How to Choose the Best Printing Company in India: 10-Point Checklist

Choosing the right printing company in India is one of the most important decisions for any procurement manager, brand owner, or marketing team. The wrong choice can mean wasted budgets, delayed deliveries, and substandard quality that damages your brand. This 10-point checklist will help you evaluate and select the best printing partner for your business.

1. Equipment & Technology

The quality of printed output is directly tied to the machinery. Ask about:

• Offset presses — Look for German or Japanese machines: Manroland, Heidelberg, Komori, KBA. A 7-color press indicates premium capability.
• Digital presses — HP Indigo is the gold standard for digital printing quality. Ask which model they operate.
• Pre-press — CTP (Computer-to-Plate) systems, ICC color profiles, digital proofing capability
• Finishing equipment — Lamination, UV coating, foil stamping, embossing, die-cutting machines
• Age of equipment — Well-maintained modern machines deliver better quality than older, worn-out presses

Red flag: If a printer can't tell you the exact make and model of their machines, that's a warning sign. Reputable printers are proud to showcase their equipment.

2. Certifications & Compliance

Certifications validate a company's commitment to quality and standards:

• ISO 9001:2015 — Quality management system certification. Non-negotiable for serious B2B printing.
• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) — Certifies sustainable paper sourcing. Increasingly required by global brands.
• GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) — Essential for pharma packaging printing.
• ISO 14001 — Environmental management system.
• SEDEX/SMETA — Social compliance audit for ethical manufacturing.

Ask for copies of valid certificates and verify expiry dates. A truly certified company will display certificates prominently.

3. Industry Experience & Track Record

Experience matters enormously in printing. Consider:

• Years in business — 20+ years indicates stability and reliability
• Industry expertise — Does the printer specialize in your industry (pharma, FMCG, cosmetics)?
• Client portfolio — Do they serve reputable brands? Ask for a client list.
• Volume handling — Can they handle your required volumes with existing capacity?

4. Facility Size & Infrastructure

A company's facility reveals its capability:

• Square footage — Larger facilities (30,000+ sq.ft.) can handle more complex workflows
• Clean room — Required for pharma packaging printing
• Temperature/humidity control — Affects print quality and paper handling
• Storage — Dedicated paper storage and finished goods warehousing
• Location — Industrial area location (like Navi Mumbai's TTC) ensures 24/7 power and infrastructure

Pro tip: Always visit the facility before placing a large order. A factory visit tells you more than any sales presentation.

5. Workforce & Expertise

A printing company is only as good as its people:

• Team size — 100+ employees indicates serious operational capability
• Skilled operators — Trained machine operators certified by equipment manufacturers
• Design team — In-house pre-press and design capability
• Quality inspectors — Dedicated QC team at each production stage
• Account managers — Dedicated point of contact for your projects

6. Range of Services

All-in-one printers save time, reduce coordination, and maintain quality:

• Pre-press — Design, artwork preparation, color proofing
• Printing — Both offset and digital under one roof
• Post-press — Lamination, coating, foiling, embossing, die-cutting
• Binding — Perfect, case, saddle stitch, Wire-O
• Packaging — Folding, gluing, assembly, packing, dispatch

Companies that outsource finishing or binding introduce delays and quality inconsistency.

7. Quality Control Process

Ask detailed questions about their QC process:

• Color management — ICC profiles, densitometer readings, spectrophotometer measurements
• Proofing — Digital proofs, wet proofs, press proofs available?
• Inspection checkpoints — How many QC checkpoints from pre-press to dispatch?
• Rejection policy — What happens when defects are found?
• Traceability — Can they trace every batch back to specific production records?

8. Turnaround Time & Reliability

Delivery reliability is critical for production schedules:

• Standard turnaround — What is their typical production time?
• Express capability — Can they handle urgent orders?
• Buffer capacity — Do they have capacity to absorb demand spikes?
• Delivery track record — Ask for on-time delivery statistics
• Logistics — Do they handle shipping/dispatch or do you arrange?

9. Pricing & Transparency

Cost clarity prevents unpleasant surprises:

• Detailed quotes — Breakup of paper, printing, finishing, packing costs
• Minimum order quantities — What are the MOQs for different products?
• Hidden charges — Die costs, plate charges, delivery charges, revision charges
• Payment terms — Advance, credit terms, milestone-based payments
• Price vs. value — The cheapest printer is often the most expensive in the long run

10. Communication & Responsiveness

A good printing partner communicates proactively:

• Responsiveness — Do they respond to inquiries within hours?
• Updates — Do they provide production status updates?
• Problem resolution — How do they handle issues when they arise?
• Technical guidance — Do they offer expert advice on print specifications?
• Relationship — Do they treat you as a long-term partner, not just a transaction?

Why 500+ Companies Trust Hira Print Solutions

Hira Print Solutions Pvt. Ltd. checks every box on this checklist:

• Equipment — Manroland 700 (7-color offset), HP Indigo, Scodix, Bobst die-cutters — 14+ world-class machines
• Certifications — ISO 9001:2015, FSC, GMP certified
• Experience — Operating since 1996 — 30 years in the industry
• Facility — 50,000 sq.ft. in TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai
• Team — 200+ skilled professionals
• Services — Complete under one roof: pre-press to dispatch
• Clients — 500+ B2B clients across pharma, FMCG, cosmetics, corporates