There’s a reason why most Potterheads in India had no trouble acquiring the latest copy of the special edition rehearsal script, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Manipal Technologies Ltd (MTL), a printing company based out of Karnataka was the only press in Asia to print copies of this record-breaking book, which saw a worldwide release on July 31st.
The huge print run was accomplished in record time and delivered to the Indian publisher, Hachette India. MTL issued a press release on August 1, finally breaking its silence on how it achieved this incredible task while preserving a high level of secrecy.
Shashi Ranjan, Vice-President and Business Head, Commercial Printing Division at MTL, said, “Harry Potter is a phenomenon and we are delighted and privileged to have been involved in the production and successful delivery of the book; especially when the focus is on Make in India.”
Confidentiality and secrecy were of utmost importance at the factory, which is spread over more than 3 lakh sq. feet. The onus was on Shashi to ensure none of the juicy details escaped into the realm of social media, because that could impact the sales of the book. But the operation turned out to be a phenomenal success because all the copies of the books were sold.
Measures required to keep the printing process secret involved 24×7 access control, electronic and physical surveillance with a complete ban on use of electronic devices and mobile phones on the premises.
This is not the first time that MTL has managed to pull of this amazing feat, which would even put the goblins in Gringotts Wizarding Bank to shame. Abhay Gupte, Chief Executive Officer, Manipal Technologies Ltd., told The Hindu, “As the country’s largest secure printing solutions organization, MTL’s systems and processes are built to execute such Harry Potter-esque security. Even in 2012, our team had successfully produced The Casual Vacancy, which was J.K. Rowling’s first post-Potter novel; and subsequently, had also produced India’s record setting hardback Sachin Tendulkar’s Playing It My Way.”
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