Kennesaw, Ga. February 20, 2023 – Addressing the dire need for training for new and seasoned print industry professionals alike, HEIDELBERG USA launched its Print Media Performance & Training Center (PMPTC) at its North American Headquarters in Kennesaw, GA in May 2022. The company, who offers its training free of charge to participants, has already held ten classes in the short time since its training center opened. In response to the programs’ successes and push from the industry, HEIDELBERG has launched new training topics and additional classes for 2023. 

Unlike Anything Else in the Industry

HEIDELBERG’s PMPTC hosted upwards of 70 participants across its various training classes during the second half of 2022. Attendees included everyone from operators to managers to owners with a wide range of experience in the industry. Tom Beddor, Pressroom Manager at Japs Olson in Minneapolis, MN, recently attended “Quality Printing and the Chemistry Behind the Print” with both his new and veteran press operators. The class focuses on the chemistry behind the interaction of ink, water, rollers, and plates. “Over the last year, we have been laser focused on training entry level operators along with progressing veteran operators into more advanced skill sets. These training efforts are the result of the current labor shortages in the print industry,” said Beddor. “During this class, I realized how important the fundamental building blocks are in printing. We need to continually teach and reinforce these topics with all our operators, even the experienced ones.”

The leader in offset printing, HEIDELBERG’s offset training programs have been the most popular so far. With a class limit of only 10 people to ensure quality, hands-on training, some classes are requiring wait lists. According to Jeff Powalisz, Director of HEIDELBERG’s PMPTC, “We are seeing success because there is no other place in the industry where operators can get this kind of classroom and hands-on training at a time that is convenient for them.” HEIDELBERG offers a full curriculum of classes on topics ranging from “Introduction to Commercial Folding” to “Print Color Management for Offset & Digital” to “Introduction to Die Cutting” – offering some of its classes on the weekends to accommodate busy production schedules during the week for its customers.

New to the print industry, Phillip Chew, Vice President at K & D Graphics in Orange, CA, is currently learning the “ins and outs” of his family run print company. Having attended three different classes, Chew said, “As someone who hasn’t been in the printing industry for a very long time, it is important for me to learn from the experts as opposed to secondhand training. I plan on signing up for future classes. They have been very helpful in expanding my printing knowledge.” Outside of individual print topics, HEIDELBERG also offers a “Process Improvement” class focused on continuous improvement across the entire manufacturing supply chain. Austin Hughes, Warehouse Manager at Wallace Graphics in Duluth, GA, recently attended the class, saying, “I learned how building a team that completely understands continuous improvement makes day-to-day tasks much easier. HEIDELBERG showed us how when policies and procedures are put in place, the overall process always improves.”

Looking Ahead

With the success of 2022 classes, HEIDELBERG is focused on providing more classes for customers in 2023 with the addition of some new topics like “Introduction to Folding and Gluing.” The company will continue to add new topics in the future like training for digital operators and on color control devices and continuously seeks input from the industry for other training topics. HEIDELBERG credits the success of its classes to the great efforts put forth by the programs’ instructors and organizers. According to Powalisz, “Our instructors do a fantastic job of taking complicated subject matter and distilling it into concepts that can be easily understood. We know we’re doing it right when it’s informative and fun for everyone.” While many valuable resources go into hosting these classes, HEIDELBERG is adamant the programming remain free to its participants. “We believe this investment in people pays immediate dividends for our customers and for the industry. By keeping the classes free and rotating days of the week, we are removing some of the typical barriers to training,” said Powalisz.

To see available classes for 2023 and to register, click here.

Rochester, NY – February 2023: Durst continues its expansion to support the corrugated market by announcing industry specialist Chuck Slingerland as new Corrugated Sales Manager for Durst North America. In this position, Slingerland will continue to focus on and grow Durst’s, and Koenig & Bauer Durst’s, presence in this critical part of the industry. 

“Chuck brings a wealth of experience and a positive growth-oriented mindset to Durst, which has always been and will continue to be at the forefront of digital printing technology. We strongly believe the market will continue to expand rapidly and are thrilled to have Chuck as a part of our team in North America,” said Tim Saur, CEO and Managing Director, Durst North America. 

