Nu-Maber updates flexo plate processing line to include Asahi Photoproducts Technology

2022-05-28 10:22:42 By : Mr. Zway Zhou

Inline plate processing and Asahi AWP-DEW CleanPrint water-washable plates increase throughput

Asahi Photoproducts, an enterprise in flexographic photopolymer plate development, recently reported that leading Italian-based repro house Nu-Maber, serving the flexo prepress market in Italy since 1978, has updated its flexo plate processing line with the latest technology from Asahi Photoproducts, including Asahi AWP-DEW water-washable CleanPrint plates and an Asahi AWP-4260 PLF automated inline processor with processing, drying and light finishing. This new configuration is Industry 4.0 compatible with remote maintenance and support capability, including Smart Glass option for the ultimate in modern remote support technology. Asahi AWP-DEW water-washable plates are ideal for the highest quality flexographic applications, including flexible packaging and labels, and are designed to move away from VOC washout solvent-based plate processing, offering a cleaner alternative to the flexo industry.

“Nu-Maber and Asahi have been partnering for more than 30 years,” said Livio Simionato, Nu-Maber’s chief executive officer. “We were the first in Italy to adopt Asahi’s AWP water-wash technology, and our customers have appreciated the quality, productivity, and eco-footprint of these plates. With the new line we installed, we have increased our throughput and dramatically reduced intermediate steps and operator intervention. With the AWP-DEW plates, we are bringing new benefits to our customers across the board, in the narrow-, medium- and wide-web flexo markets. We are excited about the continued innovations we see from Asahi and look forward to continuing our partnership for many years to come.”

The AWP-4260 PLF is the latest flagship generation automated inline processor designed for AWP-DEW water-washable CleanPrint plates. It is composed of an automatic punching device, a processor, an air knife, and a light finisher. The automatic line doubles the washout speed compared to the previous machines using AWP-DEF. It is designed to process water-washable AWP-DEW plates in two standard formats: 1200×900 millimeter (48×36 inches) or 1067×1524 millimeter (42×60 inches) with a thickness from 1,14 to 1,70 millimeter. AWP water-wash technology delivers the smallest carbon footprint from cradle to grave when compared to alternative platemaking technologies.

Simionato notes that Asahi’s AWP-DEW CleanPrint plates are more durable, have better ink transfer for cleaner print, and have a low environmental impact when compared to the competition. The plates ensure rapid run-up on the press to deliver excellent print quality and minimal waste. Asahi AWP-DEW CleanPrint plates have been specifically developed by Asahi chemical engineers to transfer remaining ink to the printed substrate, reducing press stops for plate cleaning while delivering exceptional consistent quality throughout the entire run and boosting OEE in the pressroom.

With more than 40 years’ experience in prepress and flexo printing, Nu-Maber supplies plates and other services to a variety of packaging segments, including food, nonfood, hygiene and sanitary, beverages, tissue, labels, and more. Nu-Maber, founded in 1978, designs and produces sets of forms for flexographic printing of flexible packaging, labels, paper, and plastic bags, shrink labels, adhesive tape, gift wraps, paper table covers, school books; and many other applications, delivering high-quality plates that produce optimal print results. Nu-Maber is ISO 9001-2015 certified.

Asahi Photoproducts was founded in 1973 and is a subsidiary of the Asahi Kasei Corporation. Asahi Photoproducts is an enterprise in the development of photopolymer flexo printing plates. By creating high quality flexographic solutions and through continued innovation, the company aims at driving print forward in harmony with the environment.

The Covid-19 pandemic led to the country-wide lockdown on 25 March 2020. It will be two years tomorrow as I write this. What have we learned in this time? Maybe the meaning of resilience since small companies like us have had to rely on our resources and the forbearance of our employees as we have struggled to produce our trade platforms.

The print and packaging industries have been fortunate, although the commercial printing industry is still to recover. We have learned more about the digital transformation that affects commercial printing and packaging. Ultimately digital will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future.

Web analytics show that we now have readership in North America and Europe amongst the 90 countries where our five platforms reach. Our traffic which more than doubled in 2020, has at times gone up by another 50% in 2021. And advertising which had fallen to pieces in 2020 and 2021, has started its return since January 2022.

As the economy approaches real growth with unevenness and shortages a given, we are looking forward to the PrintPack India exhibition in Greater Noida. We are again appointed to produce the Show Daily on all five days of the show from 26 to 30 May 2022.

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