeiting, breaking a new ground in security label printing. In fact, we want to come out from mundane day-to-day label job for pulling off something out of the box,” describes Mr Desai.
Always First
Many a time, Mudrika Group of Companies has poised to be the first user or introducer of new products and technologies in India. “Whenever there’s a new product or technology in the Indian label market, we always have the urge to grab it as first user. We were the first introducer of heat-transfer film in India. Likewise, when we first introduced in-mould labels in India, it was totally (100 percent) imported from China and Korea. As on today, the volume of imports reduced to just 5 percent and our market share is 55 percent.”
He adds, “In our early days we were simply engaged in sheet-fed offset printing. A big turning point for us took place in 1996, year of our establishment, when we switched to roll form label printing that was quite new in India then. We took the full advantage of introducing it in the country barely using a Japanese label (roll form) printing press. After that we escalated from one level to another, adopting advanced technologies.”
Little digital
Mudrika Labels has not yet absorbed into digital printing. In this, Mr Desai explains that they once had plan for exploring digital. “However, after evaluating nature of our works and production volume we came to know that our short-run jobs occupied only 10 percent. So, we don’t need to be active on digital front now,” he mentions. He further mentions that they currently manage short-run jobs at Mudrika Labels on conventional presses only.
Referring to the adage ‘Digital is Future’, Mr Desai comments, “Certainly, we agree with the fact that digital has a good future prospect. But our customers in this segment are very minimal as of now. The day when we get around 40-50 percent of our total customers for digital, we will definitely go for the technology, for sure.”
Co-existence
“Nowadays label printing is no longer a rocket science. Many naive and small players pop up, creating price constrains, killing business of big players and finally the industry as a whole,” observes Mr Desai, adding, “We are not saying or calling them unethical, but my advice to them is to focus on one product you are fit to produce, not on what others do.”
He continues, “Co-existence is the mantra for survival for all in the industry, whether big or small players, without competing unhealthily and unethically. In a way, digital is a feasible platform for small players engaging in small-scale or on-demand productions. For us, big volume high-end security printing will be our area of expansion. Expanding into the ‘heat transfer’ domain, we move on three fronts—heat labels, in-mould labels and security labels.
Further progression
As the Chairman of LMAI Conference Committee, Mr Desai says the industry is witnessing progression in diverse verticals. “Being a globally recognised brand, LMAI (Label Manufacturers Association of India) conference has gained wider recognition over the last 12 years with increase in membership. Recently, at one of our knowledge conferences in Chandigarh we enrolled 15 new members,” tells Mr Desai. He adds, “Industry is growing, we all must come together to grow together as there is room for growth for everyone.”
When asked about ‘who’ or ‘what’ inspired him to make Mudrika Labels move ahead of others, Mr Desai replies, “Sudha Murty, author, educator, philanthropist and wife of Infosys founder NR Narayana Murty. Her positivity of life instilled me in carrying business forward!” He adds, “After all, it’s our rapport with our team, which should never be broken, and good ethics & machines that trigger progression in business.”
“Now, we are adding a new machine—it could be either a Gallus or a Lombardi. We keep doing all these for being Innovative and wish to be remembered as Innovator!” concludes Mr Desai.
