Esko installs 5,000th flexo platemaking unit

Esko, a provider of integrated software and hardware products, has installed its CDI plate imaging unit at Inovar Packaging Group in Texas, USA. It’s also the 5000th sale of Esko’s CDI and XPS exposure unit platemaking equipment.

On this occasion, Jan De Roeck, director of marketing, industry relations and strategy at Esko, said: ‘This is a terrific landmark for Esko and our flexo platemaking equipment. For more than 25 years, we have worked tirelessly to develop flexo platemaking equipment that help shorten lead times, maximize press uptime, and reduce operator interaction to improve overall efficiency. To reach this milestone is testament to the innovation of the development team and to those customers who have embraced the technology all around the world.’

The first Esko CDI–which stands for Cyrel Digital Imager–was installed at Warburger Klischee-Anstalt in Warburg, Germany, in 1996. Two decades later, in 2016, Esko introduced its Crystal XPS LED plate exposure device, with the first machine that rolled off the production line installed at Glatz Klischee in Austria.

Roeck commented: ‘Over the years, both CDI and XPS have continually evolved to meet the ever-changing demands of brands, converters and their plate suppliers. For example, the latest version of the innovative CDI Crystal harnesses the power of our crystal optics and screening technology, ensuring flawless plates that excel in high print output and press stability for all flexo print applications.’

The company claims that the CDI Crystal drives plate-room efficiency, with a 73 percent reduction in operator time. Streamlined workflow reduces complexity and results in a 50 percent reduction in manual steps and errors. Advanced laser imaging technology and high-resolution optics offer precision and clarity, while the utilization of HD flexo and crystal technologies deliver high-quality plates, which subsequently ensure optimum print results.

‘Similarly, with the XPS Crystal, we have supported brand owners who are under considerable pressure to not only deliver quality packaging but also to respond to consumer needs and accelerate their sustainability commitments,’ added Roeck.

In 2023, GreenCircle – an internationally recognized third-party certification entity that independently verifies the validity of sustainability claims awarded Esko’s XPS Crystal energy savings (41 percent for trade shops, 59 percent for converters) and dematerialization (92 percent reduction in waste) certification.

‘The XPS Crystal uses a UV LED array instead of mercury tubes used in a traditional main exposure bank light table,’ said Roeck. ‘This not only significantly improves the quality and consistency of flexo plates, but the UV power required for perfect exposure of a flexo plate is provided absolutely uniformly through the preset parameters by a single click per plate type and plate thickness.’

Roeck said that while reaching the CDI and XPS sales milestone was exciting, Esko was already focusing on further innovation with its flexo technologies.

‘We have just unveiled the new CDI Crystal XPS Quartz edition at drupa, adding a top-of-the-line edition to the range and further building on the success of both the CDI and XPS,’ added Roeck. ‘With this latest innovation, we're elevating quality to new heights, empowering flexo printers to deliver the absolute highest quality results for their customers.’