According to Flexography ORG, the Expanded Range provides different benefits: savings, stability, fast response. The smart use of ink sets promotes better press accuracy and minimizes the visual effect of press drift during long runs.
According to studies at Ryerson University, Toronto, which used its Comco Cadet 7-color narrow web label press with Esko Equinox and GMG OpenColor solutions to test the reproduction of 30 different Pantone + Solid Coated spot colors in stock of extra-glossy LTR labels. Extended range printing is applicable to all printing processes: flexographic package printing, offset folding cartons, an HP Indigo digital label press or an Epson inkjet proofing printer.
For a client’s work that requires spot colors, Gama Expanded offers significant cost savings, because:
- Spot colors with an Expanded Gamut ink set
- There is no need to estimate, formulate, ship, store, plate separations, inking and de-inking the press with a spot color ink.
- Printers can simply leave CMYKOGV inks on the ink train and print different spot colors throughout the day.
- Greater stability and precision on the press, especially for long runs.
- Use of additional colorants
April Burke, vice president of operations for Bellwyck Packaging, Toronto, says: “We believe that EG enables us to reduce costs, improve quality and reduce turnaround time for our premium and pharmaceutical packaging customers.”
Previously, Ryerson University had evaluated and tested the Expanded Gamut printing systems for the HP Indigo 7900 and Epson Sure Color P9000 using 10 different color management solutions.
Containers and packaging
The sachet in a small and disposable envelope, which is hermetically sealed. Thus, the product inside (which can be pasty, liquid, powder, granular or solid) is completely protected. Among the most common sachets, we see them in cosmetic products, detergents and in the food industry (ketchup sachets, sugar).
It owes its name to an adaptation of the French word for bag or sachet. Among its positive characteristics, the following stand out:
- The security of your content.
- Allows you to customize your entire design.
- It is versatile in terms of product class.
- It saves raw material, since it is packed with total precision.
- Its transportation is easy.
- Ensures good quality at a competitive price.
According to packaging, the greatest demand in the flexographic sector in the coming years will be for packaging printing, as automation and new hybrid press lines are giving flexographic printing service providers greater flexibility. and the option to exploit higher value printing applications.
The global value of flexographic printing will increase from $ 167.7 billion in 2020 to $ 181.1 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6% at constant prices, according to the latest research from Smithers.
This equates to an increase in annual flexo production volumes from 6.73 billion A4 prints in 2020 to 7.45 billion in 2025.
Finally, it was identified that these are the trends that will shape the flexographic printing market for the next five years:
- Corrugated board will continue to be the highest value segment, but the fastest growing applications are labels and folding carton printing.
- For corrugated substrates, there will be an increase in shorter runs and ready-to-store packaging work. Much of this will be rich color jobs, with three or more colors, which will offer greater profitability for flexographic printing service providers.
- There will be an increase in broadband installations driven by continued growth in corrugated and cardboard production. This will generate additional folder sales to handle finishing requirements.
- Flexography will continue to be the most profitable printing process for medium and long runs, but continued developments in digital printing (inkjet and electrophotography) will increase market pressures.
- Flexo manufacturers will continue to introduce hybrid presses. Collaboration with digital printing companies is expected to combine the benefits of digital processes with the speed of flexo on a single platform.
- More sustainable printing solutions will be implemented, led by water-based ink sets and UV-LED curing.
- The advent of more advanced finishing equipment will allow for greater print beautification and more sophisticated design effects.
Source: El Empaque, Flexography.org