Crossroads of Opportunity

In addition, wide-web gravure and offset printers "looking at either trying to compete in the medium- to short-run markets with their current capabilities or even to start offering narrow-web flexo as an option" are looking to take market share from narrow-web flexo converters, Leibin said.

The competition doesn't end there. A new pressure that's emerging comes from commercial printers. Guy said, "[Narrow-web flexo converters] need to watch out for commercial printers that are getting into the narrow-web market. There is a greater number of commercial printers crossing over, and narrow-web printers need to get a jump on that competition. Commercial printers have had to be more efficient and force out waste and costs, and to fully utilize workflow systems. They know how to go after new business and get it, and they have already had to live with the smaller margins that people in this industry are facing today."