Press print runs of 3,000 to 5,000 yards are a reality and new equipment is offering the possibility of 500 yards. Press manufacturers have come a long way in designing and building short run presses, he continued. The electronic line shafts, computer controls and other state of the art technologies are driving down the costs of manufacture and installation. While Mr. Dunnington s statements deal specifically with the production side of the gravure process, with press advancements must also come adaptable ink systems. Additionally, as printers look for ways to save money, optimizing ink systems is one solution they inevitably examine.
Long runs are still the order of the day in gravure.
However, we are seeing some short run jobs to fill press schedules, said Bill Witzel, Flint Ink s gravure product development director. Flint Ink has developed new formulas as requested by our customers. Several new products have been developed to help our customers obtain the standardization and quality of printing demanded by the publishers. Although the majority of the work is confidential at this point, the areas of focus are products that will provide greater use efficiencies based on improved colloidal stability in the final ink on press. Much of the activity in the gravure industry has been towards reducing costs throughout the entire printing process, from cylinder making to paper selection, added Tony Fontanetta, gravure account manager at Flint Ink.