All Printing Resources

Customer Panel

Representatives from Frito-Lay, Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), Bemis and Proactive Packaging & Display will participate in this panel discussion. Panelists will provide an overview of the latest in the flexible packaging, gravure, wide web and corrugated markets. The discussion will include ways in which brand management and print quality come into play. This is a nuts and bolts exchange of what your customers need and want from their suppliers.

High Definition Exposure is no Longer for the Little Guys and a Breakthrough in ITR

Marc Fioravanti, Cortron

Controlling the angle of light is key to developing high quality exposures. This has been demonstrated on smaller formats for many years assisting the tag and label market to significantly increase their printed quality. Now this technology has been adapted for larger formats up to 5280. It certainly increases the quality of analog plates and digital plates as well. Recent tests have shown that ITR quality is also significantly improved by controlling the angle of light and hence the shoulder angle. This presentation will show results from both adaptations of the exact technology.

The Rising Power of Store Brands

Ray Bodwell, DuPont Imaging Technologies

Influence in the packaging graphics arena is undergoing a shift. First the printer controlled the packaging graphics process, as the producer of the package. Next we found that Consumer Product Goods companies were controlling the design process and the tradeshop added value by helping them to better design a product that could be more easily reproduced, repeatedly by the printer. Now the retailer or distributor is becoming a powerful influence on packaging graphics in terms of who produces them and where they come from. The proliferation of store brands is a global phenomenon. This presentation will look at this trend and its impact on the entire packaging value chain.

Merigraph^® LTL Liquid Photopolymer Helps Trade Shops Increase Quality

Colleen Larkin Twomey, MacDermid

New Merigraph® LTL liquid photopolymer helps trade shops increase the quality of plate made, in addition to reducing platemaking costs when compared to sheet photopolymer for corrugated printing applications. Discussion will include the new photopolymer technology in addition to the popular imposition plate making technique, to help trade shops offer high quality plates at the lowest cost to the printer.

Cross Modulation (XM) Flexo Screening

Frances Cicogna, Agfa Corporation

The next generation of flexo screening technology raises the bar on output resolution capability without additional Converter investment. Next generation flexo screening technology allows enhancement of the flexo printing process. The technology enables the converter to print at higher resolution without having to change any printing conditions including anilox rollers. XM (Cross Modulated) technology can be used to achieve higher line-screen rulings than ever thought possible. It combines beneficial aspects of both “AM” (Amplitude Modulated) and “FM” (Frequency Modulated) screening technologies, though it is not a traditional hybrid in implementation. Using XM, flexo printers can achieve line screens of 150, 170, 190 and 212 lpi, without any change of anilox roll.

The Logical Division of Work Between Trade Shop and Converter

Mark Samworth, Artwork Systems

While trends such as CTP Flexo, Direct Plate Engraving, and Thermal Plate Processing are working to place plate imaging on the floor of the converter, high speed telecommunications are working to empower the trade shop. For a converter imaging a plate, it makes little difference if the graphics are produced in the next room, the next state, or even a different country. This presentation will show logical approaches for trade shops working with converters to assure consistent quality while allowing the converter to focus on their primary objective — to print.

Corrugated Post Print: Which Way To Go, Conventional or Digital?

Dan Rosen, BASF Printing Systems, LLC

This presentation will be structured around weighing both the pros and cons of using digital plates for corrugated post print. Where does digital make sense and where does it not? Examples and case studies will be provided to explain: growth of digital as used in other flexo applications; status of digital as used in corrugated pre-print graphics; and limitations of digital plate benefits in corrugated. In spite of these limitations, the use of digital for corrugated is growing because the cost is going down, the ROI is valid when considering elimination of other consumables and make-ready, and the quality on high-end printing is improved.

The Role of PDF 1.4 and Acrobat 6.0 in Flexo Packaging Design

Ian Hole, Esko-Graphics

This presentation will specifically identify the pros and cons of using PDF throughout various stages of the flexo manufacturing cycle and will present case studies of actual PDF-based workflows in various packaging environments. Practical approaches to introducing or expanding the use of PDF in flexo printing workflows will be suggested.

Global Economic Forecast

Robert Fry, Senior Associate Economist, DuPont; Luis Novaro, President, Grafica Novaro

Has U.S. manufacturing finally hit bottom with a global recovery right around the corner? What is recent economic data indicating about 2004 and beyond? Robert Fry, of DuPont, will discuss some of these issues and help to forecast what is in store for the U.S. and global economies, and how China might factor into the equation. Luis Novaro, of Mexico’s Grafica Novaro, will discuss some of the dynamics of the Mexican and Latin American marketplace, to help provide a truly global perspective.

drupa Preview

With drupa 2004 being held in Germany in May, find out what you can expect to see at the “Olympic Games for the printing industry.” Suppliers will be given an opportunity to highlight some of the products and innovations they are planning to exhibit at drupa. Get a head start on your competitors — don’t miss this sneak preview.