SIPA reaches out to more than 2,000 printers

South India Printers Association (SIPA) has reached out to more than 2,000 printers during two print tours (Print Yatra) organized by the association, including rural printers who are so far not connected with any major association on national and state levels.

South India Printers Association second executive meeting held on June 14, 2015
During the second tour, held June 12-14, the SIPA team lead by its founder president AMSG Ashokan, along with Karmeham, president of Salem Offset Printers Association, travelled 1,700km and visited 24 print associations. 
 
Information shared with rural printers included: providing the procedure to register as a micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) and to receive Small Scale Industries (SSI) certification; tips about getting subsidiary and concessions from state and central governments in purchase of new and second hand machinery; sharing information about the budget and its impact on the printing industry; sharing information about exhibitions in India and abroad, and taking the members to visit the exhibition under government subsidiary or industry sponsorship; and developing a printer’s knowledge and skill with training at concessional price. 
 
In addition, SIPA keeps members updated about the import and export policy adopted by the government or any changes made in the policy. Members are also provided with a data bank of suppliers, printers, service providers and machine manufactures, amongst others. The association acts as a platform to share resource availability, pricing of materials and labor cost, amongst other topics, in each region so to explore more business opportunities. 
 
SIPA held an executive meeting during the tour on June 14, where Ashokan discussed the plans for a third meeting of SIPA and said that the next Print Yatra will be held in three tier cities of Kerala. It will be hosted by Kerala Master Printers. 
 
Ashokan also informed that Pondicherry Offset Printers Association has shown interest to host the fourth meeting of SIPA, which will be held in the last quarter of 2015.