Firms cut costs amid slowdown, diary and calendar sales hit

Diary manufacturers said they have cut down production by 30% this year. “For diaries, the print orders are down by 30%,” said V Gandesh Kumar, president of Sivakasi Master Printers’ Association. “We used to get print orders for diaries at least six months in advance. But this year we have got orders just two months in before the new year,” he said. However, print orders for notebooks and journals have not been hit, he said.

Demand for daily calendars has picked up steam after the local body polls were announced. “Before the announcement, we did not receive many orders. Due to the elections, demand for daily calendars has gone up in the past two weeks,” said Thiyargarajan of Sivakasi Calendar Manufacturers Association.