By K. Gopalakrishnan
From pioneering screen printing technologies to leading the digital printing revolution, Fujifilm Sericol India continues to shape the future of textile printing through innovation, sustainability and customer-centric solutions
The textile printing industry has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past two decades. Once dominated by conventional screen printing, the industry today is rapidly embracing digital technologies, sustainable chemistries, shorter production cycles and increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Global brands are demanding not only superior print quality but also safer chemicals, lower environmental footprints, greater production flexibility and complete compliance with international sustainability standards.
At the heart of this transformation, inks have evolved from being merely consumables to becoming strategic enablers of innovation. Whether it is direct-to-garment (DTG), direct-to-film (DTF), sublimation, pigment or reactive printing, the chemistry behind inks today plays a defining role in determining print performance, durability, sustainability and production efficiency.
As the textile printing industry continues to evolve, Fujifilm Sericol India Pvt. Ltd. has consistently remained at the forefront of this transformation. Backed by Fujifilm’s global technological leadership and Sericol’s rich heritage in printing inks, the company has spent more than 25 years helping India’s textile printers embrace new technologies while continuously introducing innovations that address the evolving needs of brands, manufacturers and consumers alike.
In an exclusive interaction with The Textile Magazine, Dr. Raghav Rao, Managing Director, Fujifilm Sericol India Pvt. Ltd., shares the company’s remarkable journey, its pioneering role in India’s textile printing industry, its innovation-led approach and why sustainability continues to remain the cornerstone of every solution it develops.
A Global Technology Leader Far Beyond Photography
For many, the Fujifilm name continues to evoke memories of photography and cameras. However, the company has undergone one of the most remarkable business transformations in corporate history.
Recognising the decline of the traditional photography business much before the market shifted, Fujifilm embarked on an ambitious diversification strategy. Leveraging its deep expertise in chemistry, material science and imaging technologies, the company expanded into healthcare, medical imaging, industrial products, business innovation, printed electronics, semiconductor materials and advanced manufacturing solutions.
Today, Fujifilm has grown into one of Japan’s largest technology enterprises with a large global workforce and businesses spanning multiple high-technology sectors.
Within this diversified ecosystem, Fujifilm Sericol represents the company’s specialised printing solutions business, delivering advanced inks and printing technologies for textiles, graphics, industrial applications, packaging and specialty markets.
The Sericol Legacy Continues
While Fujifilm provides the global technology platform, the Sericol brand carries an equally distinguished legacy in the printing industry.
Originally established under Burmah Castrol, Sericol International built a formidable reputation worldwide as an innovation-driven printing ink company with manufacturing facilities and research centres across several countries. In 2005, Fujifilm acquired Sericol International, recognising its technological capabilities, strong research culture and leadership in screen and inkjet printing technologies.
Although the company became part of the Fujifilm Group, the Sericol name was retained in India owing to its exceptional brand recognition within the printing industry.
“Sericol has always been synonymous with inks. The brand enjoys tremendous credibility among printers across the world, which is why we continue to carry that legacy forward,” explains Dr. Rao.
Building India’s Textile Printing Ecosystem
Fujifilm Sericol has played a defining role in shaping the evolution of India’s textile printing industry.
Dr. Rao recalls that in 2000, when India’s garment exporters were beginning to serve international brands, many textile printers lacked the technical expertise needed to meet global quality expectations.
Rather than simply supplying products, Fujifilm Sericol chose to educate the industry.
The company organised intensive training programmes in Tirupur, bringing printing machinery, inks and technical experts together for five-day workshops that demonstrated international best practices in screen preparation, colour management, printing techniques and quality control.
Those initiatives helped several Indian printers understand the stringent requirements of leading global apparel brands while significantly enhancing the capabilities of the country’s textile printing ecosystem.
“We never believed in simply selling inks. Our objective has always been to transfer knowledge and help printers succeed globally,” says Dr. Rao.
This philosophy continues even today through regular customer training programmes, workshops and technical support across major textile manufacturing clusters.
Innovation Driven by Customer Challenges
One of Fujifilm Sericol’s defining strengths lies in its ability to convert customer challenges into commercially successful innovations.
A compelling example came from the development of apparel for a major international sporting event, where polyester garments demanded exceptional colour vibrancy, durability and performance.
The fabrics selected by global brands exhibited severe dye migration during heat curing, resulting in colour bleeding and print defects. Conventional solutions proved inadequate.
Responding to the challenge, Fujifilm Sericol developed a patented dye blocker technology capable of preventing dye migration without compromising print quality. The solution enabled garment manufacturers to successfully complete production while meeting the demanding quality standards of international sportswear brands.
Similarly, the company became one of the first globally to introduce PVC-free and phthalate-free plastisol inks, well before such formulations became industry expectations. These products significantly improved consumer safety while helping manufacturers comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations governing children’s wear and premium apparel.
More recently, the company has introduced another breakthrough in Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing.
Conventional DTF processes rely on polyurethane powder adhesives, which not only generate airborne particles but also affect the hand feel of printed garments. Fujifilm Sericol has developed a patented powder-free DTF solution that eliminates this requirement entirely, delivering softer prints while substantially improving workplace safety and reducing environmental impact.
