Sandon Global, the award-winning British anilox manufacturer, has entered a strategic partnership with XSYS, the prepress solutions provider, to combine its expertise to help flexible packaging printers achieve higher opacity whites at no additional cost. 

Sandon Global and XSYS collaborated in the lead-up to drupa 2024 to leverage existing and new technology to deliver improved quality that brings operational, financial and sustainable benefits for flexographic printers. 

In recent trials, Sandon Global’s High Volume Process (HVP) and Fluid FP anilox engravings combined with XSYS’ Woodpecker Nevis surface screening technology demonstrated that the same quality opaque white coverage could be achieved using lower volume anilox. Utilising these technologies demonstrated a reduction in ink consumption, cost savings, more efficient operation and increased printing speed. 

Paul Mitchell, Regional Sales Manager – UK & Ireland, Sandon Global, said, “White ink traditionally represents around 50% of a flexo printer’s ink spend and, with converters under pressure to improve quality whilst minimising, or even reducing, costs, it made perfect sense for us to find a solution to address this challenge. Working in collaboration with XSYS, we have brought together our combined expertise in anilox engraving, imaging in combination with surface screening and plate technology to make printing high opacity whites at no additional cost a reality. With our support, printers can discover which anilox engraving is best suited for their needs, delivering high opacity whites and ensuring they can invest their time and money in efficiencies elsewhere.” 

Sandon Global’s HVP engraving enables printers to combine good solids and tonal areas on one plate. It does this by combining high line counts and high volume through its unique cell design. This contrasts with conventional 60° engravings that are only capable of offering either a high volume or a high line count but not both, without compromising the crucial release characteristics of the anilox. 

Fluid FP is the evolution of Sandon Global’s successful HVP and IPRO engravings - a semi-channelled engraving that allows an easier and controlled flow of ink between cells whilst maintaining a strong element of volume control.  

Paul Mitchell added, “We are delighted to partner with XSYS to bring the best of our technologies together to deliver high opacity whites at a lower volume, without compromising on quality. Not only that, but the sustainability benefits speak for themselves with a potential increase in printing speed, plus a reduction in ink and solvent leading to reduced energy consumption along with cleaning of exhausted air. It’s a winning and sustainable solution for flexible packaging printers.” 

Stuart Robinson, Technical Account Manager, XSYS, commented, “Printers are under constant pressure to look at productivity gains and cost reductions in a more sustainable way whilst not compromising on quality. Here at XSYS, we are constantly working on developments to offer all our customers leading edge technology and products to help achieve this. The Woodpecker Nevis surface patterns developed for our ThermoFlexX TFxX Imagers offer the printer an optimised white ink laydown and opacity.  

For the complete trial set-up, XSYS delivered nyloflex® FTV printing plates (high quality inherent smooth flat top dot plate) processed on a ThermoFlexX TFxX 80D Imager in combination with Woodpecker Nevis surface screening and UV LED exposed on a Catena E80. This enabled us to reduce the anilox volume from 10.5cm3/m2 to 6.5cm3/m2 without compromising quality and opacity.  

This result is also reconfirmed by our customers in day to day printing operations, leading to white ink savings of up to 20%, as well as the possibility to change from a two hit to a one hit white design. Due to the reduced white transfer, this solution combines savings in consumables and increased printing speed leading to improved Overall Equipment effectiveness (OEE) together with a reduction of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).” 

For more information, visit www.sandonglobal.com

About Sandon Global: Founded in 2004, Sandon Global manufactures laser engraved anilox rolls and sleeves supplying to flexographic printers worldwide. Exporting to 67 countries, and ISO 9001 accredited, the company prides itself on innovation and setting the standard in anilox engineering.

R&D is at the heart of the business, and, through new product development, Sandon Global’s innovative anilox cell designs offer its customers precision, quality and consistency. The company develops the latest generation in anilox engravings and supplies a range of ancillary products including sleeve covers, cleaning chemicals, and print sleeve and anilox storage.

Acknowledged by the industry as a leading brand in the flexographic market, the company has received numerous industry and national awards, including:

• FIA UK Silver Award Supplier of the Year 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020
• Chambers of Commerce Exporter of the Year 2021
• KTP Future Innovator award 2020
• UK Halton Chamber Business of The Year and Manufacturer of The Year 2019
• EFIA Gold Award Supplier of the Year 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2011
• British Chambers of Commerce SME National Award 2017
• The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade 2016
• EFIA Silver Award ‘Supplier of the Year’ 2013, 2010, 2009 and 2008
• DS Smith Group Innovation Award 2008

About XSYS

Headquartered in Willstaett, Germany, XSYS operates globally and remains one of the largest suppliers offering both flexographic and letterpress prepress solutions, including plates, sleeves, processors, workflow solutions, and expert professional services, designed to help these industries move forward with increasing innovation, improved productivity and profitability, and a reduced environmental footprint. The broad XSYS portfolio comprises some of the industry’s best-known brands of consumables (nyloflex® and nyloprint® plates), plate processing equipment (Xpress, ThermoFlexX, and Catena), surface screening software (Woodpecker), plate mounting (rotec®), and washout solvents (nylosolv®).  

www.xsysglobal.com  

For further media enquiries, please contact Sarah Harriman at PHD Marketing Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0) 1977 708643 
Email: sarah.harriman@phdmarketing.co.uk    

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