Harper Corp. of America

Charlotte, N.C.—Before an audience of nearly 650, the Charlotte Chamber honored Ron and Katherine Harper, founders of global anilox supplier Harper Corporation of America, as the Charlotte Chamber’s 2007 Manufacturing Champions at an awards gala at the Westin Charlotte on September 11. The Harpers’ award is a piece of art created by North Carolina glassblowing artist Kenny Pieper. Nominated by the Charlotte Chamber’s Manufacturers Council for their ingenuity in manufacturing and their commitment to professional education, the Harpers join the ranks of distinguished manufacturing champions recognized by the Chamber in the past, including Ruth Shaw of Duke Energy and Dan Dimico of Nucor Corporation.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Global anilox supplier Harper Corporation of America has made a major equipment donation to Fort Mill High School in Fort Mill, S.C. The high school’s graphic communications department will receive the donation of a FlexSys Press Simulator and a Macintosh computer with monitor. “We are absolutely thrilled to get these machines,” said Jerry Howell, graphic communications teacher at Fort Mill High School. “Harper has always been very generous to us and supportive of our program with the donation of its high-quality anilox rolls. The addition of this gift gives our program a real leg up.” “It’s very exciting to support the expansion of

CHICAGO, Ill.—Having built a successful flexographic training concept during the past 10 years, The DiTrolio Flexographic Institute (DFI) school will now expand its reach and curriculum to provide educational opportunities for more young people interested in a career in flexography. This will enable DFI to respond to the growing number of industry inquiries for skilled workers with an in-depth knowledge of the flexographic process. And, that takes money. With government funding options increasingly limited, owner Vince DiTrolio called his friends Ron and Katherine Harper to solicit their advice and to assess alternative methods to increase revenues to fund a more comprehensive program. The Harpers,

CHICAGO, Ill.—The DiTrolio Flexographic Institute (DFI) is about to begin a dynamic new era. Having built a successful flexographic training concept during the past 10 years, the school will now expand its reach and curriculum to provide educational opportunities for more young people interested in a career in flexography. This action will enable DFI to respond in a positive manner to the growing number of inquiries from the industry for skilled workers with an in-depth knowledge of the flexographic process. And that takes money. With government funding options increasingly limited, owner Vince DiTrolio called his friends Ron and Katherine Harper to solicit their advice

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Global anilox supplier Harper Corporation of America announced that it has chosen Uniplastic Ind e Com Ltda of Brazil to be the exclusive agent for Harper anilox products in Brazil. Uniplastic is a privately owned company offering high quality products and technical assistance for converters in the narrow-, medium-, and wide-web segments of the flexography industry. It offers solvent inks, tape products, and now, anilox rolls. According to Walter Chain, co-owner and administrative director of Uniplastic, “Our goal is to supply the printing industry with products and services that make production easier and faster, and that offer production cost savings. It’s very important

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Global anilox supplier Harper Corporation of America announces the availability of printing anilox-to-plate volume and screen calculators that complement Platinum XLT surface products. The Platinum XLT pocket-size calculator provides both metric and imperial conversions. “The Platinum XLT calculator quickly allows users to determine the best anilox-to-plate screen combination for process and vignette printing,” said Jim Harper of Harper Corporation. “It provides print room management and press crews with a helpful tool to double-check the anilox and plate configuration, and ensure proper ratios for new jobs. The calculator takes into account minimum dot size, outlining actual dot sizes for plates from 55 to 200

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Last month, the Greater Carolinas Red Cross dedicated the Katherine Harper Disaster Staging Area as part of the Sadie Fowler Disaster Center in Charlotte, N.C. Ron and Katherine Harper were among key players in the creation of the Disaster Center. The Harpers—owners of Harper Corporation of America—provided money for the creation of a staging area within The Sadie Fowler Disaster Center. The Katherine Harper Disaster Staging Area provides 2,000 square feet of multi-use space for storing, loading and deploying disaster equipment and supplies. This center is unique in that it is only one of a dozen facilities of its kind among Red Cross

It’s a job that Mr. Clean probably wouldn’t take on, but somebody’s got to do it! Cleaning anilox rolls on a regular basis is part of every printer’s routine—a critical requirement for reliable flexographic printing. Even though anilox roll cleaning is a common requirement in flexo printing, problems still abound due to misapplication or lack of knowledge. To get an idea of some real-world problems (and solutions) in the industry, packagePRINTING contacted a number of companies that provide anilox roll cleaning solutions to see how they solved specific customer problems. They supplied the ­following examples. Clogged up Bill Poulson, northeast technical graphic advisor

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—On May 1, the Greater Carolinas Red Cross officially dedicated the Katherine Harper Disaster Staging Area as part of the Sadie Fowler Disaster Center in Charlotte, N.C. Ron and Katherine Harper were among key players in the creation of the Disaster Center. The Harpers—owners of Harper Corporation of America, which pioneered the industrial plasma flame-spraying technology for anilox rolls—provided money for the creation of a staging area within The Sadie Fowler Disaster Center. The Katherine Harper Disaster Staging Area provides 2,000 square feet of multi-use space for storing, loading and deploying disaster equipment and supplies. This center is unique in that it is

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Global anilox supplier Harper Corporation of America now offers the flexo industry an anilox care magnet at no cost to take care of such a critical investment. The quality of the care and maintenance a roll receives directly impacts print quality and printer costs. Harper’s new magnet offers care advice in basic terms for unpacking, handling, cleaning, and other care issues. Easily visible, this valuable pressroom tool adheres to and can be removed from any metal surface, including press side frames, tool boxes, and file cabinets.