FTS provides free flexo training for students and teachers

The Flexo Trade School (FTS) in Fort Mill, South Carolina, is offering free training for high school and college students, as well as their teachers.

According to Art Fields, owner and program director of FTS, ‘The training and certification of highly qualified young people for the flexo industry is our number one priority. We know that the high school and college systems do not have the funds to pay for off-campus training. This is an opportunity for us to give back to our industry, and we are very happy to be in a position to do that.’

Many schools already have taken advantage of the training, including: Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C.; Fairfield Career Center in Winnsboro, S.C.; Fort Mill High School in Fort Mill, S.C.; Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA; Modesto Junior College in Modesto, CA; North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, N.C.; South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C.; University of Wisconsin in Menomonee, WI, and West Virginia Institute of Technology in Montgomery, W.V.

In addition to providing flexo education and training for well-qualified students, FTS is the commissioned training and research center for its 140 member companies. Supported by more than 40 leading vendor sponsors, FTS’s International Training and Research Center offers its converter members and vendors a facility for advancing their business technologies. The school’s students run live production work commissioned by members. The result is a flexo community that benefits from a graduate pool with experience in a live production environment. In return, graduating students enjoy an enviable 100 percent placement rate in well-paying jobs.

The eight year-old Flexo Trade School is housed in a modern, state-of-the-art facility, and boasts two new 10” Mark Andy flexographic presses with AAA Press ‘Lightouch’ UV units, an ADT hot stamp unit, Amagic cold foil, Printing Technology Services inkjet printer and an Airtrim matrix twister.

Additional equipment includes two CFS Incorporated plate mounters, a JM Heaford plate mounter, a Lederle table top rewinder, a DuPont Cyrel Fast exposure unit and a Sonic Solutions anilox roll cleaner.

FTS and its key vendor sponsors will offer an open house at FTA on April 8, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. For directions and more information, or to inquire about FTS`s full line of flexographic and consulting services, please check the FTS web site, www.weareflexo.com, or contact Art Fields at art@weareflexo.com or 803-802-5211.