Esko is reporting several successes with its new Full HD Flexo technology at customer sites throughout the world. At drupa 2012, Esko first presented the next-generation HD Flexo plate imaging concept technology: Full HD Flexo. Now, six months later, Esko is happy to report customer acceptance and successes at several sites around the world, amongst whom is the well-known German flexo company Bischof + Klein.

Bischof + Klein : very consistently reproduced quality

Bischof + Klein (>), based in Germany, is one of Europe's leading full-service suppliers of flexible plastic and paper packaging and technical films. Helmut Wenzl, Operations Manager at the Konzell printing plant of Bischof + Klein, comments: "Thanks to the installation of Esko's CDI with Inline UV2, Bischof + Klein is able to execute 'Full HD' flexo printing with high screen rulings and a convincing solid ink laydown. The first productions in higher print runs up to 250.000m also showed a very consistently reproduced quality, with print results exactly matching the proofs. We therefore already have many production jobs to be handled with Full HD Flexo in the pipeline. The positive feedback of our customers and last but not least, the DTFA-Award we've won, assured us we choose the right path with Esko's Full HD Flexo."

"We will convert all round top HD Flexo jobs to Full HD Flexo. The exciting thing is that Full HD Flexo gives a much better long run consistency of fine highlights at high lineatures," adds André K?lker, Team Leader Repro / Project Manager at Bischof + Klein.

Full HD Flexo technology

The Full HD Flexo technology combines Inline UV2 digital main exposure inside the Cyrel Digital Flexo plate imager (CDI) with innovative HD imaging and screening technology. Full HD Flexo extends the boundaries of flexo printing for flexible packaging. By enabling the formation of different dot structures in one single plate, the combination of smooth highlight printing and gravure-like solid ink laydown can be achieved. The result is a superior flexo plate that is delivering unique print quality in highlights, midtones, shadows and solids of a print job. It raises flexo print quality to an unprecedented level - comparable to gravure, digital print and even offset - and allows customers to cost-effectively deliver against the specific requirements of brand owners. "We go beyond the binary discussion of flat top dots or round top dots, and create the best possible combination of dot structures on one and the same plate. Especially for flexible packaging converters this is a giant step forward as work can be done more cost effective without loss in quality, while gaining brand color consistency," says Dr. Thomas Klein, R&D Manager Flexo Business at Esko.

Rolling out Full HD Flexo

"The fast acceptance and excellent results of this new technology are encouraging", concludes Juergen Andresen, Vice President Flexo Business at Esko, "Now we are finalizing installations at a range of early adopter sites, we get ready for a global rollout as from early 2013 onwards."