Curtis Packaging Honored by Agfa’s GreenWorks Program

CHICAGO—Curtis Packaging Corporation, a Connecticut-based package printer, reports the company has reduced annual energy costs by $32,000 by its switch to Agfa’s :Energy Elite plates two years ago. In addition to these savings, the company has also been able to expand its client base.

Since 1845, Curtis has manufactured custom folding carton and today it is using Agfa’s :Energy Elite no-bake plates. :Energy Elite is an aluminum grained and anodized positive-working thermal plate that prints up to 340 lpi. It uses an advanced, patented emulsion that tolerates variations in exposure and processing, providing superior imaging through at least a half-million impressions. Chemical consumption and maintenance costs are signifigantly reduced via an extended bath life. Plus, the plate delivers robust press performance under an extensive range of press conditions without the need to post-bake, which offers additional equipment and labor cost savings.

In addition to using :Energy Elite, Curtis has employed several aggressive sustainability measures and uses 100 percent renewable energy in manufacturing. Recently, Curtis earned a coveted spot in Agfa’s GreenWorks™ program. In doing so, Curtis joined a list of 175 progressive printers that are committed to producing print in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner.

“Because of our commitment to producing environmentally-sensitive packaging, we have been able to attract a completely new customer base. Thanks to our successful conversion to :Energy Elite two years ago, and many other internal initiatives, we have been able to reduce our carbon footprint even further. Since we launched our successful ‘Luxuriously Responsible®’ campaign, we have doubled our sales and it’s rewarding to know that we are growing with customers who care as much about the environment as we do,” said Don Droppo, Jr., President and CEO, Curtis Packaging Corporation.

To become part of Agfa’s GreenWorks program, companies must be current users of Agfa's ThermoFuse™ platemaking technology, which includes the award-winning chemistry-free :Azura TS plate, the low-chemistry :Amigo plate or :Energy Elite plates. Companies must also actively promote cleaner and more efficient printing practices, use other environmentally-friendly products and be involved in additional eco-friendly efforts such as recycling, waste reduction programs or use of alternative energy sources in their plants to be considered for GreenWorks.

“Minimizing environmental impact and providing the best quality output is a primary concern for Agfa and our customers. We are constantly working to achieve both. We have been successful in doing so with :Energy Elite, with :Azura TS, and :Amigo, and now we will be able to help printers further reduce costs with the new :Amigo TS plate,” said David Carey, CtP Marketing Manager, Agfa Graphics, North America.

A full list of GreenWorks printers can be found at www.gdusa.com/agfa.