Sandhu Associates: Prominent Partner of Imaging Products in Patiala

Sandhu Associates, incepted in 1998 by its Proprietor, Gurbir Singh Sandhu, is a Patiala (Punjab)-based provider of imaging consumables and IT products. Sandhu Associates product portfolio includes HP toners & cartridges (OEM and compatible), networking solutions, computers hardware, HP printers, software, Panasonic MFP, APC & Microtek UPS systems, CCTV Cameras, RICOH Printers & Projectors, etc. Their services include computer repair and Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC). Refilling toner and ink is also one of the main activities of the company.

Gurbir Singh shares, “We started in 1998 with DTP work like typesetting for magazines, theses of PhD students, pamphlets, etc. In 2003, we started IT business with HP printer consumables including inks, toners, cartridges—both compatible and OEM. We also refill all HP cartridges. Every month, we refill around 150 laser toner cartridges and about 200 ink cartridges. We deal mostly in monochrome for ink and toner. As far as color is concerned, on the inks side color usage is growing very fast as inks are less expensive compared to laser toners. On the color front, we refill nearly 100 ink cartridges and only 10 laser color cartridges a month. The market had been stagnant in the last few years in Punjab, but now it is improving. Educational institutes and banks are good segments for us for ink refilling. Currently, compatible cartridges business is also improving in Punjab. Now we are selling HP and Dell PCs as a retailer. Our current area of operation is Punjab state. In future, we want to expand our business further. GST will help to streamline business operations and help the business grow further.”

Growing at an annual rate of 15-20%, quality is the main selling point of Sandhu Associates.  Gurbir Singh adds, “We always encourage customers to purchase only quality products, but quality consumables come at a higher price compared to market products. About 70% of our customers purchase only quality products. But about 30% customers want low-cost products and they are not bothered about quality. So side-by-side, we also keep low-quality products to satisfy the demand of those who wants purchase them. But we always recommend customers to purchase only high quality products but the choice is theirs.”