What keeps a TSC Auto ID partnership going for nearly two decades?

India’s AIDC ecosystem is expanding as businesses look for newer identification and data capture technologies, including RFID. For TSC Auto ID, its long-standing relationship with Karan Marking Systems and a growing partner network are central to expanding its presence across the country.

Speaking to DQ Channels, Ajay Sharma, MD, Karan Marking Systems & President, AIDC Technology Association of India, discussed his company’s association with TSC Auto ID, the evolution of the market and the role of partner engagement in driving growth.

Karan Marking Systems has been associated with TSC since 2007 and serves as its national distributor in India. Sharma said his business has grown alongside the brand, moving from a small-scale operation when the relationship began to importing more than 3,000 units a month today.

TSC partnership grows from a small base

Sharma said he has been in business for 42 years, with the relationship with TSC Auto ID beginning in 2007 when Karan Marking Systems was a small dealer.

“We have really grown up with TSC with the passage of time.”

Over nearly two decades, Sharma said Karan Marking Systems has remained focused on TSC despite receiving offers from other brands. He added that a significant share of the company's investment is in TSC products.

According to Sharma, TSC's ability to adapt its portfolio to changing market requirements has been an important factor in sustaining the relationship. He pointed to RFID, AI and other emerging technologies as areas where the company has continued to invest in product development.

“They have come out with the innovations as per the demand of the time.”

Sharma also highlighted what he described as TSC's focus on product quality and the trust it has built among customers and partners.

RFID creates new opportunities in AIDC

RFID is emerging as an important area within the AIDC ecosystem, with Sharma pointing to the expansion of TSC's RFID printer portfolio as an example of how the company is responding to changing requirements.

He said TSC has expanded from desktop printers to industrial RFID printers, giving partners a broader portfolio to address customer requirements.

For the channel, this evolution creates opportunities to engage customers around newer applications while continuing to serve established barcode printing requirements.

AIDC association looks beyond the metros

Alongside his role at Karan Marking Systems, Sharma is serving his second term as president of the AIDC Technology Association of India. He said the association has grown from around 125–130 members four years ago to between 225 and 250 members today.

The association is also looking to expand its reach geographically. Its next summit is scheduled to be held in Guwahati from 1–4 October, with a specific focus on bringing greater attention to the Northeast.

“We want to reach every nook and corner of our country.”

Sharma said the Northeast has not traditionally been a strong area for the AIDC association and that choosing Guwahati as the summit destination is intended to help connect with businesses and partners across Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and other parts of the region.

For the association, the objective is to broaden participation and create greater awareness of AIDC technologies beyond established markets.

Solution Days strengthen partner engagement

Sharma also sees TSC's Solution Day events as an important platform for channel engagement. He said the events allow partners from a particular region to meet under one roof while gaining access to product information, knowledge-sharing sessions and networking opportunities.

“Solution Day, they have so many things to offer, so many things to share.”

For Sharma, the value goes beyond business transactions. He described relationships with partners as an important part of his distribution business, making face-to-face interaction and networking particularly relevant.

He also praised TSC's Solution Day sessions for being structured around the requirements of dealers and partners, with presentations, videos, graphs and other information designed to support product understanding.

Partner profitability remains central

Sharma believes partner profitability is critical to maintaining long-term channel relationships. He said growing demand has at times resulted in shortages of material, particularly as the festival season approaches and demand for TSC products increases.

He also pointed to supply constraints involving chips and microprocessors as a factor that can affect product availability.

“If you are making some money, then only you will stick to us.”

For Sharma, this underlines the importance of ensuring that dealers have a viable business opportunity alongside product quality and market demand.

As TSC continues expanding its portfolio and the AIDC ecosystem develops across newer markets, Sharma sees an opportunity for distributors, dealers and the association to collectively widen the reach of technology. The combination of product innovation, partner knowledge-sharing, geographic expansion and dealer profitability will remain important as India's AIDC market moves into its next phase.

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