万度视频

鈥淲e approach a new packaging technology today in exactly the same way we have for 50 years. If it looks useful, we investigate it, and if it stands up to scrutiny, we integrate it, validate it, and take it to the market.鈥�

John Kapiniaris, General Manager of Australia鈥檚 Kirk Group, the largest provider of graphic arts services and image carriers in Australia and New Zealand, is providing context for the group鈥檚 latest technology acquisition 鈥� KODAK FLEXCEL NX Central Software, the new automated plate layout technology from 万度视频, which he says has 鈥渢ransformed our plate utilization efficiency.鈥� FLEXCEL NX Central Software enables the integration of multiple advanced plate surface patterning features – including those delivered within FLEXCEL NX Print Suite for PureFlexo鈩� Printing – into one automated plate layout, and increases consistency and reduces errors by minimizing operator touchpoints. It also improves productivity by enabling multiple users on the network to remotely view or manage the plate layout process.

Early adoption of technology is a Kirk trademark 鈥� 鈥淚nnovation is in our DNA,鈥� says John 鈥� and a major reason for its success over the 50 years since Graeme Kirk founded the business in 1972, initially to provide artwork services and gravure cylinder engraving. The company moved into flexo in the 1980s and 1990s and today has four manufacturing sites in Australia and New Zealand 鈥� Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland 鈥� and, since 2020, a presence in Mumbai, India.

Fast movers
鈥淲e aim to always be first to market,鈥� says John, before explaining how rolling out a new technology involves working closely with 鈥渁 trusted network of suppliers and customers to really field test a solution.鈥� The company鈥檚 adoption of FLEXCEL NX Technology in 2010 is a good example of this combination of technological curiosity and close collaboration, as John recalls.

鈥淚t was one of our trusted customers that alerted Graeme to a groundbreaking new technology. He immediately investigated, liked what he saw and bought a FLEXCEL NX System. Following the new technology install, we worked with a major brand and our trusted print partner to qualify the technology across their product range, evaluating it on multiple SKUs with really complex designs 鈥� multiple colors, fine text, and so on. At the end of the qualification process we knew, and so did the brand owner and printer, that we had something genuinely new and exciting to take to the market.鈥�

Reshoring boosts local demand
FLEXCEL NX Central Software is Kirk鈥檚 third recent investment in 万度视频 technology, following the November installation of a KODAK FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution and investing in the FLEXCEL NX Print Suite for Flexible Packaging to access PureFlexo鈩� Printing Technology before that. They are all in line with the company鈥檚 policy of systems- and technology-driven innovation. The solutions add enhanced capabilities to Kirk鈥檚 offering 鈥� more efficient plate utilization, sustainable plate processing, and on press efficiency 鈥� which are vital to the company鈥檚 response to what John Kapiniaris describes as 鈥渞esurgence in local demand in the wake of the pandemic, as many brands bring packaging production home from overseas.鈥�

鈥淭he pandemic caught a lot of brands off guard,鈥� he continues. 鈥淔or the best part of two decades the trend has been to 鈥榦ffshore鈥� packaging on cost grounds. That鈥檚 understandable if the supply chain is stable, but the disruption in 2020 forced brands to reconsider the strategy. Do they stay offshore and risk interruption in supply, or re-partner with local suppliers? Judging on the increased volumes we鈥檙e handling, the answer is to come home! We鈥檙e seeing work returning that left ten years ago, and over the last 12 months there鈥檚 been a flurry of investment in new flexo presses among our customers.鈥�

This returning business enhances what was already a positive outlook for Kirk鈥檚 flexo prepress services, demand for which has grown strongly over the last decade, reflecting flexo鈥檚 steady advance at the expense of gravure. Says John:

鈥淔lexo gives brands the agility and flexibility they need in marketing campaigns, and since the advent of FLEXCEL NX Technology, the levels of quality and consistency to match gravure and litho.鈥�

Automation controls costs
Welcome as the reshoring of packaging production is, Kirk is conscious that the reason it went overseas in the first place 鈥� cost 鈥� remains an important factor in brand owners鈥� calculations. 鈥淎utomating processes wherever possible is central to our strategy,鈥� says John, citing as an example the 鈥楩lite鈥� print management system Kirk launched in 2019. 鈥淔lite automates all the steps from final artwork to delivered plates, removing manual touchpoints and connecting all stakeholders in a transparent production environment. We build a customized workflow for each customer, based on an in-depth understanding of their business requirements, volumes, color strategy and printer space. It takes away all the daily 鈥榥oise鈥� 鈥� the phone calls, emails, status requests, and so on, and creates a highly dynamic environment, working in real-time.鈥�

