By: Asahi Photoproducts, an Asahi Kasei Company

German site has benefitted from installation of CrystalCleanConnect – an automated platemaking system developed by Asahi Photoproducts, ESKO, and Kongsberg. Visitors to Asahi Photoproducts’ drupa stand will be able to learn more about this breakthrough solution.

Tokyo, Japan & Brussels, Belgium, May 16, 2024. Asahi Photoproducts, a pioneer in flexographic photopolymer plate development, today reported that All4Labels’ site near Hamburg, Germany, has seen a significant boost to its productivity since installing the CrystalCleanConnect automated platemaking system developed by Asahi Photoproducts, ESKO, and Kongsberg.

Half a year ago the German label converter installed the system to replace a manual platemaking process which resulted in ‘errors and scheduling problems,’ according to Mirco Wilke, head of prepress, flexo printing, at All4Labels Hamburg.

“Hamburg is one of the main printing facilities in the All4Labels Group,’”explains Wilke. “At the time of the installation, the focus of the prepress department was on flexibility in production and high output through all our different presses. But it was a very manual process which had some drawbacks and restricted future development. We had no automation or connectivity to our workflow systems. It was hard work for the operators to handle all the different machines. It was stressful for them and could result in errors or scheduling problems.

“CrystalCleanConnect had answers to all these problems. We could connect to our workflow systems, automate the whole process, and minimise the operator’s hands-on work.”

Collaboration

The system is the result of two years of joint development between flexo photopolymer plate pioneer Asahi Photoproducts, integrated software and hardware specialist ESKO, and Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems, and was prompted by All4Labels Hamburg’s desire to produce plates during a night shift with minimal operator input and consistent quality. 

CrystalCleanConnect fully automates the entire platemaking process, from imaging and exposure through to plate cutting, reducing the number of steps in the flexo platemaking process from 12 to just one. It delivers a 90% reduction in dedicated operator time, an average 25% increase in press OEE, and reduces ink usage by 20% .

“A standard platemaking machine with two operators can normally produce 24 plates in an eight-hour shift,” says Dieter Niederstadt, technical marketing manager at Asahi Photoproducts. “With CrystalCleanConnect, the total operator time of just one person is one hour. Everything is automated, from the laser imaging to the plate cutting, which wasn’t possible in the past. Additionally, the machine uses water-washable plates – which are certified as carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust – to allow for a solvent-free, more environmentally sustainable production.

“Standardisation is another key benefit. With different operators working different shifts, inevitably you will have different plate qualities. But if you have an automated process, then everything is standardised – every day, every month, every year – which is a huge benefit to the printer.”

According to Pascal Thomas, director of ESKO’s flexo business, CrystalCleanConnect is particularly suited to larger operations running multiple shifts. “It is a system that works well in a 24-hour operation; for example, it can be run during a night shift by a press operator who makes a few plates and then goes back to printing. Because it’s fully automatic, you don’t need much training to operate it. It’s plug and play.”

Flexibility

Mirco Wilke cites flexibility and quality as the key demands from All4Labels Hamburg’s customers – requirements that CrystalCleanConnect helps the company to deliver. “As print runs become shorter, we must always be flexible in our print production and time to market. Quality is also crucial. We have to be faster; we have to be sustainable; we have to automate as much as possible and connect with our customers in all kinds of processes and workflows.

“When we invest in new technology, we always look at the connectivity to our automation systems and workflows, and at the productivity of the machine. And of course, at the price – it must be a sustainable product for our customers and for us.”

All4Labels Hamburg was producing plates on the new system after just a couple of weeks of training. “The process was straightforward,” says Wilke. “The fact that CrystalCleanConnect allows us to put our print files directly from prepress into a whole connected system, reduce waste, reduce operator input, and automate the whole platemaking process, are huge advantages.”

“Sustainability has been at the heart of our business since we started in 1973,” says Asahi Photoproducts’ Dieter Niederstadt. “We have always used solvent-free technology. The quality is even higher than that of existing solvent-washed plates because our plates have a very low surface energy, which means that during printing all the ink is transferred to the substrate, which is a big advantage.”

A further development from Asahi, which can be linked to CrystalCleanConnect, will be unveiled at drupa. The AWP-LOOP^TM system is a closed-loop waste-water recycling solution based on Asahi Kasei microza^© Technology, which can recover and reuse 80 percent of the water used in the plate washing process.

