Packaging Solutions

Print Process

Digital Printing

Digital printing is a method of printing from a digital-based image directly onto the substrate. Great for low-volume manufacturing and samples, small-run jobs from digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers. Digital printing has a higher cost per unit than more traditional printing methods.

Flexographic Printing

Flexographic printing is a method of printing that uses rotary in-line features. Therefore, you can print things on flexible materials, such as paper, plastic, cellophane, and metallic film. With flexographic printing, you can have different repeat lengths, use various inks, and more. Flexography was derived from rubber stamp printing, which became prevalent in the early 1900s. When the FDA deemed the inks being used for the process as unsafe for food packaging, its main use case at the time, changes were made to the inks being used and the process was renamed. Although the original use of flexographic printing was almost entirely for food packaging, time and technological advancements have made it available for many other applications now. About 60 percent of the packaging industry uses flexographic printing in some way.

Gravure Printing

Also known as rotogravure printing is primarily a long-run, high-speed, high-quality printing method. Like engraving, gravure is a form of intaglio printing that produces fine, detailed images. It works well for CMYK printing, where each colour of ink is applied by its own cylinder and with drying steps in between. Like flexography, gravure printing predominates in the high-volume printing of packaging, wallpaper, and gift wrap. Although less common, it also works for printing magazines, greeting cards, and high-volume advertising pieces.

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