Pragati Pack invests in sheet-fed gravure

Pragati Pack is a subsidiary of the Pragati group of Indian printing houses and specializes in the packaging market, and has a customer base including dozens of global players from different industries. Pragati Pack prints and finishes high-quality packaging materials and publications for global brands such as Diageo, Samsung, Asian Paints, ITC, Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Unilever and Microsoft.

The 1-TBR Compact is designed as a multi-functional printing, embossing and finishing machine, and turns even the most complicated packaging designs into products with maximum precision. At the same time, its all-in-one concept ensures economic efficiency and freedom of design.

The printing method used is sheet-fed gravure which allows image resolutions of up to 10,160 DPI in combination with laser exposed photopolymer printing plates. Such a resolution enables printerS to apply hidden images on packages as integrated counterfeit protection. In addition, conventional, globally available printing cylinders can be used. With the 1-TBR Compact the print is combined with flexible finishing processes, where it is possible to use metallic pigments and pearlescent inks, to use gloss and matte coatings, and apply functional coatings as well special haptic effect coatings. In conjunction with integrated embossing technology, H.C. Moog said the modular machine produces packages with an elegant look that attract customers at the point-of-sale and fascinate by their fine play of light on the printed and embossed surfaces. High precision decorative and 3D embossing can be produced, as well as security and micro-embossed elements. Dryer modules based on infrared, hot air or UV technologies supplement the multi-function concept. Thanks to precise ink metering and high ink variability, the drying process can be fine-tuned to the individual job. This saves energy and contributes to the economic efficiency of the machine, which is additionally supported by the minimized start-up waste in sheet-fed printing.

The 1-TBR Compact is currently being installed at Pragati Pack’s facility in Hyderabad with H.C. Moog engineers working on commissioning the press. Spasoje Miljanovic, mechanical service, printing and instrauction, sheet-fed gravure presses at H.C. Moog, said, ‘The installation site had been perfectly prepared – it is ideal for our 1-TBR Compact.’ He further added that he has installed H.C. Moog gravure printing machines all around the world for a quarter of a century, yet his team had seldom be supported as professionally and as cordially as by Pragati Pack. ‘We notice that this is by far not the first machine that we install here. Everything is running like clockwork,’ he said.

H.C. Moog will also provide on-site training for machine operators and support the company in delivering the first orders off the press.

Although the new all-in-one press from H.C. Moog is just one of the many machines of Pragati Pack, the printer’s CEO Hemanth Paruchuri thinks that it holds a special position. ‘I had this investment on my mind ever since we visited an Open House of H.C. Moog in 2010.’

For cost reasons, Pragati Pack invested in a similar machine from China although this did not deliver what the manufacturer had promised. Paruchuri decided to sell that machine and buy a 1-TBR Compact.

‘Having a H.C. Moog press to produce on in the future gives the feeling of a dream come true,’ concluded Paruchuri.

H.C. Moog is exhibiting at drupa 2016, hall 3, stand A35.

Read L&L’s preview of label and package printing and converting technology to see at drupa in issue 2, 2016, and read it online here

Pictured: Narendra (left) and Hemanth Paruchuri (right) in the new Pragati Pack customer center