What is Rotogravure Printing?

Rotogravure printing is a common choice, especially for businesses printing customised graphics and other designs onto flexible packaging. But with so many printing options available, why is this technique so popular?

Here, we’ll give an overview of the process before exploring the benefits of opting for this printing service. We’ll also share the printing options we offer here at Tyler Packaging to help you bring the designs and branding of your packaging to life.

This is a popular method of printing and is sometimes referred to as gravure printing. The process involves engraving a design directly onto a metal cylinder or printing plate using a laser. The cylinder or plate is then loaded into the printing machinery before being used to transfer ink onto a substrate. This creates the desired printed design in your chosen colour scheme.

Printing with this technique requires significant and precise setup for the best results. For instance, the design must be engraved at the ideal depth for the ink to transfer the design to the highest quality.

Difference between flexo and rotogravure printing?

Flexographic printing is another popular rotary printing choice, although it has some key differences compared to rotogravure.

Although both use cylindrical printing machinery, flexo uses a raised printing plate, whereas gravure printing is achieved using etched cylinders.

In terms of the benefits, flexographic printing is often much quicker than rotogravure. However, it’s less useful for supporting long production runs with complex designs. The colour vibrancy is also much higher with gravure printing.

Wondering how this printing technique could improve your packaging production? Take a look at some of the main benefits below:

High quality print and accuracy

This method produces extremely high print quality, even with complex designs, fine details and full coverage prints. Businesses can also benefit from improved colour consistency over long runs, meaning that you’ll see minimal variation even when working on large-scale productions.

It’s the top choice for printing onto flexible packaging, since it offers high quality results where other printing methods might fail.

Can print on different materials

This printing method is suitable across various materials, including paper, plastic films, metal foils, and other composite materials. This makes it incredibly versatile and ideal for businesses offering product ranges packaged in different materials.

Businesses can be creative with colours and designs

One of the biggest benefits for businesses opting for rotogravure printing is that they’re not limited to simple designs. Multiple colours can even be loaded onto the cylinders, helping you produce vibrant packaging that stands out for all the right reasons.

Fast and effective

Rotogravure printing can be a quick and effective solution, especially for high-volume production featuring the same design. Businesses can add their logo or a recognisable graphic across multiple packaging types, giving them maximum shelf appeal with faster lead times. That means you can get your branding in front of customers quicker, which should increase sales.

Not only that, but modern rotogravure printing presses often use quick-drying solvent-based inks, speeding up the drying process.

Cost-effective for long runs

While the initial cost of cylinder or printing plate engraving may be higher, in the long run, the cost is often offset by the large production quantities. This makes it a cost-effective option when you know in advance that you’ll be printing the same design in longer runs. For example, if your branding remains consistent across your product packaging, this is the ideal choice for keeping costs down without compromising quality.

The machinery used for this printing method is also durable and long-lasting, meaning you benefit from excellent ROI.

At Tyler Packaging, we offer several printing options depending on your requirements and budget considerations, including rotogravure printing. Our packaging expertise spans across various industries, from food to health. So, no matter what sector you’re in, we can help make your packaging design vision a reality with rotogravure printing options.

With this option, you can choose from up to 9 colours, and your chosen design can be printed onto many of our flexible and recyclable packaging products.

Whether you’re struggling to decide which printing option will work best for your business or simply want to know more about the different printing processes available, we hope this guide provided useful insights into the world of printing techniques.

Want to find out more or enquire about how we can help your business? Let’s chat!