One Web's Dual-Weave

Yates adds other examples of common process groupings, including offset and UV flexo for wine/spirit labels; offset, UV flexo, and screen for health/beauty labels; and offset, multiple flexo stations, hot foil stamping, and embossing for cartons.

Offering multiple approaches to making quality labels isn't cheap, though package printers who can foot the bill for a new press (which may cost over $2 million) often realize a fast ROI because of offset's low consumables cost. Still, a limited number of printers have pockets deep enough to inhabit the high-end, web offset world. "Maybe competition will increase the amount of people who want to go offset, but the smaller printers can't get into this game; only a few can afford these presses," Little confirms. But could increased, high-volume efficiency, via wider presses, turn these few into many?