Esko enjoyed a hugely successful drupa 2024, with the launch of its newest advanced packaging prepress solutions and its future-focused Innovation Lab proving incredibly popular with visitors to the global exhibition.

As well as unveiling the new CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’, the company’s latest innovation that sets incredible new standards in flexographic print quality, Esko gave drupa visitors a first close-up look at the company’s groundbreaking new AVT print inspection module that can inspect and detect defects in varnish coatings during a live label print run.

“The opportunity to be among the first to see our latest innovations proved a real draw for those who journeyed to the Messe Düsseldorf,” said Jan De Roeck, Esko Director of Marketing, Industry Relations & Strategy. “The CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’ is the pinnacle of flexo plate imaging and exposing, delivering another major leap forward in flexo plate imaging speed and print quality. It combines the upgraded optics of the CDI Crystal with new Crystal Screening software, delivering flexographic print quality on a par with gravure. Similarly, the innovative new Varnish Inspection module for our AVT Helios 100% inspection system is another significant technological advancement, enabling labels converters to achieve maximum output while reducing waste in their print production process. We were delighted to introduce both these new innovations at our drupa showcase, and the response from the thousands who visited our booth was overwhelmingly positive.”

As well as unveiling these new hardware solutions, Esko also used the event to announce the launch of its much-anticipated S2 multi-tenant cloud-native platform. “This is a major evolution in software architecture that delivers on a new technological reality based on cloud computing, data sharing, and artificial intelligence,” said Jan. “As all strategic Esko products connect to the new platform, Esko S2 gives all stakeholders in the value chain 24/7 real-time access to live data and identical resources, wherever in the world they might be.”

Adding to the theme of future-focused innovation, Esko, together with teams from X-Rite, Pantone and Enfocus, wowed crowds with its Innovation Lab. Accessible by appointment only, the enclosed special area of the booth provided insight into Esko’s vision of the future of packaging production. Visitors to the Innovation Lab had a hands-on experience with software prototypes at various stages of development, with the team of developers themselves on-hand to explain the benefits of the new solutions – which included a new AI-assisted decision-making tool for upstream packaging project specifications.

“The Innovation Lab was a huge success, in terms of demonstrating how we are working with customers to address the pain points they are experiencing right now, and also identifying and finding ways to resolve issues they are likely to face in the future,” said Jan. “As developers of solutions that accelerate the go-to-market process of packaged goods, we were thrilled with the incredible feedback we received on these newest solutions, and we’re looking forward to further developing these prototype innovations and bringing them to market in the near future.”

Jan said that the Innovation Lab was also used to demonstrate how, like Esko S2, all new Esko solutions are being specifically developed to be open platform, so as to support connectivity with partners. “This is hugely important to us, which is why as well as all the partner technology we included in demos at our own booth in Hall 8B, we also had a significant additional presence on a number of partner booths across the other halls,” he said. “This demonstrated not only how easily our solutions integrate with other platforms, but also how we approach the development process in the spirit of collaboration, putting the customer’s needs front and center.”

This visitor-centric approach, combined with the innovative solutions in the Innovation Lab, ensured Esko enjoyed a very successful drupa in terms of contacts with existing customers and new contacts. “The power of co-exhibiting with our sister companies Enfocus, X-Rite and Pantone also contributed to a broader discovery opportunity for many visitors,” said Jan. “In terms of sales, our booth worked perfectly as a tool to confirm our position as innovative thought leader in the industry and helped secure many deals in our sales pipeline, and the sales bell on our booth was a popular selfie-spot throughout the entire exhibition.

“We are incredibly grateful to all our partners, customers and colleagues who contributed to making this year’s drupa event such a resounding success,” he added.