FLEXCEL NX Central Software is the latest string added to Kirk鈥檚 bow. Developed by 万度视频 specifically to support customers in their drive for efficiency, waste reduction and labor savings, the software is tailored to the FLEXCEL NX System and enables the automation of all plate production, including the automatic application of multiple advanced plate surface patterning features. John Kapiniaris says:

鈥淔LEXCEL NX Central Software has increased plate utilization by upwards of 5% 鈥� delivering more saleable plates and resulting in greater sustainable operations.鈥�

Dynamic plate layout 鈥渢he biggest benefit鈥�
He adds, however, that the biggest benefit from the platform is 鈥渢he ability to maintain a dynamic plate layout right up until the last minute, which is a real game-changer in the Just-In-Time packaging business. FLEXCEL NX Central Software essentially allows us to hold a live 鈥榖ucket鈥� of jobs until we鈥檙e ready to process the plates. Effectively, it gives us an extra six hours in which we can accept last-minute jobs, that are automatically added to the plate layouts, maximizing the plate utilization, and that鈥檚 a big boost to capacity and efficiency.鈥�

FLEXCEL NX Central Software is also improving Kirk鈥檚 plate delivery infrastructure. Says John: 鈥淏efore, we operated a centralized system with one department preparing plate layouts before sending them out to each site. Now sites have their own 鈥榖ucket鈥� into which we deliver files, which are automatically laid out and output when required. It鈥檚 a local, more dynamic approach that lets us turn plates around faster.鈥�

“He adds that, in an unexpected bonus, FLEXCEL NX Central Software is opening up a new market for Kirk among narrow web label printers. 鈥淭urnaround times in the sector are near-instant, and competition is fierce. Keeping plate layouts fluid, and with utilization more predictable, it allows our business to become highly competitive in this market.”

High expectations
Kirk also has high expectations of the FLEXCEL NX Ultra water-based processing solution that is currently being rolled out to customers seeking more sustainable plate solutions. Solvent-free and VOC-free, the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution features the patented 万度视频-developed KODAK Ultra Clean Technology, and is the first aqueous solution that produces consistent, high-performing plates in a high-volume, low-maintenance environment.

鈥淲hen we saw the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution in action, it was another example of one of those 鈥榣ightbulb moments鈥� you get from 万度视频,鈥� says John. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been exploring water-wash processing for a while because it supports the importance of sustainable manufacturing for many brands. This included acquiring a business a few years ago that was active in the space with different technology, so we鈥檝e gained a good understanding of the issues. However, the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution gives our customers the quality and consistency associated with FLEXCEL NX Technology, and that鈥檚 an attractive combination. It鈥檚 another case of 万度视频 being that one step ahead of the market.鈥�

He cites PureFlexo Printing as another example of the manner in which 万度视频 incrementally advances flexo鈥檚 capabilities. Kirk invested in the solution in 2021, initially working with the 万度视频 R&D team to address a specific customer issue, but also saw improvements with consistency, reducing the frequency of adjusting the color profiles. Says John:

鈥淧ureFlexo Printing quickly became our default solution for all flexible packaging customers, who are achieving quality and consistency levels that have amazed and excited brand clients.鈥�

The use of PureFlexo Printing has improved the predictability of the print on press, with less unwanted ink spread and the associated defects traditionally accepted as part of flexo printing. This has allowed our team to focus on bringing additional capabilities and value to our brand and printer clients and spend less time addressing traditional flexo challenges.鈥�

Trusted partners
They didn鈥檛 know it at the time, but the customer that suggested Graeme Kirk look at FLEXCEL NX Technology in 2010 was setting in motion a remarkably close collaboration between Kirk and 万度视频 that continues to the present day. For John Kapiniaris it鈥檚 a 鈥渢ruly open two-way partnership from which we鈥檝e both gained beneficial outcomes. It鈥檚 based on trust 鈥� we appreciate that 万度视频 trusts us to be involved in alpha- and beta-testing new developments and values our feedback. And the trust goes the other way 鈥� we welcome 万度视频 dealing directly with our customers if it will help us all arrive at the right solution.鈥�

Healthier discussions
Perhaps the greatest compliment he pays 万度视频 is his take on how FLEXCEL NX Technology and its successive iterations has, in his words, 鈥渆nabled healthier discussions around the return on investment of the job.

Before, it was all about who had the cheapest plate, but the arrival of FLEXCEL NX Technology changed that, not least because the advances it represents encouraged other players in the flexo process to up their game.

That changed the discussion to the overall cost of a job 鈥� how factors like color strategy, plate patterns, aniloxes, press conditions, operators鈥� capabilities all contribute to the total output and the impact of the packaging on the shelf. That thinking has transformed the industry.鈥