A video of the interview is available here and also at the Asahi’s drupa booth.

For more information about products and services from Asahi Photoproducts that are in harmony with the environment, visit www.asahi-photoproducts.com

By: Xeikon

Candy packs produced with Xeikon TITON toner technology and Sappi Seal Silk paper demonstrate sustainable and fully recyclable packaging solution that is also food-safe.

Lier, Belgium, 16 May 2024 – Building on its long partnership with Sappi, Xeikon has developed food-safe, paper-based candy packs that are fully recyclable in the paper waste stream. With high image quality, bright colors and silky surface, packets of ‘Maoam Chew Fruit Mix’ showcase Xeikon’s groundbreaking TITON dry toner technology printed on heat-sealable Sappi Seal Silk 67 g/m2 functional paper. Notably, this flexible packaging solution is food-safe without the need for any additional barriers in the structure, such as a varnish or other layers.

“Xeikon continues to meet brand owners’ demands for environmentally friendly and food-safe packaging with value-adding solutions created through close collaborations with other industry leaders,” says Frank Jacobs, Xeikon’s Market Intel & Senior Product Manager. “Our latest sustainable flexible packaging solution is enabled by Sappi’s long-standing expertise in recyclable paper materials and the unique capabilities of Xeikon TITON dry toner.”

Sappi Seal Silk is a functional single-coated paper with superior heat sealability and moisture barrier. Fully recyclable, it has been designed for both primary and secondary flexible packaging applications in the food and non-food sectors. Offering excellent printing results and openability, the paper is suitable for direct food contact, which perfectly complements the properties of Xeikon’s food-safe, odorless and migration-proof TITON toners. The new candy packs leverage the capabilities of these two technologies, presenting a package with great shelf appeal that is also highly resistant to the strains of the packaging journey. 

Sibylle Hajostek, Market Manager Packaging Solutions at Sappi, comments, “The ongoing collaboration with Xeikon offers clear benefits for printers, as we can provide them with a well-tested route to producing recyclable flexible packaging with Sappi Seal Silk as the basis. Together we’re delivering sustainable innovation that the market needs in order to respond to end users’ demands for more eco-conscious packaging and to comply with new legislation for a circular economy.”

Xeikon’s TX500 digital press will be running live during drupa 2024 (28 May-7 June), in Düsseldorf, to demonstrate how these candy packs are printed in four colors, at a resolution of 1200 dpi and speed of 30 m/min (98 ft/min). This 508mm (20 inches) wide printing machine is the first to use TITON dry toner technology. Resistant to heat, chemicals and mechanical abrasions, the toners enable printers to produce sustainable, paper-based food packaging without the need for a varnish or other protective layers.

Jacobs concludes, “Sustainability is the biggest driver in packaging production today, but that doesn’t mean that we should compromise on quality. Visitors to drupa should head to the Xeikon booth (Hall 11/A01) to investigate our high-quality, paper-based packaging for themselves and discuss new market opportunities for their business with our experts.”

By: XSYS

By introducing the ‘nyloflex® eco’ series, XSYS provides a unique and new approach to printing plates using renewable raw materials as part of the plate formulation. In addition, these plates can be processed 20% faster, leading to time and energy savings.

Willstaett, Germany 21 May 2024 – XSYS, a global provider of flexographic printing plates, plate processing equipment, and prepress software, has introduced two new plates under the newly established ‘nyloflex® eco’ brand. This innovative approach demonstrates the company’s strong commitment to advancing sustainability in the printing industry. “As the entire packaging printing value chain shifts towards sustainable solutions, XSYS has launched the ‘nyloflex® eco’ plate series under the slogan ‘Lifting proven quality to a sustainable future.’ “This is to emphasize that increasing the product sustainability for us does not mean jeopardizing the proven quality of the nyloflex® brand. The highest print quality and product durability are imperative in order to maintain the competitiveness of our customers and the flexographic printing industry as a whole.” says Florian Hoelzle, Product Manager nyloflex®/nylosolv®.

The nyloflex® eco ACT is a medium hard photopolymer flexo plate designed to deliver perfect print quality, no matter how challenging the combination of halftones and solids on a cliché may be. One of the key features of this plate is its compatibility with both tube and LED exposure systems. This versatility allows for seamless integration into existing plate making processes, enhancing efficiency and flexibility. Specifically developed for paper and board applications, the nyloflex® eco ACT excels with water-based inks, ensuring excellent performance on absorbent substrates (e.g. Preprint, Paper bags, Folding Carton and wrapping paper).

