Esko, a provider of integrated software and hardware products, will showcase its solutions for packaging workflow automation, artwork management and flexographic platemaking at Loupe India, scheduled from 29 October to 1 November 2026 at the India Expo Centre in Greater Noida.
Visitors can explore Automation Engine, ArtPro+, Phoenix and WebCenter Pack to see how automation, smarter planning and streamlined approvals can reduce manual work, errors and turnaround times. The company will also showcase its innovations in flexographic printing: XPS Spark and CDI Quartz.
According to the company, visitors can experience the Esko Quartz for the first time in India. “They can discover this innovative solution first-hand and see how it can help shape the future of packaging and print production,” said Karan Talwar, director, sales – South Asia, Esko.
Indian converters are under pressure to improve productivity while managing shorter runs, more SKUs, faster turnaround times and cost pressures. According to Talwar, Esko helps converters tackle these challenges in several ways.
“On the hardware side, we see a growing opportunity for converters to move from gravure to flexographic printing. With advances in flexographic platemaking and screening technologies, converters can achieve high-quality, consistent print results while benefiting from the potential for lower setup waste, faster changeovers and reduced overall production costs. Combined with workflow automation, this transition can help converters become more flexible, competitive and profitable.”
On the software side, Automation Engine automates repetitive prepress tasks, standardizes processes and reduces manual intervention, Talwar said, adding ArtPro+ enables efficient PDF-based artwork editing and quality checking, helping teams identify potential production issues before they become costly errors.
“For converters managing multiple SKUs and frequent artwork changes, WebCenter Pack supports more structured collaboration, online approvals, version control and workflow automation. This helps reduce delays caused by disconnected systems, manual follow-ups and approval bottlenecks.”
Upcoming trends
One of the key trends in the Indian packaging market over the next two to three years is the shift from gravure to flexographic printing, driven by the need to reduce costs, minimize waste and improve production flexibility, Talwar said.
As converters face shorter runs, more SKUs and faster turnaround time, flexo offers an attractive alternative, with the potential to reduce setup waste, shorten job changeovers and lower overall production costs, he explained.
Automation and digitization will also play a critical role. Solutions such as Esko’s Automation Engine help streamline prepress workflows, reduce manual intervention and errors, and accelerate job preparation, enabling converters to improve productivity and respond faster to changing customer demands, he added.
“Overall, a combination of gravure-to-flexo migration, automation and improved flexographic productivity and simplicity offers a significant opportunity for Indian converters to become more cost-efficient, agile and sustainable.”
“We want to demonstrate how gravure and flexo can complement each other, helping converters identify the right printing process for different job lengths, quality requirements and cost targets. Our goal is for visitors to leave with practical insights to improving efficiency, achieving consistent print quality and making informed decisions about the future of their printing operations,” he said.
Talwar said the company wants to help converters identify opportunities to eliminate repetitive manual work, reduce artwork and prepress errors, shorten approval cycles, improve material utilization and achieve more consistent print quality.
