Pre-coated film technology was successfully developed and launched by GBC Corporation in the United States in 1989, ushering in a new era of post-printing lamination technology. In the 1990s, this technology began to be widely used in developed countries and regions such as the United States, Europe, Japan, and South Korea.
In the United States, pre-coating technology achieved complete replacement of instant coating technology in 1996, and currently holds a 95% market share; in Europe, the pre-coated film market share has reached 65%; and in Japan and South Korea, the usage rates are approximately 70% and 50%, respectively.
My country began using pre-coated films around 2000, initially with a low market share. In 2008, the pre-coated film market share was less than 10%, while solvent-based instant coating technology accounted for 68%. By 2010, the pre-coated film market share had increased to 20%.
In 2021, the Chinese pre-coated film market size was approximately 1.468 billion yuan, with a production volume of 62,300 tons and a demand of 59,200 tons.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the global pre-coated film industry has shifted its center of gravity from Europe and America to Asia (represented by Chinese and Indian manufacturers). Simultaneously, the rise of digital printing has spurred the demand and development of specialized digital pre-coated film products. The application areas of pre-coated film technology are also continuously expanding, extending from printing and packaging to specialized industries such as building insulation materials and electronic insulation materials.
