FTA looks forward

Danielle Jerschefske reports on Flexographic Technology Association’s 2012 Annual Forum in Texas

Co-chairmen Randy Butler of Printpack and Bob Mullen of Sun Chemical Corporation led this year's Flexographic Technical Association's Annual Forum, which featured sessions comparing print processes, emerging technologies, becoming profitable in short-runs, interactive technologies, standardization of color specifications and discussions around improving operational efficiencies.  The event also hosted the InfoFlex exhibition with over 200 booths, presentation theater, an educational pavilion, a social networking event
and more.

Jeff Feltz from Mark Andy looked at how to compete against digital in producing short run jobs, a trend being driven by several forces – the growth of private brands, regionalized promotion, and lean initiatives throughout the supply chain. In recent years, digital technology has been positioned as the only viable solution to economically meet these short run demands, but Feltz pointed out that advances in modern flexo presses now enable converters to produce shorter run lengths more economically than ever before. This in turn is changing the economic breakeven point between new flexo technology and digital.

Paul Lancelle, Eastman Kodak Company looked at extended color gamut (six and seven color) reproduction and asked if the same objectives could be achieved through the use of four color process printing. The presentation included case studies that demonstrated the capabilities of four color process in flexo compared directly to ECG technologies.

Steve Smiley of Vertis Communications detailed new ISO standards updates that are expected to affect the flexo industry. These standards address issues such as agreement with FIRST (Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications and Tolerances) objectives, how to properly setup and characterize a flexo press and the requirements to obtain accurate, reproducible readings that will agree with visual evaluations of images and spot colors. The three standards are:

ISO12647-6 Process Control for The Manufacturing of Halftone Color Separation, Proofs and Production Print; ISO3664 Viewing Conditions and, ISO15339: Printing of Digital Data to G7 standards (Part 1).

Esko's Rory Marsoun reviewed the different applications of water-based, solvent and UV inks and ran through a flexo graphics primer discussing issues of dot gain, compensation curves, gray balance, tonal range, ink film thickness, solid ink density, traps, vignettes and more.

Eckart America's Scott Schultz talked about the evolution of metallic and special effect pigments in the packaging industry.

Colleen Larkin-Twomey of California Polytechnic State University discussed interactive engagement with smartphone-enabled consumers using QR codes, Snap Tags, Track and Trace, and Augmented Reality.

2012 Excellence in Flexography Awards

Label converter winners in the Flexographic Technical Association’s 2012 Excellence in Flexography Awards included, in the mid-web category MPI Labels of Baltimore, and in narrow web ASL Print FX, Bay Tech Label, Cal Tape & Label, Cameo Crafts, Collotype Labels, G-3 Enterprises, HAVI Global Solutions, J. Ryan Printers, The Label Company, Labelad, Labeltronix and McDowell Label. In the student category California Polytechnic State University, Clemson University, Gordon Graydon Memorial Secondary School all won awards.

Environmental Excellence

The Label Printers of Aurora, Illinois earned an honorable mention in the 12th Annual FTA Environmental Excellence Award program. The Label Printers established a 'Go Green, Save Green and Earn Green' program that has kept almost 70 percent of what had previously been solid waste from landfill and saw it either recycled or converted into energy. The label converter is also TLMI L.I.F.E certified.

2012 Hall of Fame inductee

Alfred K. Bowers, customer solutions manager in the Premedia Technologies Division of RR Donnelly in Menasha, Wisconsin was inducted into the Flexographic Technical Association’s 2012 Hall of Fame.  He is a standard bearer of FIRST and is considered to be ‘the flexography’s Walmart connection’. His advocacy for industry wide standards and specifications led him to work with the International Standards Organization and its Walmart Ink Specification Project, which contributed to the development of the retailer’s Packaging Scorecard.

The Excellence in Flexography Award, Best of Show, Labels, meanwhile went to Labelad for Southern Comfort Voodoo, Vampire, Zombies. Sean Teufler, Harper Graphic Solutions won a President’s Award.

This article was published in L&L issue 2, 2012