appointments  printing - digital  printing - flexo 
Digital press suppliers are among those taking to the floor at this year’s niche packaging print converting show, flexo 2005, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, UK from March 15-17. Four major digital press systems suppliers: Agfa (Dotrix), HP Indigo, Scitex Vision and Xerox are being represented at the show for the first time. “Whilst flexo is very much the dominant packaging print process with a 40 per cent market share, converters are also acutely aware of a growing requirement for cost-effective short-run added value applications”, says Nicky Mason, managing director of flexo 2005 organiser, IIR Exhibitions.
“Digital print can service that demand and could soon become an essential complementary production component within the flexo sector. Our objective is to provide the show’s core visitor base the opportunity of assessing and comparing the fitness for purpose capabilities of both technologies to better inform their future investment plans”.

Spearheading the digital inkjet proposition, Agfa will be demonstrating its Dotrix digital inkjet solution via an interactive satellite link to an established user company, enabling flexo 2005 visitors to observe jobs going onto the press in real-time.

“We’re delighted to have this very timely opportunity of introducing our proposition for short runs production (~500 units per customer) to the high-end packaging and POP/POS displays producers”, says Scitex Vision’s Packaging & Displays division sales and marketing director, Ronen Zioni. “If it’s at all feasible then we’ll be supporting our participation by showing the CORJet”.

In addition to supporting their partnering relationship with Esko-Graphics, HP Indigo will be focusing attention upon the flexible packaging capabilities of their recently launched ws4050 press. “As a dual purpose device the ws4050 represents a tailor-made digital solution for both labels and flexible packaging, for example shrink-sleeves over the short to medium run”, says UK industrial division sales manager Roger Bottomley. “With ROI achievable within two to three years it’s the ideal investment for a converter looking to migrate to added value applications”.

In addition to around 20 per cent of exhibitors at flexo 2005 showing digital solutions, the T2M Advisory Centre will feature a time to market themed programme of supplier-led seminars and presentations, as well as providing free consultation to pre-registered visitors on existing and prospective print production issues.

Flexo discussions
flexo 2005 will feature a Best Practice Theatre offering free of charge sessions that will focus on common industry problems and discussions on how companies can get the maximum performance from their flexographic printing operation. The Best Practice presenters who guide the sessions are experts in their respective fields and advance booking is essential.

A certificate of attendance will be issued at the end of each day to candidates that successfully take part in this programme to acknowledge their continuing professional development.

flexoplus will feature a Time 2 Market Advisory Centre on digital technology for real-time applications and a Networking Lounge that will allow visitors to learn more about the supply chain.
A main attraction from Asahi Photoproducts will be AFP-DHS digital material for printing films, paper and board and APR liquid plate-making products. Addressing the quality issue surrounding liquid plate production versus sheet, the company will demonstrate its F400 resin for high quality work on corrugated board.

Bobst Group will Feature Multi-media presentations on presses for flexible packaging, corrugated and carton board including the Lemanic 82-F, the new Schiavi EF4040 press with Universal Deck application that allows post-installation changes to the number of colours and web widths and new Martin 924 FP flexo folder-gluer capable of fine printing up to 2.4m wide as well as Rapidex for larger format corrugated board applications.
CFM Ltd. will feature the new MicroKote 11 coated doctor blade from Swede AB and the new Dual Chamber system and GripTite blade holders from FlexoArt. DCM will also be represented with emphasis on laminating and slitting machinery and shrink sleeve technology.

Cheshire Engraving is showing a complete range of ceramic and chrome plated Anilox rollers. The company’s improved channel link and double helix screens will feature along with a range of Anilox cleaners. Also on show will be Cheshire’s specially developed new Ultrasonic Anillox cleaning system, Flexonic, that is fully automatic with course and fine screen settings.

New from Focus Label Machinery is the Proflex compact flexo press. The new press incorporates Rapid Change Print Cartridges, automatic plate throw off, constant rotating anilox rolls and a new, ultra efficient inter-station drying system that enables higher press speeds.

Also on show the latest version of its Centraflex CI press along with PLATEMATE Video plate mounting system and COMPACT PROFILE for flexo plate making.

GEW (EC) Ltd. will launch IsoCure, a new water-cooled, Iso-thermal UV curing system for wider webs from 500mm (20”) and upwards for processing film substrates at high speeds on CI and in-line presses. Also launching is MD2 a new compact, low cost UV lamp for digital print engines.
Johnson Matthey will feature its Vertec range of adhesion promoters that enable printing inks to bond with polymer surfaces and withstand chemical and physical abrasion.

The FlexiProof 100 with integrated UV from RK Print Coat Instruments will have its first UK showing at Flexo 2005. This version with UV enables users to accurately simulate UV printing for all prepress applications from computer colour matching to customer samples and from quality control to R&D, printability and testing. Information will also be available on VCM a new machine for developing coated products.

Saueressig GmbH will show a range of new products including IFD (In line Flexo on Demand) and Infinity ITR in the round endless-seamless printing form: production of seamless flexo raw sleeves on existing sleeves in less than 60 minutes.
Sericol will use Flexo 2005 to launch Flexo JD, a new set of UV flexo inks from its Uvivid range designed to offer solutions for the narrow web label and flexible packaging markets.

On show from Tectonic International the latest in its range of web inspection systems including Jaguar featuring passive and active inspection and colour monitoring, job history, downloads required statistics taken on-the-fly and on-line or off-line information storage through any remote PC or by use of the factory SPC system.

If you are interested in exhibiting or visiting flexo 2005, log on to www.flexoexpo.co.uk. The European Flexographic Technical Association (EFTA) is a supporter of flexo 2005.