Flexible packaging converters should assess printing technologies based on individual applications rather than treating flexo, gravure, offset and digital printing as competing processes, according to Ranesh Bajaj of Vinsak.
Speaking at the 13th Speciality Films & Flexible Packaging Global Summit & Exhibition 2026 in Mumbai, Bajaj said converters should determine which technology offers the best combination of quality, productivity and cost for a particular run.
He said the industry was increasingly moving toward a multi-technology approach, with converters potentially using several printing processes under the same roof depending on customer requirements and run lengths.
Flexographic printing is expanding rapidly worldwide, with developments increasingly focused on print quality, sustainability and automation. Gravure remains an established technology but continues to face challenges associated with solvents, he said.
Digital printing is gaining traction and is expected to remain an important part of the industry’s future, particularly for short and medium runs. However, conventional processes will continue to be more economical for longer production runs.
Bajaj highlighted the potential of web offset printing, arguing that offset should not be viewed solely as a sheet-fed process. He said web offset can deliver high print quality while requiring fewer special colors in certain applications.
He said converters assess run lengths in linear metres rather than relying on weight-based calculations. Printing costs, he said, should ideally be evaluated on a square-metre basis because ink consumption, press speeds and production time are linked more directly to the area being printed than its weight.
According to Bajaj, digital printing is particularly suited to runs of around 500,000 meters or less, while offset has a strong range between roughly 500,000 and 30mn meters. Flexo overlaps with longer runs, with its effective range extending from about 5mn to 50mn metres.
Bajaj said hybrid printing can offer the lowest cost per square metre in suitable applications because it can combine different printing technologies and optimize ink usage, substrate handling, power consumption and press productivity.
The market was already driving greater adoption of hybrid technology, as customers increasingly seek shorter runs, faster changeovers and high-quality graphics, he said.
Vinsak is advancing its hybrid press technology for the in-mold labelling and shrink-sleeve markets.Â
In an interview with Packaging South Asia at the Vinsak stand, Bajaj said a first-generation press supplied to Mudrika was being installed and tested, with commercial production expected to begin soon. Mumbai-based Mudrika Labels has partnered with Vinsak to upgrade its printing plant by installing India’s first fully configured Rotatek Universal 850 hybrid press at its Vasai facility.
Bajaj said the company has developed an upgraded version featuring improved printing units, closed-loop color control and greater press automation. Bajaj said Vinsak had already secured another order for the newer version, with delivery expected around February or March next year.
He said the hybrid press is aimed at customers requiring production runs ranging from about 5,000 to 1mn bags, particularly where quick changeovers and high-quality graphics are important.
Bajaj said converters should conduct detailed assessments of their target markets and product requirements before investing in a printing press, rather than choosing a single technology by default.
