Development and Growth

Development and Growth

The origins of narrow-web flexography trace back to the period immediately following World War II. Mark Andrews Sr. (1904–1980), founder of Mark Andy, Inc., is widely credited with pioneering the sustained manufacture and marketing of these presses. His initial machines were designed for printing on the then-novel product, "Scotch Tape," and were built to sit on a workbench or table. These early presses, handling web widths of 2" to 4" (50mm to 100mm), produced labels from self-wound, self-adhesive tapes. At the time, the flexographic process was still known as "aniline" printing, named for the aniline dyes used in the inks.

A significant innovation attributed to Andrews was the development of rotary die-cutting and its integration into narrow-web presses. Initially employed for perforating tapes, this technology became crucial as pressure-sensitive roll label markets emerged. Early industry entrepreneurs recognized the cost-effectiveness of combining printing and die-cutting in-line on narrow-web flexo equipment. This synergy forged a lasting bond between pressure-sensitive roll labels, flexographic printing, and in-line rotary die-cutting, driving advancement in each technology and elevating them to world-class disciplines.

The explosive growth of pressure-sensitive labels—estimated to have reached a value of $10 billion in North America by the year 2000—fueled the development of narrow-web flexography. However, these presses are also used for a vast array of products beyond labels. Common applications include tags, in-mold labels, sleeves, cartons, lottery tickets, and tickets for sporting events or transportation. The technology is also essential for producing medical and pharmaceutical packaging, foil and paper lids, and is increasingly used for manufacturing folding cartons and flexible packaging.

Advantages. Narrow-web flexography offers compelling economic advantages in an era demanding higher quality, cost-effective productivity, and shorter, more frequent runs. In-line processing eliminates the time and costs associated with multiple handling steps, such as those found in sheet-fed offset carton manufacturing. This efficiency is enhanced by the multitude of tasks that can be combined on a single press, including corona treatment, multiple forms of graphic imaging (including variable data), overprint varnishes, and laminates. In-line die-cutting, hole punching, perforating, creasing, embossing, and folding are all possible. Multiple webs can be processed and married together, with delivery in roll, sheet, or stacked formats. This multiplex capability provides a significant cost advantage across a wide product range.

Beyond saving time and labor, narrow-web flexo presses also reduce material waste. The spoilage associated with handling and moving work-in-process is eliminated, as is the scrap generated by multiple setups. Since material typically constitutes the largest cost element in the finished product, this waste reduction has a substantial impact on profitability.

Another key advantage is the ability to set up and change over these presses quickly. This efficiency stems partly from the nature of flexographic printing compared to other technologies and partly from the presses' smaller size relative to wide-web counterparts. Press manufacturers have also made setup and changeover efficiency a core design principle. These concerted efforts have dramatically reduced setup times even as job complexity has increased. Sophisticated changeover and cleanup procedures are now standard, enabling makeready times of 10 minutes or less for switching between six-color jobs on state-of-the-art equipment. This includes changing plate rolls, ink fountains, anilox rolls, metering systems, materials, and dies.

The final element securing narrow-web flexo's advantage is the exceptional print quality achieved by converters. Advances in prepress, plate, anilox, ink, and press technologies have been eagerly adopted, combining to create a world-class printing process. While each printing method has unique strengths and weaknesses, flexography has made tremendous progress in overcoming its limitations. As a result, process work of 200 and 225 lpi is now routinely printed on narrow-web flexo presses, with solids appearing richer and smoother than ever before.

Looking ahead to 2026, the narrow-web flexographic sector continues to evolve through greater automation and data integration. The industry is also placing increased emphasis on sustainable practices, including the adoption of water-based inks and energy-efficient press designs. These trends are driving the technology toward even shorter runs and more personalized print applications.