Reduce costs, expand training, and achieve standardization

FTA report

After analyzing the characteristics and market of flexographic and gravure printing in recent years, the American Flexographic Technology Association (FTA) came to the following conclusions.

one. Cost and quality

From 1980 to 1995, due to the addition of some new and effective technologies, the flexo process has become a new thing and has developed into a printing process that can be accepted by people and can continue to develop. This achievement comes from the increase in the number of photosensitive resin varieties and the improvement of quality, the use of laser-engraved ceramic anilox rollers, ink improvements and other technological innovations. Flexo printing has achieved rapid growth, with an annual growth rate of more than 20%, and it has continuously replaced the share of other printing processes in the total printing volume.

Compared with other printing processes, flexo printing has the advantages of safety and health, high production efficiency, and low cost, and is more significant than gravure printing.

1. Quality first, cost is indispensable

1995-2000, flexo, anilox, ink. Sticky tape and other improvements and improvements, especially through the flexographic technology continue to innovate, the quality of flexo printing and offset printing, gravure printing is comparable, flexographic more powerful and offset printing, gravure printing in the package Fields compete. 90% of flexo manufacturers have been able to consistently produce prints that meet the standards and have a very strong competitive price. Still, 10% of flexo manufacturers need to continue to improve their competitiveness, catch up with other printing processes, and the object of catching up is still gravure printing. . Gravure still has a certain potential and is continuously improving. Reduced throughput, shorter auxiliary time, and cost savings. The current task of flexo printing is to reduce costs.

2. Flexographic quality development

In order to enhance the competitiveness of the market, the quality of flexographic products must be continuously improved. It is impossible to maintain the leaping development rate of the past, but to mature gradually. It turns out that the three are basically similar by direct visual inspection or using a magnifying glass to observe flexographic, gravure or even offset products. If you want to improve the quality of flexo printing, it will cost a lot. This leads to less and less income.

The detection of flexographic printing by the public mainly comes from visual inspection and resolution of printed images. Color quality indicators have reached the requirements. What we must meet and must meet now is to honor the promise of packaging products from beginning to end.

two. Flexo Printing's biggest competitor

The biggest pressure of all printing processes is not the competition between printing technologies, but the oversupply of the entire industry's production capacity. In recent years, no matter flexo or gravure printing, many high-speed and advanced equipments have been added, but the cost has been correspondingly increased. Therefore, the high-load operation of the machine is required. Many printing companies have to chase the same order, and the buyer The use of price reduction.

The increase in the cost of raw materials, coupled with the reduction in the price of flexo printing products, has caused printers' profits to rapidly decline to the lowest margin. To offset the impact of price cuts, it is only possible to increase production efficiency. However, it will also bring huge risks. It will be possible to merge or even close down.

It is important to keep in mind that profit comes only from products that are sold after production, and the time it takes to produce products that cannot be sold necessarily increases costs.

three. How to maintain profit levels

While raising prices can maintain profit levels, it is not always available, especially when the buyer is dominant and united. This method is ineffective. Printing companies must seek multiple effective ways to increase profits. Here are a few practical measures.

1. save costs

That is to reduce the cost of each production process, more effective methods are: optimize equipment, reduce raw material consumption (pay attention to reduce the cost of paper), reduce labor costs, attach importance to mobilize the enthusiasm of workers and work efficiency.

2. Reduce scrap rate

Minimizing losses is a more effective way to increase profits. Excessive purchase of raw materials and excessively high grades will not only increase the printing costs, but will also be counter-productive, which will negatively affect the operation and production hours.

3. Standardize process flow

Use international or domestic standards to make equipment and processes. Standardization of raw materials can reduce preparation time before printing. Stabilizes the process, reduces rejects and maximizes machine usage. Welsh Centar, a printing company in the United Kingdom, has achieved excellent results in implementing ISO standards.

4. Improve automation

People in the industry are generally concerned about the degree of automation in flexo printing and the adoption of new computer-controlled technologies. However, this will increase costs and, in order to reduce negative impacts, it should be borne in mind that only the knowledge and experience of the people in the industry are the most valuable assets.

5. strengthen training

If any employee does not receive regular training, he will not attach importance to automation, standardization, how to reduce the scrap rate, and reduce costs, nor can he achieve something in this regard. Without training, it is impossible to tap potential forces and achieve remarkable results. Some manufacturers simply view employee training as increasing costs. Loss of profits. However, in fact, low production efficiency and excessive loss are mainly the result of lack of training. Competition has reduced the profits of manufacturers to the margins. This reflects that many manufacturers did not attach importance to training in the past, and now they must make up their classes in order to maintain profits. Sending employees to a professional institution for training is not only expensive but also affects man-hours for production, and it also increases travel costs. More manufacturers through internal education to outside teaching materials. Multimedia simulation demonstrations and web-based training. The most effective training is to enhance the staff's experience and decision-making ability, which has great benefits for the stable development of the company.

