Ghent (Belgium) and Foster City, Calif., July 9, 2007 - Esko, the leading global system integrator for packaging pre-production, announces FlexProof/E, a new proofing output solution and the result of a product development and new distribution partnership between EFI, the world leader in color digital print servers, superwide format printers and inks, and print management solutions, and Esko. The new output module, incorporating high quality drivers powered by EFI Bestcolor(r) technology, is able to output to a wide variety of inkjet proofing devices, ensuring contract proof print quality.
With the integration of EFI Bestcolor technology, Esko FlexProof/E drives the inkjet devices directly without the need for an additional software RIP. The operator can be sure that the proof from Esko FlexProof/E will be created from exactly the same data used for the final production plate.
Bringing together leading proofing technologies
The quality of inkjet proofing has evolved tremendously over the past few years, and cheaper, mid-range proofing devices have challenged high-end proofing devices with increased print quality, color gamut and stability. To make contract proofing on inkjet devices work for high-end packaging applications, a good RIP, drivers and calibration software are needed. Esko FlexProof/E builds upon the existing Esko FlexProof open-architecture technology that drives a wide variety of devices. Esko FlexProof/E also delivers calibration and centralized color management based on Esko's highly acclaimed ICC-compatible Kaleidoscope color technology.
Esko's expertise in color management and EFI's expertise in proofing provide the ideal basis for a complementary solution resulting in improved color and print quality and consistency. While one of Esko's key skills is in managing input from a color management system, EFI, with its Bestcolor technology, provides expertise in managing digital inkjet output devices; particularly when they have more than four colors.
"To work with inkjet devices for packaging contract proofing is quite a challenge. There are spot colors and different substrates that need to be simulated on an inkjet device," explains Jan De Roeck, Director Workflow Software Esko. "With FlexProof/E our users get the best of both worlds: the color management experience from Esko and the device output expertise from EFI. The result is a perfect 'proof to press' match, offering consistency from proof to plate. On top of that, Esko offers all the necessary tools in one single package-and the possibility to fully integrate with the Esko Packaging Software Suite 7."
Clear customer benefits
Esko FlexProof/E is fully compatible with ICC profiles and comes with an extensive list of paper profiles. When Esko Kaleidoscope is used with Esko FlexProof/E, it delivers exceptional contract proofing with a number of benefits:
* Full control to produce consistent, color-accurate packaging proofs exactly matching the press.
* Best possible print quality for a wide range of inkjet proofing devices
* Fully integrated in Esko Software Suite 7, with no need for a third-party RIP.
* Workflow efficiency: drive both proof and plate output from the same workflow system
* Color management made easy: default profiles supplied for easy startup
* ICC-compatible color management software for uncompromised spot color proofing
* Improved dot proofing capabilities
"EFI recognizes Esko as a leading solutions provider in packaging. And EFI, with more than 55,000 global installations of our Bestcolor technology-driven inkjet proofing solution, is the world leader of proofing solutions," said Stefan Spiegel, General Manager, EFI Graphic Arts Solutions. "Esko and EFI technologies complement one another and together in FlexProof/E deliver a complete solution for the flexo/packaging market. Leveraging the synergistic partnership between two leading companies in our industry, we've designed a solution that brings great value to customers."
Availability
Esko FlexProof/E is sold exclusively through Esko. More information is available at www.esko.com.