U.S. flexo ink market has a promising future

According to a recent survey conducted by Market Consulting Co., Ltd., the consumption of flexo printing inks in the United States is expected to increase at a rate of 4% per year from the present to several years in 2006. This is the result of a long period of research conducted by the Manchester Research Center in the United States and VT, and has now been published in the "Ink Ink Industry," the fourth issue of the 2003 issue.

The growth rate of flexo ink is about the same as that of other types of inks. The inkjet ink is expected to have slightly higher growth rate than flexo ink, about 8%, screen printing ink 4%, offset printing ink 3%, and gravure printing ink only 0.5%. %, while letterpress printing inks will lose larger markets and there may be negative growth (-1.0%).

The Output Value of US Printing Ink for 1992-2001 and the Average Output Value and Annual Growth Rate for 2001-2006 (in millions of US dollars)
Year Plain Print Flexo Gravure Silk Screen Embossing Jet Inkjet Miscellaneous
1992 1395 645 610 NA 140 NA NA
1996 1955 776 525 NA 138 NA NA
2000 1845 1069 654 NA 158 125 442
2001 1770 1020 620 180 130 150 440
2006 2050 1245 635 220 120 225 455

Growth rate for 2001-2006 3.0% 4.0% 0.5% 4.0% -1.0% 8.0% 4.0%

In the next five years, ink consumption will increase at a rate of 3.1% per year, and the output value will increase from 4.238 billion US dollars in 2001 to 4.95 billion US dollars. Digital printing inks will continue to grow in the future as they can be widely used in flexo printing and other types of printing. In the next few years, it is estimated that it will increase rapidly at a rate of 10% annually.

The study also pointed out that flexo printing has become the main printing method in many aspects. Improvements in process technology, such as photographic resin plates and computer-to-plate technology, have also promoted the popularity of flexographic printing. The photosensitive resin plate material can ensure that the network expansion is to reduce dot gain; and the computer-to-plate technology omits the process of film out, thereby ensuring better reproduction of the fine art design and making the printing quality perfect; in addition, like digital printing plate Material ensures better color separation and avoids misprints and dot gains. According to the statistical data in the Ranch report: In 2001, the total consumption of flexo inks in the world was 445 billion pounds, worth US$ 1.02 billion.

Demand for flexo ink continues to grow

Due to the ever-changing new ink and printing technology, flexographic printing has become a very influential printing method. This shows that the continuous development of flexographic printing equipment will prompt the printing industry's demand for new flexo printing inks to be more urgent, and the demand will naturally increase gradually.

According to Rauch's report, the market for flexo inks is mainly in paper bags and multi-layered cartons, which are mostly based on flexographic printing. In addition, flexographic printing is also widely used in the printing of corrugated boxes and flexible packaging, accounting for 75% of all printing methods, 50% in the fields of labels, bills, and tape printing, and 45% in gift wrap printing. Flexo inks are also used for commercial printing in some newspapers and magazines, but flexo inks still account for only 3% of the total commercial ink application.

The average market price of flexo inks is 2.25 US$/lb, which is lower than that of corrugated paper printing inks. High-film printing inks are used in flexible packaging printing inks. The market consulting firm also predicts that 90% of flexo inks will be used in packaging printing, including 35% corrugated cardboard cartons, 20% folding cartons, health lunch boxes, and individual service-type products; in addition, 35% will be applied. Coated printing of plastic bags, food bags and labels.

Water-based inks and UV inks

Water-based inks account for more than 25% of the total amount of ink, which has been well proven in the flexo package printing. According to the Rauch report, in the field of flexo packaging printing, flexo inks accounted for 70%; water-based inks are also widely used in printing plastic bags and labels, where it accounts for 60% of the total amount of ink; and in film printing water Base inks account for about 35% of the market.

The report shows that water-based inks and varnish printing have developed relatively quickly because they meet the requirements of environmental protection regulations. Printers are well aware that water-based ink products are the most practical. They achieve the allowable range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reduce waste, and satisfy storage and transportation safety requirements.