Ballarpur Paper Industries in need of
fresh funding
Ballarpur Industries Ltd (BILT),
a flagship company of Avantha
Group and India’s largest
producer of writing and printing
papers, has accessed Deutshe Bank
and Goldman Sachs India in order to raise around 400 cr. The paper manufacturer in Maharashtra
is indulging in the process of raising working capital after failed attempts of selling two of its
units to JK Paper. Subsidiaries of BILT include Ballarpur International Graphics Paper Holdings,
Sabah Forest Industries (Malaysia), among others. In India, the company has six manufacturing
units. In the wake of acute scarcity of working capital, BILT is going to shut a few of its units.
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HT Media exercises
some cost cutting
The year 2016 for HT Media Limited was
ended with some cost cutting exercise,
even as the news media group went
about strengthening its core editions in big
cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh,
Lucknow and Patna. According to a source
from the company, HT Media was going to shut
down four editions besides ceasing operations
in another three cities. The decision became
effective from January 10. On the other side
of the story, Hindustan Media Ventures Limited
(HMVL), another listed company of the HT
Media family and publisher of Hindustan
(Hindi edition), released its financials for the
Q3 on January 18.
HMVL’s expenditure on its employees during
the Q3 came down by almost 80 percent.
While the cost incurred by the company on
employees stood at Rs 31 crore in Q3 FY
15-16, it went down to Rs 6.4 crore during
the three month period between October to
December 2016. The year to date figures
replicate the trend with a fall of 22.5 percent
in employee costs. Between April to December
2015, HMVL’s employee costs were Rs 89.2
cr as they dwindled to Rs 69.1 crore during
the same period in the ongoing fiscal.
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The Hindu re-lunched
into contemporary
design
The Hindu Group, a reputed publisher of
the English daily The Hindu, has relaunched
the flagship newspaper with a
contemporary design, sharper packaging and
reinvigorated content. This landmark revamp
of the country’s one of the oldest newspapers
signifies the organisation’s commitment to
distinctive journalism and serving genuine
readers, while upholding the core values of
credible and accurate reportage that both shape
and reflect public opinion.
Through the revamp, a single, comprehensive,
all-India edition of The Hindu will be circulated
in the north of the Vindhyas, coupled with
supplements, Mumbai Local and Delhi Metro,
carrying relevant local content in Mumbai
and Delhi. In the southern metropolitan cities
like Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, the
newspaper’s MetroPlus will carry a theme
every day, Monday through Friday, along with
cinema content published daily.
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The Week names Barkha Dutt
as contributing editor
In the news media circus,
whether it is at national
or international levels,
Barkha Dutt is on demand.
After her recent association
with The Washington Post,
she has now tied up with
The Week, a weekly English
magazine from Malayala
Manorama, in the capacity of consulting editor.
After her departure from NDTV early this year,
Barkha signed up with Quintillion Media. So far
so good in the world of news media, Barkha
has marked historic milestones in war zone
reporting and live chat shows. She has gained her
reputation as a war reporter when she covered
the Kargil War in 1999.
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Four Indian
newspapers among
INMA’s 115 global
award finalists
INMA (International News Media Association)
has announced the finalists for the Global
Media Awards, among which four leading
Indian newspaper publishing groups are included,
which are HT Media, Kasturi & Sons, ABP and
Jagran Prakashan. The association has shortlisted
115 finalists in 20 categories and two groups for
global/national brands and regional/local brands.
From these finalists, 40 first-place winners,
regional winners, and the international ‘Best in
Show’ will be announced at the Global Media
Awards on May 23 at Harvard Club of New York.
