Ahmedabad, June 5, 2026: More than 200 package printers, converters, brand representatives and technology providers gathered at Crowne Plaza, Ahmedabad, for Flexo Forward – Optimizing Processes and Maximizing Profitability, a knowledge-sharing event jointly organized by apex International, Miraclon, Bobst and Polymount. The conference focused on one central question facing the packaging industry today: how can converters improve profitability while meeting increasing demands for quality, sustainability and operational efficiency?
Across four presentations, a common message emerged – profitability in modern flexography is no longer driven by press speed alone. Instead, it depends on process control, standardization, automation and the ability to eliminate variability throughout the production workflow.
OEE and automation – unlocking hidden capacity
Opening the technical discussions, Rainer Rosenbusch, product management and business development at Bobst, highlighted the importance of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) as a key driver of profitability. According to him, many converters can achieve substantial gains without investing in additional equipment simply by maximizing the performance of their existing assets.
“When you want to improve, you have to measure,” Rosenbusch said, explaining how modern presses generate vast amounts of operational data. Through Bobst Connect, an open digital platform, converters can monitor machine performance and integrate data not only from Bobst equipment but also from film extrusion, slitting and other production systems.
Rosenbusch emphasized that machine design itself plays a crucial role in print quality and efficiency. Features such as dual-circuit drying systems, robust cast-iron frames and vibration-control mechanisms help eliminate press instability. “Bouncing is an actual enemy in flexo,” he remarked, noting that machine stability directly influences solids, halftones and overall print consistency.
A major focus of his presentation was reducing waste during job changes. Bobst’s SmartSet and SmartGPS technologies automate register and impression settings, enabling presses to achieve register almost immediately. “The mount gives the data to the machine, so the press already knows how to set up before we start,” he explained. For converters handling multiple short-run jobs, the resulting reduction in setup waste and downtime translates directly into increased production capacity and improved profitability.
Modern flexo – simplifying for consistency
While automation helps optimize machine performance, Hrishikesh Kulkarni, regional sales manager – West and South India and Sri Lanka at Miraclon, argued that the broader challenge facing converters is process complexity.
“Today’s converters are under constant pressure to achieve more with less – less waste, less downtime, less energy consumption and fewer production touchpoints while maintaining outstanding print quality,” he said.
Kulkarni suggested that the industry’s biggest obstacle is not technology itself but the continued reliance on traditional practices that introduce unnecessary variability. Excessive dependence on operator intervention, he noted, often results in inconsistent outcomes and hidden costs.
“Complexity means loss,” he stated. “Many of these losses never get calculated. Extra makeready time, troubleshooting, waste and rework often remain invisible, but they directly affect profitability.”
For Miraclon, the answer lies in simplification and repeatability. By reducing variables and establishing standardized workflows, converters can predict outcomes more accurately and achieve consistent results. “The moment you keep things simple and constant, they become repeatable. And repeatability is where success begins,” he said.
Kulkarni challenged the industry’s tendency to pursue increasingly complex technical specifications. Instead, he defined modern flexography as the ability to deliver predictable, repeatable results every day. He also stressed that converters should first establish stable CMYK workflows before moving toward advanced approaches such as Extended Colour Gamut printing.
Using examples from Miraclon’s global ‘Champions of Modern Flexo’ initiative, including successful gravure-to-flexo conversions by UFlex, Kulkarni demonstrated how standardization can simultaneously improve sustainability and business performance. “These are not laboratory samples. These are real production jobs,” he said.
Anilox management – the overlooked profit center
While presses and plates often receive significant attention, Mahesh Mense, sales manager – Indian Peninsula at Apex International, focused on another critical component of flexographic printing: the anilox roll.
“One of the most critical challenges in flexo is maintaining consistent ink transfer,” he said.
According to Mense, increasing SKU counts, shorter run lengths and growing quality expectations have made process consistency more difficult than ever. Since the anilox roll directly controls ink transfer, its condition and specification have a major influence on print quality, color consistency and operational efficiency.
Mense advocated a five-pillar strategy centered on standardization, advanced engraving technologies, proper maintenance, correct storage practices and regular audits. He noted that many converters maintain unnecessarily large anilox inventories, increasing both investment costs and operational complexity.
“It is important to have the minimum but sufficient set of aniloxes required for production,” he said, recommending that converters standardize specifications across presses wherever possible.
Maintenance was another key area of concern. Allowing ink to dry within anilox cells can significantly reduce performance, leading to inconsistent color reproduction and increased waste. Mense stressed the importance of structured cleaning routines and annual audits to monitor wear and cell-volume degradation.
“Profitability is no longer driven by speed alone,” he concluded. “It is driven by process control, standardization and intelligent ink transfer.”
Process control – the hidden driver of profitability
The conference’s final major presentation, delivered by Tarak Trifaley, regional sales director at Polymount India, brought the discussion full circle by focusing on process consistency as the foundation of profitable flexographic production.
“Quality is not random; it is controlled,” Trifaley said. “Mounting accuracy, impression control, ink transfer and vibration management are all interconnected.”
While flexo technology has advanced significantly over the years, he argued that certain process elements continue to generate hidden inefficiencies. One such area is plate mounting, where variations in tape thickness, air entrapment and foam compression can affect registration, dot gain and print quality.
“Many of the losses we experience are accepted as normal because they have existed for years,” he observed. “But these are often systematic loss generators that directly impact productivity and profitability.”
By reducing variability and adopting more stable mounting methods, converters can improve repeatability, shorten setup times and reduce waste. Trifaley shared examples where better process control led to measurable improvements in press utilization and operational efficiency.
“When you save 30% of setup time, you create capacity for additional jobs. When you reduce waste, you improve margins,” he said.
He also highlighted the value of automated plate cleaning systems in extending plate life and preserving print quality over multiple runs. “Every time you extend plate life, you reduce replacement costs,” he noted.
A shared vision for flexo’s future
Although each presentation focused on a different aspect of the flexographic workflow, all four speakers arrived at a remarkably similar conclusion. Whether through automation, standardization, anilox management or mounting technology, the path to greater profitability lies in reducing variability and creating predictable, repeatable processes.
The Flexo Forward conference demonstrated that modern flexography is no longer defined solely by faster presses or higher print quality. Instead, its future depends on intelligent process control, digital connectivity and collaboration across the value chain. As converters face mounting pressure to improve efficiency while meeting sustainability goals, these principles are increasingly becoming the foundation of competitive advantage – and profitability.