Attendees arrived in Kansas City, MO, USA, on May 5, 2024, for the newest iterations of Flexographic Technical Association (FTA)’s Forum & INFOFLEX. For more than 65 years, flexographers have been able to build their knowledge base with education and networking.

This year also marks the 42nd edition of the popular tradeshow INFOFLEX, which opens on May 6. FTA anticipates more than 1,500 attendees observing 500-plus technologies from more than 180 exhibitors. Forum, meanwhile, boasts over 20 detailed sessions discussing a wide range of trending topics.

The event features a wide range of sponsors, including Anderson & Vreeland, Bobst, DuPont, Flexo Wash, Fujifilm, Graymills, Harper, Hybrid Software, PCMC, XSYS Global and more.

“In the dynamic landscape of flexography, the pursuit of achieving the perfect trifecta – running faster, better, and cheaper – is ubiquitous,” stated MacDermid Graphics Solutions’ Jason Cagle, Forum & INFOFLEX chair. “INFOFLEX serves as a compelling showcase of cutting-edge technologies meticulously tailored to excel in these three paramount categories.”

“Sharing our knowledge, while risky from a competitive standpoint, is the best way to improve the collective understanding of what brands and consumers are really asking for,” added Accredo Packaging’s Kariahlyn Lindsey, Forum & INFOFLEX co-chair.

FTA Forum opened Sunday, May 5, with an in-depth look at the newest flexographic processes designed to drive quality in the pressroom. A distinguished panel of industry experts explored the newest tools, tips, and techniques to help label and package printing converters optimize operations to better meet customer demand.

Techkon’s Jinkai Qian and Miraclon’s Kevin Schilling hosted a diverse panel, including Berry Global’s Ron Henderson, Madigan Print Consulting’s Kim Madigan, Pacificolor’s Bart Wright, Graphic Packaging’s Jeff Hall, Olberding Brand Family’s Nina Davis, and Precision Flexo & Gravure’s Steve Moss.

Even in a controlled environment, press operators and staff can still encounter numerous challenges. Identifying the variables and communicating them to your staff are critical, the panel noted. Product evolution has also changed the nature of the modern-day pressroom, where it has become more science than craft.

“The consistency of the products in the pressroom has improved significantly over the last 10 years,” explained Hall. “But a lot of the drivers of sustainability have caused problems for the pressroom, so you need to be cognizant of all your products. You might have to change your plates or anilox rolls, or how you’re managing your inks.”

With changing dynamics in the flexographic pressroom, transparency with a converter’s staff – many of whom may be long tenured – is vital in ensuring a smooth transition with new protocols.

“You should involve your employees in the changing of processes and procedures, along with educating them,” noted Madigan. “Keep them part of the process and help them understand why these changes in the pressroom are so important. Small conversations can go a long way.”

Many of the newest products will be highlighted by inspection advancements, as well as color management tools. According to Wright, “Color management has been the foundation of (print) quality.”

“Color measurement devices have been so critical,” remarked Madigan. “I come from an organization that adopted press color measurement devices at every press in order to catch issues. Then you could decide whether you needed new anilox rolls, cleaning solutions, doctor blades, etc. We evolved and implemented systems and read data on every press run. When inspection tools came out, that allowed us to analyze our whole process. Now we can eliminate stop points on the press and we can be proactive rather than reactive in addressing our anilox rolls.”

Even though many label converting facilities have evolved to include digital units, flexo has still been a driver for many in the industry. Even though Moss noted the digital speeds are not currently there to replace flexo, Davis acknowledged that there is a need for both in today’s print shops.

“Digital being a complement to flexo is a huge trend, providing more flexibility for their clients’ particular needs,” said Davis. “That gives you better speed to market.”

Pressroom practices will continue to ensure high-quality print. For example, Graphic Packaging invests $5 million annually to ensure consistency, which comes in the form of software and training programs for employees. Hall commented that most software vendors have also now implemented PQX, a common format to communicate color from printer to brand owner.

“Over the past 10-15 years, we’ve done a great job of implementing best practices in our facility,” said Hall. “Transparency is easy, and we’re really focused on consistent training with our staff.

“There’s a huge focus on automation in the industry, especially with the workforce challenges we have,” added Hall. “Connectivity of our systems is a really big deal. If you don’t have the money, focus on getting back to the basics in your pressroom.”

Other best practices include relationships with vendors. Madigan remarked converters should have vendors work with employees on-site in order to foster a smooth transition. Plus, management and supervisors should emphasize areas for standardization within the company. “Vendors can observe employees in a work environment over a few days, which can be very helpful,” said Madigan.