Carey Color makes second Flexcel Direct investment

The company installed its original Kodak Flexcel Direct system three years ago, and is now responding to strong market demand with a second installation as flexographic printers have increasingly learned the benefits of printing with direct engraved elastomers.

Carey Color also works on numerous projects that involve a transition from rotogravure to flexographic production. With ever-increasing changes in graphic design and the frequent need to load balance between flexographic and gravure processes based on run length, flexographic printing with elastomer sleeves offers a cost-effective alternative to gravure with excellent quality, print speeds and durability, Kodak said.

‘We’ve seen steady growth in demand for sleeves,’ said Adam Smrdel, director of flexography at Carey Color. ‘In addition to the overall growing popularity of continuous designs in flexo, we are experiencing demand for larger repeats. This is accomplished by building up material wall thickness while simultaneously maintaining inside diameters, something that cannot be achieved with photopolymer technology. Most importantly, however, printers are starting to request sleeves for all colors in the job, rather than just the single sleeve they may have used in the past. They are starting to really appreciate the quality, run length, productivity and waste reduction that the elastomer in-the-round sleeves enable.’