In a recent interview for Converting magazine, Nicola Zancan, Global Technology Director at Gualapack, discussed the main factors reshaping the market for printing on high-performance laminates, including shorter print runs, stronger international competition and growing pressure on industrial efficiency.
A key message of the interview is that Gualapack is addressing these challenges through process standardization, colour digitalization and greater technological consistency across its plants. The company has also strengthened its internal cylinder production in order to improve repeatability and quality stability.
Zancan explained that the relationship between gravure and flexo printing on laminates should not be seen as a simple replacement of one technology by another. Competitiveness today depends mainly on overall process efficiency, setup optimisation and process control. Within this framework, a standardised approach can help reduce the gap between gravure and flexo, while gravure continues to offer important advantages in quality and consistency.
The interview also addresses the role of digital printing for high-performance laminates. Gualapack sees digital as a technology with strong potential and is closely monitoring its development. At the same time, for high-performance laminate applications it is not yet considered an optimal industrial solution for the company’s production model, although it is already used effectively in specific pharmaceutical applications.
Another central theme is the harmonisation of processes and equipment across different countries. According to Zancan, having similar technologies and shared standards across plants helps improve transferability, reduce complexity and ensure consistent results for international customers.
Overall, the interview presents Gualapack’s strategy as a multi-technology, highly standardised industrial model for printing on laminates, designed to combine efficiency, quality and global consistency.
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