An uncertain future

The advantage of screen-printing is the ability to apply the method to a wide range of substrates. These include self-adhesive vinyl, aluminium, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), wood and plastics. This means that a very wide range of products can be created, including posters, point-of-sale display, dashboard markings, estate agents’ boards, industrial and office equipment markings, labels and decals – just about anything you can think of.

High quality image resolution, longevity and repeatability can be achieved with screen printing, and when combined with greater accuracy of colour match, this makes it the ideal option for spot colour. In addition, it offers a variety of speciality inks that are not available in other printing processes, for example glitter, thermal chromatic, glow-in-the-dark, magnetic receptive and fluorescent. Outdoor durability is also greater than digital printing as a higher ratio of pigment is deposited when printing, giving greater UV resistance.

However, a separate screen has to be built and set up for each colour, which makes the process more expensive for producing small quantities or many colours, whereas digital printing requires very little set-up-time, giving considerable cost advantages. So, is the star that once burned so brightly now on a downward trajectory?

The status quo

The current economic climate and the continual development of ever more sophisticated and capable digital printing machinery have heralded many changes in the screen-printing sector over the past few years. We have seen the use of screen-print diminish, and even cease in some sign-making businesses, whilst for others it still represents a significant proportion of their output.

Blackpool-based Printacom’s output is now split approximately 50/50 between screen-printing and digital. Screen-printing tends to be used for more specialist items, such as printing onto metals, plastics, polycarbonate or for one-off items for which digital printing is not suitable, due to their shape or thickness. The company also still occasionally undertakes large run work such as correx signs, for estate agents’ boards, and vinyl stickers.

“We are moving more towards digital for speed and quality as new machines are developed,” says Printacom’s director Manuel Almeida, adding: “For example, we used to screen-print full colour polycarbonate plaques, which required several passes through the printer, after which a backing was applied. Now we can produce these fully printed and complete with backing using digital machinery.”

Euroflags’ director, Alan Fairley, concurs: “We use screen-print very little now in the production of flags; it’s nearly all digital. The only time we may use screen would be for a single or two-colour very long run, which would usually be produced in our far-east facility.”

The York-based company produces custom made advertising and promotional flags and banners for customers in the UK, mainland Europe, Cyprus, Malta and the Middle East.

Fairley continues: “Euroflags is a UK company, but our printing facilities and flag pole manufacturing units are also located in mainland Europe to enable us to give customers the highest possible standards, coupled with economy of production.”

For Devon-based Ace Signs screen-printing has now ceased to be a part of their offering due to falling demand and the increase of digital printing for short run work. Partner at the company, Ray Heavens, explains: “Screen-printing has been pushed to the wall by price. It’s labour intensive and requires space and extra staff. We have been able to fit two digital printers into same space as one screen-printing machine.”

Whilst there are still certain jobs where screen-printing is more beneficial, for example where print runs go into the thousands and digital is not as cost effective, this has to be weighed up against other costs such as rent and rates for the space required for the machinery. “It doesn’t make economic sense. It’s just a sign of the times, unfortunately,” concludes Heavens.

Sign industry supplier William Smith continued to undertake screen printing, largely for local authority traffic signage blanks, until around three years ago when the company purchased a Durst Rho 161 TS traffic sign printer, which has enabled it to produce traffic signs digitally for the first time.

“With this printer we are able to ensure consistent quality, consistent colour and high gloss levels for all sign faces. Individual sign faces and large production runs can simply be processed faster,” comments William Smith’s marketing manager, Chris Bradley. “We can work to much shorter lead times, which means we have been able to respond even faster to customer requirements. Overall it is much more cost effective than screen-printing.”

At the other end of the spectrum, screen-print accounts for 85 percent of business for Falkirk printers IGS, which specialises in industrial graphics, such as product markings, signs and labels for industrial clients in the automotive, military, computer and service industries.

“Whilst there is definitely a benefit in digital for small quantities, I have yet to see a digital machine that gives the quality of screen-printing for long-runs, especially when printing small fonts such as 6pt, where you get a very clear graphic with screen-printing,” says managing director, Bruce Hotchkies.

The company’s continued success is attributed to the fact that at the onset of the recent recession they recognised the issues that would face them and scaled down their operation. They moved premises and reduced the number of staff from 15 to four, now increased back to six.

