First Mark Andy Digital One in Bangladesh

On the investment, Dr Lloyd Fernando, director at Shore to Shore Uniglory Bangladesh, says: ‘In the age of digital disruption, we have evolved our sustainable product and services with cloud-based responsive manufacturing systems. It is more productive, efficient, agile and better at meeting customer needs. The Mark Andy Digital One press with 1200 DPI electrophostatic print engine, in-line converting and finishing enabled us to develop an end-to-end curated creative rapid prototyping. The speed of product customization enables us to service e-commerce platforms.

‘Further, the Mark Andy Digital One offers printing on a wide range of substrates, enabling us to diversify our product offering to apparel, footwear and FMCG industries. The press enables us to add value to a variety of products including variable data graphic tags and swing tickets, roll-fed labels and wrap bands, fabric friendly stickers, packaging and innovative Eco RFID products at high-speed and cost-efficiently.’

Gourav Roy, managing director at FIG, says: ‘I am happy that the company is delighted with the investment. We met the chairman of Shore to Shore in Sri Lanka in 2019 and finalized the press. Shore to Shore Uniglory is a new offshoot of a well-established global firm, so the company wanted to offer something different and unique to its customers. Since the installation of the press, they have been doing certain things that they were not producing earlier.’

“Many flexible packaging companies in Bangladesh are evaluating whether to diversify into label printing”

The installation was planned for 2020 but FIG and Mark Andy could not install the press last year due to the ongoing pandemic. ‘The press reached Bangladesh in 2020, just as the lockdown was announced, so our team had to head back to India and machine could not be installed last year,’ says Roy. ‘As soon as the travel restrictions lifted, a trained technician from our office flew to Bangladesh and completed the installation. Mark Andy’s UK team supported us with the installation via video conferencing. To further assist the customer, we sourced substrates, varnishes and other materials locally in India and sent them as a start-up kit along with the standard start-up kit that is sent with the press.’

Market trends in Bangladesh
The market is now opening up and companies have returned to business as normal. ‘The label industry in Bangladesh, in my opinion, is doing well and involves huge quantities of export in the garment industry,’ says Roy. ‘Having said that, the size of the label industry itself is small compared to the Indian market. Nevertheless, the country is at the cusp of growth with many flexible packaging companies seriously evaluating whether to diversify into label printing.’

Of the growing fashion retail industry in Bangladesh, Dr Fernando says: ‘The fashion industry has shifted to a new reality. In the last year, global brands and vendors have partnered with us for strategic initiatives in the local market. We are able to print effectively on recycled and sustainable materials. As consumers become more engaged with sustainability issues, the key in the industry will be circularity, material selection and minimum order quantity. The latest installation is in line with this development, and enables cost competitiveness, sustainability, speed, digitization and customization at Shore to Shore Uniglory.’