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22-06-15
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Fujifilm’s Flenex FW water-washable flexo plate makes its official European debut at Labelexpo 2015

Following successful North American installations, the high-quality plate will take centre stage within Fujifilm’s label offering at the show
Fujifilm today announces that it will use Labelexpo Europe 2015 (September 29th - October 2nd, Brussels) as the European launch platform of its advanced new water-washable flexo plate, Flenex FW. On its stand (A34 - Hall 9), Fujifilm will demonstrate how label converters can benefit from this high quality and low cost-in-use flexo plate.

Flenex FW is a photopolymer plate containing a special rubber-based compound that is not oxygen sensitive, minimising the effect oxygen has on the dot shape. As a result, Flenex guarantees reduced dot gain and better ink transfer for cleaner and brighter print results. The plate delivers longer runs for label converters, while producing a consistent 200lpi at 4,400 dpi, 1% flat top process dot structure for superb high quality. Improved durability and reduction in plate swell are further benefits offered by the new Flenex FW plate.

Visitors to the Fujifilm stand will see how Flenex FW reduces platemaking processing times to less than 40 minutes, 3 times faster than leading solvent systems and 1.5 times faster than current thermal and water-wash technologies. This enables label businesses to increase the number of plates they can produce in a given time, and also achieve a faster turnaround. Fujifilm will also be highlighting how Flenex FW eliminates the expense of higher-cost solvent and thermal processors, as well as potential upcharges on associated consumables, and why it represents the lowest cost-in-use flexo plate production system.

Compatible with the leading flexo platesetters and water-wash processors, the Flenex FW plate will be part of an integrated production environment at the show, which will also include a dedicated label workflow solution on Fujifilm’s stand.
Peter Verryt, strategic business development, Fujifilm Graphic Systems Europe, comments: “Labelexpo Europe is the world's largest event for the label printing industry and we are keen to showcase the advanced features and high performance delivered by Flenex FW on this stage.

The plate has been very well received in the US since its introduction there 18 months’ ago, with installations increasing by the week. As such, we are delighted to officially introduce this plate into the European market and we’re confident European label converters will also immediately recognize its business advantages.”

Label converters visiting the Fujifilm stand will also have the opportunity to explore the company’s comprehensive range of Uvivid narrow web inks and ancillaries, all designed to maximise throughput and simplify the label production process, as well as guarantee high quality printed applications.

Fujifilm’s hybrid inkjet printer, the Acuity LED 1600, will also be featured on the stand, and will be used to highlight how users can produce outstanding prototype packaging samples and short-run labels and stickers quickly and efficiently, taking advantage of the printer’s spot varnish capability.

Peter concludes: “Fujifilm has extensive experience in the label and packaging market, with the company already a major supplier of aluminium plates to offset packaging printers and UV ink to narrow web label converters. At this year’s Labelexpo show, we’re aiming to build on our respected position in the market with the official European launch of Flenex FW, a plate we believe has the potential to make a significant impact on the label and packaging sectors. We look forward to demonstrating how all our Fujifilm solutions can help label and packaging converters enhance their operational efficiencies and production capabilities.”