The nyloflex® eco FAC is a soft photopolymer flexo plate specifically developed for corrugated post-print and stands out as a superior choice for delivering consistent and high-quality results every time. Whether working with rough and uneven surfaces or pressure-sensitive, and soft paper substrates, this flexo plate is extremely robust and durable.

In addition to the well-known and customer-valued attributes of the legacy products nyloflex^® ACT and nyloflex^® FAC, the new eco-friendly successors offer unprecedented benefits. The polymer layer incorporates 19-29% renewable raw materials and the plates offer a remarkable 20% reduction in plate processing time, enhancing productivity while reducing energy and solvent consumption. By using the eco-friendly blue plates, customers can enhance their sustainability credentials, which can be a strong selling point to their eco-conscious clients and stakeholders.

“The market launch of the nyloflex® eco product series marks an important milestone in our efforts to contribute to a more sustainable industry”, says Dr. Eva Freudenthaler, Vice President Technology. She continues “Within the next 12-18 months nyloflex® eco ACT and nyloflex® eco FAC will replace their predecessor products that will be phased out. We have also embarked on a long-planned project to standardize all nyloflex® flexo plate colors over the coming 24-36 month towards a bright, clear, light blue hue, as already known from some high-performance plates for flexible packaging application. This color harmonization allows for more efficient production processes and a reduction of waste which will further improve the carbon footprint of our products.” Dr. Freudenthaler concludes, “it goes without saying that the product performance thereby has top priority and is not to be compromised.”

The nyloflex® eco series plates and corresponding print samples will be showcased and available for order at the XSYS Booth in Hall 8B Stand A30, during drupa.

By: Xeikon

Digital printing and metallic embellishment combo enables unique interactive features in new label application.

Lier, Belgium, 21 May 2024 – Xeikon has partnered with KURZ company, SCRIBOS, to collaborate on new technology that enables digital label printers to provide added value with interactive features for brand protection, track & trace, and consumer engagement. Leveraging the capabilities of Xeikon’s TITON dry toner printing, DIGITAL METAL^® embellishment from KURZ, and SCRIBOS’ product security expertise, the single-pass label application offers a solution for safeguarding brand value, combatting counterfeiting and grey market trading, as well as increasing consumer loyalty. 

“The consequences of counterfeiting are enormous and wide reaching. Global companies lose billions of euros every year, consumers are at risk from faulty products, and the environment suffers, just to mention a few. These problems can be mitigated by adding unique metallic elements to the printed label,” says Jeroen Van Bauwel, Xeikon Director of Solution Design. “Of course, Xeikon already offers variable data for security applications, but this joint development delivers a level of protection with a full-service solution that is truly revolutionary.”

Powered by Xeikon’s X-800 DFE (Digital Front End), the application uses SCRIBOS ValiGate^® technology and SCRIBOS 360 Cloud Platform to offer high-level security and full visibility for brand owners via serialized, protected QR codes and metallic variable elements. Not only does each code have a unique ID, but they also contain a finely printed, sub-pattern acting as advanced copy protection. 

“The secondary level of copy protection embedded in these QR codes relies on very intricate details, which can only be achieved with toner digital printing,” states Dr Steffen Scheibenstock, Head of Digital Business Development at SCRIBOS.

The seamless coordination between the Xeikon press and KURZ metallization module allows for the integration of Variable Digital Metal (VDM) to enhance authentication. After verifying the ValiGate^® copy protection with a smartphone, the landing page will show a distribution of symbols, resembling a slot machine game. By comparing these symbols on the product with those on the screen, consumers engage in a secure 2-factor authentication (2FA) process. 

Scheibenstock explains, “In this case, we printed a varied distribution of birds, each differing in position, shape, number and orientation. This method, embedded within the metallic print layer and unique to every label, offers robust protection against counterfeiting without requiring an app, ensuring security for all consumers.” 

The QR codes are supported by the SCRIBOS 360 authentication platform, which provides a wealth of data for statistics and analysis. Customers can also choose from a range of consumer engagement modules, such as cross-selling options, bonus programs, games or competitions, all customized to match their own branding.     

