Global leader in prepress and workflow solutions delivers results that make label and tag producers smile

Ghent (Belgium) – Esko announced today it will be demonstrating an array of innovative solutions for the label and tag industry at Labelexpo Europe 2013, scheduled for 24-27 September at the Brussels Expo in Belgium. The newest release of Esko's Full HD Flexo solution – Full HD Flexo for Labels – along with the popular CDI digital flexo plate imagers will be featured on Esko's stand 5B25. Visitors should also not miss the opportunity to visit Esko for an update on the latest prepress and workflow solutions and applications within its Suite 12. 

"The label and tag industry remains of strategic importance for Esko. In that respect, Labelexpo Europe is a pivotal event to showcase our dedicated technologies and solutions,” says Armand Gougay, Vice President EMEA at Esko. “We will take the opportunity to provide industry education on the latest advances in our solutions - and show how these deliver results that make customers smile."

Esko’s presence in its own stand and those of partners will cover all areas of label and tag creation: from design and workflow automation to flexo platemaking, digital printing, finishing and more. Esko teams up with a long list of partners at the show including CERM, CHILI Publish, Dantex, Domino, DuPont, Durst, Epson, HP, Stork and WINK.

Esko's integration capabilities will also play a key role in the Labelexpo Technology workshop. Themed around inkjet and labels, this year’s Workshop guides visitors to the stands of participating inkjet press manufacturers. Esko solutions are used for artwork creation, prepress and workflow for a series of labels to be produced on various inkjet presses.

NEW: Full HD Flexo for Labels

Following the successful release of Full HD Flexo for Flexible Packaging in April of this year, Esko is launching Full HD Flexo for Labels at the show. It features adapted screening and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the label and tag industry, and delivers very high quality with impactful solids, smoother highlights and expanded color gamut. Full HD Flexo for Labels delivers enhanced print stability as well as a reduction of gear marks when using gear-driven presses.

At the Flexo Corner, a dedicated section of the Esko stand, visitors will learn more about HD Flexo and Full HD Flexo through real-life production samples that demonstrate the quality and extended color gamut made possible by incorporation of Esko solutions. Also two CDI machines will be on display: the CDI Spark 4835, the most popular flexo plate imager in the industry and the CDI Spark 2420, the latest addition to Esko's CDI family which is designed specifically for narrow web label converters. 

Special know-how and attention for color is available at the Color Corner where Esko bundles it´s extensive expertise on color management and tools for color communication and proofing.

Suite 12 software portfolio presents promising opportunities

On several workstations, Esko will highlight the latest version of its suite of software solutions. Not only the wide range of design, prepress and workflow applications is on display, Esko will also especially focus on demonstrating solutions for: 

• “Web to …” – leveraging the web for improved productivity and profitability is critical to success in today’s fast-paced business environment. Esko solutions combine advanced workflow automation and smart MIS integration with online approval and collaboration tools to meet the needs of label businesses and their brand owner clients. Web to print, online ordering, web to proof, distribute and print and other popular terms are becoming reality for label printing with the Esko tools.
• Integration with on-press Visual Inspection Systems – in Suite 12.1, users can define areas on a job for inline visual inspection systems. This significantly reduces overall press setup time since the inline inspection system receives its setup data directly from Esko Automation Engine using JDF. With the inspection area defined upstream and not by the press operator, it becomes easier to standardize the production process across multiple sites, presses and operators. 
• Compliance and Content Management – significant portions of label content can be subject to regulatory compliance, such as ingredient tables, nutrition facts and even marketing verbiage. In addition, brand owners are concerned about brand integrity when it comes to the accuracy of logos, taglines, images and icons. Esko offers a range of tools and workflow components that ensure compliance and secure content management for labels and packaging. 
• Combi-Press Support – especially in the label industry, it is common practice to combine different print processes (offset, flexo, digital, screen, gravure) within the same job, with each process requiring different preparation. In fact, as much as 70% to 80% of all narrow web printing machines are hybrid presses, combining more than one printing technique in a single pass. With Combi-Press support, even trapping tickets will automatically perform overprint calculations based on the targeted printing processes. Combi-Press support eliminates the need to have a skilled operator interrupt multiple workflows to accommodate the various required processes. 

“We believe that label and tag converters today are especially interested in the end-to-end productivity and efficiency benefits delivered by Esko tools," adds Armand Gougay. "Visitors to our stand will learn how Esko continues to enable this with an extensive set of integrated soft- and hardware solutions.”