Gent (Belgium) -- At Grafitalia, March 24-28 in Milan, Italy, EskoArtwork, along with its distributor partner B+B Group, will present new products that further extend productivity and efficiencies to help printers and converters of all sizes in flexo printing, packaging, commercial printing and sign & display. These include the worldwide introduction of HD Flexo, a new technology that will revolutionize digital flexo by offering imaging that delivers high quality along with ease of use, and the Italian debuts of the new Kongsberg XP series of digital cutting tables and the Cyrel Digital Imager (CDI) Auto. "Italy is the second largest flexo printing market in Europe, which makes it very important to EskoArtwork. Also, it is the home of exceptional commercial printers," comments Armand Gougay, EskoArtwork Vice President Emeala. "EskoArtwork remains committed to supporting our customers with products that help them save time and money. Our offerings excel in quality management, automation and productivity and in these challenging times customers are seeking solutions that drive efficiency and keep them competitive. Grafitalia presents the perfect platform to make that happen."

Present at the EskoArtwork booth will be the company's distributor, B+B Group, who will be presenting Packway, their smart software console for MIS operation. B+B Group has high expectations for the show. "We have been active for 15 years in the converting, packaging and finishing markets," remarks Luciano Bortolini, President of B+B Group, "We have combined the distribution of EskoArtwork products with our own software products to help converters build the packaging supply chain. We understand, more than ever, our customers need us to be there and help with their challenges. We are offering our customers the services as a technological partner to help them approach these challenging times".

New in Digital flexo: HD Flexo Technology

Grafitalia marks the worldwide introduction of HD Flexo Technology-4000 dpi optics along with unique screening technology to take advantage of the sharper and more accurate imaging. This breakthrough, which can be upgraded on all EskoArtwork CDI systems will enable to rival offset in terms of print quality.

New CDI Spark 4260 Auto: Complete flexo imaging and processing

Flexo platemaking no longer needs to be a multi-step process. For the first time since drupa, EskoArtwork will be demonstrating the new CDI Spark 4260 Auto-a real plate-making factory-featuring automated plate loading, imaging, and unloading in combination with an integrated Inline UV Main Exposure and Back Exposure unit. The CDI Spark 4260 Auto can process three full-size digital flexo plates at once, while meeting the high quality demands of flexible packaging and folding carton markets. The CDI Spark 4260 Auto can image a full size 42" x 60" / 1067 x 1524 mm plate of any thickness in just 12 minutes.

New Kongsberg XP dieless cutting table

At Grafitalia also the new Kongsberg XP series of digital cutting tables is demonstrated live. Positioned as true production machines, they are targeted at corrugated packing companies and manufacturers of POP and permanent in-store product displays that need a fast and highly reliable solution for short run production. The Kongsberg XP series digital cutting machines are the first to be specifically designed to operate continuously in a 24/7 production environment. They have been designed to endure the continuous, high-speed manufacture of products made from the most demanding packaging and display materials. "With the new XP tables, production capacity can be increased as much as twice of what is available on any currently available machine. And, the Kongsberg XP is specially designed to handle the combination of corrugated board and other rigid materials used for packaging, POP products and product displays," explains Tom Erik Naess, EskoArtwork CAM Product Manager.

Expertise in packaging

For brand owners, converters and trade shops who visit the booth, EskoArtwork will demonstrate all of the software it is noted for: package design, prepress, workflow automation and integration, output control, collaboration and approval. This includes an updated BackStage featuring a new 'Products' tool that brings basic asset management to the print production room; and the new BackStage Viewer, combining different use cases and an extensive set of file formats, for both Mac and Windows clients.

The Digital Flexo Suite can deliver complete automation of flexo plate production. The collection of plate making software offers significant cost savings through automated flexo plate optimization by nesting jobs on a single plate, and is particularly productive when used along with a CDI flexo plate setter and a Kongsberg cutting table.

The updated version 9.0 of ArtPro is seamlessly integrated into the EskoArtwork solution portfolio, reading and writing native Esko Normalized PDF files and supporting the ArtiosCAD native format. This means that ArtPro can easily work with all EskoArtwork viewing applications.

Studio, introduced at drupa, puts interactive 3D packaging creation in the hands of designers, showing how artwork is applied instantly on packaging. Studio reduces the number of mock-ups needed in the process, spots design-errors faster and takes away the guesswork from 2D flats, thus reducing costs.

ArtPro also interoperates with Visualizer, which takes label or package graphics, adds information about substrates, special inks and finishes, and delivers a variety of realistic moving, interactive 2D and 3D representations of the final product, placing it in a retail surrounding of choice.

Solutions to make commercial print more productive

EskoArtwork has built complete, high quality automated workflow solutions for commercial printers throughout the world. There is a reason. Some of the company's specific applications are without peer. Neo, EskoArtwork's award-winning, highly productive stand-alone PDF editor, gives the operator increased productivity and tools for editing and correction of multi-page PDF's. FastImpose tools utilize EskoArtwork's legacy of imposition expertise. It includes quality control tools that reduce operator errors and locate mistakes before they make it to press. ImposeProof! Is a patented tool allowing imposition proofing on duplex office printers. WebCenter is a full-featured, on-line approval and project management system. In real-time, users can collaborate, page list view, approve jobs and check impositions. WebCenter increases efficiency and eliminates wasted effort. Concentric Screening is EskoArtwork's award-winning revolutionary halftone dot technology for offset printing that divides the conventional round dot into thin concentric rings. This limits ink buildup on plate, providing greater latitude on press. Images are sharper and a wider color gamut is achieved. Not only does it improve quality-it also results in significant ink savings.

B+B International presents Packway and ArtiosCAD

B+B International will showcase Packway, the smart software console for converters' MIS operations, developed by its sister company B+B Informartica. Packway is an interactive system, the result of B+B International's expertise in converting and software research. It's an effective management tool with an easy to use interface to help the operator manage it faster. With Packway, estimate preparation becomes a simple task, because it helps the operator find information and check possible mistakes. If assistance is required, the Packway Console provides direct connection through the Internet to B+B engineers, who can assist with remote control and service.

B+B is also demonstrating ArtiosCAD, the world's most popular structural design software for packaging design. Version 7.4 has new design geometry and file integration features. It can extract vector geometry data from PDF files and automatically create ARD structure files, while 3D solids with edges can be optimized when rotated.

Other EskoArtwork partnerships on display

Other EskoArtwork partners will be displaying significant solutions with EskoArtwork and other stands during Grafitalia.

·     Edigit International (EskoArtwork stand and Hall 11, Stands I21, K20): Edigit will be demonstrating the integration of its MIS software communicating via JDF to a BackStage commercial print workflow, both on the EskoArtwork's and Edigit's stands.

·     Viennegraf (Hall 14, Stands C17, D08): In the same hall as EskoArtwork, Vennegraf, an EskoArtwork reseller of commercial printing solutions in Italy, will have a dedicated pod demonstrating a complete digital solution of Odystar, Neo, FastImpose, ImposeProof and FlexProof PS driving a Minolta laser printer.

·     PDA (Hall 7, Stand B87): A daily, live demonstration of winning PDA Design & Sustainability contest files will be presented by EskoArtwork on the PDA stand. The artwork of Soya and alcoholic drinks will be displayed using Esko Visualizer.