Düsseldorf, Germany - TRESU Group, the global flexo machine and ancillary provider, highlights the importance of co-supplier collaboration for optimising packaging solutions at drupa 2016. The company will host daily ‘Speaker’s Corner’ presentations by industry experts from global flexo printing technology providers at its stand (hall 10, stand 54).

Speakers include representatives from ink manufacturer Siegwerk, flexo tape supplier Lohmann Tapes, ancillary supplier Inometa, press control manufacturer BST eltromat as well as TRESU. In head-to-dead discussions, participants will explain how their developments in areas such as inks, ancillaries, substrates and process efficiency have improved the competitiveness of the flexo process. The discussions will be moderated by Dr. Sean Smyth, an independent consultant and analyst who works with Smithers Pira and acts as Group Technical Editor for Whitmar Publications.

Participating companies have achieved performance improvements by conducting joint research and testing programmes with TRESU, at the latter’s Innovation Centre, which houses the multi-station Flexo Innovator paperboard flexo line and iCoat coater for integration with digital printing presses.  

Søren Maarssø, Chief Operating Officer of TRESU Group, comments: “In an increasingly crowded retail environment where buying decisions are made in seconds, the brand owner is focused on making consumers choose their products by achieving shelf impact, creatively combining appealing artwork, with high quality coatings and finishes. At the same time, the optimum converting process for achieving this is driven by cost per packaging unit. As visitors attending our Speakers’ Corner talks will learn, TRESU’s Innovation Center has provided a hub for co-supplier innovation programmes that have enhanced the competitiveness of the flexo process for packaging applications.”

Siegwerk, one of the leading providers of printing inks for packaging applications, labels, and catalogues, will talk about its new inks and varnishes for paper and board applications. The company has introduced a water-based flexo ink series for paper and board applications named UniXYL, which is formulated with renewable, forestry-based components. UniXYL now belongs to TRESU’s certified ink series recommended for their printing presses. Siegwerk has also developed a high-gloss UV overprint varnish (OPV) for TRESU’s coating systems that integrate with digital printing lines for folding carton printing presses.   

For Lohmann, the flexo tape supplier located in Neuwied, Germany, the use of a TRESU print-simulation unit at its FlexoLAB has enabled the company to explore the behaviour of tapes in realistic working conditions and develop new products with optimised bonding properties. Lohmann will explain how trials resulted in the development its new DuploFLEX EB (‘Engineered Bonding’) range of double-sided adhesive tapes. The new range features the well-known foam carrier with double-sided flexible re-inforcement to maximize stability and offers better resistance to abrasive solvents commonly used in wide-web printing and seasonal atmospheric changes. The TRESU simulator played an important role in developing a tape that balanced plate stability at high speed with the ability to demount without damaging plate or sleeve – an issue of growing importance due to the increasing frequency of repeat orders. It also provided insight into the optimised cleaning processes.  

TRESU Group’s innovation and R&D manager, Christian Fogh, will explain how enclosed ink supply systems, featuring the company’s F10 iCon supply system and chamber doctor blades, provide the means for controlling ink circulation, eliminating leakage, raising ink yields and assuring uncontaminated ink supply at correct densities, at speeds of up to 600m/min.  

Furthermore, Siegwerk, Sappi Europe and Lohmann’s talks will focus on how their respective technologies contributed to a recent project with TRESU, named ‘Wrapping Ideas’, and aimed at producing high-quality folding boxes with enhanced efficiency and sustainability.

Søren Maarssø comments: “Optimising performance of the flexo process depends on many variables. The collaborative teamwork enables us to look at the complete function and link each other in this process in the correct way. Together with our partners, we can present, not simply a stable flexo press, but a comprehensive programme for handling the machine, paper and tools in the correct way, to optimise uptime, efficiency and quality.”