Miamisburg, OH (USA), February 2012 – The Esko User Group International (EUGI) Board of Directors and Esko (www.esko.com/eskoworld) are pleased to announce that this year’s EskoWorld 2012 for Esko customers in the Americas will be held in the historic and exciting New Orleans, June 17-20, 2012, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, conveniently located in the heart of New Orleans on the banks of the Mississippi River and right next to the Riverwalk Marketplace.

No Limits

EskoWorld will offer a total print experience: Packaging, labeling, commercial print, digital finishing, digital flexo, ArtiosCAD and color –something for everyone. There is no limit where the EskoWorld User Conference can take a customer – which is why Esko is adopting “No Limits” as its event slogan for 2012.

Last year’s EskoWorld event drew a record 350 attendees, and Esko expects even more visitors this year. “We know that it is getting harder to travel to Düsseldorf for drupa, so Esko is bringing May’s drupa to EskoWorld in June — all of Esko’s new products, all the most recent and greatest enhancements to existing products, and reports of all the latest printing trends,” remarks Mark Quinlan, Esko Americas President. “As always, the user conference will provide invaluable information about Esko solutions to help print providers squeeze productivity from their print operations and explore new revenue-building opportunities. We particularly look forward to hosting a number of guests from Latin America. A special feature this year is that more than 20 sessions will be presented in Spanish.”

EskoWorld mission: Share ideas and knowledge

EskoWorld brings together customers, industry partners, product specialists and support staff, encouraging the exchange of ideas and product and application knowledge. A large number of Esko support staff is on-hand for conference program presentations and demonstrations, as well as to listen to customer input and to provide feedback.

“EskoWorld is one of the most important events on our calendar, and the organization of EskoWorld and preparation of relevant content is always a collaborative process between Esko and the EUGI leadership. This year is particularly special, because EskoWorld falls right after our presence at drupa. It will offer a unique view into industry outlooks, new product presentations and roadmaps, and workshops for anyone with an interest in packaging, displays, and printing. Users participate in training sessions, roundtable discussions, seminars and hands-on labs, designed for novice, and journeyman, as well as advanced users — providing them with information to add even more value to their Esko solutions,” explains Simon James, Esko Vice President Marketing. “Esko also receives a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our customers’ evolving needs while, concurrently, getting feedback from them on our development plans. Their views about our technology, service and support provide critical input for future product and business planning.”

Exceptional networking event with Esko industry partners

As in past years, Esko plans to have a variety of supply chain partners participating in the centrally located Partner Pavilion. Last year sixteen companies offered assistance in various areas of print technology. EskoWorld attendees make it a point to visit the Pavilion and view solutions from a wide range of vendors. The dedicated exhibition allows attendees to get easy access to demos and helpful information.

A little bit of team building and fun

An event in New Orleans would not be complete without some downtime. As one of the evening events, Esko has rented the House of Blues, which will be filled with the sound of authentic Dixieland jazz for the night.

“Many people told us that EskoWorld 2011 was the best they ever attended,” adds Quinlan. “The program offered them both hands-on sessions and presentations to help them make the most of their Esko products — and understand where Esko will take them in the future. We are confident that anyone who attended EskoWorld returned with a list of productive, actionable ideas - but just ask them.” 

“Our company has had a long-standing relationship with Esko since 1998, when we decided to buy our CDI with all of the supporting workflow tools. Since then, our entire prepress workflow system has been built with Esko products,” recalls Sebastian Longo, President, Fotograbados Longo S.A. in Avellaneda, a Buenos Aires suburb in Argentina. Because of this long-term relationship, we decided to visit EskoWorld to see what is coming but, more important, how to make our current tools even more productive. The hands-on sessions, product roadmaps, and Open Labs were the keys the program. It was very important for us to have conversations with all of Esko’s staff, but the most amazing thing is what all of them asked me, from software to hardware: ‘What do you need? How can we help you?’ We were happy to be there.”

