Flint Group Showcases History of Innovation at Labelexpo Americas 2012

Flint Group, who has been leading product innovations for more than 40 years, invites visitors to take a ride on the Flint Group time machine to take a tour through the milestone developments in inks, plates and sleeve/adapter technology. Showcasing a full range of products for label printers, Flint Group experts offer insight and solutions for narrow web printing at booth 840 at Labelexpo Americas, Sept. 11-13.

Flint Group Flexographic Products will showcase the following novel technologies:
• nyloflex NExT exposure technology to produce precisely defined surfaces on Flat Top Dots, resulting in extremely high print quality with excellent ink lay-down. The new technology utilizes high intensity UV LEDs to react instantaneously with the photopolymer plate, which virtually eliminates oxygen inhibition without extra process steps or additional consumable items such as inert gas or film.
• new nyloflex ACE printing plates, a high durometer flexographic plate offering premium print quality for label printing. The new plates produce sharp reproductions of very fine halftones, smooth vignettes and high contrast images with excellent ink transfer.

“When using the new nyloflex ACE plates in combination with the nyloflex NExT exposure and surface screening technologies, we have seen significant improvements in solid ink densities, smoother solids and improvements in white ink opacity, while at the same time, reducing ink consumption,” explained Rich Emmerling, technical manager. “In addition, the new nyloflex ACE plates improve efficiency due to superior durability and excellent cleaning behavior, resulting in longer print runs with less cleaning stops. This combination offers a smart solution for meeting today’s challenges in label and narrow web printing.”
• rotec Label Sleeve, developed specifically for narrow and mid web printing with increased dimensional stability and excellent edge stability. The highly durable sleeve exhibits excellent concentricity under various temperature/humidity conditions and performs well with virtually all types of adapters, plates and mounting tapes. rotec Label Sleeves can be customized with the addition of special upgrades, such as notches and end rings to further enhance the durability and to extend the sleeve life.

Flint Group Narrow Web will showcase the following developments:
• EkoCure, the first-ever UV LED ink technology designed for both UV flexo and UV rotary screen applications. The EkoCure ink series is a true milestone development and a testimonial to Flint Group’s product leadership position.
• CombiScreen, a silicone-free UV Rotary Screen Ink with stunning color strength, and excellent printability. Perfected for combination printing, CombiScreen inks provide excellent results when printed in combination with other ink technologies.
• Introducing the “Flexo to Screen” concept. For those printers who run both UV flexo and UV rotary screen, Flint Group Narrow Web will introduce to the North American market the “Flexo to Screen” concept, taking a UV flexo ink and converting this to a UV rotary screen ink, providing a robust screen ink, which allows printers to reduce inventories.
• Flexocure ANCORA, a true low migration UV Flexo ink designed specifically for food packaging applications. Providing exactly what label printers have been looking for – an ink that ensures final packaging construction passes the most stringent migration tests with absolutely no compromise in performance.

“The secret of Flint Group Narrow Web’s success in product leadership lies with the company’s strong focus on staying ahead of the market with product innovations that provide value to converters,” said Niklas Olsson, Flint Group Narrow Web global brand manager. “Flint Group has been a true innovator for over 40 years – launching milestone developments beginning with the first-ever dedicated label ink in 1963. In 2012, we bring the first-ever UV LED inks for narrow web printing in a full range of colors designed for combination printing.”

Visit stand 840 for mini-seminars every day of the show – Speaker’s Corner Seminar Series 2012 will educate converters on current hot topics through brief presentations by the Flint Group experts:
• 10:30 a.m. – Food Packaging & Labeling
• 1:30 p.m. – The NExT Technology from Flint Group
• 3:30 p.m. – UV LED Technology – The Time is Now!

Flint Group will host the eighth annual Narrow Web Print Awards celebration at Booth 840 on Wednesday, Sept. 12, unveiling the names of those printers whose submissions exemplify excellence in the wide world of narrow web printing. Label converters from around the world are encouraged to submit samples of their choosing for evaluation by a panel of industry judges.

Entries will be placed in categories relating to technology and application. Contact Deanna Whelan in the U.S. at [email protected], or Mr. Olsson in Europe at [email protected] for further information.