Date
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Time
11:00 a.m EST
Location
Virtual Event
Price
Member: Free
Non-Member: $99.00
How to Buy a Flexo Press
Purchasing a flexographic press is one of the most significant capital investments a printer or converter can make. For first-time buyers, the process can feel complex, lengthy and full of unknowns. Even experienced buyers may encounter new challenges as technology, market demands, tariffs, supply chain pressures and facility requirements continue to evolve. This panel style conversation will host an open discussion to bring together flexographic press manufacturers walking attendees through the full press-buying journey—from identifying business needs and defining specifications to comparing options, preparing the plant, managing timelines, installation, training and post-sale support. Panelists will also discuss common pitfalls, uncomfortable realities, external factors that can affect cost or delivery, and practical questions every buyer should ask before making a major capital equipment decision. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of what to expect, how to prepare internally and how to approach the process with greater confidence.
Speakers
Carles Rodriguez
Industrial Engineer with an Executive MBA and a Postgraduate degree in Environmental Engineering, Carles has built a distinguished 14-year career at Comexi, a global leader with over 70 years in CI Flexo and the world’s second-largest supplier of laminating and slitting equipment. Following an initial phase at Philips Royal Electronics and various engineering firms, he joined Comexi, where he has held key roles including Sales Engineer, Brand Manager, New Business Development Director, Vice President of Comexi North America and for the last three years as Global Printing Director, leading the division’s international strategy and innovation.
Jason Cagle
With over a decade in the printing and packaging industry, Jason has built a career at the intersection of technology, business strategy, and customer relationships. He transitioned from a technical role at Clemson University’s Sonoco Institute to sales leadership at MacDermid, where he served as Director of Sales for North America. Now, as Director of Sales – Printing at W&H, Jason leads the Flexo, Rotogravure, and Digital Printing Presses business across North America, driving market strategy, customer engagement, and business growth. An active industry leader, he received the FTA President’s Award in 2018 and served as Forum Chair for the FTA FORUM in 2023 and 2024. He frequently speaks at conferences across the Americas on automation, sustainability, and the future of flexible packaging.
Rodney Pennings
Rodney Pennings serves as the Strategic Accounts & Technical Sales Leader - Americas at BW Converting, where he leads sales and service initiatives for the company’s printing, bag converting, and mail industry technologies. Based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Rodney brings more than three decades of experience in the converting and printing industry, combining deep technical expertise with a strong customer-focused approach. Throughout his tenure, Rodneyhas held a variety of leadership positions, including Controls Engineer, Engineering Leader, Value Stream Leader, and Sales Director. His broad industry knowledge and hands-on experience enable him to help converters improve operational efficiency, quality, sustainability, and overall production performance. Rodney is also a strong advocate for industry education and innovation. He plays an active role in advancing customer training, technology demonstrations, and collaborative initiatives through BW Converting’s Packaging Innovation Center, helping converters evaluate emerging technologies and optimize flexible packaging workflows. His commitment to practical problem-solving and customer success has made him a trusted resource within the global packaging and converting community.
Paul Teachout
Paul Teachout has been in the packaging industry for more than 40 years. Starting out in commercial offset, he moved to flexographic press manufacturing with Webtron/Aquaflex in1986. During that period, he was honored with the South Florida Manufacturing Associations Award for manufacturing excellence in 1991 for establishing a quality assurance process for flexographic printing equipment setting standards that still remain today. Teachout has held numerous key positions including printing management, application specialists, engineering support, marketing and product development manager and vice president of sales. Teachout currently holds the position of Sales and Business Development Manager at OMET Americas. These experiences provided the opportunity for extensive global travel driving technical excellence and the continued advancement of our trade. He is also active on numerous industry committees and advisory boards, current Chairman of the FTA Board of Directors and is an FTA Level 3 First Implementations Specialist. Teachout was honored with the 2014 FTA Presidents Award, the 2017 Top Cat Award from Clemson University and the 2017 TLMI Supplier of the Year Award and is the Chairperson for the TLMI Annual Awards Competition where he has been an active committee member since 1999. Teachout was recognized in 2024 by the Label Industry Global Awards for Global Achievement within the label Industry. Teachout has had a long history of educational and workforce development within our industry. Participating in the first PC based FlexSYS training systems with the FTA back in the mid 1990’s, to actively supporting the Phoenix Challenge High School competitions since 2008. He has played a pivotal role in having printing equipment placed at educational institutions and participating in multiple college advisory boards. Teachout is a past chair of the FTA Forum and frequent session speaker at industry events. He has shared his experiences and knowledge through countless editorial contributions, white papers and articles as well as co supplier and OEM open houses, educational PrinTHINKS and road shows.
Kenny Tucker
Kenny serves as the Director of Technical Education at the Flexographic Technical Association. Previously, he held the position of Assistant Director at Clemson University's Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics. A 2004 graduate of Clemson University with a bachelor's degree in Graphic Communications, Kenny began his career at Sealed Air Corporation, where he worked across various roles, including prepress, color management, inkjet and remote proofing, workflow automation, expanded gamut printing, press characterizations, and managing graphic technologies. He later joined Anderson & Vreeland as a Technology Specialist, focusing on the installation of plate-making equipment, RIP software, and inkjet proofing solutions. Before working for Clemson, Kenny worked as Production Manager at Frontier Label, now Sttark Labels, overseeing inventory procurement, label production, project management, and maintenance operations. In 2019, he returned to Clemson University, coordinating industry-focused projects, seminars, research initiatives, and training workshops. In his free time, Kenny enjoys fishing, camping, and spending quality time with his family.
