Itone’s Policy is Driven by Trust, Integrity and Commitment towards Customers & Partners

Mr. Sandeep Sanghvi, Managing Director, Itone, in interaction with Imaging Solution, shares their company’s value system, vision, and strategy. Itone is a Mumbai-based provider of a wide range of high-quality compatible consumables and materials for copiers, laser printers, and MFDs. Itone also offers top-quality and high-reliability components and raw materials for remanufacturing and recycling cartridges.

Please brief us when you started your company and the important milestones so far?

I joined our company in 2004, right after I graduated from engineering. I began by assisting my father who used to manufacture developers for the Xerox 1025 machines. I traveled extensively and built international contacts. We started importing OEM consumables into India. Then we started introducing high-quality compatible consumables under our own brand name – Itone. Few companies at the time focused on consistently high-quality products and strong customer service. We were able to successfully fill this gap. Soon our brand got established, our client base and range of products increased gradually and we have been dynamically growing ever since.

What improvements have you made in the company after you joined?

We try and keep improving on a continual basis, making changes to our systems, processes, and structures, streamlining our operations, and so on. We try to leverage technology where we can. We have increased our marketing activities to strengthen our presence even in remote areas.

How toners – mono and color – are doing in the market? What is your latest product portfolio?

Currently, we supply a wide array of mono and color refill toners and finished cartridges; and compatible materials, spare parts, and components for remanufacturing. We provide toners that are forward and reverse compatible with the OEM. Color toners are extremely quality-sensitive; we provide top-class color toners that give the desired quality and consistency. We have recently released color toners for use in the most popular Kyocera machines.

What challenges and opportunities do you see in the current scenario and how are you reacting to them?

The Covid situation has really helped distinguish the genuine companies from the fly-by-night operators. Today, Indian customers want a company that gives them the right quality products and the right solutions with transparency. We have always been open, transparent, and believed in building long-term relationships, keeping our customers and partners first. This I believe has set us apart and has led to the continuous growth of our company.

What future do you see for Make in India?

India is the biggest emerging market, projected to become a USD 5 trillion economy by 2030. Driven by a supportive government, today there are plenty of opportunities in toner manufacturing, assembling, component manufacturing, and so on. However, increased domestic consumption is essential for the manufacturers to scale up and then export. Substantial investments are needed to manufacture and maintain the quality in a profitable manner.

Describe the road ahead – how the new technological innovations are going to play?

Technology is always disruptive. We are already seeing the OEMs using technological innovations and over-the-air updates to their software and machines to try and block out the aftermarket products. In the future, we will see more technology innovations in terms of software and data; a lot of sales and cost reductions will be data-driven, and there will be e-stores for the B2b businesses.

How do you want to lead your brand in the coming years? What is your message to the young entrepreneurs?

Our company and brand have always been led by the values such as Trust, Integrity, and Commitment. We want to be known for the ethics, high standards, and quality of our relations we always follow. We want to be No. 1 in the minds of our customers. My message to the upcoming players is there are no shortcuts to success. Work hard, keep improving and learn. Rome was not built in a day.