There is huge scope for rotary printing in next 10-15 years

From a small manufacturing set up in 1956, Embee has now grown to a full-fledged industrial complex. Over the years, the company has manufactured a complete range of automated rotary printing machines, and is the first company to introduce laser technology for textile screen stripping. Embee is also the only company in India to provide automated colour preparation systems.

Harsh Shah, Managing Director of Embee Group, has a strong belief in unity with mutual understanding and co-operation among the family members. While talking about digital printing machine to ITJ Senior Sub Editor Karthik Muthuveeran, Harsh says, “Embee is an innovation-driven company and we have an R&D team, which keeps a tab on the latest technology and its application in textile printing industry. Further, we are surely having a big plan to enter the digital textile printing machinery market.”

Please give us brief background information about your company. Take us through the journey over the years.

A company and first of all a family. Embee, a family organisation since the beginning has a strong belief in unity with mutual understanding and co-operation among the family members.

Established in 1956, Embee had a small, humble beginning by manufacturing textile trolleys. Today, we manufacture complete automated rotary printing machine, we are the first company to introduce laser technology for textile screen stripping, we are the only company in India to provide automated colour preparation systems. So, innovation has always been one of our core strengths, which is why Embee has led to significant growth, and this is how we kept in believing ourself and motivating our team to excel and grow further.

What were your recent offerings to the textile industry and what are their USPs as compared to its competitors?

Embee manufactures the complete range rotary printing machine systems, which comprises the rotary printing machine that enables to print in any type of fabric like fashion fabric, home furnishing fabric, etc. We are also into rotary screen engraving and stripping machines, which helps to engrave and strip the screens, and we have colour preparation systems that helps in the mixing and preparation of colours that can be printed on the fabrics. This is one of the automated machines that we have manufactured. Apart from this, Embee also provides washing systems and many other accessories.

Our USP is aligned with our vision. This means anything that Embee delivers like products or solutions are No. 1 in terms of efficiency and returns. Besides, our USP includes highest efficiency, minimum energy consumption, minimum wastage, maximum variety of print designs and most sensible price

How was the response to the recently-concluded ITMACH event in Gandhinagar?

This is the second time we are participating in ITMACH and the response was very good. Since we are into this industry for more than six decades, we have well established market in Ahmedabad and many directors and top level executives took time and visited our stall.

We exhibited our two latest developments. Servo Individual Drive System in rotary screen printing systems and LaserBird, which is the world’s first laser stripping machine exclusively for textile rotary screen. We received huge success for both of these products.

LaserBird is the next big revolution for textile rotary printing. A non-hazardous, chemical free, hassle free and economical screen stripping alternative with laser technology.

Most of the visitors took keen interest in our rotary screen printing machine with servo individual drive system, InfiniumiD. This machine is our best selling premium product. InfiniumiD is an ideal option for customer who prefers individual drive system. The printing blanket as well as all printing heads is provided with superior quality individual servo motors. Customers expect printing machine to be flexible, energy efficient, perfect print fitting even in long printing runs. InfiniumiD not only fulfills these expectations but also provides easy repeat settings, touchscreen interface for smooth operation, easy to use main touch operated control panel with remote assistance.

Embee is also one of the leading players in providing technologies for the printing segment. In this segment, what are the various technologies on offer?

InfiniumiD is one the prime products that we offer; it is a perfect solution for the printers who are demanding a state of the art machine, which gives high accuracy, sharp printing results, high volume and high speed printing.

InfiniumiD provides flexibility to print on variety of delicate fabrics, which has hassle-free operations. We have designed InfiniumiD to be a state-of-the-art machine as it is developed with B&N Automation (Europe) through a technical tie-up which is the world leader in automation. We have recently launched a revolutionary product – LaserBird, which has completely changed the process of reusing the textile rotary printing screens. Hence, we aim to develop and focus on such breakthrough technologies and products which can bring a revolutionary change in the textile industry.

A lot of Chinese products are flooding the Indian market. How do you look at this competition?

Our primary focus is to deliver top quality and provide high efficiency and maximum returns with our products and solutions. We are very focused with what we are doing and it’s just matter of time to convince the customers.

Digital printing is the latest buzz in the textile industry. Any plans in this?

We are very focused right now with our rotary printing machine and there is good scope for rotary printing machine for next 10-15 years. While talking about digital printing machine, Embee is a innovation driven company and we have a R&D who keeps tab on the latest technology an its application in textile printing industry. Further, we are surely having a big plan to enter into digital textile printing machinery market.

The principle disadvantage of rotary screen printing is the high fixed cost of the equipment. How are you tackling this?

We don’t consider it as a disadvantage; it is an investment because Embee’s rotary printing machine delivers highest and quickest returns. Infinium is a solution for modern day textile printer. It opens a lot of opportunities for textile printers to print on variety of fabrics from fashion fabrics to home furnishing fabrics, patterns ranging from simple to complex printing for which printers don’t need to buy 2-3 times expensive European machines.

It gives power and confidence to Indian textile printers to print anything and compete in global printing textile market.

If in export, which are your major markets? What is the scope in these markets in the near future?

As far as abroad is concerned, we are Govt. Of India accredited star export house exporting to more than 40 countries worldwide and have doubled the sales in current year. Embee also have more than 80% market share in certain regions. We are constantly growing and expanding in new markets.

How do you think Make in India has progressed in the segment that your company deals with? What are your suggestions to give a boost to this revolutionary concept of Make in India?

From 1956, we have been producing machines and solutions for textile printing industry. Products like Endrings, emulsions, printing machines, color preparation systems and many other accessories which earlier Indian textile printers used to import from European markets is now manufactured at Embee. Make in India was always been our goal and to compete in international market.

What are your company’s plans for the future — expansion and diversification, if any? We have recently shifted to new factory area, which is more than 40,000 sq m for producing textile printing systems, which is one of the largest in India.

In terms of performance, how was the year 2017 for your company as well as the industry you are in? Despite of some revolutionary political moves like GST and demonetization, we have grown as compared to previous year.