The Future of Flexographic Printing to 2029

Table of Contents Key Facts and Figures

The flexographic printing market is worth $230 billion at constant prices in 2024
The market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.0% to 2029

The report focuses on the flexographic printing process and its future evolution across key global product markets from 2019 to 2029. It considers market developments, key drivers and trends; there is a particular interest in the role of digital print and the influence that its increase may have on the flexographic market.

Flexography is a direct contact roll-fed printing process that is used to print high volumes of labels, packaging, and other consumer products, economically at high speeds on a wide variety of substrates. It is used in many specialist applications as diverse as wallpaper, wrapping paper, stationery, and tickets. This report contains a comprehensive data set covering all major end-use applications for national and regional markets, as well as current and future demand for flexographic equipment and consumables.

Key Questions

How has development of new technologies and trends impacted the global flexographic printing market?
What are the key trends affecting demand for flexographic printing?
What are the main challenges facing this market?
How is the increase in digital print impacting flexo?

This report is essential to:
Raw materials suppliers including inks and consumables
Manufacturers of flexographic press, and pre-press equipment
Flexographic press operators, packaging converters and printers

About the author
Jon Harper Smith has over 15 years’ experience in the printing industry and has extensive experience of industrial and package printing businesses with particular focus on industrial inkjet and flexo processes. He has a proven ability to develop complex cross-border businesses involving the provision of highly technical products that meet strict end user specifications.

Name The Future of Flexographic Printing Markets to 2029

Date 24/12/2024

Price

Download Brochure

Cancel

First Name

Last Name

Company

Country

Job Title

Email Address

Phone Number

For us to process your request, we need you to agree to our privacy policy

Related resources

Get in touch

Stephen

Hill

Director of Operations EMEA, Smithers Information Division

United Kingdom

Contact Stephen

Sean

Walsh

Business Development Manager, Smithers Information Division

United States

Contact Sean

Ciaran

Little

Global VP, Business Development & Director of Operations (Asia-Pacific)

Contact Ciaran

Executive summary
Introduction and methodology

Report scope
Report objective
Research process
Methodology
- Data
List of definitions
- Anilox roller
- Bags and sacks
- Biaxially-orientated polypropylene (BOPP)
- Coldset web offset
- Computer-to-plate (CtP)
- CPG
- Converting
- Corrugated packaging
- Digital printing
- EB-curing (electron beam)
- Envelopes
- Flexible packaging
- Flexography
- Flexo ‘other end-use applications’
- Foiling
- Folding cartons
- Gravure (rotogravure)
- HBA
- ITR (In The Round) Sleeves
- Labels
- Lamination
- Offset
- Oriented polystyrene (OPS)
- Photopolymer plate
- Roll-to-roll
- Roll-to-sheet
- Sanitary/kitchenware
- SKU
- Spot varnishing
- Solvent-based flexo ink
- UV curing
- Varnishing
- Water-based flexo ink
- Web widths

Key drivers and trends

Introduction
World economic outlook
Demographic trends
- Growing consumer base
Packaging trends
- Changing run length demands in different applications
- Increasing popularity of flexible packaging
- Increasing popularity of shelf-ready packaging
Environmental trends
Generational demands
Corporate trends
Environmental sustainability
- Sustainable materials
- Sustainable manufacturing processes
- Reuse
- Compliance
- Supported by global regulatory efforts
Changing consumer habits
- Online purchasing
New packaging types
- Data and customer experience
Shorter runs
Supply chains and manufacturing on demand
Online transactions

Cutting edge technology developments

Introduction
Automation of flexo press processes
Improvements to flexo computer-to-plate technology (CtP)
Improvements to anilox rollers
Availability of UV LEDs for UV curing sets, replacing UV lamps
Flexo finishing equipment improvements
Growth of screening, water wash plates and sleeves
Inks and consumables

Flexo print – managing the digital challenge

Introduction

Flexo equipment and consumables markets

Introduction
Flexographic printing equipment markets
- Narrow web
- Medium web
- Wide web
- Sheetfed (incl. folders/ gluers)
- Specials/other flexo units
Flexographic printing consumables
- Printing inks
- Printing plates
- ITR Printing sleeves

Flexo application markets

Overview
Corrugated packaging
Flexible packaging
Bags & sacks
Labels
Cartons
Newspapers
Envelopes
Sanitary/kitchenware
Other products

Flexo printing geographic markets

Introduction
Western Europe
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- UK
- Other Western Europe
North America
- Canada
- US
Asia
- China
- India
- Japan
- Other Asia
Latin America
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Other Latin America
Eastern Europe
- Poland
- Russia
- Other Eastern Europe
Middle East
- Turkey
- Other Middle East
Africa
Australasia