INMA Global Media Awards competition received
655 entries from 196 media companies in 36
countries. Participants included newspaper media,
magazine media, digital media, television media,
and radio media. Competition entries have been
judged by an international panel of 44 executives
from 17 countries. The finalists are listed as
Group 1 representing regional/local brands
and Group 2 for global/national brands. In the
category ‘Best Public Relations or Community
Service Campaign’ under Group 1, Kasturi &
Sons has been shortlisted for its campaign ‘The
Hindu Tamil–Tamil Nadu Election Campaign
2016’; ABP for ‘The Telegraph SHE Awards’
in the category ‘Best Use of an Event to Build
a News Brand’, while in the same category is
HT Media for ‘HT No TV Day’ and Jagran
Prakashan for ‘The Road to India’s Epic Issue’.
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Manugraph and Condot
collaborate
for
hybrid solutions
Pradeep Shah signing agreement with Jigish Chiniwala, director, Condot
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For the first time, a Manugraph press can be converted into a ‘hybrid numbering’ press. Manugraph India, a leading high-speed web offset press manufacturer and high-speed inkjet manufacturer Condot System, have come together to deliver cutting-edge hybrid printing solutions. Traditional web offset can now be combined with digital HP thermal inkjet technology to add variable data and graphics to otherwise static pages. This combine between the two printing technology giants allows customers to print serial numbers, repeat, skip, random numbers, print regular or two dimensional bar codes, RSS or complex codes without numbering or a bar coding tower.
Such hybrid printing solutions produced by Manugraph and Condot will help customers in not keeping their press idle and can instead be used to print different jobs like booklets, bank and educational forms and many in such categories. And this flexibility not only enhances but increases the productivity of Manugraph presses enormously. The facility of retrofitting Manugraph presses with Condot ink jet technology is also available.
On the collaboration, Pradeep Shah, managing director of Manugraph, said that Condot System is a renowned name in providing digital numbering and bar coding business solutions. “Together, we want to start a new dimension in the web offset with digital numbering and bar coding manufacturing space. This will pave a way for customers to not only increase their efficiency but we hope will fuel business growth in the printing sector,” he added.
Manugraph and Condot will work with each customer to ensure specifically designed hybrid printing solutions for their facilities. For more information on this new hybrid technology, contact at: sales@manugraph.com
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Contiweb rebrands into new brand
identity with new logo and website
A renowned cutting-edge technology provider of web offset, web inkjet, label and packaging and finishing products, Contiweb introduces its new brand identity, logo and website. Since drupa 2016, under the leadership of new shareholder AIP (American Industrial Partners), the company has been recognised as a standalone brand within the GOSS portfolio, due to its strong position in its existing markets. Contiweb’s rebrand reflects the recent diversification of the company, exploring new market segments with deeper focus on the future, offering more efficient solutions for all print sectors.
Contiweb’s rebranding represents its successful and ongoing transition to a company beyond heatset web offset. Today the company is supplying high quality products in several new markets, while maintaining its customer-focused philosophy which is also reflected by a strong focus on product lifetime support with extensive aftermarket offerings. Bert Schoonderbeek, MD, Contiweb, says the rebrand marks a new era for Contiweb and its products: “Contiweb has always been guided by our customers’ needs and suggestions, so we are excited to move forward with new products spanning diverse printing applications which will help them to meet the demands of the printing industry today. With increasing pressure on lead times and profits, Contiweb offers solutions to improve efficiency and sustainability in all print sectors”.
Contiweb, although well known as a supplier of splicers and dryers to the world’s premier web offset printers for some 40 years, started to diversify its product offering back in 2014, developing ancillaries for digital inkjet web production. In collaboration with HP, Contiweb launched a series of unwinder/splicers and rewinders at drupa 2016, which were designed to be entirely modular, providing customers with an easy path to full automation at either end of the press line.
In a continued move to diversification, Contiweb engaged in the label and packaging markets, forming a strategic partnership with DG press ServiceS and acquiring the Intellectual property (IP) of the Thallo web offset packaging press in early 2016. The Contiweb Thallo system integrates web offset with flexo, gravure or digital units into hybrid configurations, providing optimal flexibility for a wide range of printing applications.
