The rise of digital textile printing in Bangladesh’s textile industry
Digital printing has been steadily gaining ground in Bangladesh’s textile printing industry, driven by demand for shorter lead times, greater production flexibility and improved efficiency. As the technology continues to develop, manufacturers are also becoming more confident about its production capacity, quality and investment potential.
In this exclusive interview, Abdullah Al Mamun, Stakeholder of RBR Innovations Ltd., shares his perspective on the rapid growth of digital printing in Bangladesh, the challenges that still need attention, and how RBR Innovations is combining digital printing, conventional printing and coating technologies in a single machine. He also discusses the company’s plans to strengthen local manufacturing and technical support for the growing digital printing market.
TexSPACE Today: How do you see the development of digital printing in Bangladesh?
Abdullah Al Mamun: Digital printing has developed significantly in Bangladesh over the last 10 years. When the technology first started gaining attention in the local market, we expected it to gradually take a share of conventional printing.
That expectation is now becoming a reality. We estimate that digital printing has already taken around 60% of the printing market segment we are referring to. Based on this development, we believe digital printing will take a leading position in the market within the next few years.
Conventional printing will continue to have its own applications, but digital printing is likely to become the preferred option for many manufacturers because of its flexibility, production speed and ability to respond to changing customer requirements.
TexSPACE Today: What challenges still need to be addressed?
Abdullah Al Mamun: There are still some challenges, particularly in terms of technology, quality and cost in certain applications.
One important area is technological upgrading. Manufacturers need to develop the necessary skills and experience to operate digital printing systems properly. The industry needs people who understand the technology and can adapt production processes accordingly.
Local technical support is another important issue. When manufacturers invest in digital printing equipment, they need access to spare parts, maintenance and technical expertise. We are working to strengthen local service availability so that customers can receive support when they need it.
TexSPACE Today: What is RBR Innovations bringing to the Bangladesh market?
Abdullah Al Mamun: RBR Innovations has introduced a three-in-one machine that combines conventional printing, digital printing and coating.
We brought this technology to Bangladesh with the aim of giving manufacturers greater flexibility within a single production system. Instead of purchasing separate machines for different processes, entrepreneurs can combine these functions in one machine.
From an investment perspective, this can be useful for manufacturers looking to optimize their machinery and production setup.
The system also offers advantages in terms of energy consumption and manpower requirements. Using a combined system can reduce the resources required compared with maintaining separate equipment for different processes.
TexSPACE Today: How is digital printing helping manufacturers respond to global brand requirements?
Abdullah Al Mamun: Lead time has become an increasingly important issue for manufacturers supplying global brands.
In conventional printing, the production process can take considerable time, depending on the order, design and preparation requirements. Digital printing provides manufacturers with greater flexibility and can help reduce the time required to move from design to production.
As brands increasingly seek shorter lead times, manufacturers need technologies that allow them to respond quickly. This is one of the areas where digital printing has a clear advantage.
TexSPACE Today: Investment and scalability were once major concerns around digital printing. Has the situation changed?
Abdullah Al Mamun: Yes. During the early stages of digital printing, manufacturers had concerns about return on investment, production capacity and scalability.
Production volume was one of the major limitations. At one stage, certain digital printing machines were producing around 10,000 to 15,000 metres per day. Today, some machines can reach production capacities of around 100,000 metres per day, depending on the machine and application.
Quality has also improved significantly. Many of the concerns that existed during the early development of digital printing have been addressed through improvements in technology and machine performance.
Machine prices have also become more competitive. Digital printing equipment was considerably more expensive in the past. Today, depending on the machine and production requirements, the investment can be comparable to conventional printing equipment and, in some cases, even lower.
When we consider production capacity, quality, investment and scalability together, digital printing has become a much stronger option for textile manufacturers.
TexSPACE Today: What are RBR Innovations’ plans for the coming years?
Abdullah Al Mamun: RBR Innovations is a joint venture between China and Bangladesh. At present, we provide digital printing machines, inks, spare parts and related services to customers in Bangladesh.
Our plan is to establish a manufacturing facility in Bangladesh within the coming years. We aim to produce digital printing machines, inks and spare parts locally.
This would allow us to support our existing customers more effectively while offering machinery, consumables, spare parts and services at more competitive prices.
For us, the focus is not only on supplying equipment. Building local technical capability and ensuring reliable after-sales support will also be important as digital printing continues to expand in Bangladesh.
