Manipal gets Lombardi for African plant

Manipal International Printing Press has ordered a Lombardi Synchroline press for the company’s plant in Nairobi. The sale was announced by Vinsak, the exclusive distributor of Lombardi in the region.

Ranesh Bajaj, managing director, Vinsak with S Mallaya, operations manager (left) with Pritam Chaudhary, managing director at Manipal Africa

Pritam Choudhary, managing director at Manipal Africa, said, ‘It will be the first Lombardi press in east Africa. This mid web press fits well with gravure and narrow web presses running at the factory and is meant to print short run jobs of 10,000 linear meters and less.’

Currently, there are three flexo presses and two gravure machines running at the factory that prints a total of 55,000 linear meters a day.

The company is getting a new gravure press and more finishing lines to Nairobi. With increasing production, Manipal is shifting its factory to a 10,000 sq ft facility in the city.

‘Since we are trying to double the capacity, we expect to grow at 50 percent in the next financial year,’ Choudhary added.

The company started its second plant in Africa in Lagos, Nigeria in 2014 and plans to start another one in Mozambique in the first quarter of 2018. ‘The east African market has diversified and countries outside of Kenya are also opting for more presses. We are also diversifying our portfolio and markets.’

Vinsak managing director,Ranesh Bajaj, said: ‘We congratulate Manipal on the purchase of their first Synchroline press. The machine is technologically sound and can print a range of substrates. It will soon be installed at their new plant.’

Manipal Group prints print pressure-sensitive and in-mold labels as well as flexible packaging, laminates and pouches in Africa.