While the brand, logo and website have changed to better represent Contiweb’s position today, their vast understanding of the efficiencies and repeatable high quality for web fed processes remains unique. To get a glance of the rebranded Contiweb, log on to: www.contiweb.com
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Lokmat appoints new sports editorial advisor
To bring in quality sports analysis, updated coverage, and sports opinion columns, Lokmat has recently appointed Ayaz Memon with an aim to provide essence of sporting coverage to readers from a regional perspective. Ayaz is one of India’s finest sports writers and a keen cricket enthusiast. With an experience of more than 38 years in the arena of sports journalism serving as editor of some of the leading newspapers like The Times of India, DNA and Sportsweek, Ayaz is a man of multiple talents as he is a writer, journalist, columnist, author, and lawyer. His appointment will give Lokmat a new competitive advantage, and its readers and advertisers value in terms of its content related to sports.
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Expo dates of drupa 2020
brought forward by one week
The expo dates of drupa 2020 have been brought forward by one week as the world’s largest printing expo, which takes place at Dusseldorf in every four years, will be held on June 16-26, 2017. The change in expo dates was decided by the drupa Committee and Messe Dusseldorf. The decision was taken in accordance to summer holiday plans of some European countries including Germany. By changing the dates, Messe Dusseldorf is responding to the requests voiced by both exhibitors and trade visitors.
On the new show schedules of drupa 2020, Werner Dornscheidt, president & CEO of Messe Dusseldorf said, “When we decided to stick to four-year-cycle of the exhibition in consultation with the leading representatives of the industry during the drupa 2016, the majority of holiday dates had not been published yet. He went on to say that they are really pleased that they can offer this solution although there is hardly any room for manoeuvre in the historic trade fair year 2020. “We are delighted to be able to act in our customers’ interest by kicking off the expo one week earlier than the original dates,” added Werner.
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Press Trust of India appoints new editor-in-chief
Leading news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) has appointed senior journalist Vijay Joshi as its new editor-on-chief. Earlier, he was with Associated Press (AP) serving in the capacity of Southeast Asia Director of News. He joined the news agency following the retirement of MK Razdan, who served as both the editor-in-chief and CEO of PTI. At PTI, a robust team of over 900 editors, reporters and stringers is assigned to over every bit of all.
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Punjab Kesari Group delivers 435th
relief material truck to J&K villagers
People affected in terrorist activities and atrocities of Pakistani troops in the border areas of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) are compelled to flee to safer areas, leaving their homes and belongings behind. Concerning the poor living condition of the homeless people in view of their increased need for daily requirements, Punjab Kesari Group (Jalandhar) keeps supplying relief materials in regular intervals. The newspaper group has just flagged off its 435th truck of relief materials for the marginalised civilians camping in makeshift accommodations in Samba area on the border of J&K. Vijay Kumar Chopra, CMD & chief editor, Punjab Kesari Group (Jalandhar), sent the 435th truck being organised by Lala Jagat Narain Nishkam Sewa Society and Shri Gyan Stal Mandir Sabha (Ludhiana). The shaba has already delivered 32 such trucks so far to the migrants.
Since their engagement in the benevolent act from November 16, 1999, Punjab Kesari Group (Jalandhar) has so far delivered 434 trucks of relief materials to more than 300 migrants residing in the J&K border areas. Present at the recent flagging off of the 435th truck of relief materials to Samba were Jagdish Bajaj, Bittu Gumbar, Harjinder Singh, Sham Lal Kapur, Hardial Singh Sharma, Kulwant Singh, Iqbal Singh Arneja, Varinder Sharma, Rakesh Goyal and JB Singh.
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The Statesman to bring out
new morning edition for north
Moving out of its eastern centric focus, The Statement is now gearing up to move into the north Indian market. One of the oldest English language dailies in India, the newspaper was founded in 1875. With its new innings in north India, as part of an ambitious expansion exercise, The Statesman has decided to publish an ‘early edition’ from New Delhi covering exclusively the states like Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. As part of the move, the daily is also aiming to provide exclusive news coverage of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand through the new edition. The Statesman has been publishing separate editions for New Delhi, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Siliguri.
