Where next for flexo

6 July 2010



With more than 100 years of flexo experience between them, EFIA Directors are in a good position to pass comment on where their industry is heading over the next five years.


Flexo can and does compete with all the other print technologies and is here to stay, but it is critical that the industry convinces major brand owners that flexo is the right process for them to specify, says David Galton, Chairman of EFIA and Director of Asahi Photoproducts UK. He thinks globalisation of brands can make this a challenge, especially as different geographical regions have different preferences. He finds it hard to understand why proven technologies such as ITR sleeves are not more widely taken up in the UK, especially for short runs that are often repeated; and that maybe the industry should take a more holistic view of relative costs. With regards to consistency, he believes the industry needs more closed loop communication to ensure that the standards are maintained through the supply chain and the companies within that chain.

Bernard Catterall, immediate past Chairman of EFIA and Director of Wantzen - agent for Windmöller and Hölscher equipment - thinks the industry must focus on maximising up-time. The flexo industry, he believes, has proved beyond doubt that it is capable of producing a quality product and that the industry should not continue to seek absolute perfection. “Fit for purpose and making a profit is what matters,” he says. He also cautions that flexo may be threatened by gravure – many of the gravure shortcomings especially in the origination and cost areas are not so critical as they were even five years ago. But in his view solvent based flexo for flexible packaging is ‘alive and well’ and will be around for many years. He says it is pleasing to see the level of investment that UK based companies have made even during the past two years. However, ‘every second of downtime matters’ and ‘adopting Lean methods is the key to success for the future’, he concludes.

Debbie Waldron Hoines, Director of Avant Tout, finds it encouraging that suppliers have continued to invest in the flexo process, with Kodak and Fujifilm both talking about – and in the case of Kodak demonstrating - laser engraved flexo plates at IPEX recently. She also commented on the amount of digital print at Ipex, something that visitors would have noticed. With samples of flexible packaging and labels on display, it now seems that digital labels are sitting alongside flexo printed labels quite comfortably. Whether they are a commercially viable proposition does appear open to debate and it is questionable as to whether digital flexible packaging can ever be a serious proposition. From an environmental perspective, she thinks it will also be interesting to see how the development of EB (electron beam) curable inks will impact the flexible packaging market.

Peter Menzer, Technical Director of Prestige Graphics, reiterates Ms Waldron Hoines’ observations on the impact of digital technology and short run labels. On a recent trip to Continental printers, where he was passing off work, six out of 13 label printers had digital capability and were using it for production purposes on runs of up to 50,000 labels. “Undoubtedly this technology will have some impact on other areas that were traditionally flexo strongholds. Flexo is still the dominant process used in flexible packaging, however, especially in the UK, and it is used extensively for retail own label,” he says. He further believes that the retailers will take more control over which printers are used for their packaging, to ensure consistency in their brands’ image.

Summing up, Lesley Hide, EFIA Managing Director, comments that the challenges the industry faces are those of consistency and profitability, and recognition that other technologies are making some inroads into fields that were traditionally flexo.

“Without a doubt, there are a number of UK companies who will benefit from learning more about the Lean approach to manufacturing, which is aimed at reducing waste,” she says.

As a start, EFIA is implementing a Maintenance study in partnership with the University of Wales, Swansea. Total Productive Maintenance is one element of the Lean approach and by completing a questionnaire companies will be able to benchmark themselves against others and access other useful information.

Ms Hide says: “We should be reassured by the level of investment that printers continue to make in new equipment and that suppliers are making in new developments”.


David Galton: “Convince major brand owners that flexo is the right process.” David Galton Bernard Catterall: “Industry must focus on maximising up-time.” Bernard Catterall Debbie Waldron Hoines: “It is questionable whether digital flexible packaging can ever be a serious proposition.” Debbie Waldron Hoines Peter Menzer: “Digital will impact on traditionally flexo strongholds, but flexo is still the dominant process in flexible packaging.” Peter Menzer

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EFIA

Bernard Catterall Bernard Catterall
Peter Menzer Peter Menzer
David Galton David Galton
Debbie Waldron Hoines Debbie Waldron Hoines


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