Flint Group announcing the launch of a new division - Flint Offset Packaging Solutions (FOPS)
Flint Group, a leading global supplier of print consumables, announced the launch of Flint Offset Packaging Solutions (FOPS), a new division aligning the route to market for sheetfed inks, pressroom chemicals, and printing blankets.
While the sheetfed and image transfer technologies teams have worked closely together for many years, servicing their common customer base, the alignment of these product groups under one leadership structure will provide FOPS’ customer base with a ‘one-stop-shop′ for all sheetfed offset commercial and packaging printers.
Flint Group FOPS creation to strengthen the company position
“The alignment of sheetfed inks and image transfer technologies is a positive step for Flint Group, enabling FOPS to become a full portfolio provider for the offset printing industry,” said Tony Lord, President of FOPS. “We will continue to serve our customer base across both the sheetfed commercial and packaging printing market segments and look to expand our focus, support, and expertise within sheetfed packaging. Our strategy remains unchanged, to be a leading provider of pressroom products and services, delivering exceptional value, quality, and innovation, and the creation of FOPS strengthens our position to achieve our goals.”
Nick Brannan, global commercial director, FOPS, said, “A single point of contact for sheetfed inks, pressroom chemicals, and printing blankets will be hugely beneficial for our customers. Our expert sales team has a wealth of experience and knowledge across all aspects of the offset printing market. They are now well-positioned to support our customers with a uniquely powerful combination of products and services, with access to the industry’s broadest array of pressroom products through a single sales contact.”
2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India
Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and
multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.
The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry.
While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately
their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book
printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.
The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.
Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.
Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.
Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.
