Rotogravure vs CI Flexo vs Stack Flexo: Pouch Costing Compared | Which Is Cheaper and When?
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Should your next pouch be printed by rotogravure, CI flexo or stack flexo? In this 20-minute masterclass we cost the same snack pouch - PET 12 / MET-PET 12 / LDPE 50, 150 × 200 mm, 7 colours - on all three processes, step by step. You will see how each process prints, gravure cylinders vs flexo plates, the advantages and constraints of each, make-ready, speed, ink and waste, a full costing for 2 lakh pouches, how the answer changes with order size and on repeat orders, and which process is best for which product.
Best viewed on a TV or big screen.
Presented by Rajesh Modhvadia.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:14 Also in Hindi
0:21 Sponsor these videos
0:31 What you will learn
1:03 Our example pouch
1:48 How rotogravure prints
2:30 How flexo prints
3:12 Stack flexo vs CI flexo
3:56 Cylinder vs plate
4:48 Rotogravure: strengths and limits
5:38 CI flexo: strengths and limits
6:28 Stack flexo: strengths and limits
7:18 Costing inputs
8:10 Step 1: tooling cost
8:48 Step 2: make-ready
9:32 Step 3: running cost
10:18 Step 4: running waste
10:50 Common costs
11:24 Worked example: 2 lakh pouches
12:24 Result per 1,000 pouches
13:10 First order vs quantity
13:56 Repeat orders
14:38 Best process by product
15:34 Which process when
16:20 Hidden costs
17:00 Costing mistakes
17:34 FLCC on GPN
18:02 Compare processes on FLCC
18:36 Try FLCC on GPN
18:58 Recap: 3 rules
19:28 Thank you
KEY RESULTS (illustrative Indian rates, 7 colours, 1,000 mm web, 15 pouches per metre)
Tooling for 7 colours: gravure new cylinders ₹89,950 (₹12,850 each), re-engraved ₹64,750, flexo plates ₹46,200 (₹1.20/cm² + mounting)
Make-ready per job: gravure ₹9,777, CI flexo ₹8,607, stack flexo ₹5,268
Running cost per 1,000 m (press + ink and solvent): gravure ₹1,081, CI flexo ₹1,296, stack flexo ₹1,373
2 lakh pouches, ₹ per 1,000 pouches - first order: gravure ₹1,735, CI ₹1,525, stack ₹1,529 | repeat order: gravure ₹1,285, CI ₹1,294, stack ₹1,298
First order: stack flexo cheapest below ~1.6 lakh pouches, CI flexo from ~1.6 to ~28 lakh, gravure above ~28 lakh
Repeat orders (tooling already paid): gravure cheapest above ~1.3 lakh pouches
WHICH PROCESS FOR WHICH PRODUCT
Rotogravure: long runs and repeat orders of national brands - snacks, biscuits, chocolates, tea, coffee, sachets; photographic and metallic designs
CI flexo: many SKUs and short to medium runs, PE films - milk and oil pouches, FFS and bread bags, regional brands
Stack flexo: simple 1 to 6 colour jobs - paper bags, carry bags, woven sacks, labels, trial runs
Cost your pouches on all three printing processes with the Flexible Laminate Cost Calculator (FLCC) on GPN:
https://app.globalpackagingnetwork.com
Related videos:
Rotogravure Cylinder Costing (cylinder figures used here)
Flexible Laminate Costing Step by Step - https://youtu.be/PKvbvDZlh-w
Woven Sack and FIBC Costing - https://youtu.be/Orjdmdbz3hU
Hindi version of this video: (add link after the Hindi upload)
Want to sponsor these videos? Contact +91 96500 47650 (Rajesh Modhvadia)
Which process do you use, and for which product? Tell us in the comments.
Note: All rates are illustrative Indian figures for learning (October 2026). Plate, cylinder, ink and machine-hour rates vary by supplier, technology and volume - always cost your own job.
#Rotogravure #Flexo #CIFlexo #FlexiblePackaging #PouchCosting #PackagingCosting #PackagingIndustry
