Seneca Label chooses Fujifilm Flenex platemaking system

Established in 1968, by Donald Hoopingarner and business partner Paul MacMurdo, Seneca Label chose Fujifilm’s Flenex FW platemaking technology, and is experiencing ‘superior’ print quality and longer runs. Now a third generation Hoopingarner family-owned company, it produces roll, sheeted and fanfolded labels on a variety of papers, films and foils.

‘We were with our previous plate supplier for a very long time,’ said John Hoopingarner, son of Donald, and vice president, Seneca Label. ‘We were the second company in Ohio to have those plates back in the early 1970’s. When Fujifilm came by to run test plates of the Flenex technology, we immediately noticed the substantial gains that we achieved in pre-quality, specifically the flat-top dot, which was pretty amazing. With the Flenex FW-L2 plates, we’ve been able to show our clients a much better label that’s brighter, crisper, and cleaner compared to our previous plates.’

Fujifilm’s Flenex FW platemaking process is under 40 minutes, and offers the highest flexo quality 200 lpi, and one percent process dot structure , while eliminating costs attributed to solvent and thermal technology, and it’s compatible with existing water-wash technology. The water-washable chemistry eliminates all solvents and wicking cloth while getting to press faster, running longer and producing outstanding print quality.

Seneca Label provides services to a list of well-known clients, within entities including consumer and industrial goods, raw materials and specialty applications.

‘One of our larger accounts is a highly regarded cosmetics and nail polish brand, and when they saw our new capabilities with Flenex, they wanted to push the limits,’ said Hoopingarner. ‘The depth we are now achieving on colors and within their graphic images have been extraordinary. In fact, they have recently won awards and other recognition for their packaging, which is a direct result of us switching to Fujifilm’s Flenex FW platemaking system. This client uses a lot of vignette types of screens, and our previous plates couldn’t hold the dots we needed. The Flenex FW plates have been stellar in their performance in holding min dots, and all the rigors of the printing process.'

The install process at Seneca Label, which included the C-Touch plate processor, was ‘seamless’ according to Hoopingarner, and he looks forward to working with Fujifilm for the long-term.