Slingerland brings over two decades of experience in the packaging industry. Starting on the flexography side at CSW Graphics, Inc., he gained experience by managing pre-press requirements for Fortune 500 brands. Shortly after this, Slingerland made his way onto the sales side of things, and quickly moved from account manager to VP Sales – Digital Operations at Abbott-Action, Incorporated. Here, he implemented their introduction of single pass printing for corrugated, becoming an early adopter of this technology. With this knowledge, he made the natural transition to representing Barberan as VP.

When the chance to join Durst presented itself, Slingerland knew he was the ideal person for the role. “Joining the Durst team is an incredible opportunity,” said Slingerland. “My corrugated and packaging experience joins a team of knowledgeable and skilled experts ranging across all digital printing segments. Durst is known for having the highest quality and reliability in the market, and I am honored to represent this company.” 

Slingerland will focus on the offerings of Koenig &Bauer Durst, such as the Delta SPC 130. Developed for high speed short, medium and long run jobs, and equipped with water-based ink, manufacturers and converters can achieve fully automated and sustainable production, while fully exploiting the potential of digitization.

About Durst:

Durst Group AG is a leading manufacturer of professional digital imaging systems.  The company operates manufacturing facilities in Brixen, Italy, and Lienz, Austria, and has major offices in North America, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, and Singapore. Durst’s reputation for quality, precision, innovation, sustainability, and reliability spans more than 80 years.

CONTACT:  For information on Durst products and services, contact Sydnie Shepland.

Email: Sydnie.Shepland@Durst-Group.com

Phone: 585-486-0340 ext. 5236

Kennesaw, Ga. February 14, 2023 – Seeking to deliver its customers’ brand images to the market exactly as intended, Macaran, a label printer based in Cohoes, NY, takes its role as “brand custodian” very seriously. The company, who produces labels for the spirits, craft beer, beverage, food, health/medical, and durables markets, was increasingly challenged by its customers to produce 11, 12, and even 13-color labels. Looking to provide its customers greater options for label design, Macaran recently installed a 14-color Gallus Labelmaster 440 from HEIDELBERG.

Delivering Better Brand Messaging

Prior to the June 2022 installation of its Labelmaster 440, the production team at Macaran felt, at times, restricted by the company’s older press technology. “We wanted to do more to help our customers enhance their brand images,” said Tom Sargent, President of Macaran. “As custodians of our customers’ brands, we are now better equipped to produce virtually any label they design.” The Labelmaster, capable of printing up to 14 colors with precise color-to-color registration, is helping the company, who recently merged with Syracuse Label, to deliver high-quality, consistent products. According to Sargent, “The labels we print are a direct reflection of how our customers are perceived in the market. The Labelmaster ensures reliability across every project, every time.”

Replacing two presses of competitive technology, the Labelmaster has a wider print area of 440 mm (17 in.) for inline flexographic and screen printing in addition to cold foil and embossing embellishments. Previously only capable of printing up to 11 in. wide, Macaran believes the Labelmaster will not only help gain additional work with its current customers but also attract some new customers. “We knew we needed to upgrade our press technology,” said Nick Noyes, Chief Operating Officer, Macaran, “but we also needed additional width capabilities in order to grow the business.” With an extremely short web path (only 1.1 m. between printing units), the Labelmaster produces minimal waste thanks to the short set-up times and stable register accuracy. According to Noyes, “Gallus has done a great job efficiency wise on how changeovers happen and how everything runs. It all seems to fit together really well.”

Macaran’s new Labelmaster, which runs over 400 ft/min, is a speed upgrade from its previous presses. Since installation, the Labelmaster has drastically increased the company’s productivity, thus boosting its overall throughput – giving the company additional capacity to take on new work. While the additional capacity is significant to Macaran’s future growth, Sargent said, “We’re really focused on our enhanced capabilities. The Labelmaster allows us to offer extended branding opportunities to our customers to deliver better brand messaging for the consumer.” Further enhancing the quality of its labels, Macaran uses Gallus Screeny products for its rotary screen embellishments. The unique microstructure fabric and photosensitive coating ensure maximum consistency for extremely fine lines, solids and relief printing.

Switching from competitive technology, Macaran made the decision to go with Gallus based on its reputation for efficient flexo-screen combination printing. According to Noyes, “After we ran the ROIs, looked at what machines we could retire, and what efficiencies we could hit, it was a no brainer.”

