Invest SVG introduces local businesses to new technology

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, several micro, small and medium size businesses in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), were introduced to the world of professional inkjet equipment, designed to make printing on their products and containers easier.

The introduction came through Invest SVG’s Export Department, as that entity continues to do all in its power to improve micro, small and medium businesses, in an effort to make them more recognizable and acceptable not only locally, but regionally and internationally as well.

During a session at the conference room of Invest SVG, located on the second floor of the Financial Complex, Operations and Business Development Manager at Gem Printery Limited (Trinidad and Tobago), Vishal Moonasar displayed two pieces of handheld BENTSAI professional inkjet printing equipment.

The portable handheld mini-inkjet printing equipment allows users to print, among other things, barcodes, and product packaging information including “best if used by”, and allergen information. It also can print patterns onto clothes and other materials including wood, plastic and glass, at anytime, anywhere.

Moonasar told SEARCHLIGHT that he came to Invest SVG to show what is called “coding machines” in the industry. He said these machines allow businesses to print expiration dates, best before dates, batch numbers, and information pertaining to traceability. He added that this type of information is important when dealing with food and perishable items.

“These machines can facilitate the ability to print such things directly on to the product packaging. So, it allows the businesses to standardize their labels and produce in larger quantities and keep their unit price down per label and still meet the requirements for export, or even the local requirements to put in these expiry or best before dates,” Moonasar explained.

He said the product is available directly from Gem Printery Limited (Trinidad and Tobago) but in a few weeks, they are hoping to sign a contract with a local company that will sell the product here. Moonasar said as well that the local supplier will offer technical support and also provide supplies like ink cartridges.

“If you normally do this type of thing by hand or external label, I encourage you to invest in these products because the cost efficiency and effectiveness of it is tremendous and can take the cost of your label down to less than a cent,” he noted.

“The turnaround or the yield on a cartridge for an expiration date is in excess of a 100,000 prints for a cartridge in the hundreds of dollars category, as well as it meets the requirement and gives your product more professionalism with a different look. So, when a consumer- tourist or international, who is shopping and looking at local content and they look at the bottle and they see an expiration date printed on, versus written on or stuck on, it gives the product more credibility.”

Export Director of Marketing and Promotions at Invest SVG, Nadine Agard-Juillerat said these devices are available in two sizes, one about four inches squared, and another around five by three inches with a handle.

“They can assist micro, small, and medium businesses in expanding their printing horizons allowing them to print their expiry dates, QR codes, website information, allergy information…directly on the surface of the bottle, plastic packaging, boxes, synthetic fabric…,” Agard-Juillerat noted.

She said the devices are versatile and both cost and time efficient.

“Sticky labels are an additional cost on a business and it is labour intensive. Meanwhile you can have a cartridge that, with a few adjustments, can give you 100,000 prints which is cost efficient. Also, these types of labels are standard for export as ‘best by’ dates are important for items that are consumed,” Agard-Juillerat also commented.