Hanover - ContiTech is expanding its presence in the Asian package printing market. The company has now expanded its service centers in Singapore and Shanghai, China, to include CONTI^® Laserline brand flexographic products. The elastomer printing plates are engraved on the HELL (Premium Setter) direct laser engraving systems in place at the centers. Demonstrations are also offered for interested reprographic establishments and graphics dealers as well as for engraving service providers.

"Direct Laser Engraving," or DLE for short, is not yet widespread, least of all in Asia. For many there, it is a completely new flexographic printing process technology," explained Thomas Christensen, managing director. Speaking at the dedication of the Laserline product line in the Singapore service center at the end of November, he added: "We are, for one thing, intent on supplying customers and interested parties elastomer printing plates directly from our service center. What´s more, we can use our in-house HELL direct laser engraving system to convince customers and interested parties right here on site as to the high quality and efficiency of our products."

Expanded service center in China as well

It is now also possible to try out and purchase flexographic printing plates from the CONTI^® Laserline product line at the ContiTech subsidiary in Shanghai. The service center there also added a HELL direct engraving laser to what it has to offer. ContiTech also presents the CONTI^® Laserline flexographic printing plates at a trade show in China - the Labelexpo Asia at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from December 3 to 6, 2013.

Top-class printing quality and cost-efficiency

With its expanded service centers, ContiTech is well poised to promote and publicize direct laser engraving technology in the rapidly growing Asian market. The advantages over conventional processes are enormous. CONTI^® Laserline brand printing plates achieve top-class printing quality for package and label printing, even when these involve ultra-fine lines and screen shades. Thanks to the faster printing speeds and setup times, they are efficient and cut energy consumption and costs. They also protect the environment by getting by without the use of chemicals.

"With its exacting orders, the international packaging industry always makes higher demands with respect to quality and efficiency. This is especially true in the case of packaging for brand-name articles," emphasizes Dr. Thomas Perkovi?, head of the printing blanket segment at ContiTech Elastomer Coatings. "With the introduction of directly engraved printing plates, we want to set new standards in the flexographic printing industry. Our goal is to establish our Laserline products and the technology of direct laser engraving systems all over the world."

Further locations planned

All around the globe, ContiTech is thus expanding its sales offices for the CONTI^®Laserline product line. A service center with a direct laser engraving system was recently opened with a sales partner in Poland; this will shortly be followed by an additional center in Moscow. Sales partners MDC/USA and Max Daetwyler de México distribute ContiTech printing plates in the U.S. and Mexico.