United States Flexographic Printing Market Size
| Study Period | 2019 - 2029 |
| Base Year For Estimation | 2023 |
| Market Size (2024) | USD 2.84 Billion |
| Market Size (2029) | USD 3.26 Billion |
| CAGR (2024 - 2029) | 2.77 % |
| Market Concentration | Low |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
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United States Flexographic Printing Market Analysis
The United States Flexographic Printing Market size is estimated at USD 2.84 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 3.26 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 2.77% during the forecast period (2024-2029).
The current market estimations are based on ink technology and printing equipment for various end-user applications, such as labels, cartons, and flexible packaging.
- Technological advancement is gaining popularity in the flexographic printing market. Prominent companies operating in the flexographic printing sector are focused on developing new technical solutions to meet consumer demand and strengthen their positions.
- With consumer, retailer, and client demands shifting, the global packaging printing marketplace is changing rapidly. Increasing demand for new variety and shorter run lengths are driving advancements in flexographic technology, which aims to improve efficiency in an increasingly digitalized market.
- UV flexo printing inks and varnishes are widely used and continue gaining popularity. A major justification for using UV curing technology is the absence of solvents, which lowers emissions and is probably one of the original justifications. But because of their superior print quality, quick readiness for use, good adhesion to flexible and a variety of other substrates, high chemical and product resistance, and fast running speeds, UV-cured inks are currently being taken into consideration in many printing-related fields. Almost all finished product substrates, including yogurt cups and tops, soup and spice packets, flexible packaging, milk and juice cartons, pet food packaging, and even cigarette packs, are now printed on with UV-curing Flexoinks.
- The printing industry has historically been labor-intensive, with a strong relationship between the trend in turnover and employment. Machinery design, digitalization, computerization, etc., have significantly improved productivity and transformed this industry so that growth capacity is no longer linked to direct employment. However, the rising raw material costs during the procurement process limit several market players' operability. The raw materials used in flexographic printing include paper, ink, printing materials, and other chemical products.
- The huge demand for food, beverage, and medicines caused due to panic-driven purchases and several supply chain constraints resulted in mixed COVID-19 impact on the flexographic printing market growth. Because of the growth in the demand for packaged foods, packaging used to be mainly off-limits to short-run-oriented printing systems. With changes in consumption patterns, manufacturers' development of advanced digital presses has become a turnaround solution for packaging printing manufacturers to cater to the brands. Printing and packaging are essential to people's lives, and proper management enables the printing industry to adapt and serve the needs of end customers during the forecast period.
United States Flexographic Printing Market Trends
This section covers the major market trends shaping the US Flexographic Printing Market according to our research experts:
Packaging Industry to Witness Significant Growth
- Flexography has been widely used as a quick and economical way of applying simple designs and areas of color to a wide variety of packaging materials, such as paper and plastic containers (including waxed-paper ones), corrugated-cardboard boxes, tape, envelopes, and metal foil.
- Flexography, also known as 'flexo,' is a fast-growing process for package printing. It produces good-quality graphics on coated and uncoated paperboard surfaces and flexible films. Tooling costs are slightly higher than offset; however, advancements in inks, presses, digital plates, and sleeves are reducing make-ready times and increasing print quality.
- Packaging printing is taking a crucial role in the future of product safety and promotions through flexible packaging, attributed to on-demand printing in almost any size or quantity. Due to the lower cost of flexo printing, its platforms have increasingly entered the market. When creating personalized, limited-run packaging, they have also become more appealing.
- According to the FTA report, flexible packaging represents approximately 20% of the total USD 184.65 billion United States packaging industry and is the second-largest packaging segment after corrugated paper. Films and resins account for the most significant input spend for converters, with those two categories accounting for over two-thirds of material purchases.
- Rigid packaging is deployed across various industrial domains, including food and beverages, consumer goods, healthcare & pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Rigid solutions include glass containers, plastic boxes, cans, and cardboard, which are increasingly used for packaging foods, cosmetics, and personal care products.
- Materials go far beyond paper, and many packaging substrates pose a challenge in printing. Flexographic, or flexo printing, solves those challenges and thus has become the de facto standard for packaging companies that want to print on various paper substrates. Compared to other methods, flexographic printing offers more diversity, higher quality, and a lower cost to packaging companies.
