After its first full year as an independent entity, XSYS examines the results of its value proposition for the global flexo prepress community and lifts the veil on what comes next.

Willstaett, Germany. – Over the past year, the central focus for XSYS has been on bringing more brilliance to the flexographic and letterpress prepress industries that it serves. While 2022 presented a turbulent and challenging climate for all businesses, XSYS continued to reinforce its position as a specialized total solutions provider with best-in-class innovations and value-adding services.

“Our relentless drive to support customers with brilliant products and first-class services that provide them with high-quality printing results certainly paid off in 2022. More than 80 new equipment installations have brought plenty of success stories from across the world, despite the many challenges caused by the severe disruptions in supply chains, the rising cost of materials and energy, and the skills shortages,” said Friedrich von Rechteren, Global Commercial Vice President of XSYS.

Driving innovation in flexo

XSYS’ innovations cover the widest gamut of any provider in this competitive space, from printing plates, plate imaging and processing equipment to sleeves and adapters. The ThermoFlexX portfolio of platemaking equipment and solutions delivers increased automation to customers, such as Kirk Group in Australia, who in 2022 boosted overall operating effectiveness with the installation of a ThermoFlexX imager combined with the full Catena+ line. This end-to-end automated solution, in combination with XSYS plates, drives efficiencies and reduces waste, taking platemaking to the next level.

The XSYS offering of printing plates for all packaging segments is also going from strength to strength. The nyloflex® FTM Digital flexo plate, developed recently to facilitate the switch from solvent- to water-based printing, was put into production by Saint André Plastique. The French flexible packaging printer immediately saw an excellent opportunity to take advantage of the plate’s superior built-in flat-top dot technology as it moved an additional part of its production to more sustainable paper-based substrates.

Another innovation that gives converters a competitive edge is the ThermoFlexX Woodpecker surface screening technology, which, in 2022, was further extended with the Nevis edition for printing with white inks on film-based substrates. The new Woodpecker Nevis screening improves overall brilliance and helps converters save on costly white inks while speeding up the imaging process.

Sustainability Mind-set

XSYS also used the year to reinforce its dedication to sustainability by introducing waste-saving products and services and developing more environmentally friendly solutions in collaboration with fellow suppliers. During a live webinar in December, the company was part of a group presenting greener solutions for central impression (CI) flexo operations enabled by next-generation technologies. Further proving this point, XSYS Germany GmbH received a silver medal rating in 2022 for its sustainability performance from EcoVadis, rated in the top 10% of manufacturing facilities.

Adding value with services and support

Finding new ways to help customers in their daily lives is another fixed item on the agenda for XSYS. Several new value-adding initiatives were introduced in 2022, including the Flexo Solution Finder – a new online tool for faster troubleshooting and instant access to solutions to common issues in flexo print production. It was developed as part of the XSYS strategy to offer more flexibility and agility for customers, with less downtime and better quality.

To combat supply chain problems, XSYS implemented global solutions across its business to help customers succeed in the face of challenging market conditions. One example was in the US, where the manufacturing capabilities for rotec® Sleeves and Adapters in Asheville were expanded, meaning customers are now benefitting from more reliable delivery of high-quality products from the full rotec® range.

What’s next?

As we just started 2023, XSYS will continue its quest to support customers locally with innovations, solutions and services that allow them to stay ahead of the game. Over the coming months, new plates and plate processing equipment will come to market, geared towards introducing more flexibility and sustainability in flexo production while also delivering top-quality print at competitive cost levels.

Dagmar Schmidt, CEO of XSYS concluded, “First of all, I would like to thank all our customers across the globe for their trust in XSYS. The past year has proved that XSYS is a company in its own right, with solutions that are enabling customers to remain on a successful trajectory. As we kick off 2023, we look forward to launching new technologies, participating in more collaborations, and meeting the packaging community at trade shows and events. Together we can make 2023 a year of growth.”