S Kumar eyes East Africa expansion with Zonten

S Kumar, an India-based distributor of Zonten presses and converting machines, is eyeing the East African market with plans to establish a local presence in Kenya to service the region, including Tanzania and Uganda, in 2026. 

The move aims to tap into what Manish Hansoti, managing director of the company, describes as a market that’s ripe for opportunity, and one with demand for affordable label and packaging equipment. 

‘We are planning to start operations for Zonten in East Africa, mainly in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda,’ Hansoti says. ‘We have had a few installations recently, and most printers in the region are Indian-owned. They rely on support from India because they are connected to the Indian market.’ 

He sees geographical proximity, that’s well-connected by air, as a strategic advantage. ‘There are several fl ights from Ahmedabad and Mumbai to the Middle East and Africa within a span of eight to 10 hours, which allows us to provide timely service and support,’ Hansoti adds. 

S Kumar, which has already installed presses in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, believes East Africa represents one of the few remaining untapped regions. ‘This is a virgin market, there’s not much presence of machine suppliers yet,’ Hansoti says. ‘The neighboring countries are getting saturated, so we’re looking to set up something new in this region.’ 

Affordable technology 

Zonten’s product range includes a mix of small slitting and converting equipment as well as high-end flexo to semi-rotary and full-rotary offset presses. The company showcased an economical flexo model with two servo drives and flower type mode at Labelexpo Europe 2025, designed specifically for price-sensitive markets, such as Africa and other countries. This machine can print all types of substrates like paper, fi lm, shrink sleeve, IML and 300gsm board and runs at 160m/min. The ZTR-FL series 370/430/ 560 size modular flexographic press showcases its versatility with features such as UV/LED curing, die-cutting, slitting, cold foil capabilities and online inspecting facility as an optional feature. 

The company’s highlights at the show included the ZTJ Series intermittent offset press, which delivers high-resolution output, precise color control and minimal waste, making it suitable for short to mid-run label production. 

Zonten has already installed several units of ZTJ series in India and is now promoting it across Africa. S Kumar has recently installed second intermittent offset press at Ramdoot Packaging. 

We have had a few installations recently, and most printers in the region are Indian-owned. They rely on support from India

Zonten also debuted the ZTD-350 hybrid digital-flexo press with Epson printheads which combines W + CMYKW digital printing with flexo enhancements for variable data and fast job changeovers. Additionally, the ZMQ Series Multi Converting System demonstrates a compact, all-in-one approach that integrates flexo, flatbed hot foil, screen printing, cold foil, intermittent die-cutting, IML cutting and sheeting. 

The ZMQ press is designed for embellishment on digital printed or offset/flexo printed labels. Recently, a customer from Nairobi has installed the embellishment unit to support its digital press. 

Supporting local converters 

Initial installations have included stack-type flexo presses, embellishment machines, die-cutters and hot foil converting equipment in East Africa. 

These machines complement existing digital printing setups such as HP Indigo presses in the region. 

S Kumar plans to appoint a local marketing and engineering representative to ensure timely service and customer support. 

‘You cannot provide the required support without a local presence. Initially, we’ll have a resident engineer who can handle both technical and marketing functions, and we’ll see how it develops,’ Hansoti explains. 

The company is particularly interested in the food, healthcare, beverage, lubricant oil and pharmaceutical markets, which are experiencing strong growth in East Africa. These segments are expanding rapidly and the company aims to support converters who cater to these markets. 

S Kumar is focusing on providing scalable technology that grows with the region’s printing capabilities. Initially, customers may not invest in high-end models, but Hansoti believes that as the market grows, the company will grow with it. 

As S Kumar prepares to enter the East African market, the company sees the move not only as a business opportunity but also as a step toward building a long-term partnership with regional converters. 

‘We see strong potential in this region,’ Hansoti concluded. ‘Our goal is to grow together with our customers and support the development of a more self-sufficient printing ecosystem in East Africa.’