He was addressing delegates to roadshows in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town during which the company showcased its latest technologies in machinery, platemaking, inks and software. ‘We’re ready to establish a firm footprint in both the digital and analogue sectors and start to realise the presence we envisage in this market,’ Grant asserted.

The reminder from marketing and branding strategist, Tiffany Fernandes, that the global packaging market would be worth $1-trillion by 2024 whet the appetite of those present. Green packaging, she added, is doubling its growth year on year and is projected to reach $398-billion by 2027.

‘The solutions we discuss today are designed not only to future-proof South African packaging companies, but to satisfy the growing sustainability demands of consumers and customers.’

Ditching solvents to solve a dilemma

United Kingdom-based Ian Isherwood, label and packaging business manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, talked the audience through the simplicity and effectiveness of Flenex FW water-washable flexo plates. The flat-top-dot technology plates portfolio comprises Flenex analogue-film-exposed plates, FW-L2 digital UV-resistant plates, FW-FP solvent-resistant plates for wide-format flexible packaging and a plate for water-based varnish applications, whose thicker backing liner alleviates stretching and distortion on large-format offset presses.

‘The plates combine great resolution and high quality with very quick and efficient processing,’ Ian elaborated. ‘The process takes no longer than 40 minutes, about a third of the time needed for solvent-based plates. Faster job turnaround minimises downtime. If a breakdown occurs, there is no need to lift the job, as the press is back up within an hour.’

Not being oxygen sensitive, the plates offer excellent dot shape and control of high-res images up to 200lpi, he continued. A rubber compound in the product achieves a significant reduction in dot gain and better ink transfer.

A mild washout solution of household dishwash detergent ensures cost-effective processing and low environmental impact compared to solvent-based alternatives. Added advantages include reduced plate swell, faster exposure and washout times and a two-year shelf life.

To complement its plates, Fujifilm offers processors in different format sizes and designs, Ian explained. ‘Our SB is an all-in-one automated unit with exposure, post-exposure and drying all inline. It’s a front-feed system that produces a fully processed plate at the back. We also have the C-touch clamshell all-in-one system suitable for small- to higher-volume production.’

Fujifilm prides itself on the partnerships it builds with customers, often based on the whole product range rather than one piece of equipment. Aztec Label in the UK is a prime example, Ian stated.

‘Aztec was having issues with a competitor’s water-washed plates. We introduced a drop-in plate with its existing processor, which delivered an immediate improvement. Then we supplied our processor, which further enhanced performance. Subsequently, Aztec went over to our inks and recently invested in our UV LED curing system, which will be installed this month.’

Customers get Activ to clean up their act

With the European Union having issued a directive that mercury must be eradicated from the workplace by 2027, packaging role-players worldwide are swapping quicksilver for slick green. This suits Fujifilm perfectly, as it has led to huge demand for its Activ UV LED curing equipment, Ian told guests.

With Activ’s mandate to improve the environmental credentials of its users and reduce power consumption, customers are cleaning up not only their emissions, but on their bottom lines.

Benefits, he explained, include lower operating costs, greater lamp life and significantly reduced maintenance and downtime. ‘LED systems offer productivity improvements of around 30% over conventional UV arc machines comparing machines

of the same specifications in the same factory.’

The scaleable Activ system comprises 6cm LED modules fitted to any new press ordered or retrofitted to any existing press, he continued. Environmentally sound, the process releases no volatile organic compounds, generates no ozone, and reduces heat and noise, greatly improving workplace comfort.

‘We see a very bright future for LED curing,’ Ian stressed. ‘The electricity consumed by an eight-colour, 430mm wide label printing press, for example, would generate about 100 tons of CO² a year. Switching to LED would reduce this to around 20 tons. However, because Activ is one of the most powerful systems available – at 36w/cm – it very rarely runs at total output. Averaging 50% output, it would bring emissions down to 10 tons.

‘That today is probably more important than anything. In the past, the customer’s first question was always “How much does it cost?”, but the conversation is very different now. Customers want to know what benefits it delivers, particularly in cleaning up the printing process.’

Activ is a hybrid system with hot swap cassettes that allow a printer to move into LED while retaining a UV capability. This feature takes into account that certain products may not yet be available in LED format.