“It is a first-of-its-kind innovation globally,” says Dr. Rao, reflecting the company’s continued focus on solving practical manufacturing problems through science-driven innovation.
Leading the Digital Printing Revolution
While screen printing continues to play an important role in textile decoration, the industry’s future is increasingly digital.
Recognising this trend decades ago, Sericol invested heavily in inkjet technologies long before digital textile printing became mainstream. Following its acquisition, Fujifilm further strengthened these capabilities through investments in printheads, ink technologies and digital printing platforms.
Today, Fujifilm Sericol offers one of the industry’s most comprehensive portfolios covering DTG, DTF, reactive, pigment, sublimation and screen printing inks.
According to Dr. Rao, the transition towards digital printing is no longer a future possibility, it is already well underway.
“The industry has already moved significantly towards digital technologies. We have been part of that journey from the very beginning,” he says.
Rather than treating digital printing as a replacement for conventional methods, the company views it as an integrated manufacturing ecosystem where screen printing and digital technologies complement each other depending on application requirements.
Sustainability Designed into Every Formulation
For Fujifilm Sericol, sustainability is not an isolated initiative but a fundamental design philosophy embedded into product development.
Every new formulation is evaluated not only for print performance but also for its environmental impact, chemical safety, wastewater generation and regulatory compliance.
The company’s portfolio includes products designed to minimise pollutants released during processing while helping customers meet global environmental certifications and brand compliance requirements.
Its philosophy of “More Than Ink, Solutions” reflects a broader commitment to enabling sustainable manufacturing rather than merely supplying consumables.
“Quality and consistency are essential, but equally important is developing solutions that reduce environmental impact while improving manufacturing efficiency,” explains Dr. Rao.
Innovation Powered by Indian Research
Perhaps one of the least known aspects of Fujifilm Sericol India is the scale of research undertaken at its Pune facility.
The company operates one of India’s few DSIR-recognised research laboratories dedicated to printing technologies, employing a highly qualified scientific team, including around ten doctoral researchers.
Dr. Rao himself continues to actively lead research despite serving as Managing Director, having filed more than thirty patents during his distinguished career.
“Research is my passion,” he says simply.
This commitment ensures that the Indian operation functions not merely as a manufacturing unit but as a global innovation centre contributing technologies to Fujifilm’s worldwide businesses.
The Pune facility develops solutions not only for India but also for international markets, reinforcing the country’s growing role in global product innovation.
Manufacturing Excellence Supporting Global Markets
Fujifilm Sericol’s manufacturing complex in Pune comprises multiple specialised production units dedicated to different product families.
Dedicated facilities for PVC-free formulations, water-based products and specialty inks ensure strict quality control while meeting the exacting requirements of global customers.
Beyond textiles, the company supplies inks for automotive components, industrial products, footwear, packaging, signage, pharmaceuticals, sports equipment and numerous other specialised applications.
Its products are exported to nearly 37 countries, with exports contributing around 25-30 percent of overall business—a reflection of the confidence global markets place in Indian manufacturing capabilities.
Creating Value Beyond Products
One factor that differentiates Fujifilm Sericol from many competitors is its customer engagement model.
The company’s relationship with customers extends well beyond product supply.
Its technical teams support colour management, process optimisation, operator training, inventory planning and brand compliance. The company works closely with OEMs, printhead manufacturers and machinery suppliers to develop compatible ink systems that maximise printer performance while ensuring consistent output quality.
It also maintains strong relationships with leading international brands, helping Indian printers align with evolving global expectations.
“Our responsibility doesn’t end when the ink is delivered. We remain with the customer until the final garment meets brand approval,” says Dr. Rao.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening India’s Manufacturing Ecosystem
As India emerges as an increasingly important textile manufacturing destination, Dr. Rao believes the next phase of growth must be driven by greater self-reliance.
The company’s future strategy focuses on backward integration by developing local manufacturing capabilities for raw materials that are currently imported. Working closely with Indian partners, Fujifilm Sericol is transferring technologies that will help domestic suppliers manufacture advanced chemical intermediates locally, reducing import dependence while strengthening India’s industrial ecosystem.
For Dr. Rao, this initiative aligns perfectly with the broader vision of building a globally competitive manufacturing base capable of supporting India’s expanding textile exports.
“Our objective is not merely to manufacture inks in India, but to build an ecosystem where technologies are developed here, manufactured here and supplied globally,” he says.
Innovation as a Way of Life
Over the past 25 years, Fujifilm Sericol India has evolved from being a supplier of printing inks into a trusted technology partner for the textile industry. Through continuous research, close collaboration with customers and an unwavering commitment to sustainability, the company has consistently introduced innovations that have helped Indian textile printers meet the demanding expectations of global brands.
As textile printing moves towards greater digitalisation, sustainable chemistry and higher performance standards, Fujifilm Sericol appears well positioned to lead the next phase of industry evolution. Its unique blend of Japanese technological excellence, Indian research capabilities and customer-centric innovation reflects a philosophy that has guided the company for decades—delivering not merely products, but complete solutions that create lasting value across the textile printing value chain.
For an industry undergoing rapid transformation, that philosophy may well prove to be Fujifilm Sericol’s greatest competitive advantage.