Flexography: Out of the Shadows by Heidi Tolliver-Nigro

Flexography is evolving into the most popular process among consumer packaged goods companies.

For years, flexography was considered the black sheep of package printing. One designer once admitted saying, "I'm not going to let my designs be printed by that rubber stamp!" But flexographic technology has changed, quality has dramatically improved, and according to the TrendWatch Graphic Arts (TWGA) Packaging 2003 Directional Trends Survey, flexo has become the crown darling of consumer product companies and packaging converters alike.

When consumer packaged goods companies (CPGCs) were asked about which processes they currently use or specify, flexo was used by more respondents than any other process. According to the survey, nearly half (48%) reported that they currently use or specify flexography. Offset came in second, at 43%, followed by screen, at 31%. Gravure trailed at 14%.

When looking at responses from graphics and production personnel only, flexo's star qualities shine even brighter. Among this group, who are more likely to know what production processes are used anyway, the percentage of respondents currently using or specifying flexography almost doubles to 81%. Offset still comes in second, at 78%. Screen comes in third at 44%. Once again, gravure trails at 22%.

Is it any coincidence that flexography and offset, the two processes with the flexibility to produce shorter runs, are at the top of CPGCs' lists? TWGA thinks not. When the survey asked about CPGCs' top business challenges, respondents cited "reducing internal costs" as their second-highest ranked concern. Among operations personnel (including package purchasing, as well as operations), this rose to 54%.

Also top on CPGCs' lists of business challenges were "managing all the sizes and varieties of packaging to meet customer demands" and "demands created by increasing number of SKUs," both at 31%. Among graphics personnel, these rose to 35% and 39%, respectively.

These three challenges--"reducing internal costs," "managing all sizes and varieties of packaging," and "demands created by the increasing number of SKUs"--are fueling the popularity of flexography like never before. Flexo is even being used in non-traditional applications, such as high-end folding cartons.

As the business environment continues to grow more challenging, and as marketers look to increasingly fragmented demographic groups and regional markets to target their packaging, its use will only grow. When CPGCs were asked about their use of different print processes--whether they were declining a lot, declining a little, staying the same, growing a little, or growing a lot-- 20% cited flexo as increasing a little or a lot, the fastest-growing process. This rose to 36% of graphics personnel.

As we might expect, converters are following the leads of their customers. Seventy-one percent of converters responding to the TWGA Packaging 2003 survey say they offer flexographic printing services, and 33% say their use of this process is increasing a little or a lot. Among converters producing packaging for pharmaceutical companies, this rises to 41%.

Still think flexo is a second-rate process? Think again. Not only is its print quality up to snuff to today's packaging standards, but its cost efficiencies and run length flexibility enable consumer product companies to solve marketing and production challenges in ways never before possible.

Digital Package Printing Coming of Age?
Along with flexography, digital printing is seeing an increased amount of interest from both consumer packaging companies and packaging converters for its ability to help them produce packaging applications that would have been cost ineffective or downright impossible before.

Although CPCs are still trying to figure out how to harness the capabilities of digital presses to create 1:1 packaging for individual consumers like personalized cosmetics or hair care products, they are harnessing its benefits for very short-run static applications such as niche packaging, sales samples, and target marketing.

According to the TrendWatch Graphic Arts' Packaging 2003 Directional Trends Survey, 18% of consumer product companies say they currently use digital package printing, such as Indigo, Xeikon, or Dotrix. This rises to 25% of those in sales and marketing. Eight percent say that their use of digital printing is increasing a little or a lot, compared to only 2% who see it decreasing. Eleven percent of converters see their use of digital printing increasing a little or a lot, while only 1% saw it decreasing.