The cost of energy, and the evolving regulatory landscape, are indicating an uptick in the rate of adoption of LED curing, particularly in Europe.
The year 2023 is shaping up to be a period of conversion to LED curing for label and narrow web packaging printers, says the Flint Group, a leading global print consumables manufacturer.
The company notes a drive towards LED curing over traditional UV methods and believes that while the adoption of LED has been slow and steady, market conditions, the cost of energy, and the evolving regulatory landscape are indicating an uptick in the rate of adoption – particularly in Europe.
Niklas Olsson, global director, Product & Commercial Excellence, Narrow Web at Flint Group, explains: “Just a few years ago, the industry believed that LED curing could never match the quality or performance of UV curing and required significant investment. However, right here and right now, the case for LED curing has never been stronger, so it’s no surprise that we’ve seen businesses of every size making the transition.
“As brands and retailers seek sustainable supply chain partners to support their ESG objectives, achieving more sustainable printing is front and center for packaging and label printers worldwide. When we talk about LED curing, we talk about reduced downtime driving enhanced productivity, and the much lower energy use offered in comparison to UV curing – believed to be between 50-80% depending on light dissipation – is becoming an extremely attractive cost and sustainability benefit too.
“With today’s business environment and the cumulative benefits of LED, we’re clearly looking at the tipping point of real market-wide change. This is likely to intensify with global sustainability legislation limiting the use of mercury, which looks set to make UV lamps harder to acquire and dispose of. With LED curing offering lower cost in use, rapid speed, and high quality, it’s time to move the curing conversation forwards, and 2023 could be the year this happens on a broad scale.”
To support customers in this transition, Flint Group designed its EkoCure range of inks with Dual Cure technology. These inks provide superb performance with both
The impact, resilience, and growth of responsible packaging in a wide region are daily chronicled by Packaging South Asia.
A multi-channel B2B publication and digital platform such as Packaging South Asia is always aware of the prospect of new beginnings and renewal. Its 16-year-old print monthly, based in New Delhi, India has
demonstrated its commitment to progress and growth. The Indian and Asian packaging industries have shown resilience in the face of ongoing challenges over the past three years.
As we present our publishing plan for 2023, India’s real GDP growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 will reach 6.3%. Packaging industry growth has exceeded GDP growth even when allowing for inflation in the past three years.
The capacity for flexible film manufacturing in India increased by 33% over the past three years. With orders in place, we expect another 33% capacity addition from 2023 to 2025. Capacities in monocartons, corrugation, aseptic liquid packaging, and labels have grown similarly. The numbers are positive for most of the economies in the region – our platform increasingly reaches and influences these.
Even given the disruptions of supply chains, raw material prices, and the challenge of responsible and sustainable packaging, packaging in all its creative forms and purposes has significant headroom to grow in India and Asia. Our context and coverage engulf the entire packaging supply chain – from concept to shelf and further – to waste collection and recycling. We target brand owners, product managers, raw material suppliers, packaging designers and converters, and recyclers.
In an admittedly fragmented and textured terrain, this is the right time to plan your participation and marketing support communication – in our impactful and highly targeted business platform. Tell us what
you need. Speak and write to our editorial and advertising teams!
For advertisement ads1@ippgroup.in , for editorial info@ippgroup.in and for subscriptions subscription@ippgroup.in
