Six Major 2024 Flexo Printing Trends that are Here to Stay

The flexographic printing market will keep growing steadily in all countries, some more rapidly than others, for a total predicted increase of 23,3 billion for the period 2022-27 . The packaging sector will face the biggest change due to the following reasons:

• Demand is becoming more diverse
• Sustainability has (rightly) become a key factor for flexo companies
• New solutions for corrugated printing are emerging

These changes mark just the tip of the iceberg, let’s dive deeper into the six major flexo printing trends.

1. Higher volume of corrugated packaging

Despite events that have negatively impacted the financial conditions of many countries and individuals, global retail sales are projected to increase by almost 10% in 2024 compared to the last year . Online shopping has increased hugely during the COVID pandemic, since we had no other way to receive goods, and this trend is here to stay. This will continue to contribute to the high volume and demand for corrugated packaging, and the good news is that flexo will remain the predominant method for printing on packaging .

Meanwhile, flexible packaging is steadily gaining prominance in the field of printing production. Following corrugated board, flexible packaging is expected to become the second most in-demand flexo output. Flexible packaging provides a versatile solution for industries such as food, cosmetics, and even medical supplies, as it can adapt its shape once the product is inside the package.

2. Shorter printing for all categories

The next trend spans various categories, including labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons, and corrugated materials. Marketing is adapting to consumer desires for differentiation, resulting in an increase in shorter print runs across all these categories.

First and foremost, product customization leads to an increase in Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) proliferation. Each product variation, whether it involves color, size, options, or more, requires a unique SKU, all of which demand custom labeling and packaging. Sometimes these products are also available in smaller quantities and for limited durations. All these changes are affecting printing production, demanding shorter job runs with specific settings.

Marketeers focus specifically on how the product and packaging will appear on the shelf. Companies require printing on special substrates, with eco-friendly features, and printers have to take these factors into account, even for these shorter job runs.

3. Automation and robotization

Manufacturing and automation go hand-in-hand since automated technologies are enhancements when it comes to productivity, cost-effectiveness, consistency & quality.

The printing industry is also benefiting from automation, most noticeably on automated printing presses. While most developments have occurred in the narrow web sector, automated solutions are now being adopted in mid web, wide web, inline, and CI presses as well.

The automation trend includes the prepress department, where automated plate mounting solutions are available. The latest and most advanced solution is RoboCELL , recently recognized as a technical innovation for its significant time-saving, risk reduction, and improved mounting quality in the prepress workflow.

Automation is one of the biggest trends in flexo.

• It requires only a minor effort from operators, making plate mounting, printing, and post-printing almost operator-independent. This is a significant advantage, especially considering highly-skilled flexo operators are becoming increasingly rare .
• It can achieve high speeds, saving a lot of time, making it possible to run more print jobs.
• It often has a high and fast ROI, primarily because it provides a significant improvement in operations and product quality. Overall, it optimizes the entire printing production process in shortened times.

Thanks to automation, flexo printers can remain competitive within the flexographic industry, but also compete strongly against digital printing.

Discover the last 3 flexo printing trends on AV Flexologic website