Van Bauwel continues, “This doubly encrypted technology also offers an ideal way for brand owners to boost consumer engagement securely, providing endless possibilities for interaction that can increase brand loyalty, as well as an extended track & trace capability to combat fraudulent movement of goods. And because this is a fully digital process, it can easily be used even for quite short runs, such as to protect limited editions or to help small start-up brands tell their customers more about their sustainability commitments.”

On the Xeikon booth (11/A01) at drupa 2024, visitors can witness this new application printed live on Xeikon’s TITON press, which will be set up to run in single-pass operation with the KURZ metallization module. Demonstrated on a paper-based wine label, the interactive features are easily accessible by scanning the QR code with a mobile device. A variety of other print samples will be available to illustrate the myriad of possibilities offered by this technology.

“Our joint development with KURZ continues, bringing even more capabilities to label printers that enable them to offer multiple value-adding solutions and open new high-end segments. With copy-protected QR codes and high-quality metallic embellishments, Xeikon is exploring the full potential of digital, giving customers a new innovative way of differentiating themselves in the very competitive label market,” concludes Van Bauwel.

For more info on Xeikon’s printing solutions, please visit: https://xeikon.com

By: Navee

With continuous 24/7 operation, Navee GPT enables large-scale, high-quality moderation across various brands and industries with an online presence, setting new standards for speed, efficiency, and accuracy of counterfeit detection.

If counterfeit production were a country, it would be the sixth-largest emitter of CO2 globally. With 40% of luxury merchandise sold online being fake, the impact of counterfeit production on not only the economy but also the environment should be taken seriously. At the forefront of combating this is Navee, offering an AI-driven GPT solution that helps top global brands defend their reputation and protect their triple bottom line.

“Today, creating thousands of counterfeit listings is simpler and cheaper than detecting just one,” explains Matteo Amerio, co-founder and CEO of Navee.

Navee GPT is a large-scale language model (LLM) that allows high-risk counterfeit listings to be automatically monitored around-the-clock, 365 days a year. This new advancement complements Navee’s earlier innovation, the CVAN (Collaborative Visual Authentication Network). CVAN has been instrumental in proactively blocking counterfeits at the point of upload through semi-exact image matching and shared insights. Together, Navee GPT and CVAN enhance listing moderation efficiency, reducing average processing times by up to tenfold. This combination identifies and evaluates suspicious content, reducing counterfeiting by as much as 90% without the need for human intervention.

The integration of Navee GPT, with its advanced automation capabilities, could enable the processing of up to 15,000 counterfeit cases per month for each of its customers, thereby potentially tripling the efficiency of analyst teams. By conducting prompt and precise analysis while helping brands trim operational costs, this solution becomes an indispensable tool for organizations seeking to streamline their content moderation processes. By speeding up and improving the quality of counterfeit takedowns, Navee contributes to overall efforts to protect brands from counterfeiters.

Drawing on its extensive moderation history and structured training protocols, Navee GPT is designed to enable high-quality, large-scale moderation. Navee’s aim is not to eliminate human moderation but to enhance its accuracy and efficiency via automation. This approach is crucial given the ease and speed with which counterfeit listings are uploaded and spread. This approach stands to change the rapid rate at which counterfeit listings can be uploaded and circulated. By enhancing the detection and management process, the startup wants to stop how simple it is for counterfeiters to exploit the internet to generate and spread fake content.

By: Obrist Group

• Each gigaplant removes more than 6.2 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere every year 
• With 2,700 gigaplants, fossil fuels could be completely replaced
• CEO Frank Obrist: “At just under 6 cents per kilowatt hour, methanol is far more cost-effective than any other energy source. This will free up market forces for the nearly $50 trillion cost of building the gigaplants. By 2150, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere can be reduced to the 1950 level.”
• CEO Frank Obrist will present his concept at the Global Energy Summit of the think tank Diplomatic Council with UN consultant status on May 28 at 3 pm CET (Central European Time). Participation is free of charge after registration: www.diplomatic-council.org/energysummit2024 

Lindau/Germany, Lustenau/Austria – May, 21, 2024 – The German-Austrian industrial group Obrist Group is planning to build so-called gigaplants, a type of giant solar park that will not supply electricity, but green methanol. During production, more climate-damaging carbon dioxide (CO2) is removed from the atmosphere than is released during subsequent use, claims company CEO Frank Obrist. As a result, the gigaplants are said to be CO2-negative and therefore climate-positive. “Net zero is not enough, we are going for net negative,” says the inventor, entrepreneur and visionary: “In order to leave an intact climate for future generations, we need to recapture the carbon dioxide emitted through the extensive use of fossil fuels, i.e. remove it from the atmosphere.” Obrist holds 190 patents that should make this possible. The United Nations supports the concept. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) recently named the Obrist concept “The Most Promising Solution Award Winner in Energy Efficiency Category”.

