Advanced technology helps packaging flexo printing to reach the top of the industry

"Whether it is from a procurement point of view or from a supply point of view, flexo is a winner. When a truly big brand manufacturer also adopts flexo packaging, the whole world will change with it."

Andrew Hewitson, the co-founder and business development director of Reproflex 3, a British flexo printing company, believes that after more than ten years of technological innovation, flexo printing will eventually gain due recognition and soon usher in the spring of development. To the top of the industry. "The proportion of people turning to flexo printing, especially the proportion of gravure printing to flexo printing is constantly increasing," he continued, "It is generally recognized that flexo printing can meet printing requirements, especially when it comes to terminal brands that are currently the most concerned. Sustainability issues."

Reproflex 3, located in the northeastern part of the UK, has been vigorously promoting flexo printing in terms of geographic breadth and technical depth. In order to reduce dependence on the highly competitive British market, Reproflex 3 has expanded overseas, successively launched business in the UAE and India, and established cooperative relations with like-minded American pre-press experts. Recently, Reproflex 3 has established professional manufacturers in Italy. Also began to cooperate.

The most well-known technology of Reproflex 3 is the Project Blue solution that was launched in 2016 and won the International Flexo Printing Technology Association (FTA) award. Project Blue is based on the groundbreaking Kodak FLEXCEL NX system. It can provide the best color separation technology, differentiated screening technology, patented hanging screen type and special anilox roller. Ink transfer and ink layer stability. This combined technology can achieve outstanding color reproduction and ultra-high resolution with the fastest machine speed and only standard four-color printing.

In addition, Project Blue also provides a technology platform for BlueEdge, which is the first product launched after the collaboration between Reproflex 3 and Z Due. BlueEdge is exclusively provided by Z Due and has all the features of Project Blue. However, the two partner companies have revised it to meet the requirements of the Italian corrugated carton post-press market where Z Due has a very high market share (Reproflex 3 is a professional manufacturer of blue chip fast-moving brand flexible packaging).

The cooperation between Reproflex 3 and Z Due is due to their participation in the Global Flexo Innovation Awards. This award was established in 2018 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kodak's Kodak Flexcel NX system. At the first awards ceremony held in Istanbul that year, the two companies jointly won the Gold Award for Outstanding Demonstration of Flexo Printing and Packaging. At the same time, there is an equally important thing that the two companies laid the foundation for today's cooperation.

Andrew Hewitson said, “Both companies are true technologists. Both companies are passionate about their profession and proud of developing practical solutions. In Istanbul, we are not alone. All the winners are veritable craftsmen. . This is one of the truly positive messages we have gained from this competition."

Project Blue and BlueEdge are the crystallization of this craftsman's philosophy. Hewitson described the business model of Reproflex 3 as "we acquire technology, and then make our mark on this technology." He also added that the key to the company's continuous progress is the belief that it is looking for "enhancement space-where we can innovate and add value. If we don't do this, it may become a pure commodity manufacturing." Quotient."

VORTEX® is the latest example of this concept and is currently in beta testing. Both Reproflex 3 and Z Due have high hopes for it. "Vortex has huge potential because it has a wider market scope than Project Blue," Hewitson explained. "In essence, Project Blue is not for everyone. In order for Project Blue to achieve the best results, printers not only Must achieve the best printing quality and the highest stability, but also to maintain the highest standards of the process. This application has a corresponding market area, but not all printers can reach this level, although more and more printers hope to set foot The development path of Project Blue. And the companies that Vortex is targeting are gradually helping companies improve quality through the use and adjustment of screening technology and 360 advanced color certification solutions. Together with our partners, we will soon be able to use VORTEX® to solve We are very excited about the plan to open up wider markets in all regions."

Reproflex 3 and Z Due are preparing to participate in the 2020 Global Flexo Innovation Awards. The competition was organized by Kodak FLEXCEL Solutions' new company Miraclon (Merilon, since 2019), and it has always been known for "looking at the future of the packaging industry" and evaluating the impact of submitted works on the entire value chain. Christopher Horton, former senior vice president of SGS, served as the chairman of this independent judging panel. Based on the premise of high quality, the judging panel will conduct four types of innovation excellence evaluations on entries, namely design creativity, printing process conversion, workflow efficiency, and availability. Contribution to sustainability.

In the past 10 years, KODAK FLEXCEL Solutions has helped flexographic packaging printing achieve a revolution. Miraclon revitalizes KODAK FLEXCEL Solutions (including industry-leading FLEXCEL NX and FLEXCEL NX Ultra) systems, providing customers with higher quality, higher cost efficiency, better production capacity and better grade effects. Miraclon focuses on pioneering image science, innovation and cooperation with industry partners and customers, committed to creating the future of flexo printing, and striving to lead the new trend of packaging printing.