UK's Xaar sets up shop in India

Xaar, the UK-based printhead manufacturer and inkjet solutions provider, has opened an India office catering to over a quarter of a million conventional printing presses. The value of output in the printing industry in India exceeds $6 billion.

There are nearly a quarter of a million conventional printing presses in India, 70 per cent of which are operated by small family-owned businesses. These small and medium-sized enterprises are also purchasers of digital printers.

"With the value of output in the printing industry in India exceeding $ 6 billion and the specialist graphics, billboards, packaging sectors a combined value of output of $ 2.3 billion, it is clear that there is tremendous amount of potential,", said Ian Dinwoodie Xaar, chief executive officer.

Companies can now buy printheads at half the cost instead of importing them. With growing importance of barcoding and product identification, this is an important market for Xaar, said Dinwoodie.

Importing these printheads will include a duty of 40 per cent part from an intellectual property rights cost of 60 per cent. These machine components can be serviced in India, through the services offered by Xaar.

Though a traditional market like India is difficult to penetrate, an expanding textiles and advertising industry will ensure sales, said Tarun Kumar, general manager, Xaar, India.

Industrial printheads are not 'plug-and-play' products, integrators and manufacturers need to be able to call on support immediately and in their own language and time zone.

This is the first industrial inkjet printhead manufacturer to have opened its office in India. Xaar has a market share of 90 per cent in manufacturing printheads and had a turnover of 35 million pounds last financial year.