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Akil Contractor of Print Dynamic carved in his initials in the Limca Book of Records for his contribution in the printing ink industry. His six years of intensive research led to the development of photochromic, thermochromic, halochromic, piezochromic and several other inks, which are colour changing products. He also developed and supplied the photochromic inks, specialised in the 3D Flex Transfers, developed the 'surprise gift' scheme for Coca Cola and initiated the formulation of photochromatic colours and specialised inks. In a tête-à-tête with Print-Packaging.Com, Akil Contractor talks about his strength, struggle and successful stances. How and when did you start your journey through inks, colours and coatings? Though during my college days I was more inclined towards a career in charted accountancy, I eventually joined my family business; Rainbow Ink and Varnish Mfg Co. I joined the company in 1981 and since then my thoughts and work have been revolving around inks, colours and coatings. I was involved in my family business from 1981 to 2002 and obtained the widest experience in all departments ranging from marketing, human resources, materials management, accounting and financial planning. However, it was only after I gained the position of the Director Commercial in charge of the materials procurement of the company that I grasped the significant attributes of raw materials used in the company. Being a Commerce graduate, did you find any problem in dealing with the terms and techniques in the initial stage of your experiments? Yes, there were several such challenges. Basically, after two decades of working in the family business I realised the lack of opportunity due to adequate justified academic qualification. Finally, it was in the year 2002 that I started my own printing ink company. It was a big challenge to sell products which were formulated by me alone, to work without a team of chemists, which is a typical requirement in the industry and to produce final results only with the help of few skilled and mainly unskilled labour. How has the transition from a service holder to an entrepreneur been? I was never scared of challenges as they only pushed me towards working harder. The transition from a service holder to an entrepreneur has been satisfying, mainly because I value the exposure of creative potentials. It has been a learning experience to explore and formulate several hundred inks and coatings as per the specification of the customer. I have particularly enjoyed the creative high of an inventor who initiates his thinking every time there is an enquiry from an external source. Who has been your inspiration? Learning begins at home. I have learnt a lot from the hard work and persistence of my father and uncles. I also admire Bill Gates for his contribution in the technological success of our century. How does it feel to see your name in Limca book records? I have recently received the Limca book recognition and a special achievement award from SGAI for my experiments with printing inks. This is the first time I have received an award. The feeling has been a mix of happiness and deep satisfaction. What kind of changes, transformations have you witnessed since your inclination towards the printing inks industry? I have witnessed a remarkable transformation in the printing ink industry from the earlier significant presence of tiny, small and medium units to the present success of large and very large units. Following the liberalisation of the Indian economy, the globalisation phenomenon have permitted large players from overseas to enter India with their joint ventures offering high quality products with low cost operations. Moving from an era of strict controls of licensing and regulations, we have arrived to an age where new players have entered the field smoothly to create world class inks and coatings. What are your plans for the future? Which other inventions are in line? All our recent work is focused on garment decoration products, but now we are working on formulations related to RFID applications and accousto- thermochromism (which is a unique technology of initiating colour change in a polymer matrix by stimulus of decibels and altering frequencies and amplitudes with resultant chromatic alterations). We are also compiling a project list of green technologies, which can be incorporated for promoting eco-friendly inks. We are also looking forward to add new products in the area of security inks. What would you suggest to the manufacturers planning to enter the printing industry? Where the industry is dominated by the large ink manufacturers, the only way to make an inroad for any new unit is to cater to the needs of a niche market with different products and fast services. Giving personal attention to each and every customer, working hard to meet the standards and requirements, avoiding delays, carrying positive attitude and being up date with the technology are essential qualifications that can help a new player make a mark in the industry. akil_contractor@yahoo.com
Date: 09-Dec-2008
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