Aniken updates Bellissima DMS distribution in North America

Aniken Graphics, a joint venture between pre-press specialist Hamillroad Software and anilox supplier Apex International, has confirmed Cyber Graphics and Autumn Graphics as Bellissima DMS partners in North America.

Aniken updates Bellissima DMS distribution in North America

Cyber Graphics has become a full licensed Bellissima DMS partner to serve printer and brand clients in the US and Canada, while Autumn Graphics has become a contracted trade shop partner for Bellissima DMS in the Canadian and US flexographic printing market.

Bellissima DMS is Hamillroad Software's multi-award winning flexo screening technology. It combines advanced plate and anilox technologies to deliver ultra-high-definition graphics for the label and flexible packaging market. Using Bellissima, customers can produce high-quality flexographic prints equivalent to 350-450 lpi, said to rival the printed image quality of offset, digital and gravure, while also delivering ink savings to printers.

Aniken Graphics is a joint venture between Hamillroad Software and Apex International, created to bring Bellissima DMS into the mainstream flexographic market. Phase one sales of Bellissima DMS includes trade shops, converters and flexographic printers currently using Apex GTT anilox rolls and sleeves together with MacDermid Graphics Solutions’ Lux ITP 60 or DuPont’s EFX plates.

Cyber Graphics was previously announced as one of the first two approved trade shops for Bellissima DMS for the markets in the US and Canada. It has now solidified its partnership with Aniken Graphics to deliver Bellissima DMS technology to its customers.

David Smith, manufacturing projects manager at Cyber Graphics, commented: ‘[We] pride ourselves on offering the very best-in-class products to our customers and Bellissima manages to bring three of these together into one solution: Bellissima DMS screening, modern HD flat top plates and Apex GTT aniloxes.

‘While Bellissima is a revolutionary product, our customers count on Cyber Graphics to make technology transitions easy for them so they can concentrate on building their businesses and bottom lines. Thanks to our unrivaled technical expertise and the excellent support from Hamillroad and Apex, Cyber Graphics has successfully implemented Bellissima DMS in both wide web and narrow web print environments. Using direct comparisons with real customer jobs, the visual difference between traditional flexo and Bellissima is undeniable.’

Autumn Graphics is an independent, privately owned company providing end-to-end packaging development services to consumer product companies, converters, printers, and agencies since 1982.

Nick Harvey, managing director at Aniken Graphics, said: ‘Autumn Graphics is well known to the US and Canadian market as a premiere pre-media supplier. Its dedication and continued investment to ensure that they always have the best-in-class solutions for customers make it a perfect partner for Bellissima.

‘After initial trials, it was clear that Autumn Graphics is a perfect fit for Aniken Graphics, strengthening the supply options for the Bellissima DMS technology ensuring that both the US and Canadian markets are serviced promptly, and with the best technology.’

Phototype Engraving Company has also become a contracted partner for Bellissima DMS in the US market. The family-owned business headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio has been in the industry for 100 years. Its expertise includes providing integrated graphics options to the consumer-packaged goods industry and servicing its valued customers with the best in quality.

Bill Hounshell, vice president of printing services at Phototype, commented: ‘Bellissima is a one-of-a-kind technology, unlike anything we’ve seen before. At Phototype, we have always embraced new technology and look for that diamond in the rough. We believe we have uncovered a screening, anilox and DuPont plate solution which will rival all other print method.’

Joe Settanni, business development director, North America at Apex International, said: ‘The combination of Hamillroad’s Bellissima DMS, Apex’s GTT 2.0 anilox and the expertise of Autumn Graphics continues to prove out as a disruptive technology for flexo printers, rivaling the quality of offset, digital and gravure. We are very much looking forward to our continued work with the Autumn Graphics team to offer our customers this very best-in-class solution.’

Of Cyber Graphics, Settanni added: ‘We very much look forward to our continued partnership with Cyber Graphics to offer our customers the very best-in-class solution, ultimately allowing them to grow their business and reach new levels of quality previously not seen in flexographic printing.’

Regarding Phototype, he said: ‘We are pleased to partner with Phototype as a certified graphics solutions provider, and the expertise that it brings to the industry.’