About Macaran

Macaran is a third-generation, employee-owned supplier of high-quality, label and packaging solutions. Servicing a variety of markets including the food, spirits, craft beer, beverage, household products, health, beauty and medical markets, the company’s solutions-based “cradle to grave” product development system ensures its customers’ brand image is delivered to the market just as they intended. To ensure its customers’ project success, Macaran relies on the latest in label printing and converting technology. Macaran Printed Products is fully committed to helping its customers win the last two feet of the consumer shopping experience.

100% Recycled Fiber Papers Are Ideal for Beer, Wine, and Spirits Label Applications

Graham, NC – February 13, 2023, Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives, former Acucote brand, part of The Fedrigoni Group, a global leader in the production of premium labels and self-adhesive materials, introduced a new line of premium self-adhesive papers featuring 100% recycled fibers. 

The new line of paper materials combines 100% recycled fiber along with high-performance adhesives and results in materials targeted for critical applications where wet strength technology is required and where products see changes in temperature and humidity, such as wine and beer bottle labels.

Not only do these new papers boast 100% recycled fiber, but the rPET liners are also made from 30% recycled PET, which reduces the amount of virgin PET used. This offers a significant carbon footprint reduction to those utilizing these new materials.

According to Melissa Harton, Marketing Manager, North America, “We are delighted to introduce this new line of premium papers to the North American market. More sustainable materials are top of mind for both converters and brand owners and Fedrigoni is eager to bring the market these premium, sustainable options.”

Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives is a leader in the industry when it comes to offering sustainable material options. By 2030 the Group aims to double the volume of items with advanced sustainable features in its product portfolio. The 100% Recycled Premium Papers, all FSC®-certified, are a tangible example of the Group’s effort to reach this goal.

Offerings include:

FSC® certified Sorolla Recycled H+O, an uncoated product produced with 100% recycled fibers from pre-consumer and post-consumer waste. FSC® certified Tintoretto Gesso Recycled H+O is produced with 100% recycled fibers from pre-consumer and post-consumer waste, felt-marked on both sides. Both of these materials are produced with a high opacity treatment and rPET liner with 30% recycled PET.

FSC®-C138765

Product Details:

●    MOQ: 12” x 10,000’

●    Sorolla Recycled H+O WS FSC® / SH6020 Plus / rPET30 

●    Tintoretto Gesso Recycled H+O WS FSC® / SH6020 Plus / rPET30 

About Fedrigoni

Since 1888 Fedrigoni has stood for excellence in the manufacture of specialty papers. It is one of Europe’s largest players in the production and sale of various types of high value-added paper for packaging and graphics, premium labeling products, and other self-adhesive materials. With more than 4,000 employees in Italy and abroad and 25,000 products, the Group sells and distributes in more than 130 countries and has become the third global player in the self-adhesive materials sector also thanks to recent acquisitions. The Paper business unit includes the Cordenons Group and the historic Fabriano brand, and the Self-Adhesives business unit includes Arconvert, Manter, Ritrama (since February 2020), IP Venus (since December 2020), Acucote and Ri-Mark (since June 2021), Tageos (March 2022). The American distributor GPA is also part of the Group. 

For more information: www.fedrigoni.com

Leading American manufacturer of non-stop unwind/splice and rewind technology, Martin Automatic, has announced that Tekaxess, headed by Gaëtan de Charry, will take over responsibility for sales in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Africa, and the Middle East – markets formerly served by Martin’s Southern Europe Sales Manager Ed Pittman, who has retired after 22 years with the company.

Gaëtan de Charry is well acquainted with Martin technology, having been the manufacturer’s sales representative in France since 2017, and brings with him more than 30 years of print industry expertise in both the narrow and wide web fields and security printing with manufacturers including Talleres Lemu.

Speaking from his base in southern France he commented: “I am delighted to be extending my sales territory for Martin Automatic technology, which is rated highly throughout the world for its operational efficiency and ROI.  It also gives me the opportunity to be back in Spain and Portugal where I began my career.”

Gavin Rittmeyer, VP Sales & Marketing at Martin Automatic echoed these thoughts: “Martin has made significant inroads into the French market since Gaëtan joined the team five years ago and we have high expectations of what he can achieve with his new and extended responsibilities – everyone at Martin wishes him well.”

