With more than 35 years’ experience in the packaging printing industry, Chemence Graphics pioneered the use of a KODAK FLEXCEL NX Wide 4260 CTP System in the Spanish market several years ago. The company has now decided to enlarge the format of the laminator and installed a Kodak Flexcel NX Wide 5080 System, also from Miraclon, at its facility in Amposta, Spain.
“The new device allows the company to manufacture top quality, large-size plates for the corrugated board printing market to eliminate the need for splicing, reduce waste and optimize production,” explains Jorge Rubio, Manager of Chemence Graphics. “The larger plates give us flexibility when switching from one order to another, increasing our agility and reducing waste, thanks to the maximum plate format of 1270 x 2032mm. We use the Flexcel NXC plate, which delivers better ink coverage in spot colour printing and a good transition in gradients. This minimises the effect of material waves for the corrugated printer, which means working with less pressure between the plate and the substrate,” says Rubio.
It was clear for Chemence’s Manager that Miraclon would be the go-to supplier for this equipment upgrade. Rubio adds, “Chemence Graphics Spain has a large fleet of machinery to produce all types of plates, and we wanted to continue to offer a service of the highest caliber. While it is true that in recent years the sector in general has made great strides forward in quality, both in plates and in machinery and software, Flexcel NX Technology from Miraclon is still a step ahead.”
According to Rubio, with the installation of the Flexcel NX Wide 5080 System, Chemence has not only improved quality and format flexibility, but also increased its production capacity by around 40%, an investment that has clearly paid off. “We have been working with the NX System for many years and have no doubts whatsoever about its quality and results. We are totally satisfied, as are our customers who use this solution. And although it is still too early for them to assess the full impact of the new equipment as it has only just been installed, we are convinced that the quality offered by the NX System, together with our experience in NX technology, puts us at the forefront of delivering some of the highest quality print in Spain.”
The texturisation of the plate surface using DIGICAP NX Patterning, which is part of the Flexcel NX System, guarantees higher densities, a wider colour gamut and improvements in the utilisation of combination plates, making it possible to reduce the number of plates required for each job. Rubio adds, “The possibility of using Digicap NX Patterning has enabled us to improve ink transfer on different substrates and achieve higher densities, and to widen the colour gamut. It has also allowed us to create designs with fewer colours, in some cases completing orders with a smaller number of inks.”
Chemence Graphics Spain also uses Kodak Squarespot Imaging technology to provide exceptional quality, productivity and uniformity. “This technology gives us the possibility to work with a very high recording resolution that sees us consistently recording minimum percentages below 1%, thus achieving a great result in high-light designs. It also allows us to keep our process more stable, and commercially these features pave the way for improvements in the different markets we serve,” says Rubio.
