Bobst M5, Esko software & DuPont Cyrel FAST to feature at August opening

Nashik, India – with the recent installation of a full-featured Bobst M5 430 flexo label press along with to complement the DuPont Cyrel FAST plate-making system and a full Esko packaging software suite, Apex International is set for an August opening of its Asia-Pacific FlexoKITE experience centre. Employing the latest flexo technology and state-of-the-art equipment, the FlexoKITE centre offers live training, support, and education from its impressive purpose-built production facility in India. Live-streamed webinars featuring real-time flexo operations and problem-solving workshops will be broadcast from the FlexoKITE centre in Nashik which is just 170 kilometers northeast of Mumbai.

Located within Apex International’s Asia-Pacific anilox manufacturing facility, the FlexoKITE live and virtual programs will deliver what the company says will be, “An unrivaled experience to learn how an anilox roll is manufactured and engraved, and then to see the physical results produced on-press from that engraving. Coupled with full plate-screening, plate-making, and other equipment and supplies necessary for flexo production, the FlexoKITE experience offers unique opportunities to witness and participate in all aspects of an end-to-end flexo operation.”

The FlexoKITE experience, demo an training center will run a fully-equipped integrated workflow of the latest-version anilox rollers from Apex International, the Bobst M5 narrow web flexo press with inline diecutting, the DuPont Cyrel FAST thermal platemaking system, Esko’s prepress software and flexo plate imaging system. Consumable suppliers who are supporting the demo and training center include the Flint Group for inks), DuPont for plates, Tesa for double-sided adhesive-tape, Avery Dennison for label stock), Max Speciality Films for BOPP film), and Numex for the pre-press), Swed/Cut for doctor blades, and ESON for flexible dies.

Since its launch in November 2020, FlexoKITE’s webinars have reached thousands of interested flexographic printers and addressed complex technical flexo problem-solving such as ink foaming, press standardization, and opaque white ink printing. Upcoming FlexoKITE webinars are planned to address the challenges of corrugated printing and other topics.

The FlexoKITE programs will enable packaging professionals, suppliers, brands and retailers to gain instant access to the best practices for flexo print processes via live webinars and in-person demos. These will of course happen as health and safety regulations allow. Free registration for the live grand opening of the center in Nashik will be available for all, as soon as the August opening date is declared.

The Covid-19 pandemic led to the country-wide lockdown on 25 March 2020. It will be two years tomorrow as I write this. What have we learned in this time? Maybe the meaning of resilience since small companies like us have had to rely on our resources and the forbearance of our employees as we have struggled to produce our trade platforms.

The print and packaging industries have been fortunate, although the commercial printing industry is still to recover. We have learned more about the digital transformation that affects commercial printing and packaging. Ultimately digital will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future.

Web analytics show that we now have readership in North America and Europe amongst the 90 countries where our five platforms reach. Our traffic which more than doubled in 2020, has at times gone up by another 50% in 2021. And advertising which had fallen to pieces in 2020 and 2021, has started its return since January 2022.

As the economy approaches real growth with unevenness and shortages a given, we are looking forward to the PrintPack India exhibition in Greater Noida. We are again appointed to produce the Show Daily on all five days of the show from 26 to 30 May 2022.

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