At Flexo Summit Asia 2026, held from 5 to 6 August in Bengaluru, leading Indian unit-to-unit flexo press manufacturer and exporter Multitec highlighted the traditional industry mindset that measures productivity based on mechanical press output.
According to Amit Ahuja, director of Multitec, brand owners are pushing for significantly faster turnarounds, new SKUs, shorter production runs, and uncompromising print quality. At the same time, packaging converters face pressure from rising costs, tighter margins, and labor shortages.
Modern flexographic printing, Ahuja explained, is undergoing a transformative shift driven by advanced automation, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. Press operations, which once faced persistent downtime and rising energy costs alongside growing demands for shorter runs and higher stock-keeping unit (SKU) counts, now leverage smart default features.
Modern flexo presses routinely feature automated recipe management, one-touch repeat functions, and real-time analytics tracking energy usage, waste, and overall performance dashboards. A central highlight of this evolution is the practical application of artificial intelligence.
“By analyzing data from historical jobs with similar parameters, AI systems allow the press to learn from past errors and self-correct during subsequent runs. This capability moves far beyond simple reporting, providing actionable control and efficiency improvements to ensure more stable production processes, faster setup times, and easily retrievable settings for impression, register, and tension,” he said.
Despite these advancements in core printing processes, industry experts point out that converting operations such as slitting, laminating, and finishing still face challenges, particularly a lack of automation and real-time feedback loops, he explained.
Furthermore, market dynamics are shifting beyond simple print jobs. Special embellishments and value-added processes, such as foil applications or tactile finishes, can significantly reduce overall press running speeds, sometimes up to 10% to 20%, highlighting an ongoing need for the market to continuously evolve and address converting bottlenecks.
Addressing Multitec’s engineering approach, he emphasizes that technological development must directly solve real-world production challenges rather than adding unnecessary complexity. This philosophy guides Multitec’s emphasis on intelligent automation and intuitive machine design—technology designed to guide operator decision-making and ensure consistent results.
The company maintains strict quality control and close tolerances for long-term machine reliability by manufacturing its critical components in-house. The press manufacturing process is dynamically improved and refined using direct operational feedback from global converters, empowered by modern communication and cloud technology.
Looking ahead, Ahuja points to intelligent automation and data-driven manufacturing as the driving forces shaping the next decade of packaging. Instead of replacing skilled personnel, next-generation automation empowers operators with actionable production intelligence, flattening the learning curve for new workforce entrants.
As the industry accelerates toward shorter runs and workflow optimization, Ahuja encouraged summit delegates to challenge long-held assumptions and engage in a collaborative dialog to shape the future of flexographic printing.
