Page 21 - Print21 Nov-Dec 2020

Labels
Multiple applications: Label printing
Growth prospects
In terms of technology, flexo printing, digital printing, and hybrid of the two are all are poised for growth over the next five years.
As far as hybrid presses go, they are either flexo presses with an inkjet bar, digital presses with a flexo station, or newly built combination presses. These are now coming into the market, with examples being
the Bobst Master M5, supplied in this country by Print & Pack. This machine combines the flexo print units from the Master M5 with a Mouvent UV inkjet press section. This machine features a closed loop system for the first time in flexo, with an inline spectrophotometer.
At Labelexpo last year, the key theme was single platform, multiple applications. Solutions vendors offered platforms that print and convert not only labels but products such as carton boxes and pouches.
The digital printing engines can produce inkjet heads and ink that can adhere to multiple surfaces thanks to the UV technology
where the ink does not dry but polymerises. This is combined
with media transport systems in those digital printing presses that can handle board and plastic in addition to paper and vinyl, enabling the single-platform, multiple- application solution.
The result is one print system that can produce multiple applications. For print service providers, this means their production equipment can produce different products, enables them to enter different markets with no great investment cost.
For print service providers, this can be beneficial ... as it enables them to enter or engage with different markets with no
great investment cost.
Green considerations
Environmental sustainability in labels and packaging is a key area, which
has now reached the top of the public agenda. Plastic presents opportunities for label printers, but also problems.
Pouch printing is one of the big areas of opportunity, but of course, pouches are necessarily plastic. On the other hand, carton printing through label printing platforms and special converting units is fibre-based. With the current anti- plastic sentiment, opportunities are growing in carton production and for label printers, cartons are now a possibility.
The marriage between digital and flexo is now firmly established. Flexo press developers are offering new systems that have a digital engine inserted in the middle of the press. Other flexo press developers are rebadging digital presses with their own logo on the panel and maybe their own unwind and rewind systems.
Conventional presses, however, have also been developing to meet the evolving needs of the market. Make ready times for instance have come down considerably. Flexo press manufacturers now claim they are most cost effective even when run lengths are less than 1000 metres.
Developments in label presses all add up good news for label printers, who now have a host of technology solutions to choose from to work in the growing sector. 21
Label printing market
growth forecast
According to print research analyst company Smithers, the global label market will continue to increase up to 2024, at an annual average rate of 4 per cent in value, to $49.9bn, and by 5.5 per cent in volume, to 1.59 trillion A4 prints or equivalent.
This is on the back of the global market for label printing growing steadily from 2014 to 2019 at rates
of 4.8 per cent in value and of 5.2 per cent in volume (A4 prints). Smithers’ latest market report, The Future of Label Printing to 2024, estimated the market to be worth $41bn on volumes of 1.21 trillion A4 prints or equivalent in 2019.
This is a 4 per cent increase on the 2018 value of $39.5bn and up 5.5 per cent on 2018 volumes of 1.15 trillion A4 prints or equivalent.
According to Smithers, the key trends for different labels are:
● PRESSURE-SENSITIVE labels will
further increase their market share as government regulations on tracking and barcoding requirements for medical and pharmaceutical products are implemented.
● WET-GLUE labels despite losing market share will see high-growth in certain product niches in segments, such as the beer industry.
● MULTI-PART TRACKING labels’ market position is being eroded by newer electronic tracking solutions increasingly favoured by the logistics industry, such as RFID technology.
● IN-MOULD labels have a small share of the label printing market, but demand is holding steady owing to
a growing perception of their eco- friendliness.
● SLEEVE labels: Shrink labels make up the largest share of the global sleeve market at 90 per cent of global volume, and are expanding into new areas, including the labelling of beverage cans. Smithers forecasts that flexo label
printing will lose market share. It says the most commonly used print process for labels in 2019 was flexography, used to print 403 billion A4 prints
or equivalent, with a value of $13bn. However, with annual growth of 3.1 per cent in value and 4.4 per cent in volume over 2014-19, flexo is not keeping pace with overall market growth, primarily as a result of the rise of digital printing processes.
Inkjet has been growing at a much faster rate since 2014, and according to Smithers will continue high growth, overtaking electrophotography in volume before 2024.
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