Original article from Asahi Photoproducts
Tokyo, Japan & Brussels, Belgium, 13. October 2016
Asahi Photoproducts, a pioneer in flexographic photopolymer plate development, today announced that Flexoshop, a repro and platemaking house based in Colchester, Essex, UK, has moved its plate production from Flat Top Dot plates to the premium quality Asahi AWP flexographic plate system. Designed for high quality print performance, the AWP water washable plate outperforms the best digital plates currently available for flexo and produces higher quality than Flat Top Dot plates. For the first time, a digital photopolymer plate can hold extremely small stable dots – smaller than those of solvent processed plates – and its stability on press is superior to solvent plates, with numerous associated environmental and waste reduction benefits. Its precise register ensures faster make ready and reduced waste on press.
Managing Director Simon Drane says, “What spurred me to make the move was a printer client who had to outsource his highest quality work to a digital printer because the plates we were using couldn’t meet the quality demands of his customer. We decided to invest in an Asahi AWP 2530 plate setter with AWP water washable plates and have never looked back. That printer is now able to produce the highest quality work in house and better serve his customer from both a price and performance perspective. That experience prompted us to make our AWP water washable plates the centrepiece of our new business acquisition strategy. The Asahi AWP water washable plate is the best plate you can buy on the market. We were not getting anywhere near this quality with our previous Flat Top Dot plates.”
The AWP™ 2530 Auto plate processor is designed to meet the quality requirements of even the most demanding customers. Its combined processor and plate technology is engineered to deliver a sustainable quality output that produces vivid colours and high quality screening. Its water processor is an environmentally sound solution that drives print forward in balance with the environment. Its automated water washing system conserves water, uses no chemicals and generates a plate every 25 minutes. It uses 6 litres of water per plate, as opposed to the 15 litres of solvent per plate used in a typical solvent-based platemaking process.
AWP water washable plates use Pinning Technology for Clean Transfer, a unique plate technology is specifically engineered to transfer all remaining ink to the print substrate due to the photopolymer plates having a lower surface energy than other plates on the market. Not only does this deliver stunning graphical quality, but it also improves overall production efficiencies due to reduced make ready waste and fewer press wash-ups.
“Repro houses are facing an increasingly competitive market,” says Paul Chant, UK Branch Manager of Asahi. “Forward-looking firms like Flexoshop, who are making the necessary investments for the future of their businesses, will be well positioned for success into the future. We are proud to be their partner.”