Asahi Photoproducts has announced the official launch of its new AWP-CLFQ water-wash plate. The certification handover by Esko took place on October 27 during AWP Days 2025 in Japan, officially confirming AWP-CLFQ as the first solventless plate certified for Esko Quartz imaging. The new plate combines pixel-level precision with CleanPrint productivity and sustainability benefits to help converters achieve gravure-type quality in flexographic printing.

AWP-CLFQ marks a milestone in high-end flexography. The plate is designed for Esko Quartz screening and is also compatible with Esko Crystal MCWSI workflows. Its certification confirms the ability of AWP-CLFQ to hold Esko’s finest pixel structures on the plate, which merge into a single stable printed dot on press, delivering sharp highlights, smooth transitions to zero, and dense solids. All within the familiar AWP water-wash platemaking process with CleanPrint.

“AWP-CLFQ gives converters a decisive reason to switch from gravure to flexo,” says Aki Kato, senior general manager of the Photoproducts Division. “By combining the precision of Esko Quartz with the productivity of Asahi’s CleanPrint, we deliver a level of quality and process consistency previously exclusive to gravure, now with a sustainable solventless workflow.”

Unveiling at the AWP Days in Japan

The new AWP-CLFQ plate was unveiled and certified in front of Asahi’s partners and customers during the AWP Days 2025 in Japan, a technology event showcasing Asahi’s Solvent ZERO roadmap. Print samples were also previewed at Allstein’s Automation Open House earlier this month, where the plate impressed with high-density whites, strong solids and outstanding fades to zero on complex substrates.

Following the certification, Asahi Photoproducts has initiated a controlled commercial roll-out of AWP™-CLFQ for quality-driven converters worldwide, supported by Esko and local Asahi distribution partners. Broader availability will follow as production capacity scales.

Technical highlights overview:

• Plate type: AWP-CLFQ – water-wash plate
• Thickness: 1.14 mm available; 1.7 mm under development
• Certification: Officially Esko Quartz certified (October 27th, 2025)
• Compatible screenings: Esko Quartz, Esko Crystal MCWSI and other stochastic screens.
• Performance: Gravure-type quality: sharp highlight dots, smooth vignettes to zero, dense solids
• Target applications: Flexible packaging; also strong in narrow web UV flexo
• Productivity: CleanPrint technology reduces press stops and enhances OEE.It also applies to the latest ink developments in flexible packaging, including PU-resin-based solvent inks and water-based inks.

The AWP-CLFQ plate is specifically engineered for flexible packaging and film substrates, where gravure printing has long been dominant. With its Quartz-driven pixel-precise dot formation and clean ink transfer, the new plate delivers exceptional print density and tonal range even on demanding films. This launch supports Asahi’s broader Solvent ZERO strategy, replacing solvent-based platemaking with sustainable, high-performance water-wash alternatives, with a primary focus on flexible packaging to replace rotogravure with flexo; the plate also performs strongly in narrow-web UV flexo printing. AWP-CLFQ shows outstanding performance with the latest polyurethane (PU) solvent and water-based ink developments in the industry. The slightly stickier ink binder leaves no ink residues on the plate, due to Asahi’s legacy CleanPrint surface energy technology.