“We also put a fair amount of budget into marketing to make sure people know where to find us - there are very few screen-printers left in Scotland and Scottish businesses like to buy locally wherever possible,” points out Hotchkies. IGS has focussed on screen-print to meet the demand that is still out there, particularly in its specialist area, whilst remaining flexible enough to deal with current trends, as Hotchkies points out: “In addition we’re prepared to take on small quantities, not just 100,000 plus orders.”

Reflecting the trend

This general pattern of decline is reflected by the experience of screen-printing machinery manufacturers and suppliers. H.G. Kippax and Sons, based in Huddersfield, manufactures a comprehensive range of over 50 types of specialist screen-print equipment and ancillaries for clients in 40 countries, frequently to customers’ own specifications.

“The UK screen-printing industry has come under pressure from digital, certainly in the graphic sector where run lengths of prints have decreased. In the sign industry we find the medium size companies still rely on screen due to having longer runs; on short runs the cost of print by digital takes the market,” comments director, Bill Kippax.

However, the company has found that the industrial side of the screen industry is still very strong, in particular, where the depth of ink is important and long product life is required, or the print is open to weather changes.

“We do find that in countries where the temperature changes and sunlight is strong that screen-print is still the selected medium; hence orders to Middle East, India, Pakistan are in-fact increasing for us,” explains Kippax.

H.G. Kippax has recently completed two contracts in the Middle East for complete screen-printing plants which manufacture road signs. The plants included all pre-press equipment for the manufacturing of stencilled screens so the customer controls all the areas of screen-printing. The maximum print sizes were 127 x 127cm using maximum screen sizes of 172 x 168cm. The packages included screen stretching equipment, photo stencil exposure systems, screen frame drying cabinets, stencil developing and screen cleaning units. The printers chosen were Kippax 2000T Semi Automatics and Kippax’s manual screen-printing machine with attached drying equipment.

The company has also recently designed and produced a new range of Bench Top Semi Automatics in various sizes from 30 x 30cm up to 120 x 45cm, which has proved very popular with safety sign manufacturers due to the quality of prints and output achieved.

“The new Bench Top unit sales have been 60 percent UK and 40 percent export. The main markets are North America and the Middle East,” concludes Kippax

Rise and decline

One might be forgiven for thinking that perhaps the death-knell has been sounded for screen-printing within the UK sign-making industry, but those still offering this service, and even some of those who are no longer doing so, see a definite place for it going forward.

“Screen-printing has definitely declined; the recession hit everyone hard. However, it is decreasing more in terms of the number of businesses offering the service than in the volume of work to be done,” clarifies Hotchkies.

Euroflags’ Fairley says that digital printing has become more cost-effective than screen-printing, but

counsels: “Although digital has improved in terms of ink coverage, especially with black,the coverage achieved with screen-printing is still better and more accurate.”

While Fairley argues that there is a definite future for screen-printing of flags and banners, especially from far east markets, Hotchkies has a different perspective: “Three or four years ago a lot of people started buying screen-print from China because of the massive cost difference, often only 10 percent of the cost for printing in the UK. However, really big quantities are required in order to achieve that kind of cost advantage. It is also difficult to manage should any problems arise. Many customers are therefore starting to come back to the UK for their requirements. The ‘China syndrome’ would appear to be reversing, customers appreciate having a supplier close on hand who can respond quickly.”

Although seeing a shift towards digital at Printacom, Almeida maintains a positive view: “I wouldn’t give up screen-printing entirely. I believe there is definitely still a place for it in modern sign-making. Whilst digital printing can create comparable full colour graphics, I would challenge anyone to produce good spot colour digitally and get the same quality, brightness and durability that you can get with screen-printing.”

Also taking the positive view is Max Poli of Screening West, suppliers of screen-printing inks, banner media and products for pre-press stencil making and screen reclaiming. However, he sees a place for screen-printing as a complementary technology for colour decoration and special colours and effects, as he explains: “As well as being the only technology for long-lasting, strong and vibrant colours, screen-printing also encompasses special coatings, printable varnishes, that improve adhesion on any substrate before printing with digital inks.”

Poli sees emerging trends as encompassing printed electronics and special coatings; printing conductive inks and dialectic inks. He also believes creating special effects for decorative and textile printing will remain a core market.

While digital printing is taking over in many areas there is still very much a market for screen-printing, although its focus is changing. In addition to high volume work, it is particularly in the specialist and niche markets where good profitability can still be achieved.
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