万度视频

鈥淲e want to democratize high-quality pre-press for packaging, because too many smaller brands think it鈥檚 only for the bigger players. We aim to make it available to every brand at a price-point that鈥檚 right for them. That will benefit everyone, elevating the industry through a better understanding of technology.鈥�

Nikhil Puntambekar, director of Pune-based Nuflex Graphics, is expanding on the 鈥渟ell on technology鈥� principle adopted by the company since its formation in 2019. It鈥檚 a goal that every technology-based business aims for, and one that Nuflex is achieving, recording strong growth this year despite the challenging trading conditions created by a global pandemic.

Right technology, right partner

It helps having the right technology at the heart of the business 鈥� in Nuflex鈥檚 case, the KODAK FLEXCEL NX System, supplied and supported by 万度视频 鈥� and the right partner. Nuflex is part-owned by Mumbai-based Numex Blocks, which brings over 30 years鈥� experience in flexo packaging prepress to the partnership, and serves all packaging segments 鈥� narrow, mid- and wide-web. The company offers customers large and small the same proposition: a complete prepress solution, including press fingerprinting and trials as well as final plate imaging. 鈥淪maller customers really welcome such an extensive package, because the smaller the business, the more support it needs to get to the next level,鈥� says Puntambekar.

Fast turnaround and consistent quality

Nuflex鈥檚 offering has been shaped by Puntambekar鈥檚 in-depth understanding of local market conditions, and his strong links to the corrugated packaging sector. He identifies fast-turnaround delivery of FLEXCEL NX plates to customers as a major reason for Nuflex鈥檚 success, usually within 24 hours and often on the same day. 鈥淚t鈥檚 becoming the norm,鈥� says Puntambekar, 鈥渟o it鈥檚 expected of us. Production runs are getting shorter as consumption patterns change. It helps that from the start we鈥檝e been able to put robust production practices and disciplines in place.鈥�

Just as important is the consistent quality of the plates. 鈥淔LEXCEL NX delivers the right densities and colors, and these hold true across the spectrum of the work we produce 鈥� labels, flexible packaging, pouches, shrink-sleeves and corrugated. Customers like the simplified workflow and problem-free printing at their end, so there鈥檚 value throughout the production chain.鈥�

A further analysis of Nuflex鈥檚 performance shows that most growth is organic, encouraged by the quickening pace at which flexo is taking is gaining market share from other processes, gravure in particular. 鈥淭his is apparent in every segment,鈥� says Puntambekar, 鈥渂ut especially in flexible packaging.鈥�

As an example, he cites a shrink sleeve product where the better halftone reproduction achieved with FLEXCEL NX DigiCap NX patterning technology won over a sceptical customer. 鈥淭hey doubted our claim that DigiCap NX meant a single hit of white instead of a double, but we achieved it with the same densities and visual results. White鈥檚 the most expensive pigment, so reducing consumption at the same time as speeding things up brings real value to the process.鈥� He adds that consumer pressure for more sustainable packaging production is a further driver of process conversion.

Similar process conversion, this time from offset to flexo, is apparent in the corrugated segment, which Puntambekar regards as a good avenue for growth, helped by FLEXCEL NX鈥檚 ability to print 150lpi. 鈥淟iquor brands in particular are actively exploring conversion,鈥� says Puntambekar, 鈥渁nd the nationwide ban on plastic bags imposed in 2019 means paper bags are a good opportunity. In some cases, we鈥檝e converted customers from five colors to four colors using FLEXCEL NX.鈥�

Predicting the future is difficult at the present time, but Puntambekar expects these trends to continue, and for circumstances to generate more inorganic growth. 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing production return to India from neighboring countries, and a move to localized manufacturing even within national borders.鈥