UV-curable Ink Technology Holds Major Market Share
- The country's increased environmental restrictions boost the need for free printing of volatile organic compounds (VOC) ink. UV-cured printing inks are a superior alternative to traditional inks. They are used in various printing processes, such as gravure, inkjet, and flexography, as they offer advantages over conventional inks.
- UV-cured inks do not contain VOCs, and their drying process is quicker as they are treated using UV light, increasing their use in flexographic printing. In addition, as these inks are suitable for flexible as well as rigid packaging applications, their demand is growing in the market.
- These inks get dry by ultraviolet rays and are suitable for packaging decoration printing and shrink sleeve printing on multiple substrates, including coated papers and films with fast curing and a high level of adhesion.
- The players in the market are focusing on introducing products that support circular packaging by developing innovative and eco-friendly inks and coatings. In May 2022, Siegwerk, one of the leading providers of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, started offering the SICURA Litho Pack ECO series, a new sustainable UV offset ink series for non-food paper and board applications. The new product range is formulated with high bio-renewable content as an environment-friendly alternative to standard UV inks. SICURA Litho Pack ECO is appropriate for all non-food packaging applications where environmental impact and circularity are important considerations.
- UV-cured ink gets cured instantaneously, resulting in a more raised print and appearance with any surface that makes the print less subject to spreading. Such upscaling appearance benefits and instantaneous curing that helps end-users in assisting with the speed of production are the factors primarily responsible for the increasing use of UV-cured inks in flexographic printing.
- Furthermore, hybrid UV inks contain a solvent, such as water or an organic solvent. A significant benefit is the thinner dry layer. Hybrid UV inkjet inks will thus gain market share and are now primarily targeted at packaging applications, particularly for printing on corrugated boards and folding boxes. The revenue from folding paperboard box production in Washington is expected to be approximately USD 155.1 million by 2024.
United States Flexographic Printing Industry Overview
The United States flexographic printing market is highly fragmented due to the presence of both global players and small and medium-sized enterprises. Players in the market are adopting strategies such as partnerships, investments, and acquisitions to enhance their product offerings and gain sustainable competitive advantage.
In September 2022, DIC Corporation promoted environmental investments of approximately USD 9 million at Earthrise, a US subsidiary, and Hainan DIC, a Chinese subsidiary, producing Spirulina, edible blue-green algae, and LINABLUE, a naturally occurring blue food colorant. By January 2023, both plants will have zero water emissions thanks to this investment.
In May 2022, Siegwerk launched a new UV offset ink series with high bio-renewable content for paper and board applications. The latest product range is synthesized with high bio-renewable content, providing an environment-friendly alternative to standard UV inks.
United States Flexographic Printing Market Leaders
DIC Corporation (Sun Chemical)
SiegwerkGroup
Flint Group
Colorcon Inc
Toyo Ink Group
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
United States Flexographic Printing Market News
- September 2022 - ACTEGA unveiled its latest product line of ACTExact SafeShield UV-LED low. The SafeShield UV-LED ink line from ACTEGA has received the most certifications. It was created for low-migration applications such as packaging for indirect food contact, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals.
- April 2022 - Fortis Solutions Group LLC, a provider of high-impact printed packaging solutions, completed the acquisition of Label Tech Inc. based in Somersworth, New Hampshire. The acquisition would expand the company's geographic footprint and enhance its products and services portfolio.