Gaëtan looks forward to meeting existing and potential customers on the Martin Automatic Stand 1846 at the upcoming ICE-Europe expo in Munich on 14th- 16th March.

Contact details:

Email: gaetandecharry@tekaxess.com

Tel: +33 6 76 23 32 91

A new ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 exposure unit from XSYS has allowed the UAE-headquartered company to elevate its plate-making capabilities to new heights. By integrating this innovative UV LED technology, NDigitec can now supply customers with higher-quality digital flexo plates and enjoy faster processing times than before, while reducing plate waste and energy consumption.

Willstaett, Germany, 09 January 2023 – Namma Int’l Digitec FZ LLC – known as NDigitec – is a family-run business founded in 2005 in Dubai (UAE). As the industry leader in the MEA region in terms of production facilities, staff members, and square meter consumption, the prepress division of the company supplies a complete package of services – from file reparation to final processed flexo printing plate. 

Employing a total of 125 staff across two branches in Dubai, a facility in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and an office in Yerevan (Armenia), NDigitec also offers digital printing solutions, e-commerce, creative media production, and fabrication of exhibition equipment. Some 500 customers in 25 countries avail themselves of the company’s many high-end competencies, which also include Online competencies: the DUBAIPRINT.COM web-to-print platform with solutions for the widest variety of print applications, and FLEXOEASY.COM, an unprecedented digital platform that makes flexographic plate-making easy and allows customers to access high-quality Prepress and Premedia services from anywhere in the world.

Plate innovation leader with big ambitions

NDigitec Prepress is known as an innovation trailblazer, always seeking out the latest plate-making technologies to stay ahead of developments and to deliver leading solutions to its global brand owner customers. Some 55% of the annual 50,000 sqm plate output is supplied to the flexible packaging industry, another 25% goes to the corrugated segment, while the remaining 20% is divided between folding cartons and labels.

 “We were the first prepress company in the region to bring in LED exposure technology for making flexo plates with the Flint Group nyloflex® NExT system back in 2016,” said Shahe Kavlakian, Executive Manager for Prepress at NDigitec and brother of the company’s CEO Vatche Kavlakian, who as a pioneer of integrated prepress and printing services, laid the roots for the business in the early 1990s.

 “Now we are once again taking the lead as the first to install the XSYS ThermoFlexX Catena-E system; an investment we have made because we believe that this solution will best support us in responding to the many varied customer demands we are currently facing and to allow us to continue our global expansion.”

Improving quality and reducing waste

Providing high-performance LED exposure for precise image reproduction, the ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 is an open system that can process plates in sizes up to 1270 x 2032mm (50 x 80”) and all thicknesses for any type of flexo printing. With a very high level of automation, the unit can also be combined with a ThermoFlexX imager and Catena washer, dryer, and light finisher units for a full end-to-end plate production. 

line, an option that NDigitec is closely evaluating as part of its future strategy. While the Catena-E 80 has been installed in Dubai, there are more immediate plans to upgrade the company’s exposure hardware across the other sites.

“The effect of the new Catena unit has been very noticeable,” said Shahe Kavlakian, who explained more about the team’s criteria in evaluating the technology. “We are looking for standardization, durability, efficiency, and stability in plate production; these aspects are key to maintaining productivity and quality. Particularly in flexible packaging, consistent solid ink density with perfect highlights is a challenge, but with the Catena system and our own micro surface screening, we can deliver results that are much better than with other LED solutions.”

Among the other immediate benefits enjoyed in Dubai was a reduction in waste compared to the existing system. “The Catena-E is definitely helping to improve the sustainability of our plate-making operation because we can combine different jobs on the same plate. By our latest estimations, plate waste has gone down from around 26% to 16%, and we know that with the latest LEDs in the machine, energy consumption will also be less. So, from an environmental point of view, as well as in terms of costs, this is a great improvement.”

Quick and effective implementation

With any new technology, there is inevitably a learning curve, but the near plug’n’play nature of the Catena system meant that the unit was in full production at NDigitec within a week. Mr. Kavlakian praised the simplicity of the design and the user interface, and in particular, highlighted the ability to access the unit controls remotely.

“The Catena is very easy to operate with straightforward instructions and options, so training was pretty quick. It also comes with remote capabilities which means that calibration and regular maintenance checks can be done without having anyone coming on-site. This is of course a fantastic feature as we can avoid unwanted downtime because we don’t have to wait for an engineer to attend in person,” he said.

