Flexo Technology
Addressing the carton production pain points with single-pass flexo
ByJames Boughton, managing director, Edale
mounting challenges: shorter runs, increased SKUs, increased embellishments, demanding sustainability targets and fierce competition for skilled operators. Traditional multi-stage carton production processes, while familiar, are increasingly struggling to meet these evolving demands. For our team at Edale, an answer lies in single-pass flexographic technology. The conventional approach to carton manufacturing typically involves multiple self-contained stages: printing, coating, embellishing and die-cutting; often across different machines or even different facilities. While this methodology has served the industry well for decades, it creates significant operational inefficiencies that impact both productivity and profitability.
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BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS Whether it is an SME converter serving a niche local market or a multinational converter operating worldwide, the challenges of traditional carton production are many. Multiple production stages mean increased work-in-progress, greater storage requirements and longer lead times; one of the biggest sticking points in today’s market, where brand owners want speed with every production run. Each transition between processes introduces potential quality variations and registration issues. Perhaps most critically, this fragmented approach requires more floor space, more energy, more skilled operators and ultimately, more cost at a time when pricing is king and margins are thinning.
These pain points are amplified by current market trends. Brand owners are demanding faster turnaround times, increasingly intricate embellishments and smaller batch sizes, while simultaneously expecting premium quality and enhanced sustainability credentials. The traditional multi-stage approach, with its inherent inefficiencies, makes meeting these demands increasingly difficult.
he pressure is on in the folding carton sector, as competition heats up in a busy global market. Converters are grappling with
or investing in separate finishing lines, the FL5 combines printing, coating, embossing, foiling and die-cutting in a single pass. This not only reduces handling requirements and eliminates intermediate work-in-progress, but also ensures perfect registration between all elements. For pharmaceutical and healthcare applications, the ability to add braille embossing inline while maintaining strict quality standards is particularly valuable.
THE SINGLE-PASS SOLUTION Current day pressures show where single-pass fl exographic carton production technology can revolutionise the industry. By combining fl exo printing, embellishment and converting processes into one seamless operation, this approach fundamentally transforms carton manufacturing by dramatically reducing the touchpoints of a single packaging unit. The benefi ts are compelling: signifi cantly reduced waste, minimal work-in-progress, smaller footprint requirements and faster time-to-market. Take, for example, our FL5 single-pass carton production line. From raw material to finished carton in just one minute, with one skilled operator; this represents a seismic shift in carton manufacturing efficiency. Beyond the obvious speed advantages, single-pass production offers other significant benefits. The FL5’s inline integration of processes ensures consistent registration and quality control throughout production.
The power of the FL5 lies in its ability to combine multiple value-adding processes in one streamlined operation. Carton buyers increasingly demand sophisticated embellishments and finishing effects to help their products stand out and pull focus on shelf. Rather than sending work to multiple suppliers
The FL5 also addresses another critical industry challenge; the need to handle both long and short runs effi ciently. With quick changeovers and minimal setup waste, it makes shorter runs of 1,000 to 100,000 units economically viable while maintaining the capacity and performance for longer runs when needed. This fl exibility is key diff erence-maker as brand owners increasingly demand faster turnarounds and smaller batch sizes to support targeted marketing campaigns and regional variations.
FUTURE-PROOFING CARTON PRODUCTION
It is clear that the future of carton production lies in adaptability. Single-pass flexo technology enables converters to respond quickly to changing market demands, whether that’s shorter runs, increased SKU variations or enhanced sustainability requirements. The ability to seamlessly switch between different job types and sizes, combined with minimal setup waste, makes short runs more economically viable.
For carton manufacturers looking to future-proof their operations, single-pass production technology represents a strategic investment. It’s not just about improving current operations; it’s about building the agility and efficiency needed to thrive in an evolving market landscape.
The packaging industry is at a key crossroads. Traditional multi-stage carton production, while familiar, increasingly struggles to meet modern market demands. Single-pass flexo technology offers a clear path forward, combining efficiency and quality in a way that addresses both current challenges and future opportunities.
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February 2025
www.convertermag.com
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