United States Flexographic Printing Market Report - Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4. MARKET INSIGHTS
4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Industry Value Chain Analysis
4.3 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis
4.3.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.3.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
4.3.3 Threat of New Entrants
4.3.4 Threat of Substitute Products
4.3.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
4.4 Impact of COVID-19 on the Market
5. MARKET DYNAMICS
5.1 Market Drivers
5.1.1 Enables Higher Production Speeds Within Reasonable Cost Overlay
5.1.2 Growing Demand for UV-curable Inks
5.1.3 Growing Packaging Industry
5.2 Market Restraints
5.2.1 Advent of New Printing Technologies and Shift to Digital Mediums
6. KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING INKS AND EQUIPMENT - BARRIER PROPERTIES
7. MARKET SEGMENTATION
7.1 Printing Inks
7.1.1 By Ink Technology
7.1.1.1 Water-based
7.1.1.2 Solvent-based
7.1.1.3 UV-curable
7.1.2 By Application Type
7.1.2.1 Packaging
7.1.2.1.1 Flexible
7.1.2.1.2 Rigid
7.1.2.2 Folding Cartons
7.1.2.3 Tags and Labels
7.1.2.4 Paper-based Printing
7.2 Equipment
7.2.1 By Application Type
7.2.1.1 Narrow Web
7.2.1.2 Medium Web
7.2.1.3 Sheet Fed
7.2.1.4 Other Printing Equipment
7.2.2 By Phase
7.2.2.1 Pre-print
7.2.2.2 Post-print
7.2.3 By End-User
7.2.3.1 Folding Carton
7.2.3.2 Flexible Packaging
7.2.3.3 Labels
7.2.3.4 Print Media
7.2.3.5 Other End-Users
8. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
8.1 Company Profiles
8.1.1 DIC Corporation (Sun Chemical)
8.1.2 SiegwerkGroup
8.1.3 Flint Group
8.1.4 Colorcon Inc
8.1.5 Toyo Ink Group
8.1.6 Alden & Ott Printing Inks Co.
8.1.7 American Inks & Technology
8.1.8 INX International Ink Co.
8.1.9 WikOff Color Corporation
8.1.10 ACTEGA
8.1.11 Zeller+Gmelin
8.1.12 Fujifilm Corporation
8.1.13 Kolorcure Corp.
8.1.14 Comexi Group Industries S.A.U.
8.1.15 Bobst Group SA
8.1.16 HEIDELBERG USA INC.
8.1.17 OMET
8.1.18 MPS Systems BV
8.1.19 Star Flex International
8.1.20 Wolverine Flexographic
8.1.21 Windmoeller & Hoelscher
8.1.22 CMS Industrial Technologies LLC
8.1.23 Nilpeter
- *List Not Exhaustive
9. INVESTMENT OF THE MARKET
10. FUTURE OF THE MARKET
United States Flexographic Printing Industry Segmentation
Flexographic printing is a printing process that utilizes flexible plates formed of rubber or plastic. Each plate, with its lightly raised image, is wheeled on a cylinder and spread with fast-drying ink. The substance to be printed on, or the substrate, is passed between the print plate and the impression roller, which uses pressure to keep the substrate against the plate.
The study considers revenues accrued from the sales of flexography inks and equipment offered by various vendors operating in the market. Further, various factors, such as consumer spending, consumer preference trends, supply dynamics, and other macroeconomic factors, are considered to arrive at the overall market and future growth projections.
The scope of the study focuses on applications such as narrow web, medium web sheetfed, and other printing equipment used for end-users, such as folding cartons, flexible packaging, labels, print media, and other applications. Based on ink type, solvent-based, water-based, and UV-curable inks have been considered in the scope of the study. Further, the study also includes an assessment of the COVID-19 impact on the market. The research examines underlying growth influencers and significant industry vendors, all of which help to support market estimates and growth rates throughout the forecast period. The market sizes and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD million) for all the above segments.
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United States Flexographic Printing Market Research FAQs
How big is the United States Flexographic Printing Market?
The United States Flexographic Printing Market size is expected to reach USD 2.84 billion in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 2.77% to reach USD 3.26 billion by 2029.
What is the current United States Flexographic Printing Market size?
In 2024, the United States Flexographic Printing Market size is expected to reach USD 2.84 billion.
Who are the key players in United States Flexographic Printing Market?
DIC Corporation (Sun Chemical), SiegwerkGroup, Flint Group, Colorcon Inc and Toyo Ink Group are the major companies operating in the United States Flexographic Printing Market.
What years does this United States Flexographic Printing Market cover, and what was the market size in 2023?
In 2023, the United States Flexographic Printing Market size was estimated at USD 2.76 billion. The report covers the United States Flexographic Printing Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The report also forecasts the United States Flexographic Printing Market size for years: 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029.
United States Flexographic Printing Industry Report
Statistics for the 2024 United States Flexographic Printing market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. United States Flexographic Printing analysis includes a market forecast outlook to 2029 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.
