Just as Indians were among the largest non-European delegate group at Ifra last October, they’re set to make Print-Pack India a worldwide record-breaker.

The show opened on Saturday, presenting more than 350 exhibitors in 40,000 m2 of show space in a mix of four halls and three ‘hangars’. And with an anticipated 70,000 visitors – 40 per cent more than the previous event – it is the global graphic arts industry’s fourth largest exhibition, according to IPAMA president KS Khurana.

He emphasises the ‘brand India’ theme – which is about selling the booming country, but importantly, India is buying and everyone who is anyone in the newspaper industry is there to do business.

The newspaper industry’s local heroes including Manugraph India – showing a new book press – NBG Printographic, Pressline India, Ronald Web Offset and TPH are mostly in Hangar 1, joined there by manroland, peripherals companies including Megtec, QI Press Controls, QuadTech and Planatol, and mailroom vendor Müller Martini.

Both Goss and manroland have developed ‘India-friendly’ offerings in recent months, then latter with a 4/1 version of the previously single-width Cromoman. The two are sponsors of the NPES mission and participants in the concurrent Print Business Outlook Conference, where ‘Trends for newspapers’ is a topic.

Goss is focussing on the high-speed Magnum HPS, and teaming with Shanghai Electric partners to show sheetfed and other equipment.

Digital print vendors also have a wider audience to reach. Xerox and Kodak – reported to have confirmed the sale of four NexPress digital presses to a Lucknow customer – are among those in hall 1, with HP, Canon and Fujifilm in hall 7.

Khurana says the event is a great platform to see how Indian technology and equipment are ready for world-class production. PrintPack India – which closes on Thursday – is also where global technology builders are hoping to make up for some of the woes they are experiencing elsewhere in the world.