Spring 2007                    return to newsletter contents page

FPPA Announces 2007 Award Winners

Flint Group's Dan Rosen and William Kuipers receive one of  FPPA's Technological Innovator of the Year awards.

The Flexographic Pre-Press Platemakers Association (FPPA) recently presented its annual awards during its February 18-20 meeting held in Scottsdale, Arizona. The recipients of the 2007 Technological Innovator of the Year awards are Dynamic Dies and Flint Group Printing Plates.

According to Kevin Koelsch, Product Manager for Dynamic Dies, “Sometimes innovation lies right at your feet and you just don't see it until you trip over it. This is Dynamic Dies, Inc.'s experience with the

introduction of flexo printing outside the packaging industry and into the home paneling industry. Printers come in all sizes and this well established gravure printer, paneling manufacturer found new and exciting opportunities by venturing outside the norm and pursuing flexo direct printing.”

Kevin Koelsch of Dynamic Dies receives one of  FPPA's Technological Innovator of the Year awards.

Bryant Mitchell, of Decorative Panels International, says: "Direct flexo gives DPI the opportunity to make deep, rich colors in our designs, not possible previously with offset gravure. It's been a long learning curve but we're excited!" Dynamic Dies serves the flexo printing and die cutting markets across the United States. Decorative Panels International, Inc. (DPI) is a multi-operation organization and manufacturer of excellent paneling products to the home building industry. Nyloflex ® infinity is a new system from Flint Group Printing Plates for the production of seamless photopolymer sleeves. The system consists of a cutting table, mounting station, and merging device that allows for turn-key manufacturing of continuous printing sleeves on demand. Sheet photopolymer

plates are combined with commercial mounting tapes and standard print sleeves to produce image-ready seamless plates in about an hour. Nyloflex infinity has been in use in the USA for over a year with more than a thousand production sleeves already in circulation.

The aim of the Technological Innovator of the Year award is to recognize achievement within any production or administrative area of the pre-press process. The  word Innovation is defined as the introduction of something new, whether a method or a product. The concept of innovation includes enhancement of profitability, improved  productivity, operating efficiency and product quality. Eligibility for this award is open to the full membership of FPPA.