Finally a valid alternative for gravure printing for flexible packaging from RKW: Bringing consistency, vibrant colours and increased print quality, Esko Full HD Flexo raises the industry standard in flexo printing.
Packaging film is the specialist field of the Finnish RKW Business Unit, which is part of Europe’s largest plastic films company. The pursuit of the highest quality standards forms the basis for the successful development and a leading position in the packaging market. In conjunction with Marvaco Oy, full HD Flexo Certification from Esko represents the next stage in the quality hierarchy as well as a significant competitive advantage.
RKW films are used to produce packaging for the most diverse industries and applications. In addition to the actual quality of the packaging contents, the attractiveness of the packaging itself plays an important role in the decision to buy – the eye influences every purchasing decision. This is something that RKW is all too aware of: Not only do the packaging films impress with their transparency and brilliant gloss level, they can also be printed with complex motifs.
Among the first worldwide to receive the Esko Full HD Flexo Certification
In August 2013, the RKW Business Unit in Pori was awarded Full HD Flexo Certification in accordance with the strict requirements set out by Esko – the world’s market leader for packaging printing solutions.
This means machines, expertise and overall quality represent the cutting-edge of flexo-print technology. Esko Full HD Flexo delivers impressive results thanks to its unique dot size, fine highlight printing, smooth transitions to zero and an outstanding gravure-like solid ink lay down.
It also combines high resolution flexo-imaging and screening technology. The broad colour scale and enhanced tonal differentiation offer additional advantages. This flexo plate-making process developed by Esko, which allows the dot size to be controlled digitally, is the only fully digital method worldwide.
Strict criteria for the toughest requirements
RKW Finland has been awarded the Esko Full HD Flexo Partner certificate, a quality stamp which must be renewed every two years. To obtain this certification, the repro and printing operations must meet defined criteria and submit ten different production print samples – featuring both extremely bright and extremely dark areas.
The rigorous certification process is based on the strictest quality standards for flexo-printing. For this reason, it has established itself as the de-facto standard.
Gravure quality in flexo printing
Esko Full HD Flexo offers excellent quality at a competitive price. With flexible packaging, it achieves a level of quality that can compete on equal terms with gravure and offset printing.
Beverage producer Carlsberg in Sweden is one of the first RKW clients to benefit from the exceptional characteristics of Full HD Flexo. As a result, three different designs in four colours plus white are now printed in parallel. The new Esko process achieves far better brilliance and accuracy than would have been possible using the standard four-colour printing process.
“We are delighted that we can now offer our clients even better print quality. This is a perfect example of RKW’s commitment to keep striving for new solutions and added value for our customers” says Timo Peltoniemi, Director Sales RKW Finland. “The technology creates high-quality packaging whose brilliant printed images really stand out. This has a positive influence on consumer purchasing decisions and gives our clients a great opportunity to realize new, eye-catching designs.”
