Esko has rolled out a new XPS Crystal Certification Program to recognize those plate making businesses that consistently produce superior flexo plates and flexographic print quality.
The company introduced the scheme as a way for companies to communicate their ‘best in class’ plate offering, reassuring supply chain partners and brand owner customers of both best practice in production processes and consistent quality of final print.
“The certification scheme was developed specifically to ensure the entire supply chain can meet the exacting needs and requirements of brands and converters in terms of predictable and accurate plate quality and the highest plate making consistency available, for any given photopolymer,” said Pascal Thomas, Director of Flexo Business at Esko. “It’s a confirmation of production excellence. Certified members can assure their customers of optimum quality and performance in their plates and resulting print.”
Thomas said the XPS Crystal Certification Program is open to all users of its innovative XPS Crystal exposure units. “Beyond the obvious external communication benefits, certified members will be able to verify their plate making process against the industry benchmark. This also serves to help track plate quality over time and catch potential issues before they occur on press.”
The XPS Crystal technology optimally combines UV main and back exposure, using LEDs that always emit consistent UV light as opposed to traditional exposure frames, which use lightbulbs with fluctuating output. It delivers a simultaneous and optimally controlled UV main and back exposure to produce highly consistent digital flexo plates.
Esko is introducing this new scheme following the success of its very successful HDFlexo certification program for flexo platemaking. The new certification is offered as part of the XPS Crystal maintenance contract and the process can be started either on installation, during a preventative maintenance visit, or upon request. Certification is valid for 24 months and during this period Esko will support members’ quality control by verifying both imaging quality and the processing quality of equipment in comparison to the company’s ‘Certified Benchmark Reference’.
Always keen to be at the forefront of industry advances, Medialliance Graphic, elected to be among the first companies to undertake the certification process. Established more than four decades ago, medium-sized independent French enterprise Medialliance has become a go-to partner for companies looking for support with packaging and brand identities. Honing their expertise through years of experience, they are always driven by their customers’ growing needs for skills and services.
“With more than 40 years in business, we are renowned for producing plates of the highest quality,” said Jonathan Schmitt, Director of Operations at Medialliance Graphic. “Any third-party endorsement like this underlines our reputation. The Esko Certification Program is an excellent marketing tool for the business, enabling us to add value and promote an extra level of quality assurance to our customers, and additionally consolidates our relationship with what is the leading developer of integrated hardware and software solutions in our industry. As a certified partner, we benefit from benchmarking and identification of best practice around quality control processes and production efficiency.”
