Flexographic Printers Tell All in Latest Flash Poll

Challenges Outlined

With market watchers placing typical press downtime at 30 percent, flexographers admitted to similar experience, yet said they definitely intended to strive to tackle that issue, better utilization rates and improve in-plant efficiencies to boost productivity. At time of publication, 55 percent of survey respondents were fighting downtime rates of at least 30 percent, but 45 percent were coming in below that precipice.

Listing out other lingering challenges on their hit list for improvement, 63 percent of the audience put color management atop all concerns. Similarly, 50 percent saw short runs as requiring attention and 45 percent were focusing on trimming setup and makeready times. Also on their far-reaching agenda: process control at 37 percent; quick turns and waste reduction both at 35 percent; automating workflow at 23 percent; digital competition at 20 percent; environmental compliance at 18 percent and multiprocess print at 17 percent. Twelve percent of Flash Poll respondents expressed the desire to diligently attack every one of those issues.

Many, however, acknowledged that they were taking more of a “wait and see” approach to tariff troubles that may or may not lie on the horizon. Thirty-eight percent are watching the situation carefully. Thirty-four percent don’t foresee any real effect. Already, 28 percent are noticing an impact, while 16 percent declare it “minor” and 12 percent “considerable.”

Comments offered in poll responses shed light on the tariff story

• One flexographer lamented, “Material prices are increasing and customers are not accepting corresponding price increases”
• Another complained the cost of aluminum, targeted for taxes, is driving up the price of a press
• Still another claimed, “Print cylinders are going up 10 percent this month (August), costs of doctor blades and ink are increasing along with paper. All are driven by tariffs. Hopefully, this will stop soon”
• Not pausing there, one flexographer told FLEXO, “Woven poly bags are going to have a tariff applied in mid-August. I expect material delays to result on certain cosmetic webs”
• Someone else said “Ink pigments are my biggest cost concern”
• One respondent even called suppliers to task: “Paper vendors use this as an excuse, but if they want my business, they will not raise prices”