Supporting future growth

Looking to the future, NDigitec has major plans to take more of the global market share. To further this goal, it opened a new state-of-the-art 50,000 sqm factory in Dubai Production City in 2020. Another 3,000 sqm facility operates as an incubator for joint venture projects aimed at advancing innovation in flexo print production, complemented by more investment in best-in-class imaging, processing, and screening technologies.

“In addition to the immediate benefits we have already experienced, the ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 exposure technology will give us a stable platform to build our future plate-making infrastructure, stay competitive, and support our ambitious growth strategy,” concluded Shahe Kavlakian.

ABOUT XSYS

Headquartered in Willstaett, Germany, XSYS operates globally and remains one of the largest suppliers offering both flexographic and letterpress prepress solutions, including plates, sleeves, processors, workflow solutions, and expert professional services, designed to help these industries move forward with increasing innovation, improved productivity and profitability, and a reduced environmental footprint.

In recognizing our endeavor to bring more brilliance into the packaging industry – into the lives of our customers and colleagues – XSYS has achieved a Silver Medal rating from EcoVadis for its sustainability. This distinction goes beyond our commitment to protecting the environment by also evaluating our dedication to social responsibility, diversity, and human rights.

The broad XSYS portfolio comprises some of the industry’s best-known brands of consumables (nyloflex® and nyloprint® plates), plate processing equipment (Xpress, ThermoFlexX, and Catena), surface screening software (Woodpecker), plate mounting (rotec®), and washout solvents (nylosolv®). Brilliant products and services for brilliant print results and business success.

Siegwerk, one of the leading global providers of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, has partnered with German startup Wildplastic and the Hamburg University of Technology (TU-Hamburg) aiming to increase the recyclability of plastic waste. One way to achieve this is by successfully deinking the collected waste before entering the recycling extrusion process. The partners conducted initial trials at the end of 2022, with very successful results.

Siegburg, Germany, February 2023 – Of the billions of tons of plastic that have been produced worldwide, only about 9% has been recycled, and about 12% ends up in landfills. The rest can end up leaking into the environment, polluting oceans and rivers and breaking down into microplastics that are hazardous to human health. There is a clear and urgent need to improve recycling processes and to ensure that more packaging enters the recycling stream. Deinking packaging prior to regranulation helps to prevent the packaging inks from contaminating the materials to be recycled, and ensures that the packaging stays in the recycling stream.

The partners to the initiative recognize that it is only through cross-industry collaboration that progress can be made. Wildplastic is a German startup founded in 2019 aiming to clean the environment from plastic waste. In cooperation with communities of collectors, the start-up works globally to collect “wild” plastic from beaches, landfills, and illegal dumpsites. In spring 2019, Wildplastic started selling the first trash bag that is 100% made of recycled plastic. Currently, their focus is on sourcing Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) such as bubble wrap or certain food packaging. LDPE cannot yet be widely recycled, so the market collection incentive for it is still limited. Wildplastic wants to change this by creating a demand for this material and showcasing the potential of post-consumer LDPE recycling. After collection, the plastic is transported to a recycling partner who washes, melts and processes it into granules. These recyclate granules are then sent to a production partner and used as a substitute for virgin LDPE material. This material is then used to create trash bags and mail bags. A broader scope of applications may be possible if the materials could be successfully deinked first.

In 2021, Wildplastic and the Institute of Circular Resource Engineering and Management (CREM) of TU-Hamburg started a cooperative research and development  project, financed by the Investment and Development Bank of Hamburg (IFB) to study the feasibility of improving the quality of LDPE-recyclates from post-consumer sources. Evonik is supporting this project as a cooperative partner.

“We started to conduct research on deinking of post-consumer plastic waste with Wildplastic  about one year ago. As a technical university, it is important to carry out meaningful research relevant to the real-world problem. From our project, we have learned that a successful circular economy only works by motivating all the stakeholders involved. Siegwerk as the producer of printing ink, can play an important role in this context since it brings the producer’s perspective to solve the problem in the beginning.” said Jinyang Guo from the Institute of Circular Resource Engineering and Management (CREM) from TU- Hamburg during a kick-off meeting between the partners in November 2022.

