My Checklist for Buying a Flexographic Press Without Wasting $35,000 (Like I Did)

Who This Checklist Is For

This is for you if you're in the market for a new or used flexographic press. Maybe you're an established label converter looking to add capacity, or a commercial printer moving into flexo for the first time. You've seen the shiny brochures for the Mark Andy ProSeries. You're wondering if the cost is justified, or if you can get by with a cheaper option.

I've been on both sides of that desk. I handle equipment specification and procurement orders for a mid-sized label shop. I've made mistakes. Big ones. In my first year (2017), I pushed through a press purchase that looked perfect on paper. Turned out it was a nightmare for our specific mix of short-run jobs. That error cost roughly $35,000 in re-tooling, lost production time, and the eventual re-sale loss. I've kept a running list of the checks I now use to make sure that doesn't happen to anyone on my team again. Here are the seven steps we use now.

Step 1: Map Your Job Mix to the Press's Sweet Spot

Don't start with the press specs. Start with your last 12 months of orders. What's your average run length? What's your most common substrate? What's the typical number of colors? I wasted months looking at high-speed machines designed for 50,000+ foot runs, but 80% of our jobs are under 5,000 feet. The high-speed press was a bad fit. The Mark Andy ProSeries, for example, is known for quick changeovers, which is critical for short-to-medium runs. If you're doing long-run commodity work, a different platform might make more sense.

Your Action Items for Step 1

• Pull a report of your top 20 SKUs by volume and frequency.
• Note the substrate, color count, and average run length for each.
• Compare this against the press's 'efficient operating window.' A press's brochure speed is misleading; its real-world speed for your jobs is what matters.

Step 2: Calculate Total Cost of Ownership, Not Just the Sticker Price

People assume the lowest quote on a press means more money left over for other things. What they don't see is which costs are being hidden or deferred. The press price is just the beginning. You've got installation, training, tooling, and—critically—ongoing parts and service costs.

In Q3 2024, we were evaluating a used press from an auction. The purchase price was $80,000. On the surface, it looked like a steal. But when we priced out the necessary parts—new anilox rolls, a UV curing system upgrade, and a plate mounter—the real investment was closer to $125,000. The surprise wasn't the price difference. It was how many 'optional' items were actually required to run modern jobs.

For a new press like the Mark Andy ProSeries, get a fixed-price quote that includes installation and a standard tooling package. Ask about their Mercury UV curing system—it's a differentiator, but know what it adds to the total cost. Based on dealer quotes I've seen (as of January 2025), you should expect to add 15-25% of the base press price for a realistic startup cost.

Step 3: Verify the Support Network Before You Sign

Here's the thing: a press is only as good as the service technician who shows up when it breaks down. I once bought a press from a manufacturer who had a single field service engineer for the entire West Coast. Guess what happened when our servo drive failed on a Tuesday? We were down until Friday.

Check the manufacturer's service footprint. Mark-andy has a strong network, but verify the response time guarantee for your region. Ask for references from other shops in your area that run the same model. The question isn't 'Do they have good service?' It's 'How fast is their service for my specific location?'

Step 4: Run Your Own Jobs on the Press (Not Their Demo Reel)

Look, I'm not saying manufacturers mislead you. But a demo run on a perfectly tuned press with a single, simple job is not the same as production reality. I've learned to bring two things to a demo: our most complex job and our most difficult substrate.

Feed them your 'problem child' job. Run the press at the speed you need for it to be profitable. Measure the waste. Measure the make-ready time. From the outside, a press demo looks effortless. The reality is the setup crew has already run that job five times to make it look smooth. Run your own job. That's the only way to know if the press can handle it.

Step 5: Don't Forget the Ancillary Equipment

A press doesn't operate in a vacuum. You need a plate maker that can handle the press's repeat lengths. You need curing systems that are properly sized. You need an unwind and rewind that match your roll diameters. It's easy to get fixated on the big machine and forget the supporting cast.

I once ordered a press that was perfect except for one thing: it required a special plate cylinder that none of our existing gear could mount. That was a $5,000 oversight. Make a list of everything that touches the web: the press, the plate mounter, the UV system, the die-cutting station. Ensure they're all compatible from day one.

Step 6: Train Your Team Before the Crate Opens

This is one most people ignore. The new press arrives, and suddenly your operators are trying to learn it on the fly. That's how you get 40% waste on the first thousand feet. I know it sounds basic, but I've seen it happen three times.

Schedule training before delivery. Most manufacturers, including Mark Andy, offer on-site or off-site training programs. Don't assume your senior operator can 'figure it out.' The new ProSeries has advanced automation and servos that require a different skill set than older gear. Invest in the training. It pays for itself in the first week of reduced waste.

Step 7: Build a Spares Inventory, Immediately

Part of me wants to keep inventory low to save cash. Another part knows that a $50 sensor can shut down a $500,000 press for a day. The compromise: I now maintain a list of critical spares—the top 10 most likely failure parts—and keep them in stock from day one.

Ask the manufacturer for a recommended spares list for the first year. Include things like print cylinder gears, bearings, doctor blades, and key sensors. Budget for this inventory as part of the purchase price. Missing a $200 part during a rush order can cost you a customer worth $20,000 a year.

Common Mistakes and Final Thoughts

If I had to sum it up, the biggest trap is falling in love with a machine instead of evaluating it against your specific workflow. The Mark Andy ProSeries is a fantastic press for the right shop—built for quick changeovers and high-quality flexo. But it might be overkill for a shop that only runs long jobs on commodity film.

I have mixed feelings about 'deals.' On one hand, a used press at a great price can be a smart move. On the other, I've seen more budget blown on fixing up a 'cheap' press than on buying a new one with a warranty. We now use a 5-year total cost projection to decide. That perspective has prevented two disasters in the last three years.

One last thing: verify the plate cylinder gearing. It's the #1 compatibility mistake I've documented in my checklist. Check it, check it again, and then check the manufacturer's spec sheet.

Pricing is for general reference only. Actual prices vary by vendor, specifications, and time of order. Verify current pricing and availability with your local Mark Andy dealer as of January 2025.