J AQUAFLEX Visit www.aquaflex.com Model Web Width (in.) Max. Print Width (in.) Speed (fpm) Instaprep 10, 13 13 500 Write 558 on Reader Service Form, See Ad p.46 J COMCO Visit www.markandy.com Model Speed (fpm) Web Width (in.) ProGlide MSP 500 18, 22, 26 Write 559 on Reader Service Form, See Ads p. 35, 65 J DRENT GOEBEL
APPLETON, Wis.—In its commitment to providing exemplary graphic arts/printing education and training for the flexographic printing industry, Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, WI, recently updated its narrow web pressroom technology by replacing its 7-inch Comco Cadet with a new six-color, 7-inch Mark Andy 2200. The upgrade was made possible because of the partnership the college has with Mark Andy. "This new press is a tremendous addition to our already world-class facility," said Gary Kilgas, dean of FVTC's Graphic Arts Division. "The press allows our students to gain the skills necessary to be successful in the industry today and into the future." According to
CHARLOTTE, N.C.—You can personally sponsor an individual high school student's travel by providing Frequent Flyer Points or an airline ticket for those participating in the International Phoenix Challenge High School Flexo Skills Competition, April 7-8, 2005. The annual competition, held at the Harper Campus, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC, anticipates about 46 students competing in 2005 on one Mark Andy and two Comco flexo presses; with at least 32 of the participants traveling from outside the Carolinas. Students from Toronto, Canada; Winnipeg, Canada; New Jersey and Wisconsin, etc., will be flying to Charlotte for the intense two-day competition, accompanied by their teachers/instructors. According
For narrow-web press manufacturers, slender is the way to go. by Joy English, Assistant Editor IN THE UNITED States, it seems as though almost everything comes in super-sized proportions, from french fries and sodas to trashbags and toilet paper. But increased numbers do not necessarily equate to increased value. Narrow-web press suppliers will agree. They are offering converters a "super-sized" value, without the extra inches. And converters looking for short-run flexibility with quick changeovers are finding that narrow-web presses are opening the door to increased flexibility and more options. Narrowing the field Narrow-web presses, generally less than 24˝ wide, are making short-runs and
Experts say much of narrow-web flexo's growth lies in films, but converters must carefully choose technological tactics to combat the competition. "Paper or plastic?" used to be a standard question grocery shoppers would hear on their way through the checkout line. These days, many store clerks don't even bother to ask for a preference. Plastic bags have captured more than three-quarters of the grocery and convenience store market, and are often the only type of bag seen at the checkout. The grocery bag debate has long been closed, but "paper or plastic?" is becoming an ever-more-burning question for printers in
These products and companies were the most sought-after in 2002 by packagePRINTING readers. Top 10: Prepress Equipment 1. Creo—PDF-based packaging workflow Prinergy Powerpack, copydot scanning systems, film imagers, and CtP devices 2. Agfa—Workflow and color management systems including the AgfaScan XY-15 Plus, Sherpa 43 Inkjet system, and Lithostar plates 3. Kodak Polychrome Graphics—Offers Digital and conventional plates, film, and proofing and color technologies including the Kodak Approval XP unit 4. BASF—Offers Nyloflex® and Nyloprint® equipment combinations for processing photopolymer flexo and letterpress plates and sleeves 5. MacDermid—Broad range of sheet, liquid, digital, and water-wash photopolymer plates, platemaking equipment, sleeves,
The printing possibilities on combination presses has a variety of end-users looking for more out of their applications. by Sean Riley, Associate Editor THE WORD IS now out on combination printing and customers are clamoring to their converters for more mileage out of their package printing. They want packaging that leaps off of store shelves and contains as much color, style, and information as is possible to produce. Combination narrow web presses have been at the forefront in fulfilling these needs quite well, but printers have found that their customers are insatiable when it comes to the combo process. Buyers from new markets
Top-Quality Printing Narrow-web flexo presses incorporate a variety of features that 'set the stage' for superior print quality. THIS YEAR'S JUDGING for packagePRINTING's Excellence Awards had the judges working overtime. The reason: the overall quality of the entries was just so good, virtually each entry had to be analyzed with a fine-tooth comb. Nowhere was this more evident than in the flexographic printing categories. It's obvious that the design improvements incorporated into today's flexo presses are being put to good use in the package printing industry. As usual, it is not just one upgrade that does the job, but a series of well-engineered
Though UV flexo threatens widespread letterpress longevity, suppliers and printers insist it will survive. by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor JUST HOW FAR along is the industry's migration from letterpress? And will UV flexo-fondness lead to the complete disappearance of the letterpress label? In an informal poll conducted on the pP Web site, while many respondents predicted letterpress would be phased out within ten years, a majority believed the process would always be in use. For Ko-Pack International customers, the primary letterpress investment has been additional equipment for capacity, notes Sales Director Gerry Nigg. He believes letterpress presses will benefit from incorporation of
Fiscal anxiety may lead converters to delay press investments and additions. See below for a guide to narrow-web press series and their respective levels of investment. by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor THE "WAIT AND SEE" mentality has descended upon the narrow-web print set and its purse strings. While press manufacturers continued to heighten the graphic sophistication level of narrow-web presses in 2001 with improved press models, many converters may not consider capitalizing on those technology gains until the economic picture comes into focus. Relatively, the narrow-web market is in a much better boat than many other printer segments. Printing Industries of America's (PIA)
