YRG implements Asahi Photoproducts AWP system for fixed color palette printing

Asahi’s AWP technology has been designed as an environmentally sustainable plate option, minimizing wherever possible waste. The plates are water washable and do not rely on harsh solvents. The water is also reused in the process, being filtered and recycled through the plate processing system. The system is further free from volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. The entire plate manufacturing process does not generate any waste other than unexposed polymer residues, which are collected as ‘dry cake’ and safely repurposed as a combustive agent for incineration waste plants.

And as AWP plates do not absorb much water, the drying time of the plate is reduced by up to two to three times that of solvent cleaned plate systems. This results in cost and space reductions for the plate making room, as energy-demanding hot air dryers are not required.

Mark Gration, group managing director at YRG, explained that the company has seen growing demand for packaging produced using the fixed color palette printing process due to its many efficiencies, including reduced ink inventories, faster make-ready, fewer press stops and less waste.

‘It significantly reduces job changeover times since no wash-ups are required between jobs, he said. ‘But to achieve the quality that brand owners demand requires precise registration. That’s why we chose to use Asahi AWP water washable plates for those clients using fixed color palette printing. The quality that can be achieved with these plates surpasses flat top dot printing quality, making the AWP plate the best plate in the market for this purpose.’

YRG, which is the first repro house in the world to comply with the ISO-12647 color standard, strongly believes in the ability of the fixed color palette printing process to ensure the future viability of the flexographic printing process. Moving forward, YRG plans to further develop its in-plant platemaking services at customer printing sites.

‘This will enable us to help our clients further reduce turn times in the plate-to-press process to meet the needs of the changing market environment, which is increasingly demanding just-in-time production,’ Gration added.

‘And the Asahi AWP system’s ease of use and environmental friendliness will be an important factor in moving this process closer to press operations.’