Indian market positions high in EFI’s wish list

India is not merely a market but also the future for the global player like EFI whose products have become hallmark of quality in the printing world. The reason that makes India so important to this multinational company is the country’s prospective scope for business and market expansion. In the middle of his whirlwind tour to the subcontinent, GUY GECHT, CEO, EFI along with his associates RAMIN KAZEMI, senior managing director, Asia Pacific and SAMBIT MISRA, country manager, EFI India Pvt Ltd had an exclusive interaction with SIGN & GRAPHICS. The discussion extensively focused on EFI’s next moves in the Indian printing market.

(L-R) Ramin Kazemi, Guy Gecht, Sambit Misra and S K Khurana 
For more than one reason, EFI has many grounds for considering the Indian market as one of the most preferred destinations for new business. Some unique features of the subcontinent’s market and customers have constantly fascinated the company. “The size of the market as well as the opportunity to get over one billion population is what India impressed us. Secondly, we can say that the people in the country’s printing industry are creative. And thirdly, a big portion of EFI’s overall activities is taking place in India,” explained Guy while elaborating the significance of Indian market to the company.

In response to the company’s plans comimg to India, Guy remarked, “I would say we always look at how we bring our innovation and technology to the market from the point of view of what will make our customer’s most successful. In India like in anywhere else we will continue to evaluate customer’s best interest in deciding on the distribution and business model.” He also mentioned that EFI in now ready to make a strategic move to gain a new business dimension in the market.

Plans ahead

As long as the overall stance of EFI in India is concerned, the company has been achieving healthy business growth. Mentioning the company’s new plans in pipeline, guy asserted that EFI does not see things in short-term manner, as most of its plans are long term. “Sometimes we experience fluctuation of growth in our quarterly results; however, we are happy with the overall progress when we measure it in long-term plans,” explained Guy. Referring to their strong market share with Fiery, he mentioned that this flagship product is the company’s foremost digital colour workflow gaining good demand in the Indian market. And he also mentioned about the company’s robust growth with Vutek scoring remarkable footfall in wide-format printing.

Indian connection

According to Guy, “Indian customers are really good and sophisticated. They know a lot as they could go further to make more business if we could give them great technology.” He further stated that the company got into wide-format Vutek printers to enhance OOH advertisements, POP and other signage applications very attractive in profitable way for customers. And the focus of the company is to give people tools to use very effectively without waste in their investments.

After acquiring foremost companies, EFI is still on the move to join hands with more companies from time to time. But the company is cautious enough to figure out the business they have to buy. In this context, EFI’s way to acquire a new company is rather selective under strict quality criteria. “Our acquisition with Raster a few months ago has been fantastic. We have come across that many new customers certainly try to get on some UV applications with Raster printers,” said Guy adding that EFI is now continuing to get more, not standing still in this acquisition front. He also mentioned the company’s acquisition of Jettable remarkably prolific. “Jettable is a breakthrough in printing on ceramics and they have a very revolutionary concepts, which is not yet popular in India,” said Guy.

Technology steers

EFI sees a new prospect to showcase the worldwide perspective of UV technologies in the forthcoming ‘Connect 2009’ event. Referring to this concern, Guy mentioned that many countries, including India in Asia, paid less consideration over environmental issue in printing. But customers in the Asian countries as well as all across the world began to discard solvent inks because they eventually realise the future of wide-format printing lies on UV technology.