Aayush Rathi: Why Rocket Could Transform Textile Manufacturing Forever

Surat-based Orange O Tec, led by Mr. Aayush Rathi, has launched the Rocket high-speed digital fabric printer an innovation with the potential to transform textile printing forever. Rocket is a very high-speed digital fabric printer with production capacities of up to 60,000 metres per day, bringing digital printing closer than ever to the output levels of conventional rotary printers.

“Since the inception of digital textile printing, big textile mills have always been hesitant to adopt these technologies because they are used to printing 200,000–300,000 metres of fabric per day,” says Mr. Aayush Rathi. “A digital printer offering only 2,000–5,000 metres per day never appealed to them. Digital printing was mainly driven by fabric traders, first-generation entrepreneurs, and job workers accounting for nearly 80% of sales. But with Rocket, we now foresee large mills increasingly adopting digital technology. This is the transformation we are expecting in the fabric printing segment.”

Rocket: Bridging the Gap Between Digital & Conventional Printing

Digitally printed fabrics typically cost ₹40–50 per metre, while conventional printing remains at ₹30–35 per metre. Sublimation printing stands at ₹20 per metre, compared to ₹15–17 per metre in conventional methods. Rocket is expected to further narrow this cost gap.

Rocket’s biggest advantage is that it is a hybrid printer combining rotary printing capabilities with in-built fabric coating features. It can also perform binding applications of foils or blotch-related work. Earlier, binding, blotch, or coating had to be done on separate systems during digital printing. With Rocket, the cost per metre becomes only 15–20% higher than rotary, while offering lower capital investment, reduced factory space, and fewer workers.

Another major advantage is waste elimination. A rotary printer requires a minimum fabric length of 3,000 metres, and often results in 7–8% dead stock. Digital printing allows mills to print as per requirement, meaning zero waste. Pollution is also reduced significantly as water contamination is much lower and easier to recycle.

“We see strong potential for Rocket among conventional printers who use European or Japanese hi-tech printing systems since the capital cost difference is now very minimal,” Rathi adds.

Green Edge Series: Water-Free Pigment Printing

Orange O Tec has also launched the Green Edge Series including the Homer (Kyocera printhead, imported from China) and Colorix (Ricoh printhead, manufactured in India). Their USP is pigment inks, which require zero water, making the process highly eco-friendly.

“We introduced pigment digital printers last year and the response has been very good,” says Rathi. “Currently, pigment printers account for 5% of our overall digital printer sales, but we expect exponential growth especially due to water scarcity in South India. Pigments reduce pollution and offer sharper prints since the fabric is not washed after printing.”

Democratising Textile Printing for Small Entrepreneurs

Digital printing has opened doors for entrepreneurs who lacked the capital to enter the conventional printing business.

“In earlier times, high capital cost made conventional printing inaccessible. But today, an entrepreneur can purchase a digital printer for around ₹20 lakhs and install it in 2,000–3,000 sq. ft. of space. This elimination of entry barriers is one of the main reasons behind the success of digital printing,” says Rathi.

Made in India: Local Manufacturing With Global-Standard Components

Orange O Tec offers a wide range of printers from slow-speed to high-speed models in various printhead technologies. The company continues to enhance speed through R&D and now manufactures 24-head printers, with a 32-head model coming soon. It has also begun manufacturing digital inks.

The Colorix printers use high-quality global components such as Forbo blankets, Siemens electronics, and THK Taiwan beam systems.
“Despite sourcing premium components, we price our printers competitively. Local manufacturing gives us complete control and the ability to modify or improve quickly. It also allows us to compete with Chinese printers on both quality and price,” Rathi notes.

Their inks also match the highest market standards and are customized quickly while keeping pricing competitive.

Customer-Centric Approach & After-Sales Excellence

“A customer comes first this is our motto,” Rathi emphasizes. Orange O Tec maintains a large stock of spare parts and is highly flexible with customer interactions.

By the end of 2025, the company will launch a dedicated service app with CRM integration, engineer-arrival tracking, spare-order tracking, and AI-powered query support.

Market Penetration Trends in India

Surat accounts for almost 50% of India’s digital and sublimation printer installations, with the rest split across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Punjab, and South India.

Digital printing accounts for 8–10% of India’s overall fabric printing, while sublimation accounts for 18–20%. Growth in both has come largely at the expense of conventional rotary and flatbed printing.

Export Vision & Future Expansion

“We began as importers, but today we manufacture digital fabric printers and inks. We now have the capability to export and control cost effectively. Our export journey begins next year with Uzbekistan and Egypt, and we plan to expand further. Our goal is to double revenues within three years,” Rathi shares.

At ITMA Asia, Orange O Tec will showcase its new position printer under the Colorix brand—featuring 16 Kyocera printheads, a camera for precision alignment, and production capacity of 100–120 linear metres per hour.

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