The global roll-slitting machines market was valued at USD 2.76 billion in 2023. It is expected to reach USD 4.03 billion in 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% over the forecast period (2024-32). The trend toward automation in manufacturing is driving the adoption of roll-slitting machines. Automated machines offer consistent performance, higher throughput, and reduced labor costs, thereby appealing to manufacturers looking to streamline their production processes.
Roll slitting generates smaller rolls of material by shearing big raw rolls, also known as the master or parent roll, into smaller rolls. For packaging sector applications, the smaller rolls produced are more manageable. Roll slitting is a vital component of the converting industry, which also comprises printing, laminating, coating, and roll slitting of raw materials for flexible packaging applications. In addition, roll slitting machines can be classified into two distinct categories: roll/log slitters and slitter rewinders. A slitter rewinder is a complex machine that enables the unwinding, slitting, and rewinding of the master roll, hence allowing the manufacture of much smaller rolls. In contrast, roll/log slitting machines are used to split master roll into rolls of lesser widths by slicing it without the need to unwind and rewind the roll. Roll slitting machines are highly versatile and can perform slitting operations on various materials, such as paper, cloth, metals, and adhesive tapes, among others.
The integration of automation technologies into roll-slitting machines improves machine performance. The industry has a significant demand for automatic roll slitting machines because of their ease of use and benefits, such as fewer faults in the slitting process, efficient utilization of resources and waste, and little need for human labor. In addition, the increasing demand for flexible packaging increases the need for roll-slitting equipment. The flexible packaging business is seeing increased demand due to rising consumer per capita income and altering consumer lifestyles. In addition, the increasing emphasis on eco-friendly flexible packaging fuels the need for flexible packaging, supporting the expansion of the global roll-slitting machines market.
In flexible packaging and other industries, converting companies continuously seek to improve their roll slitting productivities and efficiencies. Before investing in expensive roll-slitting machines, companies also examine considerations like maximizing return on investment and producing high-quality reels to fulfill future production capacity. Consequently, makers of roll-slitting machines improve their products to meet the evolving needs of consumers. Roll slitting machines are extensively integrated with automation and other technical advances, which increases their demand in the packaging business.
UK-based Atlas Converting Equipment Ltd. offers the Linear Tracking Slitter (LTS) system on their Titan SR9 Series slitter rewinders, for instance. The method provides a continuous web length between the rewinding shafts and slitting knives for improved web control. This decreases the likelihood of waste creation on the machine and produces high-quality rewind rolls. This decreases the amount of waste produced during the slitting process and reduces the labor expenses associated with the roll slitting process. Thus, implementing new technological advances drives the market expansion for roll-slitting machines.
One of the significant users of roll-slitting machines is the flexible packaging industry. Consequently, the rise of the flexible packaging industry promotes the demand for roll slitting machines, which propels the market for roll slitting machines. In addition, the flexible packaging sector is undergoing a steady transformation, with a growing emphasis on sustainable packaging products and materials to reduce plastic pollution and its environmental impact, which is on the rise. This increases the demand for roll slitting machines to support the exceptional growth of the flexible packaging industry, consequently boosting the global roll slitting machines market.
Slitting machines for rolls are technologically advanced. The vast size of machines and the incorporation of innovative technologies like automatic roll winding, among others, increase the cost of machines. Although roll/log slitters are more affordable than slitter rewinders, they are in greater demand due to their versatility. A slitter rewinder machine costs between USD 30,000 and USD 100,000 per set, based on the material used for slitting and the level of automation the machine provides. This impedes the growth of the roll-slitting machines market by reducing its demand in smaller conversion industries.
Manufacturers and providers of packaging for consumer goods typically have a fully integrated packaging supply chain. However, the industry argues in favor of outsourcing packaging operations like slitting, winding, and printing to achieve specialization and enhance the quality of these procedures. These procedures can be outsourced to increase slitting process productivity, as the machine only needs to be adjusted once for various material characteristics, including roll width, material, and flexibility. This enhances the quality of the slitted product and saves the time and expense required to operate and maintain the machine. Consequently, outsourcing the roll slitting process will increase the need for modern roll slitting machines shortly, thereby offering chances for the roll slitting machines market to expand throughout the forecast period.
| Study Period | 2020-2032 | CAGR | 4.3% |
| Historical Period | 2020-2022 | Forecast Period | 2024-2032 |
| Base Year | 2023 | Base Year Market Size | USD 2.76 Billion |
| Forecast Year | 2032 | Forecast Year Market Size | USD 4.03 Billion |
| Largest Market | Asia-Pacific | Fastest Growing Market | Europe |
The region-wise segmentation of the global roll slitting machines market includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and LAMEA.
