Miraclon has introduced FLEXCEL Prime, a new plate and film combination designed to improve flexographic press performance while maintaining compatibility with existing FLEXCEL NX Systems.

Developed through a multi-year research and development program and validated in commercial production environments, FLEXCEL Prime has already been installed at more than 30 customer sites across 14 countries. According to the company, more than 5,000 commercial print jobs have been produced using the new technology.

“Flexographic printing is operating in an environment of tighter tolerances and greater production demands than ever before,” says Reid Chesterfield, chief technology and innovation officer at Miraclon. “With FLEXCEL Prime, we focused on pushing the performance boundaries of the plate itself—reducing ink build-up and lowering impression requirements to extend plate life and improve press efficiency.”

FLEXCEL Prime introduces two key performance enhancements. The Lift Resist formulation improves plate drape and surface consistency, reducing curl during mounting and re-mounting while supporting plate reuse and wider press latitude. The formulation also enables lower impression settings, helping reduce waste and improve overall equipment effectiveness.

In addition, Stay Clean properties are designed to resist ink build-up during press runs. Combined with Miraclon’s PureFlexo surface patterning, the plate stays cleaner for longer periods, reducing press stops and simplifying cleaning between jobs.

“The biggest sustainability gains in flexo happen in the pressroom,” says Emma Weston, chief marketing officer at Miraclon. “By helping plates stay cleaner longer and maintain performance with lower impression, FLEXCEL Prime enables printers to run longer while maintaining the print quality associated with FLEXCEL NX Plates.”

The new plate technology integrates into existing FLEXCEL NX workflows without requiring reprofiling or curve changes, allowing printers to run mixed plate sets without workflow modifications.

Miraclon says FLEXCEL Prime also streamlines platemaking operations with faster processing steps, improved inspection visibility, and simplified plate handling.