Cepac’s Flexoreel pre-print operation has achieved HD accreditation for its flexographic preprinted corrugated packaging, which recognises the company’s ability to achieve excellent pioneering quality at 175lpi, utilising the flexo process.
Working in close collaboration with their partner, Contact Originators of Stockport, Cepac, the UK’s leading independent flexo pre-printer, was awarded the accreditation by Esko, who analysed samples of recent work for Iceland stores. The large shipper boxes were produced at Cepac’s Rawcliffe facility, thus offering the customer a solution from Cepac’s extensive Group capability.
The ‘Fruit Wrap’ product for Iceland enabled the retailer to display soft fruit trays in a more customer-friendly way by creating a temporary picking bin with an attractive wrap, replacing stacked trays. The product was quick to erect in store, the high impact graphics drew in customers and the first unit yielded record sales for the period.
As the UK's leading independent provider for pre-print liner, Cepac partnered with Contact originators, Apex anilox rollers, and Flint Inks to achieve true HD capability. Through this partnership, the team has achieved 175lpi compared with the previous standard of 100. This excellent quality and capability is now offered as a standard pre-print specification across the customer base, including to trade customers, combining innovation with very fast response.
Flexographic printing has advanced hugely from its origins largely as a result of advances in rollers, inks and printing plates. Highly imaged anilox rollers combined with refined inks and photopolymer printing plates has allowed for the current state of HD printing.
Cepac’s Group Sales and Marketing Director Steve Moss said: “By bringing together the best people and technology we have invested in the future for our customers, underlining our unrivalled approach in the corrugated sector. Iceland is a great example of the application of our deep experience and expertise offering great solutions and we are proud to work in partnership with them. We have been delivering flexo pre-printed liner to the corrugated industry for over three decades and the quality now being achieved by Flexoreel is excellent. HD Flexo delivers truly exceptional printing throughout the entire tonal range. Dazzling highlights and stable midtones make HD the obvious choice for progressive, forward thinking, brand managers”
“The step-change to HD is startling and the HD accreditation demonstrates that we are a leader in this field. Our combined offering of very high quality print and innovative production at our Darlington and Rawcliffe plants is a great benefit to our customer partners. Combined with our latest sector-leading Digital offering from our Doncaster facility we are well positioned to be a leading provider of printing and supply chain solutions to the corrugated industry.”
Sales Director David Sharpe at Contact Originators said: “Esko HD accreditation is proof and recognition of the quality and high standard of print Cepac are achieving. This is a reflection of the strong working partnership that has been developed between Cepac and Contact Originators. It also represents the R&D path, together with the appropriate investment, both companies have undertaken to drive their respective businesses forward.
“Contact Originators has a proactive investment programme across its business which has included investment in optical technology upgrades to its CDIs, together with further investment in screening technology to achieve HD capability.”
In-line with their ongoing investment programme Contact Originators have just ordered two new digital mounting tables for the Corrugated Post Print Market Sector. This technology is the first of its kind in the UK and will help Contact lead the market in overall product quality. Contact Originators are the first customer globally to be awarded Flint Group’s “Flexo Expert Certification”, in recognition of their adherence to quality plate making standards, including employee training and optimisation of production processes, to produce consistently high quality plates.
In addition to achieving HD accreditation Cepac was the first box plant in the UK to be awarded BRC Category A, the first to achieve FSC® chain of custody and the original pioneer of Performance Packaging. Cepac is totally committed to an ethical approach including sustainable development to safeguard the needs of future generations.