Four million tons of methanol per gigaplant per year

The specifications of the planned gigaplants are impressive. Almost four million tons of methanol are to be produced per year on an area of around 280 square kilometers. At today’s energy prices, this corresponds to a sales volume of around 4.3 billion US dollars per year. The annual operating costs are estimated at around 340 million dollars, leaving a gross profit of almost four billion dollars a year. The construction costs for a gigaplant, calculated at 18.6 billion dollars, would therefore be recouped in less than five years, which corresponds to an annual return on capital costs of over 21 percent.

However, the high profitability is only possible if the plant is operated in the Earth’s sun belt, where solar power is available at a cost of just 0.88 cents per kilowatt hour due to the intensity of the sun. These so-called electricity generation costs for the conversion of another form of energy into electricity are between 3 and over 5 cents for conventional solar parks, between just under 4 (onshore) and around 12 cents (offshore) for wind power plants, between 7 and 17 cents for biomass, between just under 8 and 13 cents for natural gas, between ten and 20 cents for hard coal and lignite and between 3.5 and 8 cents per kilowatt hour for nuclear power plants. The Obrist concept therefore generates electricity at more than three times the cost of the cheapest alternative method.

Low costs thanks to production in the desert

However, as electricity is difficult to store on a large scale and even more difficult to transport, it is “only” used for electrolysis in the gigaplant to produce hydrogen from water in the first step and methanol from this in the second step. Methanol is liquid at normal temperature and can be transported via all the transportation routes that already exist today for fossil fuels (pipelines, tankers, tanker trucks, etc.). 

The water required for methanol production does not have to be added to the plant because it is taken from the air. A humidity level of ten percent, which is even found in the desert, is sufficient to produce the coveted methanol. The gigaplants can therefore be set up in deserts or on other wasteland that could not be used for any other purpose anyway. This keeps costs low and there are no conflicts with settlement projects or agriculture. The Obrist Group puts the cost of liquid methanol produced using solar energy and “desert water” at less than 6 cents per kilowatt hour, far less than any other known energy source. What’s more, unlike other sustainable energy generation methods such as photovoltaics or wind power, methanol is base-load capable and is therefore available regardless of weather conditions.

Over six billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere

More important for the climate than the yield: Gigaplant is expected to remove more than 6.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere every year. This means that the gigantic energy factory will be CO2-negative on a large scale – more CO2 will be taken out of the atmosphere than is later returned when the synthetic fuel methanol is used. Experts refer to this as Direct Air Capture (DAC). 

As a side effect, around 228,000 tons of carbon are produced each year, which can be used to manufacture carbon fibres or plastics, thus increasing the economic efficiency of the plant. The climate benefits from the more than 6.5 million tons of oxygen that are released into the atmosphere every year during methanol production.

2,700 gigaplants in the fight against the fossil economy

According to calculations by the Obrist Group, around 2,700 gigaplants would be needed to completely replace the use of fossil fuels with green methanol. The total cost of building the clean energy factories would be almost 50,000 billion or 50 trillion dollars. “That’s a huge sum,” admits Frank Obrist, “but in view of a global turnover of around 8 trillion dollars a year with fossil fuels, it’s not utopian.” 

The visionary is also planning for the long term: calculations have shown that by 2150, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere could be reduced to that of 1950 as a result of the gigaplants. In 1950, the CO2 concentration in the air was around 290 ppm (parts per million), while 420 ppm was measured in 2023. Like many scientists, Frank Obrist expects the peak to be around 450 ppm in 2050. From this peak, the proportion of CO2 could be gradually reduced again over 100 years by “sucking” carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere with the help of gigaplants, according to the plan.