Siegwerk is supporting Wildplastic in this initiative by providing the deinking chemistry and knowledge to enable the creation of clean recyclates. In order for successful deinking to occur, a precise combination of the right ink chemistry, the right deinking detergent and the right process needs to be applied. Inks on packaging can often be a hinderance to recycling, as the inks degrade during the recycling process and can contaminate the recyclates, leading to unpleasant odors or unsightly colors. Even if the inks are not totally removed, the opportunities for recycling are increased exponentially.

“It is a pleasure to work with our partners from Wildplastic and from the University of Hamburg on this topic. We have a strong can-do attitude in common. The scientific perspective and the conscientiousness contributed by Jinyang helps us to maintain a fact-based and objective view. Not only in the design of experiments but also in the interpretation of results. Wildplastic has the ambition to benefit from deinking in their recycling activities in just a few months and brings in an industrial perspective,” said Ingo Fehr, Senior Project Manager at Siegwerk.

“We have started this collaboration with Jinyang and the University about one year ago following our deep interest to find a solution for specific washing needs for highly challenging post-consumer plastic film materials in a small scale batch operation. From day one we have worked together in a very open and solution-orientated way and with shared passion. It´s all about getting the right people together, therefore we are extremely happy to share our results and to extend our collaboration with the team at Siegwerk,” said Wildplastic co-founder Dieter Gottschalk

Donnie Hopkins of JDH & Associates will be hosting surface treatment specialist Vetaphone at this year’s Converters Expo South in the Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, NC, on February 22nd.

Donnie says: “We’re looking forward to welcoming many visitors to Booth 91 and highlighting the cutting-edge corona and plasma equipment that Vetaphone offers.”  Donnie will be supported by Ted Wolski, Vetaphone’s Sales Manager for the Americas.  Both are looking forward to meeting new and existing customers and explaining to them the background to Vetaphone and the vast depth of surface treatment knowledge available for converters to tap into.

Ted commented: “Converters Expo South comes at an ideal time for companies to engage in discussions on improving production efficiency with Vetaphone’s highly controllable technology.  As the market continues to recover from the pandemic and supply chain issues, there has never been a better time to do this, and it starts with surface treatment.”

Vetaphone has enjoyed rapid growth in the US market in recent years and now has an extensive sales network covering all States supported by locally based engineering and technical support, and a fully stocked parts warehouse in Texas.  With a family history of corona that dates back to its invention in the 1950s, no company is better placed than Vetaphone to manage the expectations of today’s ultra-competitive package print market.

The Polish packaging manufacturer has installed a ThermoFlexX TFxX 48 flexo plate imager to meet demands from customers for faster delivery, more flexibility, and increased sustainability. The company chose to invest in the XSYS technology for the first time as part of a determined drive to expand the capabilities of its in-house prepress department with innovative solutions.

Willstaett, Germany. 02 February 2023 – The flexible packaging market is moving towards more sustainable solutions and manufacturing methods that have less impact on the environment. Flexo platemaking is an area where significant progress in reducing waste has been made, with new technologies and higher levels of automation that improve the process while remaining cost-effective.  

As part of its strategy for future success, KB Folie Polska Sp. z o.o., in Poland, wanted to introduce a new digital imaging technology that would allow them to deliver consistent print quality at speed, but also reduce plate waste, operator time, energy consumption and overall costs. After surveying the market for some time, the company was convinced by the advantages presented by the ThermoFlexX TFxX 48 and signed on the dotted line. The investment also includes ThermoFlexX Woodpecker screening technology for adding microstructures to the surface of flat top dot plates to help maintain print quality at top press speeds.

“We are one of the first printing houses in Poland to leverage the many tangible benefits of the ThermoFlexX system with Woodpecker surface screening,” said [Jan Marcinkowski – Deputy Production Director]. “XSYS is known for its fresh and innovative approach to technology, and ThermoFlexX imagers for their high levels of automation and waste saving features. Our new machine is definitely proving that point by levelling up our in-house platemaking capabilities as a greener, more cost-efficient proposition.”

Exceeding expectations

Based in Warsaw, KB Folie specializes in flexible packaging, mainly for the fresh and frozen food industries, but also the chemicals and cosmetics sectors. Originally founded as an aluminum trading company in 1996, the family-owned enterprise set up its flexo printing department in 2000 when the first wide web flexo press was installed, and later also added rotogravure printing. Currently employing 200 staff, plans are underway to expand further and build a completely new printing facility, as the company continues its growth trajectory.   

