Resources
Media Guide
A media guide for South African flexo work, covering common packaging substrates, ink considerations, and press suitability.
How Media Guide helps with everyday substrate work
The Media Guide helps buyers and operators think through substrate choice for flexo packaging work. It looks at common materials, ink considerations, and which press path may suit the job. Use it when print requirements need to be matched with the realities of the chosen web and machine.
Begin with the web itself and the pack format. The Media Guide compares common South African flexo substrates such as BOPP, PET, PE films, coated papers and label stock, then links them to ink type, drying demand and likely press fit. Width, repeat, laminate structure and expected run length all change whether CI, narrow-web or stack is the sensible route.
Keep the guide near prepress and at the press for first-pass checks. It is most useful when a job moves from estimate to make-ready, because material choice, corona level, ink anchorage and tension behaviour can be reviewed before substrate is booked out. A few notes taken at that point usually prevent waste on start-up rolls.
Substrates covered in the guide
Each section points to the material characteristics that matter on press. You can quickly compare absorbent papers against non-absorbent films, check which ink family suits the surface, and see where line screens, drying load and web handling may become limiting factors. That makes the guide useful for both buyers and operators planning repeat packaging work.
Use the Media Guide alongside job specs, sample packs and press records when a substrate is giving trouble. If you send an enquiry through the contact form, include the stock name, thickness or gsm, ink system and the press type under review. Say where the fault shows up on the web: at the unwind, in the print units or after the dryer.
- Film, paper and board comparisons
- Ink and drying points by substrate
- Checks for tension, adhesion, curl
Plant factors across South Africa
The guide reflects the mix of packaging work commonly seen across South African plants, where imported films, locally converted stock and varied storage conditions can affect print results. Humidity on the coast, dry inland air and inconsistent stock handling all show up on web behaviour. Those factors matter when matching a substrate to the right press path.
Power interruptions and staggered production windows can also influence material choice. Some jobs tolerate longer drying demand or extra make-ready, while others need a simpler configuration to keep register and adhesion under control. The Media Guide helps you assess those trade-offs before the run is committed.
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What to note before selection
Record the end use, pack construction and any converting that follows printing. Lamination, heat sealing, cold-chain storage, scuff resistance and food-contact requirements can all alter which substrate and ink route should be considered. Add current press width and repeat limits so the guide can be read against actual machine capability.
Also note any faults seen on similar work, such as poor wetting, edge weave, pinholing, blocking or colour variation across the web. When those points are listed up front, the Media Guide becomes far more useful as a working reference for substrate approval and press planning.