Fujifilm North America Corporation’s Graphic Systems Division recently hosted a Prime Label Technology Summit at its Chicago Technology Center in Hanover Park, Illinois, showcasing innovative packaging technology and trends to invited attendees.
The event, part of an ongoing series, is a “collaborative information exchange” allowing senior-level label and packaging professionals to share their challenges and insights, interact with industry experts, and learn more about Fujifilm’s entire graphic systems portfolio.
After a Corporate Overview and Packaging Market ‘snapshot’ from Fujifilm’s North American Graphic Systems leadership, attendees gained insights from Chris Lynn of Hillman Technology Partners, who discussed the growing opportunities to add value in the label segment with digital inkjet technology.
Attendees then got up close to the Graphium, a high-speed modular digital UV inkjet press with the option to integrate flexo and finishing stations for hybrid production and conversion in a single pass – greatly expanding what can be converted.
Graphium, said Fujifilm, represents the next generation of UV inkjet press for labels, packaging and specialty print that enables profitable printing of short-run jobs while boosting productivity and producing new print options previously unavailable through traditional flexo technologies. Graphium makes converting short to medium print jobs more profitable because the press streamlines workflow, requires less set-up materials, reduces waste and eliminates overruns, said the OEM.
“The hands-on demonstrations of Fujifilm’s impressive line-up of solutions allowed attendees to understand how these innovations can be incorporated into their operations to better serve their customers,” said Mike Barry, Product Marketing Manager, Fujifilm North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division.
Attendees also had the opportunity to learn more about Fujifilm’s innovations in flexographic inks, plates and platemaking. The Flenex FW water-washable plate system was eye-opening for attendees due to its ability to form flat-top dots, and reproduce 200 lpi with halftone dots from 1% to 99%.
“Flenex is changing conventional thinking about water-washable plates,” said Jon Fultz, Product Marketing Manager, Fujifilm North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “In addition to their outstanding quality, Flenex plates have very good ink transfer and exceptional wear resistance to consistently maintain print quality – even when printing long-run jobs.”
Compared to solvent processing, drying time is greatly reduced, productivity is increased, and there’s a reduced impact on the environment. The water-wash system also eliminates the need for solvents, wicking cloths and thermal equipment, said Fujifilm.