List of Figures

Global flexographic printing output by print product, 2019–29 ($ million)
Flexographic printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million)
Global flexographic printing equipment sales by region, 2019–29 ($ million)
Global new flexographic printing equipment installations by press type, 2019–29 (units)
Global flexographic printing ink sales by region, 2019–29 (tonnes)
Global flexographic printing plate sales by region, 2019–29 (million m²)
Global flexographic printing sleeve sales by region, 2019–29 (million m²)
Annual rate of population change
World population by region 2010 to 2100
Urban population by relative income group
Increasing size of middle class by region (millions)
Amcor & Nestle development of recyclable retort pack
Preference to buy from sustainable brands in the US
US Annual household income by age group ($)
US Click-and-collect Sales, 2020–25
Moulded pulp packaging
Diagram of the flexo process
Bobst Ink on Demand system
Heidelberg non-stop ink deck
Asahi water wash flexo plates are certified by the Carbon Trust
Esko CDI Crystal 5080 XPS LED imaging and exposure unit
Xsys Thermoflexx Catena BE48 LED flexo plate imager
Esko Crystal Screening process colour mid tones
Hybrid Software Intelligent flexo screening
Anilox sleeve
Baldwin XP Quatro Series LED-UV unit

List of Tables

Key countries’ exchange rates to the US dollar, 2019–2029
GDP growth trends, 2019–29 (real growth, %)
Population trends, 2019–29 (millions)
New flexo equipment market by press type ($ million; machines)
New flexographic printing equipment sales by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; machines)
Narrow-web flexographic printing equipment sales by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; machines)
Medium-web flexographic printing equipment sales by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; machines)
Wide-web flexographic printing equipment sales by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; machines)
Sheetfed (incl. folders/gluers)
Flexographic printing equipment sales by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; machines)
Special/other flexographic printing equipment sales by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; machines)
Flexographic printing ink sales by region, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
Flexographic printing ink sales for package & label printing applications by region, 2019–29 (tonnes)
Flexographic printing ink sales for graphic, etc. printing applications by region, 2019–29 (tonnes)
Flexographic printing plate sales by geographic market, 2019–29 (‘000m²; $ million)
Flexographic printing sleeve sales by geographic market, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)
Flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Corrugated packaging: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Flexible packaging: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Bags & sacks: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Labels: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Cartons: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Newspapers: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Envelopes: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Sanitary/kitchenware: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Other products: flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Flexographic printing output by geographic market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Western Europe: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Western Europe: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 ($ million)
Western Europe: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 (units)
Western Europe: flexographic printing equipment installed base, 2019–29 (units)
Western Europe: flexographic printing ink consumption, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
Western Europe: flexographic printing plate and ITR sleeve sales, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)
France: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Germany: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Italy: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Spain: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
UK: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Other Western Europe: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
North America: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
North America: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 ($ million)
North America: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 (units)
North America: flexographic printing equipment installed base, 2019–29 (units)
North America: flexographic printing ink consumption, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
North America: flexographic printing plate and ITR sleeve sales, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)
Canada: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
US: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Asia: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Asia: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 ($ million)
Asia: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 (units)
Asia: flexographic printing equipment installed base, 2019–29 (units)
Asia: flexographic printing ink consumption, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
Asia: flexographic printing plate and ITR sleeve sales, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)
China: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
India: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Japan: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Other Asia: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Latin America: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Latin America: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 ($ million)
Latin America: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 (units)
Latin America: flexographic printing equipment installed base, 2019–29 (units)
Latin America: flexographic printing ink consumption, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
Latin America: flexographic printing plate and ITR sleeve sales, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)
Brazil: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Mexico: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Other Latin America: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Eastern Europe: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Eastern Europe: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 ($ million)
Eastern Europe: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 (units)
Eastern Europe: flexographic printing equipment installed base, 2019–29 (units)
Eastern Europe: flexographic printing ink consumption, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
Eastern Europe: flexographic printing plate and ITR sleeve sales, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)
Poland: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Russia: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Other Eastern Europe: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Middle East: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Middle East: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 ($ million)
Middle East: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 (units)
Middle East: flexographic printing equipment installed base, 2019–29 (units)
Middle East: flexographic printing ink consumption, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
Middle East: flexographic printing plate and ITR sleeve sales, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)
Turkey: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Other Middle East: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Africa: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Africa: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 ($ million)
Africa: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 (units)
Africa: flexographic printing equipment installed base, 2019–29 (units)
Africa: flexographic printing ink consumption, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
Africa: flexographic printing plate and ITR sleeve sales, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)
Australasia: flexographic printing output by end-use market, 2019–29 ($ million; billion A4 prints)
Australasia: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 ($ million)
Australasia: new flexographic printing equipment sales, 2019–29 (units)
Australasia: flexographic printing equipment installed base, 2019–29 (units)
Australasia: flexographic printing ink consumption, 2019–29 (tonnes; $ million)
Australasia: flexographic printing plate and ITR sleeve sales, 2019–29 (‘000 m²; $ million)