“This was my first EskoWorld conference, and I was pleased with the experience,” comments Joseph Maurer, Prepress manager, Collotype Labels in Napa, California. “I appreciated the interaction with Esko management, as well as product developers. The sessions I attended included presentations that showed future product roadmaps, in-depth technique seminars as well as open labs with production technicians available for help. I especially appreciated the ability to offer input to guide product development. I also spent some time in the Partner Pavilion and made valuable connections with other key individuals in the industry. This all holds a lot of value to us.”

Information and registration

This year, EskoWorld is holding the line on price increases and is encouraging companies to send more employees to the event. Until April 30, a single registration is only $495. For every four registrations paid in full a fifth is free. Esko users can register for the conference by visiting www.esko.com/eskoworld. The site also provides frequent, updated news about the event, offering the latest information, agenda details, speaker backgrounds, and more. More information about the venue is available at www.neworleansriversidehotel.com.

About The Esko User Group International (www.eugi.org)

The Esko User Group International (EUGI) is open to any company that has Esko solutions, or has signed a purchase order for scheduled solution delivery. EUGI exists in partnership with Esko to learn about and direct the future of Esko's structural & pre-production solutions. EUGI immerses members in a network of fellow users, all willing to share information and tips. EUGI also provides invaluable information to experienced Esko's users to fine-tune and maximize system use.

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Gent (Belgium), February 2012 – Vandemoortele is a leading European manufacturer of frozen bakery products and lipids (margarines and fats). Following several major acquisitions in recent years, the company expanded its business and brand portfolio. To efficiently manage the increased demand for packaging designs and streamline any changes or updates to the artwork, Vandemoortele opted to work with Esko’s WebCenter.

Jost Buthmann, Group Procurement Manager at Vandemoortele, is responsible for all purchasing of packaging. He explains that Vandemoortele offers throughout Europe a wide range of margarines, frying fats and frozen bakery products, both under its customers’ brands and under its own brand names, such as Vandemoortele^®, Vitelma^®, Sojola^®, Diamant^® and Gouda’s Glorie^® for margarines and fats and Banquet d’Or^®, Panavi^®,  les pains pérènes^® de Roland Cottes, The Originals*® and Croustifrance^® for bakery products.

“On a yearly basis we handle over a thousand design changes in our packaging that consists of over 5,000 SKU's. Very often, these are only small changes that, for example, concern updates in texts. But the approval cycles can still take up to 6 or 8 weeks. We really needed a solution to speed up that process, and make it more efficient and effective.”

Vandemoortele opted for Esko WebCenter to manage the pre-production approval and project life cycle. Jost Buthmann explains: “We looked at various solutions from different suppliers. Esko obviously brings a vast amount of experience and expertise in the packaging and print industry. We were especially impressed by WebCenter’s capabilities for online reviewing and approval of graphical content from anywhere, anytime - with everybody always able to review the same picture of the latest version. This provides us with more control and flexibility during the process.”

"I'm confident that we will be able to halve the amount of time we need for decision making cycles, without compromising quality or security. There will be less mistakes or misunderstandings, and at the same time it will speed up our time to market,” says Jost Buthmann. “Vandemoortele wants to be a market leader. WebCenter from Esko, a market leader in their own field of expertise, will enable us to stay ahead of competition.”

About Vandemoortele

Vandemoortele is a Belgian family controlled food group with a leading European position in frozen bakery products (Bakery Products) and margarines & packed fats (Lipids).

In 2010, Vandemoortele realised a turnover of ca 1,1 billion euro with 5100 employees. The Group is present in 12 European countries with own sales organisations and/or production sites. The Vandemoortele headquarters are located in Ghent, Belgium.

For more information, visit www.vandemoortele.com.

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Miamisburg, OH (USA), February 2012 – Esko begins a busy 2012 show season in the U.S. as a very active FTA Forum/INFO*FLEX participant, and an exhibitor at WestPack.

“Esko has found it very valuable to reach out to our customers during industry events,” says Mark Quinlan, President, Esko North America. “It gives us the opportunity to consult and explain, face-to-face, how our solutions can be extremely productive and cost-effective within the complete packaging supply chain. These two predominantly packaging events are a good start to the year.”

