[Exclusive Interview] Hongsheng Machinery: Deeply Rooted in Flexographic Printing for 13 Years—Driving Growth Through Transformation, and Building Quality Through Steadfast Commitment

Looking back at 2025, founder Nguyen Jinshu stated that despite intense market competition, I believe the overall market will continue to maintain a growth trend. For Hongsheng Machinery, while the number of suppliers of modular flexographic printing machines in the market is increasing, the range of application scenarios is also expanding continuously—from the traditional self-adhesive label printing sector all the way to shrink sleeves, flexible tubes, and folding cartons, among other areas. All of these developments are presenting new opportunities for the company’s growth.

In the wave of the label printing machinery industry, Zhejiang Hongsheng Machinery Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Hongsheng Machinery”) has steadily grown over the past 13 years—rooted in its deep expertise in flexographic printing technology—from a small workshop of just 300 square meters to a leading player in the industry, boasting a 37,000-square-meter factory of its own and exporting products worldwide. From stack-type flexographic presses to unit-type flexographic machines and then to combined printing systems, Hongsheng Machinery has consistently remained market-driven, firmly upholding the spirit of craftsmanship and writing its own chapter of development as an equipment manufacturer through a delicate balance of innovation and perseverance. 。

Thirteen years of deep cultivation: From startup to growth, steadily moving forward.

Hongsheng Machinery’s development journey has been clear and unwavering. The company was officially registered and established on July 5, 2012, with its headquarters located in Ruian, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. To date, it has accumulated 13 years of rich experience in the manufacturing of flexible label printing equipment. Founder Ruan Jinshu has been deeply immersed in the industry for 30 years. In his early career, he worked at the Second Printing Machinery Factory, later joining Donghai Machinery (now Weigang Technology). Drawing on his profound industry knowledge and extensive experience, he then embarked on the path of independent entrepreneurship.

The continuous expansion in scale is a clear testament to the development of Hongsheng Machinery. From its initial 300-square-meter factory to today’s nine-story, company-owned facility, the company has undergone five relocations, each time doubling its floor space. The nine-story, company-owned facility, which the company moved into in 2023, boasts a total area of 37,000 square meters. Each floor features clearly defined functional zones—from machining and assembly to R&D, warehousing, and office spaces—creating a fully integrated production and operational system. Today, the company employs over 230 people, and its 2025 revenue exceeded 200 million yuan, achieving simultaneous growth in both scale and profitability.

Product Innovation: Market-Oriented, Steadfast in Craftsmanship and Quality

Continuous product iteration is the core driving force behind Hongsheng Machinery’s ability to adapt to the market and lead demand.

In the early stages of its founding, the company focused on the logistics labeling market and primarily marketed stack-type flexographic printing machines. As market demands became increasingly diversified and sophisticated, Hongsheng Machinery introduced its first unit-type flexographic printing equipment in 2017, further expanding the range of application scenarios for its products. Since then, the company has continued to accurately anticipate industry trends and has developed and launched combined flexographic + gravure/offset printing machines, continually enriching its product portfolio.

Currently, Hongsheng Machinery’s web-fed flexographic printing presses have adopted a parallel structure featuring both the high-precision, cutting-edge S series and the E&C series, precisely catering to the diverse printing needs of different customers. Meanwhile, through independent R&D, the company has built a comprehensive core product portfolio.

The S-series models boast wide compatibility as their core strength, enabling them to meet the printing needs of materials such as hoses, toothpaste tablets, and PVC films. At the same time, they can flexibly handle a variety of substrates, including self-adhesive labels, in-mold labels, and paper cards. In terms of technical specifications, this series features a gearless structural design and large-sized cooling pressure rollers, ensuring stable substrate temperatures and shortening the paper path length. It also integrates automatic pre-registration technology with a visual sensing system, reducing changeover times and minimizing material waste. The sleeve-type quick-change mechanism breaks through the limitations of traditional equipment, allowing for efficient handling of diverse order requirements—from long runs to medium and short runs. In terms of configuration options, the S-series offers flexible solutions for unwinding, process expansion, and post-printing finishing. Its register alignment function provides both basic and high-precision configurations, fully adapting to customers’ production needs.

