Monotype, the company which owns many of the world’s most popular typefaces, has opened in India.
The new company, Monotype Solutions India, follows of the company's acquisition of the Bitstream font business and a start-up there last year.
Managing director Neeraj Gulati says Monotype India's mandate is to develop advanced cloud-based solutions, display technology offerings, typeface design, enterprise solutions and e-commerce products. It will also undertake research projects in some of these areas.
“India has a strong foundation in technology and a rich creative heritage,” he says. “As India crosses the digital divide, we believe Monotype's solutions and expertise can help creative design professionals, consumer electronics device manufacturers and leading corporations connect their products, services, content and brands to consumers and businesses."
Gulati says Monotype – which traces its history to the typecasting machinery manufacturer founded in the late 1800s by inventor Tolbert Lanston – has a pedigree of technological innovation and creative design.
“We envision our fonts and technologies to empower every word and experience, across digital and print media."
Monotype’s offering includes libraries from Monotype, Linotype, ITC, Ascender and Bitstream, with fonts such as Helvetica, Frutiger, Univers, Arial, Times New Roman and Gills Sans.
A cross-licensing agreement with Compugraphic in 1989 and Agfa’s acquisition of Monotype Typography that year led to the business which was bought in 2004 by Boston-based private equity firm TA Associates. It is based in Woburn, Massachusetts.