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HP introduces entry-level inkjet web press
Marking the boldest ever bid for the entry-level inkjet web market, Hewlett Packard (HP) has announced the introduction of HP T235 HD during the recent Hunkeler Innovationdays 2017 at Lucerne in Switzerland. This newly launched HP T200 Series is an entry-level, continuous-feed inkjet web described as ‘the most economical entry point’ to high-quality digital commercial printing. The inkjet system features HP’s High Definition Nozzle Architecture (HDNA) and can be upgraded to the level of the more productive HP T240 HD.
This newly unpacked HP duplex press has a native resolution of 2400 nozzles per inch, printing at 122 m/min in ‘performance’ mode at single drop weight mode or 61 m/min in dual drop weight quality mode for smoother skin tones. For newspaper applications, HP T235 HD’s versatility and price may make it attractive for remote site. According to a source from HP, the new inkjet press makes it possible to deliver cost-efficient, relevant and targeted print that engages customers in more creative ways.
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Printing 4.0 at Pack Print
International 2017 in Bangkok
Pack Print International 2017, one of the Southeast Asia’s premier trade expos for the packaging and printing industries, returns to Bangkok from September 20-23. The 6th edition of the biennial show, created by the industry for the industry, is jointly organised by Messe Düsseldorf Asia, The Thai Packaging Association and The Thai Printing Association.
Following the implementation of Thailand 4.0, an economic model that will enable Thailand to transform the country into a value-based and innovation-driven economy, moving from producing commodities to innovative products, Pack Print International 2017 brings fresh innovations in packaging and printing. Mention of the some of the leading exhibitors at the expo may include HP, Konica Minolta, KBA, Keywell, ZUND Asia, among others.
Gernot Ringling, MD, Messe Düsseldorf Asia, said, “Fundamentally, we want Pack Print International 2017 to be a strategic launch pad for packaging and printing businesses to grow their business forward, through drawing critical market insights, gaining invaluable connections and benefiting from the expansive showcase of innovative capabilities and technology.” Augmenting the show is a series of concurrent conferences, seminars and technical presentations by industry organisations.
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India Today magazine revamped
India Today Group, known for its flagship India Today magazine, is re-launching its 41-year-old flagship English news magazine in a completely new avatar. The new outlook and content of the magazine has been revamped keeping in mind the changing times to provide readers with a dazzling variety of filtered information and features from across the country. The incarnated version of the magazine will enhance the magazine’s core values of clarity, credibility and relevance and provide insights, knowledge and perspectives on a range of contemporary issues to its readers. Smart articles, gravitas and depth, telling visuals and edgy designs of the magazine will make information easy-to-digest and reading a pleasurable experience.
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Lokmat Media joins hands with Creative AOR
Lokmat Media, known for its widely circulated flagship daily Lokmat in Maharashtra and Goa, has recently associated with Paperboat Brandworks as its Creative AOR (Agency On Record). Through the collaboration, the agency would be responsible for developing through-the-line creative communication solutions for the Marathi daily. Based in Mumbai, Paperboat Brandworks is a creative communications agency co-founded by Arijit Ray (former CEO, Dentsu Communications), Arindam Sengupta and Raju Gondhlekar (both former creative heads at RK SWAMMY BBDO).
Since media houses are looking at next level growth owing to the transition period of environmental or category changes basis the growing needs of its readers, Lokmat has charted a distinct growth path across various divisions. In this, the newspaper’s partnership with Paperboat Brandworks will only complement that, gaining fresh communication approach and new learning.
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The Times of India appoints new director response
Sudha Natrajan, who used to work at Hindustan Times as well as a number of leading media firms, has recently joined The Times of India as new director response. Her role at Hindustan Times was revenue head. Over the last two decades in the media industry, Sudha has been into different posts engaging in diverse roles in business development and revenue generation. Lintas Media Group was where she worked in the capacity of CEO a few years back.