Inventor and entrepreneur Frank Obrist is convinced that for the plan to succeed, market forces must be activated alongside politics. His credo: “Because the production, transportation and use of green methanol is many times cheaper than all fossil fuels or other energy sources such as nuclear power, investments in gigaplants represent an extremely lucrative business model.”

Projects in Namibia, Egypt, Thailand and the USA

The Obrist Group recently entered into a global alliance with EWU Tech, DSE Green Technology Holdings with over 25 European technology partners and Global Enterprises to build gigaplants using the patented Obrist process. Projects worth billions are planned in Namibia, Egypt, Thailand and the USA. According to information, so-called “Sub Zero Funds” are currently being set up for financing, which are experiencing lively demand from both industry and institutional investors. 

Surprising at first glance, but understandable at second glance: there is a particularly strong willingness to invest in the oil-producing regions of the Middle East – the entire region is located in the Earth’s sun belt and could therefore participate just as strongly in the newly emerging methanol economy as it has in the oil business to date, which cannot continue “forever” anyway due to the finite nature of fossil fuels.

Even more important for Frank Obrist: “The economically weaker global South in particular will benefit from the switch to a methanol economy due to its geographical location, because the intensity of the sun is particularly high there. In the Middle East, we have seen how the fossil fuel economy has brought an enormous upswing to an otherwise barren desert region. Gigaplants in Africa and other regions of the global South will bring similar positive local development.” This prospect also proved to be a key argument when the concept was presented at the annual meeting of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development in Geneva in spring 2024.

By: Mark Andy Inc

Bristol based Kingfisher Labels welcomed more than 100 visitors to its first ever Open House in Yate recently – the event marked the first opportunity to showcase the company’s latest digital print capability and extended flexo capacity in its modern 22,000 sq.ft. headquarters.

Speaking for the company, Karl Jackson, son of co-founder Martin Jackson, commented: “We were delighted with the number of our valued customers and suppliers that attended and the positive comments they made about our organisation and production workflow – we have invested heavily in the new premises and latest flexo and digital technology and it’s really paying dividends.”

With a large portfolio of local and regional artisanal customers, as well as key major accounts to satisfy, the recent addition of digital print capability is seen as crucial to the company reaching its proposed target of £3.6m sales in 2024.  The digital press is a Mark Andy Digital Pro 3 toner-based engine fitted with inline finishing capable of 23m/min CMYK plus white at 1200dpi.

Intended to bring Kingfisher’s growing volume of digital work in-house, the Digital Pro 3 is also releasing valuable capacity on the company’s three flexo presses that are better suited to medium and long run work.  “Having digital capability rounds out our offering and shows we have grown into a good size business that can offer a full service on jobs from very short to very long, and all with a great deal of customer care,” he added.

Citing the current market trends as ‘time to market’ and ‘sustainability’ Mr Jackson says Kingfisher has always adopted a responsible approach to serving the market.  “We can turn jobs quickly, and even quicker now we have the digital press, and we work hard to reduce waste to a minimum, especially with expensive substrates, but the costs of sustainability are still more than most customers can afford to pay in today’s price-conscious market.  That’s where the production efficiency of our new facility comes into its own, and we are grateful that so many took the time to come to see it in action.”

By: Fiery, LLC

The three companies have joined forces to revolutionize the press manufacturing landscape with a turnkey, end-to-end digital packaging workflow.

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Fremont, California. May 21, 2024. Industry leaders Fiery, LLC, Esko, and Global Inkjet Systems (GIS) announced a new partnership to provide inkjet press manufacturers with a comprehensive, one-stop-shop digital print solution for packaging. This strategic collaboration leverages over 75 years of combined digital experience to deliver pre-integrated solutions and standardized components from all three companies. This best-of-breed solution helps accelerate the analog to digital transition by reducing development time for press manufacturers, enabling them to swiftly introduce innovative printing solutions to better meet converter and packaging producer needs.

“Fiery, Esko, and GIS joining forces provides press manufacturers with a hassle-free, ready-to-go, end-to-end solution,” said Toby Weiss, CEO, Fiery. “This partnership marks a pivotal moment where our collaboration and expertise converge to redefine what’s possible in digital printing. We’re proud to come together to set the standard for excellence in digital technology, empowering our customers to navigate the digital landscape with confidence and agility.”

