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Wide-web printers are facing a transforming marketplace. The changes, however, are in many ways advantageous for printers. To gain perspective on the evolving wide-web printing industry, packagePRINTING recently asked suppliers about the marketplace and how they are responding to demands for enhanced equipment.

pP: What is your business climate like in terms of customer interest and sales?
Johannes Stickling, vice president, BHS Printing Machinery—BHS has enjoyed continuous and sustainable sales growth over the past decade. The packaging industry has viewed BHS as a preeminent leader in terms of technology, print performance, and system capability specific to the inline production of packaging products. The packaging community views BHS as a manufacturer that meets and exceeds their expectations—print fidelity, quality, consistency in changeovers, overall throughput, and the highest print quality. BHS believes in slow and controlled growth, a practice that ensures that our customers receive well researched enhancements, cutting edge technology, and the knowledge that BHS’ future is secure.
Randy Wolf, product development manager, Comexi North America—I believe that the short-term outlook for the converting industry is very positive. There will be some issues associated with higher prices for energy and raw materials, however, overall the flexible packaging market is still growing. The interest level is up dramatically for all Comexi products from last year. Our sales have greatly increased and we at Comexi feel that we are just at the tip of the iceberg in North America when it comes to activity associated with our product lines.
Kurt Flathmann, vice president, Fischer & Krecke—Currently, interest is about the same as last year, which was a very good year for us. We have had quite a bit of interest, actually, and look forward to the rest of the year maintaining that interest level. Generally speaking, interest in new equipment tends to be in two different areas. The first I’ll call the standard flexible packaging machine, which is a roll-to-roll CI press, usually 8 or 10 color. The second is a more exotic variety of equipment including in-line or downstream stations and, typically, there is a great deal of interest in wider widths or higher speeds.
Tom Jacques, area sales manager, North American Cerutti Corp.—The flexographic press market is seeing a rebound, as more converters have strengthened their balance sheets, among myriad challenges, such as resin pricing and supply issues, intense competition, relentless cost cutting, and higher quality demands. Converters who have invested and are investing are winning in the market because they are getting the required technology needed to compete at the “new normal” level—with high performance and productivity, and consistency, repeatability, and reliability.
Michael Reinhardt, sales manager - printing presses, Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corp.—Our flexographic printing press business has never been better. Recent advances in control and vision systems technology have significantly improved production throughput and print quality, allowing our customers to replace up to two older presses with each new installed machine. In most cases, our customers can only be competitive by employing the latest in press technology.

pP: What kind of technological enhancements are customers looking for in wide-web presses? Specifically, what equipment do you manufacture that serves these requests?
Stickling—Packaging is our main market, such as folding carton, liquid packaging, foil and unsupported film for lidding. We also manufacture machines for custom applications. Our customers are looking for production enhancements that enable them to change the press over quickly with minimal downtime and waste. This is accomplished by being able to run our machines at the highest speeds with exceptionally accurate registration. This, of course, results in significant increases in throughput when compared to traditional processes. Moreover, we have heard from our customers’ customer, the packaging buyers. They are asking our customer base, the converters, to deliver more attractive packages that will generate more product sales. This means value-added, in-line processes like foil stamping, screen, and combination printing, as well as other specialty image and diecutting features are required. BHS is known for its ability to customize and integrate all of these features into a press system. This enables its customers to sell their products for a higher price which, in effect, shores up the price erosion for just “me-too” package printers.

BHS’ Promet™ interactive MIS computer system predicts and stores all job parameters. This feature, with the use of quick change print and tooling sleeves, optimizes job turnaround times and minimizes waste. BHS’ experience with in-line rotary and flat-bed cutting are also available to eliminate non-value activity and staging products using traditional non-in-line production models.

Wolf—I see a continued high interest in any and all technological improvements associated with increasing productivity, quality, and of course enhancing the profitability of the converter. Wider web widths, faster machine operating speeds, and improved controls all are items found on the entire line of Comexi equipment. The new FI and FW series CI Flexo Presses, along with our complete line of Nexus laminators, are all equipped with the latest technology to insure that all of the converters’ requirements are covered.
Flathmann—Inquiries can be divided into two main areas. The first is traditional 8- and 10-color roll-to-roll presses in a more standardized format. For these applications we have developed and are introducing this year a more standardized press with the fast changeover and high-speed performance that converters are traditionally used to. This new model, the Fischer & Krecke Flexpress 6 S, will be manufactured in a standardized format in several sizes providing quick deliveries and lower pricing, while still maintaining the quick change, high speed, and the highest possible print grade and quality that the market demands.

