Earlier this year, Coca Cola launched ‘Share a Coke’ campaign in India. The campaign, with messages in over a dozen regional languages, used HP Inc’s ‘HP-Indigo’ digital printing technology.

As the demand for customised offerings drive demand, the Graphics Solutions Business vertical of HP Inc, is eyeing a greater presence in India.

Graphics solutions, PCs and printers are the three major business units of HP. Armed with a portfolio of printing solutions, the target market will cover segments now dominated by the unorganised sector.

Addressable segments

According to Puneet Chadha, Director, APJ Marketing, Graphics Solutions Business, Asia-Pacific and Japan, HP’s addressable segments in India will span not just larger entities, but will include small and medium businesses , publishing businesses, FMCG industry particularly those in labelling and packaging. For instance, HP has previously worked with FMCG major ITC to have customised cigarette packets under the ‘Flake’ brand.

This apart, the company will target the multi-million dollar wedding and ceremony photography market.

The wedding market in India includes album designing and printing for pre-wedding photo-shoots, wedding photography, destination and theme weddings, and other concept photo-shoots. Modest estimates suggest at least 5000-odd pages are printed every day in this category.

“There are different segments which we are targeting in India with our offerings and print solutions. One such is the marriage market which is unorganised, but the demand for specialised offerings is increasing,” Chadha told BusinessLine .

HP has also found opportunities in $4 billion publishing market. Offset printing, though popular, entails wastage of 35 per cent. Digital print solutions can bring down error margin thereby making it cost-effective.

Scaling Up

HP will also look at scaling up partner programmes surrounding graphics solutions business.

According to Mike Boyle, Vice-President & General Manager Graphics Solutions Business, Asia-Pacific & Japan, the company has already introduced its ‘InnoPartner Program’ in China, and will extend it to Japan. In China, for instance, the programme involves partnerships with e-commerce, mobile and marketing industries.

He did not mention the time frame for the programme’s India launch, but said initiatives similar to the InnoPartner Programme are already underway here.

“The foundation for this (InnoPartner) is laid. We already have people on the ground (in India) who are working with channel partners,” Boyle said.

Market sources estimate nearly 50 trillion pages are printed on an annual basis, of which just 10 per cent cater to the home and office segments. The remainder is graphics printing with off-set technology dominating the market. Digital printing is just a small part of that.

(The correspondent was in Singapore on invitation from HP)

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