Flexographic Printing: 5 Industries Where It Matters Most

Flexographic printing can be used on virtually any kind of substrate and is a modern-day version of the old letterpress printing. The inks used are quick-drying, thus making it safe to use on wrappers that come in contact with food. The inks used can also print on many kinds of material, both absorbent and non-absorbent. The use of an electron beam helps in the drying process, which is really quick. It's incredibly useful when it comes to large orders such as labelling and packaging. Here are several uses of flexographic printing that you've probably come in contact with.

1. Newspapers, Magazines, Books

Even though there's the Internet where you can read e-books (and download them) and newspapers online, there is still a need for printing books, magazines and newspapers. People still have newspapers delivered to them. In fact, sometimes, you may have inserts in the newspapers such as flyers and posters and other large colour supplements folded and placed within the paper. These inserts can be done by flexographic printing due to the large volume needed. One benefit or advantage of flexographic printing is its ability to produce in great volume and at a great speed as well.

2. Packaged Food

When you go grocery shopping, many of the packaged food items you purchase would have used flexographic printing. The ink used dries quickly and is non-toxic. It is safe to use this form of printing for food packaging, otherwise the government would never allow it. Everything would have passed through some form of quality control and after all, when you're dealing with food items, you need to be careful. Therefore, this kind of printing for milk cartons, food containers, disposable cups and other similar items are safe.

3. Labels

Many products will require labels, especially self-adhesive labels. By using flexographic printing, these labels can be printed off fairly quickly. Since this would generally be a big job with lots of labels required, it's arguably the best solution for many manufacturers to use this kind of printing.

4. Flexible Packaging

The flexible packaging is a huge industry. This kind of packaging is non-rigid and can change its shape. It can be made from foil, paper, plastic film, a combination of these and can be used to make pouches and bags. Things like potato chip bags, peanuts (not cans), soaps, refill packages, a bag of 10 ball point pens, etc. If you've noticed, these tend to be colourful with images and text. These can be done with flexographic printing. These are also mass produced and this is something that flexographic printing is very good at. Imagine rolls of plastic and paper bags being printed non-stop due to the huge demand in this industry. Fast-drying ink is a major reason why this type of printing works very well for flexible packaging.

5. Packaging Of Medical Supplies

Another major industry that uses flexographic printing is the medical industry. The fast-drying ink used for packaging food is safe, so it's safe for medical supplies as well. Since printing can be done on various materials, medical supplies such as latex gloves in cardboard boxes, supplies encased in plastic or foil, hygienic bags, syringes and many other medical goods make use of flexographic printing for mass production.

When you move, you pack your belongings in brown corrugated boxes. These boxes are also used in flexographic printing. Shipping and storage are big businesses. This kind of printing is good for long runs and thus ideal for large jobs. The cost of maintaining the equipment is relatively low. It's also fast, since once a printing job starts, it can go on for long periods with little interruption. Both water-based and oil-based inks can be used, though water-based is more popular due to its non-toxicity. Flexographic printing's speed and versatility make it a great option when it comes to large jobs.