6. Cut prices

When productivity is excessive, competition is fierce, and merger pressure is too great, price cuts will not have a negative impact in the short term.

Fourth, the future of flexo

Flexo has quickly matured and is very stable. It has witnessed moderate development and the outlook is still very good. The good prospects are mainly reflected in the flexo printing companies' efforts to focus on improving process technology.

In order to maintain continuous development in the future. Only with reasonable prices, how can we obtain competitive prices? The industry should concentrate its efforts on minimizing costs through training and standardization.

Relying on the development of our country's flexo

The above U.S. FTA research report outlines the current situation of the flexo printing industry and proposes measures to be taken in order to survive and develop in the increasingly fierce market competition. What is the situation of China's flexo printing industry? How does the FTA's reliance measure recognize and use it?

one. China's Flexo Printing Industry

After a discussion with industry experts and a comparative analysis of the development process of flexographic printing in foreign countries, hereby put forward two sets of data on the share of foreign flexo printing in packaging and printing and the proportion of China's current major printing methods. Figure 1 shows the comparison of the market share of flexographic printing in the United States, Europe, and China. Figure 2 shows the proportion of China's flexo printing in the current printing industry.

As can be seen from Figure 1, China's share of flexible printing in packaging and printing, in addition to corrugated boxes closer to the level of Europe and the United States, can still follow the paper and cardboard, flexible packaging and labels are very wide, there is ample room for development. Figure 2 shows the proportion of major printing methods, including corrugated cartons and newspaper printing. At the end of the 20th century, offset printing accounted for 42% in the European and American printing market. Gravure accounted for 20%, embossing accounted for 2%, flexo accounted for 28%, and other printing methods accounted for 8%. The mainstream of China's printing methods is similar to the trend in the world, and is mainly based on offset printing. Although China's lead edition and copper-zinc edition stamping has been phased out, but the resin version of the stamp in China still holds a proportion of 12%, especially in the trademark. The field of label printing still dominates. In 2001, China imported 645 sheetfed offset presses with a value of 35.5 billion U.S. dollars and 243 web offset presses. Valued at 26 billion U.S. dollars; 111 flexographic machines worth US$28 million.

Packaging materials printed by flexo printing can generally be divided into corrugated cartons, paper and cardboard, and films.

1. Corrugated carton printing

Corrugated box printing has a large proportion in flexo printing and is currently a fast-growing industry. With the continuous improvement of the printing quality requirements, the original rubber engraving has been replaced by the photosensitive resin. Corrugated box printing can be divided into two kinds of post-printing and pre-printing. The post-printing is directly printed and processed by the printing slotting machine after the corrugated cardboard is formed. The better domestically-printed slotting machine has been able to perform the corrugated board printing of the color-hierarchical version, and the printed product has become a household appliance. Ideal sales and transportation packaging for fruits and vegetables, the process still needs further development of the market. In the past, the corrugated box preprinting method was to print a single sheet of paper onto a corrugated cardboard and then remold it. This not only consumes labor, but also has a destructive effect on the strength of the carton. The current preprinting is followed by a flexo-printed surface paper and then printed on a corrugated cardboard production line. Coined into corrugated cardboard, more suitable for high-quality, high-volume corrugated box processing. Sichuan's current color printing factory (the former Deyang Daily Printing Company) has been mass-produced after several years of hard work, and other companies are also optimistic about the prospects of this process and are eager to try.

2. Plastic film and foil printing

Plastic films and foils are the main substrates for flexible packaging. With regard to the share of flexo printing in flexible packaging, the United States has exceeded 75% and Europe has reached 60%. The reason why Flexo Printing can achieve absolute superiority is not only the support of environmental protection laws and regulations. The consumer's own sense of protection, as well as the high efficiency and low cost of flexo printing, are also the driving forces for its development. The market share of flexo printing in China's flexible packaging industry is less than 12% (flexible packaging printing is still dominated by gravure printing). Most companies that use flexo printing technology are foreign-funded enterprises, and they have made rigid regulations to meet safety standards. . The use of esters is strictly prohibited in foreign countries. ketone. Benzene solvent inks print foods, medicines, and packaging for health and daily necessities that come into contact with humans. Some packaging materials and printing companies in China are unilaterally pursuing the quality of printing and are eager for convenience, and they are disregarding the health of the people.

3. Application and Development of Flexo Printing Equipment

Since the mid-1990s, after the narrow-width multi-purpose flexographic press was introduced into China, after two or three years of running-in, and through a more comprehensive understanding of the flexo printing process, people have realized that the flexo press has a simple structure. , but to achieve high quality is not easy, plate. Ink. Anilox rollers, sticky tapes, and die cutters must achieve the required quality. Before each batch of prints is printed, the machine type, printing pressure, plate hardness, and ink hue are all required. Sticky tape and other variable factors are collected and analyzed to make the best cooperation in order to print high quality products. Selection of various parameters in flexo printing and adjustment and test printing on printing presses,