Offset to gravure

[Yoga]

Hello everybody,

We are offset printers looking to employ a gravure machine for producing packaging labels and cartons.

Would like to know what I ought to keep in mind before throwing myself into what is a new technology for our company. Any prescription, precautions, comments, et al is highly appreciated...and anticipated!


Regards,

Yoga

[Ret Heidelberg Instructor]

If this is a new move for your operation my advice would be to get educated about gravure first and hire somebody that knows gravure. This will pay off tremendously in the long run.

[Stephen Marsh]

Have you seriously looked at the advances in flexo, as an alternative to gravure?

Stephen Marsh

[Yoga]

Thanks Ret Hiedelberg Instructor and Stephen.

Yes, we are going to hire someone who knows gravure and has worked on machines similar to what we plan to buy. That apart, I want to get some information that is essential but not obvious to a new entrant.

Flexo has a set of capabilities but they would not serve to meet the ends that gravure allows us to.

Yoga

P.S. We do use a flexo machine apart from our offset

[Stephen Marsh]

Thanks Ret Hiedelberg Instructor and Stephen.

Flexo has a set of capabilities but they would not serve to meet the ends that gravure allows us to.

Would you mind educating me on this issue Yoga? What are the capabilities that are lacking when compared to gravure? There have been some major improvements made with flexo in recent years and some shops are using it instead of gravure, when they once would have used gravure.


Stephen Marsh

[Yoga]

Stephen,

The differences could be summarized as speed and cost of production.

Gravure machines offer such high speeds which I reckon that only the ultimate, if at all, flexo machines are capable of. And in terms of cost of production for long run jobs, the difference is substantial. Since we are a packaging printer these cost benefits apply to me.

I would be glad if someone highlighted other practical benefits as well as disadvantages.

Regards,

Yoga