The product portfolio spans the breadth of flexible packaging for both dry and liquid foodstuffs, including mono-material packaging solutions, laminated packaging, bags, ready-made doypacks and other types of pouches with closure sealing, various types of notches and perforations, cold seal, and variable coding on the inside, among the many options.

In 2016, KB Folio established an R& D Center with funding from the Polish Ministry of Development, followed by additional funding from various institutions, to support customers with innovative solutions and to forge new relationships with suppliers and manufacturers. “That was really a breakthrough year for us,” said [Michał Sikorski – Head of Scientific Research and Development Department.]. “Since then, year by year, our R&D activities have brought us more and more benefits, allowing the introduction of new types of packaging products that meet and even exceed the expectations and needs of our customers.”

[Jan Marcinkowski – Deputy Production Director] added, “We place a vast emphasis on research and on production of high-quality and increasingly more environmentally friendly packaging; and because we also strive for the production plant itself to be as green as possible, the equipment we buy must support that vision.”

Finding a new solution

KB Folie has been making flexo plates in-house for many years. The new ThermoFlexX TFxX 48 from XSYS is the latest digital imager acquired for this purpose and it came through long-term supplier Scorpio Sp. z o.o., a distributor of ThermoFlexX products in Poland. “Like every company with over 20 years of experience, we started out with analog methods. In 2008, we moved to digital imaging, which we are successively updating to stay at the forefront of developments, most lately with the new ThermoFlexX, which is an exciting technology.”

In order to accelerate profit projections, the company analyzed its workflow to decide on the best route to follow to improve the print quality and the production speed. “We were looking for a machine that would let us meet customer requirements, without wasting time and without adding more costs,” said [Jan Marcinkowski – Deputy Production Director]. “We live in the fourth industrial revolution; in an increasingly digital world where we can save time by automating more and more processes. These were the main reasons for switching to a new solution.”

Known for its high-quality imaging, low waste, and impressive productivity, the ThermoFlexX TFxX 48 can produce plates up to 900 x 1200mm (35 x 48”). Featuring the built in FlexTray, it can automatically load and unload plates with one touch of a button, which reduces the risk of damage due to manual handling. The automatic resolution switching function matches laser optics to file resolution, giving users much more flexibility, including the ability to image multiple plates at different resolutions simultaneously. Meanwhile the unique Vacuum Slider Concept (VSC) allows plates of any width to be loaded without needing to be taped in place, another waste saving innovation. With Woodpecker surface screening added to the mix, KB Folie has the option to boost ink density in the solid areas and improve dot definition for even sharper text and images, all while ensuring a smoother ink lay down for those jobs that demand the highest quality.

Having incorporated the imager into the daily workflow and experiencing the difference it has made, [Jan Marcinkowski – Deputy Production Director] concluded, “The ThermoFlexX 48s laser is very user friendly and flexible and also compatible with other devices. We have found that it provides longer plate durability, which results in greater print stability, and cuts down on waste of plate material. When we need to, it also allows us to work with files that have a lower resolution, which ensures faster data processing and acceleration of work. I can safely say that we are very satisfied with the investment.”

ABOUT XSYS

Headquartered in Willstaett, Germany, XSYS operates globally and remains one of the largest suppliers offering both flexographic and letterpress prepress solutions, including plates, sleeves, processors, workflow solutions, and expert professional services, designed to help these industries move forward with increasing innovation, improved productivity and profitability, and a reduced environmental footprint.

In recognizing our endeavor to bring more brilliance into the packaging industry – into the lives of our customers and colleagues – XSYS has achieved a Silver Medal rating from EcoVadis for its sustainability. This distinction goes beyond our commitment to protecting the environment by also evaluating our dedication to social responsibility, diversity, and human rights. 

The broad XSYS portfolio comprises some of the industry’s best-known brands of consumables (nyloflex® and nyloprint® plates), plate processing equipment (Xpress, ThermoFlexX, and Catena), surface screening software (Woodpecker), plate mounting (rotec®), and washout solvents (nylosolv®). Brilliant products and services for brilliant print results and business success.