The other major trend people are looking for more and more frequently is mega output presses, wider and wider widths with higher press speeds. Basically, with all the mergers and acquisitions going on, larger and larger companies are emerging and they have the ability to go after larger, more consolidated packaging accounts. Those large packaging accounts are interested in lowering their price per package wherever possible. Traditional equipment widths and speeds simply can not offer the savings needed by these firms. The result is many package printing firms are losing profit margins. New innovative equipment in wider web and print widths and higher press speeds are two ways to improve those price margins while still offering large accounts the savings they are looking for. Farsighted, proactive companies are working to expand in this area—not with equipment that was “traditionally” considered wide, such as 65˝ print widths, but presses that are 80˝, 90˝, or 100˝ wide or more are not unusual today. Speeds of 2,000 fpm used to be unheard of and now are becoming more commonplace, with some converters even exceeding those speeds. To address this segment of the market we have introduced our models Flexpress 36 S, 46 S, and even 96 S. These mega performers offer super-wide print widths, large repeat sizes, fast changeover times, and super-high-speed operation.
Jacques—More than ever, converters are looking for a competitive edge—something that not everyone else has. Flexotecnica’s Safe Sleeve Change® system is one such example. It allows converters to change sleeves SAFELY by physically isolating the central impression (CI) drum on the selected deck while the press is running. Also, the press guard doors do not need to be opened, due to our innovative design.

Other important features are easily accessible between-color dryers, safe roll loading platforms on shaftless winders, and Flexotecnica’s Smart Ride System®, which provides the press operator with easy access to all the print decks for job changeover.
Reinhardt—Our customers are being challenged by their clients, to produce printed film with more complex graphics, in smaller quantities, and with very high quality—all at a cheaper price. At the same time, finding and keeping people with the skill set required for printing is very challenging and has limited the growth of many companies. Windmoeller & Hoelscher has responded by automating many processes that were once in the domain of the press operator, reducing variability and increasing throughput.

Most all of the process/production improvements can be tied directly to advances in electronics and machine vision systems. W&H presses now include capabilities for press speeds up to 2,000 fpm; automatic roll splicing; direct drive of the plate and anilox rolls; automated inking, wash-up systems, and viscosity control; dynamic impression setting; pre-makeready capabilities; and automated web inspection, defect detection, and registration control. Integration of these capabilities has reduced the manpower requirements for operating the press and significantly increased throughput, accuracy, and reliability.

New innovations recently introduced go one step further by taking some of the “art” out of printing. W&H’s Easy-Set is such a technology and was awarded the FTA’s prestigious Technical Innovation Award in 2005. Easy-Set is a fully automatic impression setting system that significantly reduces print set-up times, material waste, and operator errors at job start-up. The system employs a sophisticated camera, software, and computer tied to the press electronics to automatically position the printing decks quickly into precise optimum print impression without operator involvement.

pP: What major trends do you see in wide-web printing?
Wolf—From an industry standpoint, there is a lot of continued excitement in a number of market areas. One is the stand-up and re-sealable zipper bags and pouches. This market continues to see 6-8 percent growth rates, with even higher growth rates in special market segments as more and more rigid packaging is being replaced by flexible packaging. The healthcare and pharmaceutical markets will continue to grow at similar rates due to the aging of us “baby boomers.” What this means to a supplier of converting machinery such as Comexi is that we must remain current with our product lines to meet the demands of the converters by offering wider and faster CI presses, solventless laminators, and slitter rewinders. Research and development and market understanding plays an ever-increasing roll in the type of machines that we manufacture.
Flathmann—The trend that is most obvious to us is the movement toward wider widths, larger repeats, and higher press speeds. That’s not something that is going to be custom made for everyone’s market, it will depend on the individual client and their customers. Traditional gearless sleeve-based presses can take you far beyond the throughput of older geared presses, and make you much more profitable. It is, however, the proactive, dynamic companies that take the next step into addressing their customers’ needs that will be driving the market for the foreseeable future to wider widths and higher speeds.
Jacques—The continued drive for high-quality, consistent printing has driven machines ever wider and faster, in order to provide better economics. Long repeat presses are in demand for overwrap and bundling applications, driven by club store volume growth. Changeover efficiency is paramount to prospering in the age of short runs. More and more functions in the press operating platform are computer-based and are being networked into front office software applications.

Multi-color process systems like Opaltone provide better consistency and improved economics, and the number of 10-color presses is increasing.
Reinhardt—Flexographic printing presses continue to evolve. Geared presses were once commonplace and were limited in repeat length, accuracy, and reliability. Technical innovations, mostly in electronics and control technology, have allowed press manufacturers to introduce new capabilities that significantly improve press performance, throughput, accuracy, and reliability. n