Innovations, insights and the future of gravure printing

At the end of October 2024, the picturesque city of Porto hosted the International Gravure Days, organized by the European Rotogravure Association (ERA). This event is one of the most significant gatherings in the global gravure printing industry. Over 100 participants from more than a dozen countries, including China, Colombia, South Africa, and India, attended the conference, highlighting the strength and diversity of the international gravure community.

India, one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, offers unprecedented opportunities for numerous industries, including the printing sector. Gravure printing, in particular, plays a key role in the country’s flourishing packaging printing industry.  “India is the most populous country in the world, with 52% of its population being children, adolescents, and young adults (aged 15 to 29 years),” explained Kaku Kohli, owner and managing director of the Indian gravure press manufacturer Kohli. The ability to produce large to medium runs with high quality and a straightforward processes makes gravure printing particularly attractive for the Indian packaging market.

Kohli further explained: “The investment cost for a high-quality gravure press for manufacturing flexible packaging in India ranges from 400,000 to 700,000 Euros, with a payback period of five years. The cost of gravure cylinders is 0.27 Euros per square millimetre. A cylinder measuring 1350 x 500 mm is available for about 185 Euros, while cost for re-engraving a cylinder is approximately 145 Euros.” Operating costs for consumables include solvent-based inks (2.50 to 3.20 Euros per kilogram), water-based inks (3.20 to 6.40 Euros per kilogram), as well as PET and BOPP films. The lifespan and cost of doctor blades are also significant factors.

Another critical factor in the success of gravure in India is the availability of skilled labour. On average, specialists earn 650 euros, semi-skilled workers 425 euros, and helpers 215 euros per month. Despite the numerous advantages of gravure, it competes with other printing processes such as flexo, digital printing, and web-fed offset. “While flexo printing requires higher investments (about 1.8 million Euros per machine) and longer payback periods (8 to 9 years), digital printing is better suited for short runs but faces cost and scalability issues for larger print jobs,” noted Kaku Kohli.

Japanese innovations: The future of gravure printing

Ryota Morisaki from Think Laboratory highlighted current trends in the Japanese package printing industry, especially the integration of digital printing into the traditional gravure process. “In Japan, 90% of all flexible packaging is produced using gravure printing”, Morisaki emphasized. Since the introduction of the “System 77” galvanic line in 1977, Think Laboratory has a market share of more than 90% in the field of gravure cylinder production in Japan. In total, three prepress locations in Japan supply gravure cylinders to printers, primarily in the flexible packaging sector. Each of these locations have a daily production capacity of more than 200 cylinders.

Think Laboratory recently expanded its product portfolio with the introduction of the FXIJ series, consisting of three inkjet digital printing machines for flexible packaging. Until now, the New FX3 was the company’s main product, a fully automated system for gravure cylinder production. The FX3 technology is based on a laser system that exposes a photosensitive layer on the cylinder before it is etched with copper(II) chloride. The FXIJ machines are the centrepiece of the Business Model Factory in Kashiwa, which prints flexible film packaging with water-based inkjet inks.

Flexibility through modular platform design

Jan Breiholdt, Product Manager at German company Hell Gravure Systems, introduced the new K5 platform for the electromechanical engraving of gravure cylinders. Its modular design offers exceptional flexibility, allowing the HelioKlischograph (K) engraving system to be tailored to specific user requirements.

“Similar to the Lego principle, users can quickly integrate modules to expand functionality as needed”, he explained and continues: “The K5 platform is available in various configurations, ranging from manual to fully automatic, and also in two sizes: standard for cylinders up to 1400 mm in length and XL for cylinders up to 2350 mm in length.”.

The importance of cleaning in gravure printing

Another topic was the importance of cleaning in the gravure printing process. Svend Brix, Marketing Director at FlexoWash, emphasised that investing in state-of-the-art cleaning systems is crucial to minimising downtime and increasing efficiency. “Cleaning is often regarded as an unnecessary expense, but it adds significant value and optimises the entire production process”, Brix said. Therefore, automatic cleaning systems can reduce downtime and save costs in the long term.

Education and research for gravure printing

In an impressive presentation, Prof Volker Jansen introduced the English-language Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng.) program in Print Media and Packaging Technologies at Stuttgart Media University (HdM). He highlighted the relevance of this program in the context of global developments and emphasized the diverse opportunities it offers to students. A standout feature of this program is the so-called “Mobility Window”, enabling students to spend a semester at one of four partner universities in the USA. This international experience enriches academic knowledge and prepares students optimally for the challenges of the global labour market.

The HdM also hosts Europe’s only Gravure Competence Centre, led by Prof Armin Weichmann. As the only university in Europe with a dedicated professorship for gravure printing and equipped with a complete gravure process line, HdM provides an excellent platform for education, training, and applied research in this specialized field. Prof Armin Weichmann emphasized: “The Gravure Competence Center at HdM not only offers practical training programs for students but also advanced training opportunities for professionals in the gravure industry.”

Furthermore, the modernization of the centre’s technical equipment is planned: the aging K500 engraving machine is to be replaced by the modern K5 Smart model. This investment will further expand the centre’s capabilities, ensuring that students and research teams can work with the latest technologies in a practical environment.

Idea for a new project

Professor Lutz Engisch presented an ERA idea for a new study project: “Comparing the carbon footprint of different printing processes”. The study aims to provide a detailed analysis of the CO₂ emissions of various printing processes. Engisch emphasized that every CO₂ calculation must be tailored to a specific application to enable precise comparisons. It is also crucial to establish clear and consistent frameworks to achieve robust results. The project adopts an application-oriented approach, covering flexible packaging (gravure vs. flexo printing), decoration (gravure vs. inkjet printing), and packaging and commercial printing (gravure vs. offset printing). Engisch is convinced that this approach will provide more accurate comparisons and help decision-makers to choose the most environmentally friendly printing process for each application.

Successful conclusion at Tecnogravura

At the conclusion of the ERA conference, participants visited Tecnogravura, Portugal’s leading gravure cylinder manufacturer. With more than 62 years of experience, the family-owned company supplies the European and North African markets, offering top quality and short delivery times. Tecnogravura operates production facilities not only in Portugal but also in France and Hungary.