Forum 2008: Celebrating 50 Years

Ronkonkoma, N.Y.—Foundation of Flexographic Technical Association’s (FTA’s) 2008 Annual Forum—“FTA’s Golden Anniversary: 50 Years of Making Flexo Stronger”—is set to take place April 27-30 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Nearly 2,000 delegates are expected to turn out for the 2008 event, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the founding of FTA.

Forum 2008 will offer 10 sessions, housing six presentations each. Sessions will include Prepress as well as Business Management, Emerging Technologies, Flexo 101, and FIRST/FQC (Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications and Tolerances/Flexo Quality Consortium). This year’s Forum also sees the return of the Sustainability Session, and will feature two new sessions: Faster, Better, Cheaper and a Newspaper Session.

Forum Sessions Forum 2008 will kick start on Sunday with the Prepress Session. There, attendees can learn about solutions to old and new challenges; namely: ever shortening lead times; educating print buyers as digital proofing becomes mainstream; increased customer expectations; achieving color on press as quickly as possible; and waste reduction. The session will conclude with information on how these latest advances aid flexo in the reduction of flexography’s carbon footprint.

Attendees who want to learn how to do things Faster, Better, Cheaper will hear industry experts speak about the tools and techniques that will assist in this quest. Forum’s sessions will conclude with the issue of Sustainability, where attendees will hear presentations such as: the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership; how to define and communicate sustainability with regards to flexo; and sustainable inks, substrates and solvents. Forum Events Coinciding with FTA’s Annual Forum is the INFO*FLEX Exhibition, the annual gathering of buyers, sellers, educators, students, and professional flexographers representing all aspects of flexography and in-line converting.

Sunday night will play host to the annual banquet and awards reception. On Monday, attendees are invited to a special 50th Anniversary Luncheon where FTA will unveil its limited edition, 50-year commemorative journal. Finally, Tuesday night’s special event, the Golden Jubilee, will take place at the SpeedZone® race park.

The Early Bird rate (through March 14) for a Full Forum Registration is $895.00 for FTA Members and $1,790.00 for non-members. Registrations can be made online at the FTA Store (www.ftastore.com) or by calling FTA’s customer service department at 631-737-6020.

Prospective attendees looking for more information about FFTA’s 2008 Annual Forum & INFO*FLEX Exhibition, including sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, and venue and hotel details, can visit the FTA Web site at www.flexography.org.