Playing a major part at the FTA Annual Forum

Esko is the sole Platinum Plus sponsor at this year’s FTA Annual Forum and INFO*FLEX exhibit, from March 18-21 in San Antonio, TX. The company is involved in a number of conference sessions as well as an exhibitor in the expo area. Esko has been asked to open the conference with welcoming remarks, which will be offered by Ian Hole.

Mark Samworth, last year’s inductee to the FTA Hall of Fame, is one of the session Chairs of FOG'D 2012: Reality Flexo. Attendees will be able to see and compare real world print jobs comparing flexo against offset, gravure and digital. Real world production jobs will be reviewed from a print quality and consumer perspective and perspectives will be offered from brand owners, a corrugated packaging and display company, and printers/converters. Attendees will learn how flexo compares in terms of quality, repeatability and color accuracy with the alternative forms of print.

Ian Hole will discuss the association of standard ink density and accurate color match during his presentation. Ink lay down on press, when delivered correctly, should be even and show no pinhole effect or reticulation, all too familiar in the flexo process. This session examines the role of ink lay down, quality ink solids (SID) and matching industry standards, as well as customer targets. Details will be offered from tests made around different ink lay down levels and how they affect color and SID levels.

Rory Marson, will discuss flexo and graphics terminology, and the basics of ink, including the types and qualities of those most often used in today's flexo presses — such as water-based, solvent and UV. Rory will conclude the session with a ‘graphics primer’, covering prepress elements and related printing terms including dot gain issues, compensation curves, gray balance, tonal range, ink film thickness, solid ink density, traps, vignettes and more.

Offering a wide range of solutions for packaging during WestPack 2012

At WestPack 2012 booth 5560, from February 14-16 in Anaheim, CA, Esko will demonstrate its extensive range of innovative solutions for packaging print providers. WestPack 2012 offers hands-on access to the latest packaging equipment, machinery, materials and services.

Esko will display its end-to-end workflow solutions, showcasing its Suite 10 portfolio of print and packaging pre-production software, featuring Studio, a unique set of tools for 3D packaging design made specifically for packaging artwork professionals. Automation is becoming an extremely important determinant of print provider profitability and Esko automation solutions address a range of tools from simple trapping programs in the prepress department, to the introduction of advanced 3D design software and the building of full-fledged, sophisticated prepress production automation.

Esko’s Suite 10 is a software solution for packaging prepress, 3D structural design and quality assurance, collaboration and automation, and color management. Visitors can follow demonstrations of Automation Engine 10 and editor applications: ArtPro 10, PackEdge 10, DeskPack 10, ArtiosCAD 10 and Studio 10. Automation Engine 10 adds capabilities to the automation of repetitive tasks and takes more human interaction out of prepress production.

Rather than working on 2D flats, designers can now create projects in 3D — designing with finished lines, adding graphics, and wrapping them around to see how they fit. Graphics can be designed on 3D materials using Esko Studio and Visualizer, plug-ins for Adobe ® Illustrator ® that put interactive 3D display creation in the hands of the designer, letting them see their artwork applied instantly on the screen. Studio also allows designers to create exciting 3D visuals to show to their clients, ranging from PDF files with 3D content, to movies, or virtual pack shots. Visualizer adds the finishing touch, showing a wide range of substrates, printing and finishing effects in real-time.

One of Studio’s featured options is Esko’s Studio Toolkit for Shrink Sleeves, the recipient of the most recent Printing Industries of America InterTech™ Technology Award. Studio Toolkit for Shrink Sleeves creates artwork for shrink sleeves (labels placed around a package or packages and shrunk around them during production).

“Esko continues to be an important partner for packaging companies. These two events — focusing not only on booth demos, but also on presentations — offer ways to help companies manage the process of packaging production,” notes Quinlan. “We expect a successful turnout at both events and look forward to working with more people at many more venues during 2012.”

Esko maintains a very busy events calendar, which can be viewed at http://www.esko.com/en/company/press-and-news/Events.

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Eastman Kodak Company (“Kodak” or the “Company”) (OTB: EKDKQ.PK) announced today that Judge Allan L. Gropper of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York entered a final order approving the Company’s debtor-in-possession financing for $950 million between Kodak and its lenders and second-lien bondholders.

