Steinhauser invests in FlexoWash plate washer

Steinhauser is a fourth-generation family owned narrow web printer operating two flexo presses with manual plate cleaning process.

‘We were having a significant number of remakes of plates and the costs were through the roof. Simultaneously, the process we were using was not effective, was a safety hazard and was causing excess cleanup around the presses,’ said Tara Halpin, CEO of Steinhauser. ‘It is amazing how thankful our guys are to have these tools available to help them do their job more effectively.’

The company is using about 30 plates, each day, which, cleaned manually were prone to damage, causing additional press downtime. Roughly 26 times a year, a damaged or dirty plate would take the press down, which took about 1.5 hours to fix.

When Steinhauser and Flexo Wash began talking about the FW Plate Washer, Flexo Wash calculated its ROI and determined that it would pay for itself in eight months. ‘ROI was the deciding factor for me. When my team brought it to my attention and I saw the numbers, I knew we had to make the purchase,’ added Halpin.

‘When I saw it run, it was just so simple that I could not believe we did not invest in the technology sooner, continued Halpin. ‘When we think back to the way we cleaned plates before our Flexo Wash Plate Washer, we literally laugh out loud. The image of a handmade spindle over a barrel to hold the plate on its cylinder while the pressman cleans it with alcohol and sprays it dry with an air hose, comes to mind. This piece of equipment has been a game changer for our flexo team.’

The Flexo Wash Plate Wash systems are designed according to the type of printer and the type of ink used. All models wash the polymer plates within a few minutes and the unique design and function make it extremely easy-to-use for the operators.

‘We like to support our customers so that they eliminate downtime and are more productive. We know that when an operation like Steinhauser runs smoothly day-to-day the profitability of the entire company goes up. Even incremental changes can affect the bottom line. That’s why a plate washer purchase often makes sense,’ commented Patrick Potter, president of Flexo Wash.