Asahi to exhibit for the first time at Labelexpo India

The company will show its AWP family of water-washable flexographic plates featuring Clean Transfer Technology, including its new AWP-DEW plate with washout speeds claimed as 2.5 times faster than previous plates, making it suitable for on-demand platemaking and a more efficient flexographic operation in even the busiest plants.

‘We are always looking for new and better technologies for the Indian market, and demonstrating the AWP family of water washable plates at Labelexpo India promises to attract many visitors,’ said Sunil Kokane, product manager for TechNova Imaging Systems, Asahi’s distributor in the region. ‘At the show, we will show flexographic print samples printed using AWP plates imaged on an Esko Crystal XPS system whose simultaneous UV main and back exposure produces highly consistent digital flexo plates. Many companies in India have already heard about Asahi AWP plates, and they will be looking forward to having easier access to these outstanding plates.’

Kokane points out that these plates offer significant advantages, including high quality print and many environmental benefits, including the elimination of solvents. ‘Asahi’s Clean Transfer Technology also reduces the number of press stoppages for plate cleaning, making operations much more efficient and allowing faster production times with less waste, even for very long runs. Asahi’s product expertise and global quality leadership combined with TechNova’s wide market reach, customer support, efficient supply chain and vast distribution network, continues to create a winning synergy for our customers,’ Kokane added. ‘Our partnership has been thriving for more than a decade, and we are excited that Asahi will be present with us for the first time at Labelexpo India.’

Asahi and TechNova experts will be available to speak with visitors about overall equipment efficiency (OEE) benefits of Asahi AWP plates. Makoto Nagata, assistant sales manager overseas for Asahi Kasei/Asahi Photoproducts, said: ‘Printing operations stand to reap huge benefits from moving to AWP plates. Companies like Czech-based Colognia Press are seeing press uptimes of more than 50 percent, up from 25 percent with their previous plates, and even report running a 22-hour job with one set of plates, no stops, and with very consistent quality from beginning to end. In our experience, AWP plates make these types of results very achievable for flexo printers.’

Visitors to the Asahi stand will be able to take with them a collection of UV flexo labels printed using AWP Clean Transfer and Esko Crystal XPS Technology.