Prepress

Esko has a proven track record of managing prepress and color needs across existing plants, including both analog and digital production. Industry-leading solutions, including ArtPro+, Automation Engine, ArtiosCAD, and Phoenix, intelligently digitize, connect, automate, and accelerate the concept to market processes for every packaged product. In fact, Esko solutions enable packaging production for 9 out of 10 major brands. This integration gives Esko’s customers the confidence that digital capabilities can be seamlessly added to existing analog workflows.

Together, Esko and Fiery have co-developed a new color workflow that’s configurable based on customer needs. Customers can choose either Esko Color Engine (fully integrated into Fiery Impress) or Fiery’s color management workflow, which includes Fiery Edge profiling technology, Fiery Spot Pro, and Fiery Color Profiler Suite. This flexible approach helps ease the integration of digital capabilities into flexo shops, and delivers exceptional brand color accuracy, whether matching industry standards or customizing to client brand specifications.

“We’re thrilled to formalize the partnership with Fiery and GIS, a testament to the inherent openness of the Esko software platform” said Joël Depernet, President, Esko. “Our customers need innovative, integrated technology to meet time to market and print quality requirements. And now, we can present a comprehensive, end-to-end solution that packages a best-in-class combination of prepress workflow, color management choices, DFE technology, and printhead controls.”

Digital front end (DFE)

Fiery® Impress™ is a flexible, scalable DFE designed exclusively to support industrial inkjet production. Powering the broadest range of digital solutions in the market, Fiery Impress allows packaging producers to quickly respond to changing market demands, from one-off proofs and versions to short runs to the longest runs supported on press.

Built on an open architecture, Fiery Impress delivers unmatched performance to drive inkjet presses at maximum press speeds with streaming variable data printing (VDP). A native Adobe® PDF Print Engine implementation delivers reliable reproductions of an original PDF, ensuring that the final printed product matches brand designer and customer expectations. Fiery Impress produces the highest quality press output with advanced screening technology that leverages printhead-level optimization, plus image-based missing nozzle and density compensation to reduce print defects on labels and packaging.  

Combining Fiery’s industry leading DFE technology with Esko’s expertise in workflow automation and supply chain color management offers a single solution with unmatched efficiency, enabling press manufacturers to provide a streamlined user experience that optimizes production from job creation to final output, ensuring a seamless transition from analog to digital.

Printhead and machine control

GIS offers premier printhead electronic systems to deliver color ink anywhere throughout the job at speed with accuracy. Their high-performance electronics and core software enable seamless configuration with leading printheads from Epson, Fujifilm Dimatix, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Ricoh, SII Printek, Toshiba TEC and Xaar, as well as ink delivery systems compatible with all leading suppliers. Combined with the Atlas Ready integration program, it delivers superior industrial inkjet machine control and diagnostics.

Fiery Impress streams RIPped data directly to GIS printhead electronics for maximum press productivity. Any press manufacturer who chooses GIS printhead electronics will have plug-and-play, streaming connectivity to Fiery Impress on day one. GIS’s advanced printhead control systems combined with Fiery Impress ensure exceptional color consistency and uniformity, and, with Esko’s inspection technology, product quality is guaranteed in every print.

“GIS advanced printhead control systems with the Fiery Impress DFE and an Esko prepress workflow provides the ultimate flexibility, scalability, and customizability to meet any customer requirement,” said Steve Williamson, GM, GIS. “We are delighted to join forces to offer a combined inkjet development technology platform to reduce time to market for press manufacturers, builders, and OEMs.”

Drupa 2024

Fiery will present the full end-to-end solution at drupa in Hall 8b, booth B10. Visit Esko just a few meters away in hall 8b, booth A12 to learn more about their fully integrated packaging ecosystem.

About Fiery, LLC

Fiery, LLC is the leading provider of digital front ends (DFEs) and workflow solutions for the growing industrial and graphic arts print industries. With a customer base that includes over 2 million DFEs sold globally, the company offers innovative software and cloud-based technologies that deliver fast performance, stunning color, and exceptional print quality across a broad range of production printing devices.

Fiery DFEs are installed in a diverse range of industry segments, including commercial print, packaging, signs and display graphics, ceramics, building materials, textiles and other specialty applications. With over 30 years of excellent support and service, Fiery has built an unmatched community of customers, dealers, and partners.

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Fiery is a registered trademarks of Fiery, LLC in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. All other terms and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. 

Nothing herein should be construed as a warranty in addition to the express warranty statements provided with Fiery products and services.