Lincage VP Manufacturing Pat O’Connor (second from right) and the team celebrate their certification.

Lincage Imaging Systems (‘Lincage’), the Philadelphia-based packaging pre-press and flexographic platemaking specialist, has become the first company in the USA to receive ‘best in class’ certification under the XPS Crystal Program from Esko.

“We have worked with the team at Lincage for a number of years, so it is only fitting that they were the very first in the United States to achieve certification,” said Julian Fernandez, Flexo Business Development Manager with Esko. “Lincage has secured a reputation for using the latest technology and techniques to deliver the best quality products and service to their customers, and we are delighted that they are among the first anywhere in the world to have successfully attained this accreditation.

“The XPS Crystal Program was developed to recognize those businesses that consistently produce premium flexo plates, which lead to superior flexographic print quality,” added Julian. “This certification underlines the superb performance of the Lincage team, recognizing their dedication, professionalism and commitment to producing excellence in flexographic plates.”

Established to meet the needs of the consumer products and graphic arts industries for pre-media goods and services, Lincage Imaging Systems serves a national client base from its Philadelphia facility. “Our experience with the latest in advanced pre-press, plate manufacturing and color control has earned us the trust of brand owners, manufacturers, printers and graphic arts professionals,” said Pat O’Connor, VP Manufacturing at Lincage. “We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Esko and honored to be the first company in the USA to be recognized with this certification for producing plates of such a high standard.

“We have invested in cutting-edge equipment to manufacture photopolymer plates that meet the flexographic printing needs of our customers,” said Pat. “Our equipment represents the latest technology, with critical imaging and exposure redundancy, and we have the capacity required to handle the plate making needs of the largest consumer product providers and packaging manufacturers. Achieving the gold standard Crystal XPS Certification is testament to the work we are doing here, to the incredibly dedicated team and to our commitment to helping our customers meet and overcome whatever pre-press, plate or printing challenges they face.”

The XPS Crystal Certification Program is open to all users of the innovative Esko XPS Crystal exposure unit, the award-winning technology which optimally combines UV main and back exposure, using LEDs that always emit consistent UV light.

As a certified Esko partner, Lincage benefits from benchmarking and identification of best practice around quality control processes and production efficiency. Certification also enables the business to promote an extra level of quality assurance to customers, as well as providing reassurance of best practice in production processes and communicating the consistent quality of final print.

“As the XPS system uses LED technology to expose plates it replaces the need for fluorescent lamps, which contain mercury and are dangerous for the environment, so also contributes to a cleaner plate making process,” added Julian Fernandez.

“The XPS Crystal Certification Program was developed to ensure the entire supply chain can meet the exacting needs and requirements of brands and converters in terms of predictable and accurate plate quality and the highest plate making consistency available, for any given photopolymer,” he said. “Pat and the entire Lincage team continue delivering to these highest of standards, and we are thrilled to be able to recognize that through this certification program.”

Certification is offered as part of the XPS Crystal Hardware Care Plan, ensuring sustained quality improvement as opposed to a one-off effort to secure certification. The process can be started either on installation, during a preventative maintenance visit, or upon request.

For more information about the scheme, please visit www.esko.com/en/products/digital-flexo-platemaking/xps-crystal/certification. 

For more on Lincage Imaging Systems, visit www.lincage.com.