Asahi Photoproducts highlights how advanced flexographic plate technology can help converters achieve high-quality printing on recycled and thinner packaging substrates.
Shanghai, China – 13 November 2026 – The transition towards more sustainable flexible packaging is creating new challenges for the printing industry. As converters explore recyclable mono-material structures, higher levels of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content and thinner films, printing processes must adapt without compromising image quality or production efficiency.
China accounted for 22.3% of the EU's goods imports in 2025, making it the EU's largest source of imported goods, according to Eurostat. For Chinese exporters and their packaging supply chains, compliance with the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is therefore particularly relevant, as the regulation also applies to packaging of imported products placed on the EU market.
At the CI Flexo Annual Conference in Shanghai on 13 November 2026, Asahi Photoproducts addressed these developments and the growing potential of flexographic printing in applications traditionally dominated by rotogravure.
The organisers had anticipated more than 400 participants, including representatives from printing companies, packaging supply chains and brand owners. The conference provided a platform for discussing technological developments and the changing requirements of the packaging industry.
In his presentation, “Sustainability as a Driver of Innovation: From Gravure to Flexography”, Dr Dieter Niederstadt, Technical Marketing Manager at Asahi Photoproducts Europe, examined how changing packaging materials are reshaping printing requirements and how advanced flexographic plates, combined with modern screening technologies, can help converters meet these demands.
Increasing the use of recycled content is an important element of the packaging industry’s sustainability transition. However, PCR materials can introduce variations in surface characteristics and film quality that make consistent print reproduction more difficult.
These challenges become particularly relevant when recycled content reaches high levels and converters still need to reproduce fine details, smooth solids and demanding image designs.
Asahi has evaluated its flexographic plate technology on PCR polyethylene films with different recycled-content levels. One example presented in the conference materials involved a customer-supplied PE film containing up to 55% recycled material. Print samples compared results obtained with a standard flexographic plate and Asahi’s AWP™-CLFQ plate in combination with Quartz screening technology.
A further example involved 90% PCR-PE film printed with water-based inks described in the presentation as containing less than 1% VOC. The comparison between conventional flexographic printing and AWP™-CLFQ combined with Quartz illustrated the potential for improved image reproduction under the demonstrated conditions.
These examples show why the interaction between substrate, plate technology and screening is central to print quality on recycled packaging films.
As packaging substrates evolve, the choice of printing plate becomes increasingly important. Asahi’s AWP™-CLFQ technology, used in combination with Quartz screening in the examples presented, supports high-quality flexographic reproduction on challenging packaging films.
The technical comparisons in the presentation focused on several critical aspects of print quality, including fine text, barcode reproduction, registration and solid ink coverage. In solid areas, the presentation illustrated the visible cell structure of a gravure cylinder alongside results achieved with AWP™-CLFQ and Quartz.
Rather than treating flexography as a universal replacement for gravure, these examples highlight its growing capabilities for demanding flexible-packaging applications. For converters considering a technology transition, reliable reproduction across changing substrates and designs remains essential.
“As packaging materials become thinner and incorporate higher levels of recycled content, maintaining consistent print quality becomes increasingly demanding. Our work with AWP™-CLFQ and advanced screening technology demonstrates how flexography can address these challenges and offer converters new opportunities to move towards more sustainable packaging without compromising the quality of the printed result.”
— Dr Dieter Niederstadt, Technical Marketing Manager, Asahi Photoproducts Europe
The shift towards packaging minimisation places additional demands on printing technology. Reducing film thickness can lower material consumption, but thinner and more stretchable substrates are often more difficult to process. Maintaining stable web handling and accurate registration becomes particularly important.
Central impression (CI) flexographic presses support the substrate around a central impression cylinder. This configuration can offer advantages when printing on highly flexible films. In certain gravure press configurations, unsupported sections of the web can be subject to elongation and subsequent flex-back effects, potentially affecting dimensional stability.
CI flexography is therefore an increasingly relevant option for converters evaluating thinner film structures and opportunities to reduce material consumption.
From technical potential to a specific customer application
A published example concerns a specific beverage-label application at Suntory in Japan. Asahi Kasei reported that AWP™ water-washable flexographic plates were adopted for labels on 550 ml PET bottles produced at the Suntory Kyushu Kumamoto Plant, in collaboration with Fuji Seal.
According to Asahi Kasei’s April 2024 announcement, research by Fuji Seal indicated that the use of AWP™ water-washable plates was expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 30% compared with the plate technology previously used for this label application.
The growing use of recycled materials, the development of recyclable packaging structures and the drive to reduce film thickness are changing the technical criteria by which printing technologies are evaluated. Flexographic printing is increasingly capable of addressing applications that have historically relied on gravure, supported by developments in press design, screening and photopolymer plate performance.
Asahi Photoproducts continues to develop flexographic plate technologies designed to help printers meet demanding quality requirements while supporting more resource-efficient production.
“The transition towards more sustainable packaging presents an important opportunity for flexographic printing, particularly in markets where gravure has traditionally played a dominant role. By demonstrating the performance of advanced flexographic solutions on challenging packaging materials, we want to encourage printers and converters to explore the possibilities of this technology for their future production requirements.”
— Masaki Matsumoto, Managing Director, Asahi Photoproducts
The discussion in Shanghai showed that moving from gravure to flexography is more than a process substitution. It calls for an integrated approach to substrates, inks, printing plates and production conditions.
For further information about Asahi Photoproducts and its sustainable flexographic solutions, please contact hello@asahi-photoproducts.com or visit www.asahi-photoproducts.com.