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Eastman Kodak Company (the “Company”) (OTB: EKDKQ.PK) announced today that, as a result of its ongoing strategic review process and commitment to drive sustainable profitability through its most valuable business lines, it plans to phase out its dedicated capture devices business – comprising digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames – in the first half of 2012. Kodak will instead expand its current brand licensing program, and seek licensees in these categories. Following this decision, Kodak’s Consumer Business will include online and retail-based photo printing, as well as desktop inkjet printing.

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Kodak will be in full force at drupa 2012, showcasing a number of new technologies and solutions and unveiling significant partnerships in the key markets that the company serves around the world. Journalists and analysts will get a preview of Kodak’s presence on March 6th during a press event in Lisbon where Kodak will announce products debuting at drupa, and preview what visitors can expect at Kodak’s stand (Hall 5, F09-1). In addition, attendees will hear from customers about the changes taking place in their markets and how they’re finding success by partnering with Kodak.

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Italian print service provider Abramo Printing & Logistics has invested in four KODAK PROSPER S-Series Imprinting Systems to print variable data for the ISTAT 2011 Italian census forms. The print house has a long-standing relationship with Kodak. Among its numerous offset and web offset printing machines are three KODAK VERSAMARK Printing Systems, two with two 9-inch inkjet printheads, and one with four 9-inch inkjet printheads.

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Gent (Belgium), January 2012 – Esko is enjoying ‘exponential’ growth in the number of HD Flexo Certified customers, partners and vendors as industry leaders increasingly recognize the impact this innovative process can have on the success of their businesses.

“Customers are finding HD Flexo certification makes a big difference,” says Jan Buchweitz, Senior Product Manager Digital Flexo at Esko. “They want trusted solutions. They want to know that certified components will all work perfectly together, whether they are printing machines, ink or tape. They also want advice from providers that clearly understand exactly how HD Flexo delivers an improved print performance and how individual providers can best leverage this capability within their operations.”

HD Flexo certification process

The introduction of HD Flexo into the daily production environment is much smoother when trade shops and printers are using HD Flexo certified components. For vendors, partners and customers wishing to take advantage of the certification program, a rigorous process requires that different print samples from five different commercial jobs be printed consistently. Once certified, renewals at regular intervals are encouraged to ensure that print quality is maintained and in line with market developments. Vendors also need to certify each product individually, but once the initial certification has been obtained, subsequent applications are faster and easier. By the end of 2011, Esko could welcome 95 HD Flexo Certified customers, 60 HD Flexo Certified partners and 10 HD Flexo Certified vendors. Many more companies are currently undergoing the application process.

“The achievement of higher quality requires compliance with specific standards,” comments Buchweitz, “and it is only if you follow these that you get the consistency and predictability that delivers the right print every time. This standardization across vendors, partners and customers ensures a new horizon in flexo quality. The process requires a great deal of commitment from both suppliers and Esko, resulting in some very rewarding long-term relationships. It also enables all parties to benefit from offering this leading-edge print solution.”

 

Even companies that were initially reticent to gain certification because they wanted to remain impartial are now embracing the process, adds Buchweitz: “They are seeing the positive impact HD Flexo certification can have on their business. We started with certification of trade houses, which initially had difficulty getting equipment that matched the required standard. Now trade houses are encouraging their partners to get certified, and this has prompted exponential growth, spanning all sectors from flexible packaging and labels to folding cartons and corrugated.”

Certification delivers vendor benefits

“When we launched the HD Flexo certification program, we began with customers but soon realized that suppliers were keen to gain certification as well,” explains Buchweitz. “They found it to be a terrific way for them to demonstrate that their systems were capable of producing consistent and reliable high quality results. This in turn enabled them to have more meaningful conversations with their customers.”

The nine HD Flexo Certified vendors are:

Press vendors:

• Edale (www.edale.com): manufacturer of specialist web printing and converting machinery in flexographic, digital and commercial security printing as well as specialty converting.
• Gallus Labels (www.gallus-group.com): specialist in the provision of a comprehensive portfolio of machines and service for label and folding carton printers.
• Mark Andy (www.markandy.com): manufacturer of narrow web printing equipment.
• Omet (www.omet.it): manufacturer of narrow-web flexographic printing presses for labels, folding cartons and flexible packaging.

