Mark Andy isn’t waiting for the flexo market to shift – it’s actively redrawing the map. With the launch of the S9 press and a strategic pivot towards flexible packaging, the company is steering narrow web printing into bolder, broader territory, writes Nick Coombes.

The narrow web flexo industry is at a tipping point – not because it’s under threat, but because its boundaries are blurring and expanding in exciting directions. Rather than clinging to legacy definitions of what narrow web used to be, Mark Andy is embracing what it can become. At the heart of this transition is a willingness to challenge the assumptions around press format, substrate scope and market identity.

‘There’s no room for rigidity in this market,’ says Antony Cotton, Mark Andy’s sales manager for United Kingdom, Ireland and Scandinavia. ‘Converters are being asked to do more with less – faster, smarter and with greater versatility. Our goal has been to deliver a platform that grows with them, not one they outgrow.’

That goal has driven the evolution of Mark Andy’s current press portfolio. The PRO Series offers an affordable route into flexo; the Evolution Series balances cost and capability for everyday workhorse tasks; and the Performance Series

delivers high-end automation and production muscle. These machines support web widths from 330mm to 660mm, reaching speeds of up to 305m/min and accommodating everything from self-adhesive labels to unsupported films, foils and lightweight cartonboard.

What sets Mark Andy apart isn’t just its product range – it’s the philosophy underpinning it. Modular, reconfigurable and engineered with tomorrow in mind, these platforms are built to adapt. As converters pivot from labels to flexible packaging or scale from short runs to longer ones, their Mark Andy presses can scale with them.

This adaptability is essential, particularly as web widths continue to increase. ‘We’ve seen a marked shift,’ Antony explains. ‘Where 330mm and 660mm used to dominate, 560mm and 660mm formats are now becoming standard. It’s no longer just about labels – converters are moving into shrink sleeves and flexible packaging. And they need equipment that can go there with them.’

Mark Andy’s answer to this shift came in the form of the S9, launched at Labelexpo Americas in 2024. Built on the well-established Performance Series P9 platform, the S9 was developed specifically for converters stepping into new application territory. It’s especially suited for flexible packaging, including shrink sleeves – with the engineering finesse to back it up.

One major departure from convention is the S9’s sleeve-based tooling. While bearer-to-bearer systems remain common, Mark Andy opted for a more operator-friendly approach, giving converters a toolset that works ergonomically and efficiently, especially at wider widths. The sleeved design enables fast changeovers and minimal press downtime – crucial in cramped and high-pressure production environments.

What sets Mark Andy apart isn’t just its product range – it’s the philosophy underpinning it. Modular, reconfigurable and engineered with tomorrow in mind, these platforms are built to adapt.”

Then there’s the S9’s upward web path – a smart choice that opens the door to a vast range of drying and curing options. Whether converters run solvent or water-based inks or need high-efficiency energy use, the system can be customised for their specific conditions. Ink chambers are also configurable with or without pumps, ensuring suitability for both short sprints and marathon runs.

Fully servo-driven, the S9 reduces job set-up times and boosts throughput, while maintaining the print quality and precision Mark Andy is known for. In every respect, it’s a machine built not just for where the market is but where it’s heading.

As the digital print sector continues to make noise, flexo remains a steady – and quietly innovative – force. With presses such as the S9, Mark Andy is proving that flexo still has room to grow, both in scope and significance.

‘Ultimately, it’s about pushing the boundaries of what narrow web can do,’ says Antony. ‘We’re not just reacting to the market – we’re helping to shape it.’

Ed’s note: Mark Andy is represented and distributed in South Africa by SArepco.