Robert Moran
Decades have passed. Discussion points of nearly 40 years ago are still touched upon today. Data remains relevant as ever. Yesterday, specifically in 1986 when FLEXO turned 10, the magazine and its parent association, FTA, were focused on the fundamentals of package print and the findings of studies that deemed flexography the dominant force in the industry.

Outlooks and forecasts, folded into the January edition, heralded that news. Those who lived and breathed this craft at the time will recall that 1986 was a typical, extraordinary and drupa year—all rolled into a single 365-day period.  It dawned with FLEXO carrying the following revelations on its pages. These points represent direct quotes:

• Flexo is growing in new and traditional markets
• Flexo continues to dominate package printing, particularly plastics. It continues to grow in paper as well
• Marketshare is 80 percent in corrugated; growing in labels; dominant in web fed
• Machinery makers are combining flexo and other printing processes in the same press frames
• Results of FTA’s 3^rd flexographic print survey revealed a total flexo market topping $30 billion in the U.S. alone. North America represents 55 percent of the world market

Having started off on a positive note, headlines from 1986 broadcasted even more good news.

• FTA membership rose by 16 percent, topping 1,100 for the first time at the opening of the year
• The 3^rd edition of Flexography Principles & Practices was in high demand
• In a departure from the norm, two rather than one, noted flexographers were inducted into FTA’s Flexo Hall of Fame. The individuals: Henry F Mosher and Stanley Blackledge

EVENT CALENDAR
FTA’s FORUM theme: “Wining in the Eighties,” suggested to attendees, “Let’s Face the Challenges of tomorrow together.” The event kicked off March 17 in Las Vegas, with still familiar topics on the agenda– training and keeping personnel, EPA Compliance, press calibration, anilox cell volume and shape, shallow relief printing plates.

Close on FORUM’s heels came drupa 1986. FLEXO covered the proceedings in detail, both pregame and post event. Topping news out of drupa—introduction and unveiling of an 8-color, CI flexo press.

 DETAILED DISCUSSIONS
Attention to detail—the words were everywhere in 1986. They were applied to prepress, labels, corrugated boxes, design, color—everything and anything flexo. Throughout the entire year briefings on retrofits vs. new equipment, enclosed chamber doctor blades and high-performance pressure sensitive adhesives were sought after. Ink control was called the key to profitable flexo printing.

Those were just the non-bylined pieces.

John Eulich cast an eye on the likely look of narrow web presses of the future and hinted at microprocessor controls, automatic registration, tension control, quality control, color control, MIS interfaces and self-diagnostic software. Right on! He even gave a nod to the eventual rise of digital imaging.

Richard Neumann maintained that in the wide web arena, presses will be designed to suit their intended application. He foresaw thinner materials, higher production speeds, increases in the number of standard color decks, environmentally friendly inks and computer-controlled make-ready systems.

Making designers aware of special needs for flexo art was the mission put to Steven Sciancalepore. Similarly, John Blyth tackled reinforcing the link between package design and printing. Moving from design to prepress, Scott Sherman detailed how color matching cuts costs, while Thomas Kosel declared, “Color separation is color reproduction,” and Tim Smith commented on exactly how computers were making a difference in the label shop.

By application, Kurt Kruselberg spoke to electronic registration and how it facilitates narrow web or label print consistency. Angelo Zaffignani addressed flexible packaging and how it must adapt to new markets, and materials. Ricard Fox lamented on the challenge of printing UPC codes on corrugated. And Larry Jopko wrote on inline lamination for reverse flexo printing.

Other topics ran the course through every enterprise in the market, just as they do in 2025. Take for example Roland Rice’s essay on controlling inkroom variables and how that yields reduced ink costs; or Harold Fernau’s “Making Short Runs Pay Off.” Both remain hot-button issues. Many say they likely always will be.