As a benchmark for high precision and intelligent performance, the E&C series features a distributed servo control system architecture equipped with multiple high-performance servo motors. Utilizing bus-based communication, it enables coordinated multi-axis control, ensuring precise registration even at high speeds of up to 150 m/min. This series can reliably process paper materials ranging from 30 to 300 μm thick, plastic films (such as PETG, BOPP, CPP, etc.) measuring between 25 and 100 μm, and composite materials. It is widely used in applications including labels, flexible tubes, and folding cartons (including cigarette packs and cosmetic boxes). Moreover, the series can be seamlessly integrated with die-cutting and waste-removal units, significantly boosting production efficiency.

Behind the product transformation lies Hongsheng Machinery’s steadfast commitment to the spirit of craftsmanship and its relentless pursuit of quality. Founder Ruan Jinshu has consistently emphasized that, no matter how the market evolves, equipment manufacturers must never waver in their dedication to artisanal excellence and unwavering quality. To ensure product quality, the company has invested in over 100 advanced machining devices, including Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nidec Gantry Machining Centers, Taiwan’s Weili Gantry Machining Centers, and a fleet of Mazak machining centers from Japan. By achieving independent production of all components, the company controls product quality from the very source, providing customers with stable and reliable printing equipment.

Comprehensive Empowerment: Synergistic Collaboration Between R&D and Services

Strong R&D and manufacturing capabilities serve as a solid foundation for Hongsheng Machinery’s sustained development. The company is a national high-tech enterprise and an innovative small and medium-sized enterprise, and it boasts a municipal-level enterprise technology center. As of October 2025, the company holds 41 domestic patents, 6 trademarks, and 5 qualification certificates. Currently, the company has assembled a professional team of over 10 design engineers who are continuously driving technological innovation. For instance, the sleeves currently used by the company incorporate carbon fiber technology and have been granted a national invention patent, achieving a dual breakthrough in both enhanced precision and reduced weight.

At the recently concluded 2025 Asia International Label Printing Exhibition, Hongsheng Machinery unveiled for the first time a digital enhancement device featuring Konica Minolta printheads, with an operating speed of 60 m/min, and it has attracted widespread attention from both visitors and users at the event.

Meanwhile, Hongsheng Machinery deeply understands the importance of after-sales service to the company’s development. As its business continues to expand, the company has established a professional and comprehensive after-sales service system. The company’s after-sales service team now numbers over 60 people, accounting for one-quarter of the total workforce. Its service scope covers the entire process—from pre-installation site surveys and installation & commissioning to on-site operation training and regular maintenance and servicing. At the same time, the company provides customized, dedicated support with 24-hour, seven-day-a-week response times, promptly addressing various issues encountered by customers during their production processes. For international market customers, the company adopts a combination of agency services and remote support to ensure that its services transcend national boundaries.

The multi-dimensional advantages in technology, quality, and service have enabled Hongsheng products to earn global recognition. As of now, the company has installed a total of approximately 400 units worldwide, holding a market share of over 80% in the logistics label printer segment. Exported equipment accounts for 40% of total sales, and its products are sold far and wide to numerous countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Germany.

Future Outlook: Gaining Insights into Industry Trends and Focusing on Efficient Development

Looking back at 2025, founder Nguyen Jinshu stated that despite intense market competition, I believe the overall market will continue to maintain a growth trend. For Hongsheng Machinery, while the number of suppliers of modular flexographic printing machines in the market is increasing, the range of application scenarios is also expanding continuously—from the traditional self-adhesive label printing sector all the way to shrink sleeves, flexible tubes, and folding cartons, among other areas. All of these developments are presenting new opportunities for the company’s growth.

Regarding the future development of the industry, Ruan Jinshu has a clear vision: First, the industry will accelerate industrial optimization, with high-quality, high-value-added enterprises continuing to grow while small-scale processing enterprises will gradually be phased out; second, the application of film-based materials will increase, driving sustained growth in demand for flexographic-plus-gravure combination printing machines; third, product quality will become the core factor in market competition—only by adhering to high quality can companies secure their place in the market.

He stated that in the new year, Hongsheng Machinery will focus on developing the combination machine market, continue to enhance the automation level of its equipment, plan to establish a three-dimensional warehouse, optimize internal parts management, and further improve production efficiency.

In the future, the company will continue to be driven by technological innovation and anchored in unwavering commitment to quality, providing global customers with even higher-quality products and services as it steadily advances on the path of development in the label printing machinery industry.