More than an inkling of the value of harmony

Ian expanded on the Fujifilm offering, which extends beyond LED systems into Sericol Flexo JJ inks formulated to optimise their performance. ‘Harmonised products give the converter peace of mind should a hitch arise, because there is no argument about whether the problem lies with the lamps or the inks – there’s one point of contact.

‘The system’s hybrid design with UV arc capability gives converters the option to also print with Fujifilm’s conventional UV inks. It offers more consistent quality as the impact of the heat from the UV lamps is removed, resulting in sharper registration and lower substrate stretching. In addition, colours are vibrant and easy to achieve and the dramatic reduction in power required for the LED UV lamps means substantial cost savings.

‘JJ inks for LED application have been formulated to match as closely as possible our UV inks to ensure existing customers enjoy a seamless transition from conventional UV to UV LED. As mentioned earlier, Aztec adopted JJ inks before investing in Activ, so all the inks were cured under standard UV arc conditions.’

LED inks, he added, have to be tuned to a 395-nanometre wavelength to give a markedly quicker cure rate and better adhesion, so alleviating the need for primers. This means more substrates can be converted to LED, particularly heat-sensitive materials. The cost of the inks is offset by the savings they realise.

In conclusion, Ian pointed out that Fujifilm is very late to market in the food packaging-compliant inks, but that it has been a calculated move. ‘With legislation changing so frequently in Europe, it’s difficult to keep up, so we took a future view of where the market was heading. Based on that, we’ve developed a range of inks that is currently in the beta-testing phase. These inks will be the most compliant available on launch.’

Sound software partnerships complete the package

The day’s final presenters were Fujifilm Graphic Communications’ product manager for packaging Zaheer Shaik and product manager for digital Gary Stockenstroom, who touched on the benefits of three leading workflow systems.

‘Software has come a long way,’ they noted. ‘Workflow has been around for quite some time, but not many people are familiar with XMF, a complete workflow solution that controls the entire process from pdf creation and preflight to imposition on to whatever application is needed, including computer to plate or digital, even swapping between machines.

‘Impositioning is particularly important for packaging. We have a partnership with Tilia Phoenix, which is known for very clever ganging and nesting. The software’s artificial intelligence capability allows it to impose accurately for all machines on the production floor, pulling up millions of combinations in minutes to find the most cost-effective layouts. Cut files can go directly from pdf to cutters, or the pdf can go straight

to the die manufacturer.’

Most recently, Fujifilm joined forces with Color-Logic to sell its leading software package for designing and producing metallic effects, using either digital or analogue processes. The Color-Logic system takes into account the printing device, inks, press profile and printer coatings whether the requirement is silver ink or toner on a white substrate, or white ink or toner on a metallic substrate. It also provides an accurate colour communication and print embellishment system for designers and converters.

Creativity and heart

Creation Reprographics is a company whose heart is in the right place. Owner Matt Franklow saw the environmental writing on the wall several years ago and he now heads the only repro house in the UK that is 100% solvent free and has been since 2018.

Matt travelled from Daventry to explain his thinking to roadshow delegates. ‘We decided to move across to water-wash platemaking in 2012 and since then, we feel we have become something of a sustainability pioneer, pushing against the solvent-strong tide in our industry. Ours was the first UK agency to gain ISO 14001 accreditation, for example.

‘We launched Project Zero, which concentrated not only on our products, but on how we worked and how we enhanced the environment through efficiencies and technology and our internal environmental initiatives. Last year we held our first discussions with Fujifilm to explore further opportunities. We wanted to reduce the number of plates used per SKU so we created Optimise, which allowed us to use four plates for a job instead of eight. This may not have been the best commercial decision, but we’re looking at business longevity. Our customers appreciate we’re not trying to make a quick buck, but are thinking of them and of our impact. To advance this approach, we needed a product that instils confidence. With Flenex we have that, as its flat-top technology means we can achieve more pantone colours from CMYK, which reduces the number of plates needed,’ he stated.

‘It’s been a hard sell, but attitudes have changed in recent years and we gradually convinced our customers that going solventless was the right thing to do.

‘Before October last year, we didn’t see Fujifilm as a prospective partner, but we didn’t really appreciate what it does. Our association has opened my eyes. The support and backup we’ve received have been superb and completely difference to what I’ve been used to over the years,’ Matt concluded.

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