Flexo Ink Market Analysis

The flexo printing market continues to grow. In recent years, particularly strong growth has been achieved with solvent-based and UV UV flexo inks.

For ink manufacturers, flexo printing has been one of the great success stories of recent years. Sales of flexo inks have almost doubled since 1990. According to statistics from the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM), sales in the United States reach US$1 billion. "Ink World" estimates that the global flexo market will reach $2.5 billion in sales.

In the United States, the flexographic industry itself has become a major growth point, especially in flexible packaging, which has grown into a $21 billion industry. For ink makers, the development of products for use in films and aluminum foils meant the introduction of new solvent-based inks, whose sales have grown rapidly. UV flexo inks do develop rapidly.

New technologies continue to drive the growth of flexographic printing, and all indications are that flexo printing may continue to expand its market share in the coming years.

The flexo market in 2004
Industry statistics show that the printing business continued to recover in 2004, while flexo printing is also growing. Chris Morrissey, vice president of marketing, Sun Chemical Markets, said: “In North American packaging, flexo printing continues to be favored with high printing quality and cost reduction, especially in short-run business.” Other major ink companies also enjoyed similar growth that year. Dan McDowell, president of CCI, said: "Through 2004, we saw the flexo and packaging market continue to be strong."

Ed Dedman, Business Manager for NIP and Energy Curing at SICPA North America, admits: "In short, the flexo market is strong and has achieved significant growth in a number of business areas."

Mike Impastato, Flint’s vice president of North American packaging market development, said: “The flexographic market continues to grow and flexo printing is still the dominant printing process in the packaging sector. In the future, flexo printing will be suitable for short-run printing and quick change. These features will Continue to be highly valued."

Impastato believes that the printer is currently installing new flexo presses as evidence that this printing method is being developed.

Impastato said, "Last year we saw several new machines being installed. The installation of new machines is definitely a benign development of the industry. Recently, we have focused on high-speed flexo presses on wide-format machines. In recent years, the flexo industry may have slow development. But it throws a growth area, and in 2004 it achieved strong growth."

Solvent type flexographic ink
When the entire flexo market expanded, some markets in the flexo printing industry grew even more, one of which was solvent-based flexo printing. NAPIM pointed out that the total volume of solvent-based flexo inks increased by 10.2% in 2002 and slightly increased in 2003, accounting for 27% of the US packaging market.

Due to the decline in the corrugated box market in the United States, sales of water-based flexo inks have been declining. Many ink manufacturers rely on the growth of soft packaging inks to offset the drop in ink and water. Flexible packaging uses solvent-based inks to print films, becoming a large industry with sales of more than US$20 billion.

Dedman said: "The growth of solvent-based inks continues to be positive, mainly due to the changing trend in the packaging industry. This trend is increasingly shifting from rigid containers to various packaging bags."

Impastato said: "Solvent-based flexographic printing is gaining momentum. Solvent-based inks clearly have greater operating opportunities and can be used in more areas, especially printed films. With the addition of solvent capture and processing equipment, solvent-based inks can Meet government-mandated standards. Solvent-based flexo inks are often the first choice if speed and efficiency are important."

McDowell said: "The growth of solvent-based liquid inks in the packaging sector is higher than that of inks, which means that the printing of corrugated cartons, card cartons, and multi-ply bags markets is shifting from porous substrates to thin films. This shift naturally benefits solvent inks. We believe The transition will continue."

Mark Hill, deputy director of liquid ink development at INX International Ink, TDVP, said: "Solvent-based growth is based on solvent-based inks that perform better than ink on film and aluminum foil. Solvents dry faster and increase productivity. Customers are also investing. The equipment handles solvent evaporation problems."

Tony Renzi, technical director of North American packaging inks at Sun Chemicals, said that the growth of ink painting seems to have stagnated.

He said: "Processors believe that they use solvent-based inks to print films and foils for better print quality and higher productivity. Environmental issues have boosted people's interest in water-based inks, but they have been unable to obtain them on films and aluminum foils. Stable and uniform printing effect."

Source of information: pack.cn