Features

In all probability the future might be digital, but the present is certainly flexo printing for the narrow web label printers in the region.

Richard Nasroui, Modern Printing Press, Lebanon emphatically says, "For long run jobs flexo will obliterate digital giving printers double production at half price. Though some of my friends in the industry argue that with a digital printer, your job is complete before you finish your cigarette, I beg to differ. With the high prices of inks, for Modern Printing Press flexo is the only way forward. We own a Mark Andy and our next machine will most certainly be a flexo machine."

Those in favour of digital printing may argue that the flexibility offered by digital is uncomparable. With no printing plates, there is no make ready time or set up cost, changes in design is easily possible and the digital press can translate the image or label into 4-colour process, or CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) which can produce millions of colours in the pantone library. Digital label printing can print variable data on each label and can print on a wide variety of substrates suitable for indoor and outdoor use. This is suitable for consecutive numbering, multiple Sku's or seasonal or regional label requirements.

However, printers in the region tend tilt in favour flexo.

Chinna Durai. N, general manager of Future Pack Factory and Commercial United Packaging Co. (CUPCO) a division of Emirates National Factory For Plastic says, "We have a total of 8 machines, all flexo. There are combination printing options like offset gravure, but the big market tilts towards flexo. We have been researching the digital option since the last 3 years, and our observation has been that for the first 1000-2000 pieces the quality with digital is superior, once you exceed this quantity, there is not much difference with flexo. With digital, the ink costs are very high and they have to be sourced from specific places. Nowadays, flexo has also been bringing in technological improvements, with quick make ready, short web and more compact machinery. Also, previously plates were expensive and most people were outsourcing, but nowadays printers are producing their plates inhouse."

The labelling industry faces particular challenges, such as printing on new and difficult materials, complexity of designs, images and displays of multilingual content, barcodes, fine colour gradients and ornate lines, along with saturated fulltone areas.

Jebel Ali based Kimoha Entrepreneurs' managing director, Vinesh K Bhimani says, "Though we were among the first to bring in the flexo press for label printing in the region 20 years ago and own only flexo machines until now, in the current situation and considering the demands and needs of our customers, we would now prefer to go for combination printing for greater versatility, so a combination of digital offset and not only flexo would be the option we will exercise when we buy machines in the future. Customers these days want value additions with variable numbers, specific printing and immediate deliveries, which is something digital printing can satisfy."

With the packaging sector in the region still doing well and experiencing growth, label-printers too are doing good business.

Adds Bhimani, "These days even big sized customers place small orders, which can be processed through digital machines. Customers are also known to rebrand and need new packaging within few months. In my opinion, one need not replace the other, but both can complement each other. And though, inks for digital printing are expensive, but with more suppliers selling digital inks now it is becoming easier to procure consumables and the competition is stabilising prices. Having said that flexo also has its distinct advantages, technology is now changing such that the flexo results are comparable to offset."

Flexo technology has developed over the years and now rivals offset quality. As volumes increase the unit price for a digital label does not drop significantly and flexographic printing should be considered to maintain or reduce the unit cost of the label say most printers.

Manoj Garg, general manager of Gulf Scan weighs both sides and sums up, "We are quite happy with Gallus and there is no plan for acquiring new label machine in the near future. We will not be investing in a digital press in the near future since because the clientele we are addressing today is not pushing us to think in this direction. But you cannot stop new technologies coming in and giving an advantage to the consumer and supplier both. It all boils down to need. Today's need is fulfilled by flexo conventional machines and they are in abundance to say the least."