Ink Suppliers:

• Siegwerk (www.siegwerk.com): independent ink manufacturer.

Anilox Suppliers:

• Apex (www.apex-groupofcompanies.com): manufacturer of anilox rolls.
• Harper (www.harperimage.com): manufacturer of laser engraved anilox rolls.
• Zecher (www.zecher.com): manufacturer of anilox solutions.

Tape Suppliers:

• Lohmann (www.lohmann-tapes.com): double-sided adhesive tape manufacturer.
• Tesa (www.tesatape.com): double-sided adhesive tape manufacturer.

 

Customers embrace HD Flexo certification quality label

Among the customers that have seen HD Flexo transform their business is RAKO Etiketten and Stefan Behrens, head of pre-print, says: “Being HD Flexo certified strengthens our market presence and distinguishes us from the competition. The certification is a great marketing asset – it gives our customers and prospects even more confidence, and will help us win business.”

St-Luc, a self-adhesive labels print specialist, was the first printing company in Benelux to be HD Flexo certified, while Ampac took their graphics to the next level. Joe Lydic, Ampac’s art director, explains: “HD Flexo has done a great thing for the process image - we see a lot of positive attributes happening with solids and ink density. It also gives you more ink saturation. That alone is a big plus.”

“Prior to HD Flexo, selling flexo shrink sleeves against rotogravure was a harder sell - the quality didn’t quite match on the more intricate designs,” adds Sean Keeney, president and CEO, Walle Corporation - the first to invest in HD Flexo and the first North American label printer to achieve HD Flexo certification. “Then we saw a huge impact in drop shadows, so we don’t have any challenges getting to fine zero and 1% dots. Our customers are also realizing the benefits - winning awards for their package reproduction.”

Buchweitz concludes: “We are delighted that such a wide range of companies have embraced HD Flexo certification and are so committed to using it. The adoption rate is clear validation that the process works and that HD Flexo has important commercial benefits. HD Flexo Certified companies are able to differentiate their solutions from their competition.”

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Gent (Belgium), January 2012 – Esko’s successful  HD Flexo certification process continues to win industry approval with narrow web flexo press manufacturer Edale as the latest company to achieve the certification.

The £8m turnover Hampshire operation specializes in the design and manufacture of a number of presses including the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and FL-350 models, alongside its range of converting machinery the FDC-510, flatbed die cutting machine, the Lambda and the variable length sheet cutter the VLS-650. Edale achieved certification for its FL-350 and Gamma flexo presses as part of its continued commitment to improvement. It hopes to certify all its presses with the Alpha compact press and the Beta modular press next.

“We decided to gain HD Flexo certification because as a forward thinking business, Edale is constantly striving to improve the quality of flexo printing. Working with the Esko HD Flexo solution, we are pushing the boundaries for the highest quality printing results," states Jeremy Westcott, Edale’s Sales and Marketing Director. “The reduction in size of the smallest printable dot helps to achieve a finish far and above the traditional flexo methods. The images we can produce are much cleaner, sharper and more defined.”

 

Pushing the boundaries with HD Flexo certifcation

Edale recognizes the end user is always aiming to achieve increased quality and design in a competitive marketplace. With the HD Flexo certification, the company can assure this is delivered. Westcott adds: “Combining an Edale press with HD Flexo, we are really pushing the boundaries of flexo printing. The quicker make-ready time and greater run-lengths from the plates works in parallel with Edale's ethos of manufacturing presses that focus on minimum downtime and wastage, with a quicker time to market due to the simplified prepress. The richness of the image and the contrasting tones it can achieve, helps to keep flexo in the running with end results rivalling those of other technologies. When trialling machines to potential customers, the results we can show them are undoubtedly more impressive using this method.”

The rigorous certification process requires vendors and partners to consistently produce ten different print samples from five different jobs. Annual renew ensures print quality is maintained in line with market developments. Vendors also need to certify each product individually, but once the initial certification has been obtained, subsequent applications are faster and easier.

