Color Technology adds digital flexo platemaking capabilities

Color Technology, Inc., a Portland, Oregon-based trade shop, has implemented a packaging solution from Kodak, including a Kodak Thermoflex Wide CTP platesetter and Prinergy Powerpack workflow software. The investment will allow Color Technology to differentiate and grow its business by being able to offer up to 0.250-inch digital flexo plates to the corrugated market. The Kodak prepress solution will also enable Color Technology to streamline its plate and filmmaking process to provide a more efficient workflow and improved print quality for customers.
    
Color Technology supplies services for multi-wall bag, poly bag and corrugated packaging businesses in the Pacific Northwest, including Boise Cascade, Bemis Company and Longview Fibre. One of the factors that influenced the company’s selection of the Kodak Thermoflex device was its ability to image any plate size or thickness. It provides Color Technology with the flexibility to image film or plate sizes up to the maximum 52 x 80 in. (1,321 x 2,032 mm), and any plate thickness up to 0.250 in. (6.35 mm). 

‘We can now image a wide range of media—from wide-format films to the 0.250 inch thick digital plates used in corrugated—which gives us the ability to serve the entire flexo industry,’ said Bill Pearson, sales manager, Color Technology. ‘And the new Kodak Maxtone hybrid screening software, Kodak Hyperflex resolution enhancement software, and Kodak Digicap screening software, will bring some nice print quality advantages to our customers.’
Color Technology also relies on the Kodak Approval NX digital color imaging system to produce contract proofs for customers on high quality color work. The Kodak Approval NX system—with its ability to accurately reproduce halftone dots, and simulate millions of spot colors in conjunction with Kodak Rapid Recipe Color software technology, and metallic and white donors, plus its wide range of substrates—offers an accurate predictor of what will happen on press. With the addition of the digital flexo platemaking capability and workflow software, Color Technology is now able to provide a completely digital workflow—from proof to plate to press.