Flexographic Market

Flexography started in the US in the 1920’s, but has fully developed over the past years. Advances in materials such as inks, photopolymers, mounting tapes and lightweight sleeves coupled with investment in gearless press have placed Flexographic printing on a level with other printing processes and quality is no longer in question.

Within the Flexographic industry, there are a number of specific applications relating to the main activity of the printer each with their own specific requirements.

Package Printing Industry

Printers here are involved in printing a wide range of substrates for a number of different end products. This includes:

• Flexible packaging - through the printing of PET, PE, PP and other similar films

Printing of filmic materials is one of the largest sectors of the Flexographic market and one which has some of the most demanding applications, with softer foams being required, different sized plates used, and with high demands for print quality offset against the high printing speeds and conditions of the print process.

• Paper sacks and bags - through the printing of differing papers and paper based materials

Label printing is also a substantial market segment, with the market sub segmented into self adhesive or traditional non adhesive labels being printed. Here many small diameter cylinders and plates are used  - so precise detailed printing is a must for the manufacturers and converters in this area.

• Corrugated board printing
• Folding cartons - through the printing of thinner board materials

Label Printing Industry

• Printing of labels and tags for a wide variety of applications

Book Printing Industry

• Printing of books, as well as other official and legal documents or pre-printed liners
  

Within the Flexographic market, Scapa has developed a full range of products to cover the specific needs of each specific market sub segments linked to their requirements and the various printing technologies such as:

• Lithography
• Offset
• Screen Printing
• Gravure
• Hot press printing

Within this specialist area, Scapa Exafit Foam Mounting Tapes are now established industry standards, which together with our Hardmount range form a comprehensive range of dedicated products for the Flexographic industry.