The Asia Pacific Roll Slitting Machines market share growing at a CAGR of 5.2%. As wealth and access to credit have expanded in the world's two most populous nations, China and India, people in this region have begun to spend more on a wide range of goods, from necessities to pleasures. Therefore, Asia-Pacific is a lucrative market for converting and roll-slitting equipment. China's demand for roll-slitting machines has been fueled by low production and raw material costs. Moreover, the increase in the income per capita in numerous Asian nations has fueled the market for packaged goods in the region. Expanding the food and beverage processing business in China, India, Indonesia, and other countries has created a profitable climate for packaging companies. This can further encourage the growth of the converting sector, which stimulates the market for roll-slitting machines.
Europe will expand at a CAGR of 3.1% and hold USD 858 million. Numerous manufacturers of roll-slitting machines in the region are responsible for developing Europe's roll-slitting machines market. Within Europe, the leading manufacturers of roll slitting machines and converting machines are Germany and Italy. Approximately 60% of Italy's earnings comes from exports of converting equipment and roll slitting machines, according to ACIMGA (Association of Machinery for the Graphic, Converting, and Paper Industry). Consequently, expanding the market for roll slitting machines is primarily driven by advanced European production technologies.
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Based on type, the categories include roll/log slitters and slitter rewinders.
The slitter rewinders section is envisioned to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% and hold the largest market share. The master roll of the parent roll is unwound by slitter rewinders or the rewind slitting process before being sliced. According to consumer demand, the sliced material is formed into rolls with narrower widths and smaller diameters. Slitter rewinder machines are highly mechanized equipment that convert various materials, including plastics, paper, fabric, and nonwoven materials. In addition, slitter rewinders have integrated automation technologies that allow them to be used without human intervention in large-scale applications. In 2018, SP Ultraflex Systems Pvt. Ltd., for instance, introduced Roboslit Plus, the most recent iteration of its Roboslit slitter rewinder line. Even for small-scale slitting applications, the machine has a maximum speed of 1,000 meters per minute. These developments fuel the expansion of slitter rewinders in the worldwide roll-slitting machines market.
The roll/log slitters section will hold the second-largest share. Roll/log slitters, also called baloney slitters or baloney slicers, slit the parent or master roll without unwinding it. The knife cuts directly through the roll and slices it into rolls with a smaller, more manageable width. Compared to slitting rewinding, roll/log slitting is a swifter operation. Moreover, the need for roll/log slitting machines is driven by benefits such as simple installation, rapid log swapping, rapid roll cutting, and less need for user intervention.
Based on service, the categories include manual and automatic.
The automatic section is envisioned to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% and hold the largest market share. During the roll-slitting process, automatic roll-slitting machines need less human involvement. In automatic roll slitting machines, the forward movement of the roll and its uniform cutting are carried out automatically. Automatic roll slitting machines are PLC-controlled and feature automatic cutting and positioning. With new technological advances in roll slitting, the market for automatic roll slitting machines is expanding significantly. Nowadays, automatic roll slitting machines have automatic knife positioning systems, decreased waste and downtime, and automatic rewinding. Innovative product introductions are anticipated to fuel demand for automatic roll-slitting machines, accelerating the market's expansion.
The manual section will hold the second-largest share. Typically, manual roll slitting devices require human intervention to operate. The uncut roll's horizontal movement and subsequent roll cutting are performed manually. Manual roll slitting machines are applied for specialist roll slitting applications and the slitting of inappropriate materials, including geotextiles, composites, nonwoven, rubber, and polymers, among others. Manual roll slitting machines enable various slitting widths based on the user's needs, which is impossible with automatic machines. This characteristic drives the growth of the market for manual roll slitting machines.
The categories include paper, polymer, foil, and others based on material.
The polymer section is envisioned to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% and hold the largest market share. The section includes plastic films, biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), double-sided sticky tape, self-adhesive tape, application tape, vinyl, and others. Roll slitting machines have a variety of uses in the conversion sector for flexible packaging items. Due to their ability to retain moisture and keep products safe from external contamination, polymers and plastic-based materials are widely utilized in flexible packaging. In addition, the sustainable packaging trend is projected to increase customer interest in using recycled plastics, increasing demand for roll slitting machines.
The other section will hold the second-largest share. Other materials consist of textiles, nonwoven materials, foam, rubber, and gasket, typically used in the manufacturing industry as components of goods and for packaging by commercial and retail end-users. Textiles and nonwoven materials are flexible and soft, making them difficult to cut. These fabrics' fibers make it challenging for the blades to maintain clean incisions. Roll/log slitters are frequently utilized to slit textile rolls. In addition, textile and nonwoven materials are often converted by specialized companies.
