Inline or CI? The flexo debate At a time when the global pandemic is wreaking havoc with public health and fundamentally changing consumer behaviour in the retail trade, Nick Coombes speaks exclusively with Paolo Grasso, Head of Sales for the Label Business Unit at OMET Srl, and asks what is driving the market, and how this innovative Italian manufacturer is responding. Nick Coombes (NC): Inline or CI is not a new discussion – can you set the flexo scene as you see it today? Paolo Grasso(PG): The industry has spent years debating which is the best way to go, and while there is no simple answer, the considerations haven’t changed much because it depends on what you are trying to achieve as to which is the preferred technology. They both use the flexo printing technique, but that’s very much where the similarity ends in real terms. NC: Is it more about application than technique?
“We have supplied customers with hybrid presses that combine offset/flexo/gravure print units, all inline narrow web, and using a mix of solvent and UV or EB curing systems. This blend of technology allows converters to achieve unbeatable quality at the lowest possible cost.” – Paolo Grasso
Key Notes : > The industry has spent years debating which is the best way to go – Inline or CI > They both use the flexo printing technique, but that’s very much where the similarity ends in real terms. > We need to look behind the scenes and see how the two processes have developed to where they are today.
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February 2021
PG: Yes, because the two different ways of using the flexo process largely dictate the end product. So, before we delve into the subject more deeply we need to establish who does what, and why. We need to look behind the scenes and see how the two processes have developed to where they are today.
NC: How do you see the current situation with CI? PG: In my opinion, its growth in recent years has been partially stimulated by the decline in run lengths of products that traditionally have been printed on rotogravure presses, which are not best suited to short run work. Quality-wise, solvent based CI flexo is just a sufficient match for solvent based gravure, but the investment and running costs are significantly lower if you consider pre-press, storage, set-up and so on. A CI flexo press also has a smaller footprint and is easier to operate and maintain. The competing technologies serve principally the same market, namely primary flexible packaging for the food and beverage sector and continue to do so in high
volumes on web widths of typically 1.3m or more. But the trend is shorter runs on narrower presses, with manufacturers downsizing towards 850mm or even down to 670mm web widths.
NC: How does that compare with the inline flexo process? PG: Essentially the inline process has developed from the narrow web technology that began life in the mid 1900s as a means of producing self-adhesive or pressure-sensitive labels. Over the past decade or so this sector has enjoyed a high rate of growth as demand for smaller single-pack portions and more product differentiation has increased. This is a market that is highly accustomed to the use of UV inks and lacquers, with the latest trend towards LED/UV curing on grounds of greater efficiency and lower operating costs.
NC: Where has this growth come from in narrow web? PG: Labels have grown in size, form, and application. For instance, the beer industry that was once dominated by glue applied labels printed sheet fed offset, has recently turned to a self-adhesive filmic no-label look that enhances the appearance and therefore the perceived quality of the product. It also allows for a longer lifecycle of the brand on the bottle. Other areas of significant growth include the use of unsupported film for shrink sleeves and in-mould labels that typically use PVC, PETG, and OPP substrates. If you imagine the size of a shrink sleeve with its 360-degree decoration and compare it with a traditional label, you will see why demand has grown for inline presses with wider web widths. In this market sector 430mm (17”) is normal, but 530mm (21”) and 670mm (26”) are both growing in popularity.
