Fujifilm hosts prime label summit

The event on June 22 is part of an ongoing series and was intended to be 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, all within Fujifilm’s Technology Center in Hanover Park, Illinois.

After a corporate overview and packaging market snapshot from Fujifilm’s North American Graphic Systems leadership, the attendees heard from Chris Lynn of Hillman Technology Partners, who discussed the growing opportunities to add value in the label segment with digital inkjet technology.

Attendees got up close to the Graphium, Fujifilm’s 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.

‘The hands-on demonstrations of Fujifilm’s impressive line-up of solutions allow 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, Graphic Systems Division.

Attendees also had the opportunity to learn more about Fujifilm’s innovations in flexographic inks, plates and platemaking.

The Flexnex FW water-washable plate system has the ability to form flat-top dots, and reproduce 200lpi with halftone dots from 1 percent to 99 percent.

‘Flexnex is changing conventional thinking about water-washable plates,’ said Jon Fultz, product marketing manager, Fujifim North America. ‘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.’

While learning more about packaging technology, attendees also listened to a panel discussion of current Graphium and Flenex users.

‘Flexibility with the Graphium is a huge advantage,’ said Jeff Kerlin, president and CEO, Tailored Label Products, a Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based engineering-focused label manufacturing company. ‘The key features and benefits of the Graphium were major influencers for us, including the ability to print UV inkjet variable data, the die cut and the lamination stations, as well as the modular flexo decks before and after the digital print engine, and finally, the in-line finishing capabilities.’