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Gent (Belgium), January 2012 - At FESPA Digital, Esko will showcase its ‘design to print to cut’ solutions that streamline the entire workflow, including the printing and finishing of sign and display applications. Featured at the show are the Kongsberg i-XP24 and Kongsberg i-XE10 Auto. Combined with i-cut Suite including the newly launched i-cut Automate, these end-to-end solutions deliver the most versatile equipment for the digital finishing of signs and displays. Esko will be located in Hall 3 stand H5 at the show, being held in Barcelona from 21 to 24 February.

Enjoy automatic savings with i-cut Suite Automate

i-cut Automate automates the entire production process to ultimately reduce costs. With i-cut Automate, users can quickly build dynamic workflows that automate repetitive prepress tasks, reducing operator intervention and errors. As well as time and money, it also saves materials in the production process.

i-cut Automate is the latest addition to Esko’s successful i-cut Suite - an integrated solution designed to streamline the entire sign and display manufacturing workflow, from design to print to cut. i-cut Suite includes workflow automation and editing tools that specifically support die-less digital finishing. It comprises of three core modules: i-cut Preflight to check incoming PDF data; i-cut Layout to handle the layout and nesting of sheet layouts and i-cut Vision Pro to ensure die-less cutting contours perfectly match the printed images.

“Printers increasingly understand the need for an integrated and automated workflow. To handle the larger number of shorter runs and wider job mix now typical of the market, they require solutions that remove time-consuming labor from the work process and cost-efficiently enhance throughput capacity,” says Armand Gougay, Esko Vice President EMEA. He points out that prepress workflow solutions are an especially important element of a successful future for sign and display companies: “With i-cut Suite, potential production issues are caught and resolved at the beginning of the workflow, resulting in a smooth manufacturing process. The ability to nest and automate the entire workflow are just some of the benefits that create efficiency gains for companies of all sizes, even small print shops."

Dedicated solutions delivering production improvements

Taking center stage at Esko’s FESPA Digital stand is the Kongsberg i-XP24 with sheet feeder, the market’s leading digital finishing solution specifically designed to deliver unsurpassed productivity and perfect registration. The Kongsberg i-XP24 is equipped with i-cut camera-based registration. It also has multiple quick-change cutting tools that allow manufacturers to easily handle a variety of materials.

Esko will also highlight its Kongsberg i-XE10 Auto, fully automated, die-less digital finishing solution, designed as the perfect finishing complement to any digital print operation. Specifically created with the growing demand for finishing of small-format, short-run digitally printed material in mind, it can work alongside any small-format or medium-sized digital press to deliver the industry’s most efficient sign and display graphics production solution.

Robust solutions for a versatile operation

Esko‘s versatile digital finishing solutions are unique in the industry. They enable customers to implement the most robust, productive and responsive workflow possible. "As a key growth market in the industry, the signs and displays and also the digital packaging segment offers exciting opportunities for manufacturers," concludes Gougay. "Companies investing in solutions for the entire workflow - including design, printing and cutting - are those that will benefit most. Our stand at FESPA Digital will clearly demonstrate Esko’s commitment to delivering low cost, simple entry-level functionality for PDF preflight and layout with exceptional productivity efficiencies, from the designer’s workstation all the way through to the finishing table. By adding even more automation to the process with i-cut Automate, customers are positioning themselves as formidable competitors within the market space.”

FESPA Partnership

Just as last year, FESPA has again chosen Esko as its exclusive Global Software & Finishing Partner. In addition, Esko has been selected as software and digital finishing partner for the Print Shop Live, a fully functional printing operation showcasing a full end-to-end workflow from design software, to RIP solutions, multiple output devices using different print technologies and finishing - all on the widest possible range of media. Esko will demonstrate the capabilities of its Kongsberg i-XE10 digital finishing solution and i-cut Suite software. The other partners are ONYX, GMG Color, Epson, Mutoh and Ilford Biomedia. Guided tours by inkjet expert Sophie Matthews-Paul will highlight the advantages of the technologies on show and how they integrate effectively.

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