Flexographic Printers Spell Out Plan of Action in Flash Poll - Page 2 of 2

Budget & Finances

Purchasing Window

How soon will your next press be purchased?

Fifty percent of poll participants are ready to act. They say the buy is one year, if not just months, away. Similarly, 44 percent identify three years as the prime window, with the remaining 6 percent looking at sometime between three and five years.

Target Price

What is your budget for your next press?

How much will they spend? For 5 percent of the sample, “price is not a factor.” The largest portion of the audience responding, 45 percent, specify a budget of up to $3 million. Of note: 31 percent are opting for $1 million or less and 19 percent can stretch limits to nearly $5 million.

Payment Plan

How will you pay for your new press?

Cash is king and 28 percent of poll participants intend to likely pay in full. The same number—28 percent—are apt to finance. Only 1 percent say they are looking to lease; 6 percent, lease to buy. All told, 46 percent are open to weighing all options before arriving at their exact course of action.

Print Production

What will your next press be printing?

Once in position, some 58 percent of those surveyed point to production of flexible packaging—including shrink sleeves, shrink wrap and pouches—as the press’ primary purpose. Thirty-eight percent see the new machine as “a label press,” but multiple purposes apply in those areas. Winning mention, in addition to flexibles and labels, 12 percent plan to use the press for specialty print; 7 percent, envelope; 5 percent, corrugated; 2 percent, napkin and 1 percent, preprint.

Decision Drivers

Rank the priorities driving your purchase decision

Performance expectations, with an algorithmically weighted score of 78—based on number of mentions in first through 12^th slots—ranked as a top priority driving the purchase, among the poll audience. Just behind, with scores of 76, come additional capacity and reduced cost of operations. According to survey findings, next, scoring 75, is Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

From there, ranking in order of importance, comes short runs, new business/new capabilities/new applications; then, competitive positioning and in sequence, high-quality graphics; smart, intuitive operations and automated platforms that promote print as a controlled science. Return on investment, re-energizing production and safety also support the decision to be made.

Critical Concerns

Rank your most critical concerns related to your press purchase

A sliding scale applies to the findings and speaks to process enhancements/refinements that printers are after. Topping the list of 13 choices, with an impressive lead (to no surprise) is efficiency. It is followed by: quick change tooling, speed, throughput and productivity, size, waste reduction features and color capacity.

Still important are these second-tier desires: print width, sustainability, repeat requirements, energy saving components, ergonomics and accessibility.

Must Haves

Rank the must-have features on your next press in order of importance

Rankings on essential componentry—once again algorithmically formulated—play out as follows. No. 1 position goes to quick setup. Second is auto register, followed by auto impression. Then in sequence comes 100 percent print inspection, auto tension control, anti bounce technologies, self/remote diagnostics, viscosity control and automated workflows.

On the second tier, in order of perceived importance: artificial intelligence (AI) and connectivity, job analytics, short web paths/short ink trains, modular print decks, clean hand technologies and robotics.

Desired Features

Rank your desired features in order of importance

Applying the identical sliding scale to other features in high desire, printers peg backside printing as nearly essential. The same holds for plate sleeves, die cutting, thin-film friendliness, lamination and a press’ MIS/ERP interface.

From there, in immediate succession comes variable print modules, UV dryers, one-pass converting, slitting/rewinding and cold foiling. Third-tier ratings go to extended content, expanded gamut (EG) print, screen decks on a flexographic press, hot foiling, gravure decks on a flexographic press and offset decks on a flexographic press.

Influential Forces

Service & Support

Rank the following factors influence your decision in order of importance

According to the printer poll, also having some degree of impact on press purchasing decisions are: parts availability, delivery time, warranties, training, service agreements and process control enablers.

Scores are much more tightly bunched, with parts availability receiving the top nod among final considerations that just might secure the buy. Less than one-quarter point lower comes service agreements, followed by warranties, delivery times, training and process control enablers. Separating first through sixth scores is just 1.2 points, giving credence to the assumption that all maintenance and support services offered are definite benefits in printers’ minds.

Passion prevails! To no shock at all, answers are astounding. That, of course, is attributable to the very nature of the topic. It seems nothing excites and infatuates printers more than an opportunity to custom build their next press. They approach the task with enthusiasm and zeal as innovation instills imagination.