FORT WORTH, TX—There are nearly 200 countries on Earth, and the flexographic printing market in each one is unique. Aiming to provide a look at regional preferences, trends, growth areas and more, Forum 2016 presented Flexo International: 60 Minutes Around the World. The Tuesday session was chaired by Alexander James, indirect channel manager at Kodak and Marek M. Skrzynski, director of graphics and R&D at CSW Inc.
A panel of four individuals, each well versed in a specific regional market, shared their knowledge. They were:
- Lilián Robayo Paez, editor of El Empaque y Conversion
- Juan Bermudez, VP of sales, Latin America at Harper Corporation of America
- David Recchia, R&D at MacDermid Graphics Solutions
- Birgit Plautz, manager of technical services at GMG Americas
Skrzynski began by posing two questions to the entire panel: With modest global economic growth, is there a willingness to upgrade print technology? And what types of equipment have you seen being installed? Plautz said there has been a proliferation of measurement devices on the hardware side, and expanded gamut on the software side. Recchia added he sees a lot of plate processing equipment as well as devices to measure plates.
Asked if digital printing is encroaching on flexography in Latin America, Paez said no, digital is complementing flexography. She added that standardization and process control are being considered more and more in the region.
The panel was then asked to speak to sustainability in different areas. Recchia said that consumers are driving the desire for being green. In Europe, Plautz said, sustainability is growing in importance. Bermudez pointed out that “demand is what will drive adoption.”
Paez was next asked if Latin America has caught up to the rest of the world. She contended that it has, and in some areas, it is exceeding it. Bermudez pointed out that, in the Excellence in Flexography Awards competition, two Latin American printers took home medals. “I am very proud,” he said. James agreed, noting his visits to the region have impressed him.
Skrzynski expanded the scope of consideration to China, polling the panel for their thoughts. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a microwave there,” Recchia observed, adding consumers will often take a trip to the grocery store twice per day. He added that gravure is cheaper to produce in China, but that efforts by the government to reduce pollution and emissions are leading to flexography being viewed as a more attractive option.
James asked what the effect of the strengthening U.S. dollar is having on Latin America. Paez said it is placing “huge pressure” on flexo companies to be more efficient.
Plautz then spoke to the training challenges in Germany. She said that in the country, apprenticeship programs typically run for three years and are unpaid, placing a burden on those who choose to enroll. Recchia noted that on the job training is also vital, recalling his first days in the industry: “I started on a Monday, and I was flying to customers the following Friday.”
Bermudez said the flexo program in Brazil is very advanced, churning out graduates who are well trained. Training is top notch in other Latin America countries, but catering to regional print processes, they are geared toward offset and gravure.
Following the education theme, Plautz said she spent only a few thousand dollars on her engineering degree. “I don’t think you can get that at any university in the states—even the cheaper ones,” she admitted. Comparing the U.S. to Germany, she said overseas it was required to have two internships as well as a 100 page thesis.
“I have to say, I still have not gotten use to having 30 days of vacation here,” Plautz said with a laugh. She referred to holidays in Europe as “almost sacred,” adding that checking emails and work calls is unheard of. “There is almost pressure to work,” in the U.S., she said. James agreed: “Shutting down here? I don’t think we could ever do that.”
In Latin America, flexible packaging is growing the fastest, according to Paez, with snacks being largely responsible. Recchia agreed: “In the grocery store, those packages are endless.” Plautz nodded her head in agreement and pointed to sophisticated labels as also growing. Bermudez said in Latin America the corrugated market “has always been huge” and is focused on high quality graphics.
How does the current political climate impact the flexo market? Bermudez said that in Latin America, “people who do business have to have the stomach for it.” Paez cautioned not to make any generalizations, but that some countries are seeing stimulation as a result of changes happening on the political front.
Plautz said the European political environment is stable, and pointed out that regulations are forcing companies to consider their sustainability and respect for the environment.