At the Flexo Forward Conference in Ahmedabad (5 June 2026), jointly organized by apex International, Miraclon, Bobst and Polymount, industry leaders explored how converters can improve productivity, profitability and sustainability in an increasingly demanding market. Among the key presentations was one by Hrishikesh Kulkarni, regional sales manager – West and South India and Sri Lanka at Miraclon, who argued that the future of flexography lies not in adding complexity, but in simplifying processes and making them more predictable.
Kulkarni began by highlighting the pressures facing today’s converters. Customers expect higher quality, shorter lead times and greater consistency, while brands are demanding reduced waste, lower environmental impact and improved operational efficiency. As a result, printers are expected to deliver more with fewer resources.
“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.
According to Kulkarni, the biggest challenge is not a lack of technology. Modern presses, inks, anilox rolls and mounting systems have evolved significantly over the years. The real challenge, he suggested, is that many printers still operate with traditional mindsets and workflows that introduce unnecessary variability into the process.
He pointed out that many printing operations continue to rely heavily on experienced operators to solve problems on press. While skilled operators are invaluable, depending on individual expertise rather than standardized processes creates inconsistency and hidden costs.
“Complexity means loss,” Kulkarni remarked. “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 solution is straightforward: simplify the process and make it repeatable. Kulkarni emphasized that consistency is the foundation of modern flexography. When variables are reduced and processes become predictable, converters gain greater control over quality, productivity and costs. “Simplification is the key. 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 focus on technical achievements that may not necessarily deliver commercial value. Modern flexo, he explained, is not about chasing the highest possible screen rulings or the most complex specifications. Instead, it is about producing consistent and predictable results day after day. “Modern flexo for us means consistent and predictable results. Efficiency and sustainability are natural outcomes of that approach,” he said.
A major focus of the presentation was the importance of standardization. Kulkarni encouraged converters to establish their own measurable process standards and remain committed to them. By converting variables into constants, printers can predict outcomes before a job even reaches the press, reducing trial-and-error adjustments and improving repeatability.
He also stressed that Extended Colour Gamut (ECG) printing should not be viewed as the starting point of a modernization journey. Instead, companies should first build a stable and standardized CMYK workflow before moving toward more advanced color management strategies.
To demonstrate the benefits of this approach, Kulkarni shared examples from Miraclon’s global ‘Champions of Modern Flexo’ initiative, which showcases real-world success stories from converters who have adopted modern flexographic practices.
Among the examples was UFlex, which was recognized for successfully converting a gravure application to flexo while using water-based inks and maintaining high print quality and production speeds. The project also delivered significant material savings, highlighting how process improvements can support both sustainability goals and business performance.
“These are not laboratory samples. These are real production jobs,” Kulkarni said. “The results show what is possible when printers focus on standardization and process control.”
Sustainability was another major theme of the presentation. While much of the industry’s sustainability discussion centers on recyclable materials and alternative substrates, Kulkarni argued that process efficiency itself is a powerful sustainability tool.
Reducing makeready waste, lowering ink consumption, minimizing downtime and improving press utilisation all contribute to a smaller environmental footprint. A stable and predictable process allows converters to consume fewer resources while delivering the same or better output. “The holistic view of sustainability is not just about changing materials,” he said. “It is about reducing waste throughout the entire production process.”
Kulkarni also addressed the challenge of convincing brand owners to embrace flexography. Many brands continue to associate gravure with superior print quality, but he argued that advances in modern flexo have significantly narrowed the gap. “The consumer does not look at a package through a magnifying glass,” he said. “What matters is visual parity on the shelf.”
He explained that brands should focus on how packaging appears to consumers in real-world purchasing environments rather than on microscopic differences visible only under inspection.
Concluding his presentation, Kulkarni stressed that the continued advancement of flexography will depend on collaboration across the supply chain. Equipment manufacturers, technology providers, converters and brand owners all have a role to play in driving change. “Change requires partnership and collaboration,” he said. “Bringing flexo to a modern level is the agenda we are all working towards together.”
