Category: News

TruPoint™ doctor blades by Flexo Concepts™ received a strong endorsement from worldwide leader in adhesive technologies, Henkel, for use with its specialty coatings. TruPoint™ blades are the company’s number one recommendation to customers using special coating formulas to decorate their packages.

Founded in 1876, German-based Henkel is a global producer of top brands across the laundry and home care, cosmetics and adhesive technologies industries. The company is the leading supplier of UV coatings to the package printing market along with a full range of overprint finishing and coating products used to enhance consumer product packaging.

Dennis Drummond, Senior Key Account Manager and John Bervoets, Business Development Manager for Henkel, promote the use of TruPoint™ doctor blades in a wide variety of coating applications in the package printing market.“TruPoint™ is our number one recommendation to customers looking to apply not only standard gloss and matte finishes but also special coating effects to their packaging.” Henkel insists converters use TruPoint™ blades with its raised, textured, MBoss, glitter and pearlescent coatings. 

Mr. Drummond and Mr. Bervoets maintain that TruPoint™ products are superior to other doctor blades in terms of their ability to effectively meter the anilox coating roller and deliver exceptional results. “TruPoint™ blades are able to effectively wipe and contain high viscosity coatings with no spitting or slinging.” UV chemistries, common in specialty coating applications, have a viscosity of 5-7 times that of water and solvent-based formulas. This thicker consistency applies excessive pressure to the metering blade, often resulting in hydroplaning or “spitting” and contamination of the finished piece. Coatings like Henkel’s MiraFoil® is a heavier viscosity than most coating technologies but can be applied in an extremely thin layer with TruPoint™ blades to optimize coating consumption and minimize waste. According to Drummond, “The TruPoint™ blades do a remarkable job of wiping the cylinder and containing the MiraFoil® at high press speeds. Other blade technologies allow the coatings to push under the blades at high speeds.” 

Finishes such as glitter, metallics and pearlescents contain larger particulates, and a customized blade solution is often necessary to meter these chemistries and control the volume of coating applied to the blanket. TruPoint™ blades can be engineered to a full range of size and profile combinations to meet the precise needs of the printer. In addition to standard coatings, the TruPoint™ blade’s thickness and tip can be modified to improve its metering performance with the higher viscosity and large particulate formulas. Drummond and Bervoets appreciate that Flexo Concepts™ can customize its blades for any situation: “We have always been impressed with the company’s ability to deliver the correct solution with the proper blade composition and thickness for all special applications.”

Drummond and Bervoets continued, “Compared to other blades on the market, the TruPoint™ blades not only perform better, but also last longer and are easier to install.” The blades are compatible with all coating types and resistant to aggressive chemistries. Other benefits include safety to the anilox roller and a lower risk of injury to the operator handling the blade. TruPoint™ blades are suitable for work and turn, complex spot and high-end coating applications. To learn more about the TruPoint™ doctor blades please visit www.flexoconcepts.com or email [email protected].

About Flexo Concepts™
Headquartered in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Flexo Concepts™ manufactures TruPoint™ doctor blades and MicroClean™ dry media anilox cleaning systems. All products are designed to improve print quality and reduce operational costs for flexographic and offset printers. Flexo Concepts™ maintains distribution locations in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. For more information about the company and its products visit www.flexoconcepts.com.

Flexo Concepts™ QuikWash™ System drew a lot of attention at Drupa from distributors around the world wanting to represent the product. Given its remarkable benefits and low up-front investment, the retrofit technology is attractive to printers who want to reduce wash-up times, use UV ink or harsh solvents, or are environmentally conscious.

By combining a special clamp with the company’s TruPoint™ DeltaFlex™ plastic wash-up blade, the system cuts wash-up times in half by maintaining a fine contact area with the roller for more effective wash-ups. The resulting increase in press uptime and reduction in solvent consumption have been sources of excitement in the industry. Another strong selling point is that DeltaFlex is compatible with UV solvents and resistant to aggressive press wash, making it a good solution for printers who have experienced blade swelling due to chemical incompatibility.

While Flexo Concepts had previously gone to market with QuikWash in limited geographic locations, the company used Drupa as the official launch site to introduce its exclusive technology to a global audience. The resounding response from prospective distributors at the show confirms the product’s viability in the offset market.

“We are very happy with our results from the show,” said Chris Nolin, Flexo Concepts’ Vice President of Sales. “Our objective was to grow our reseller base for QuikWash and there was a great amount of interest from people all around the world interested in selling the product.”

The QuikWash System was also touted as a tool to help reduce VOCs in the pressroom. By cutting solvent use and disposal, the wash-up system helps printers meet growing pressure to shrink their carbon footprint. These environmental benefits were highlighted in an article in the DrupaReportDaily entitled, “European suppliers keen on QuikWash.“

To learn more about QuikWash, visit https://www.flexoconcepts.com/quikwash.

About Flexo Concepts™
Headquartered in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Flexo Concepts™ manufactures TruPoint™ doctor blades, the TruPoint™ QuikWash™ System and wash-up blades, and MicroClean™ dry media anilox cleaning systems. All products are designed to improve print quality and reduce operational costs for flexographic and offset printers. Flexo Concepts™ maintains distribution locations in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. For more information about the company and its products visit www.flexoconcepts.com.

Plymouth, MA, May 4, 2011.  Flexo Concepts took home the FEFCO Sustainability Award from this year’s show in Munich for its MicroClean™ anilox cleaning equipment. The technology was recognized for its eco-friendly features including non-hazardous waste stream, non-use of water or chemicals and recyclability of the plastic media.

Best known in the industry for its value in helping high graphics corrugated printers control ink densities and coating weights, the MicroClean System has also earned a reputation for its green benefits. Many plants have adopted this technology for anilox roll cleaning in response to growing legislation mandating a reduction in VOC use.

According to Dave Burgess, VP of Sales for Flexo Concepts, “Corrugated boxmakers, like all printers, are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint.  Yet, until recently, hand cleaning with high pH solvents was the best option for cleaning.”

High-board line presses with quick-change anilox capabilities have made off-line cleaning a viable option, however. With the new press design, rolls are more easily removed and can be cleaned off-line to reduce downtime. “The market has embraced MicroClean,” continued Burgess. “It not only helps plant managers maintain ink densities, but in a way that eliminates VOCs and disposal concerns. We are happy to be able to meet the needs of our corrugated customers on multiple levels.”

Instead of using harsh solvents or even water like many other methods, MicroClean is a mechanical cleaning process that uses plastic media particles to remove ink and coating deposits from the anilox engraving. Throughout the cleaning cycle, the machine separates the reusable particles from the spent media and circulates them back through the system. The waste stream is non-hazardous and does not require special handling or disposal.

In addition to operating without water or chemicals, MicroClean has no energy requirements when not running unlike some off-line cleaning systems. The cleaning process is entirely contained within the cabinet and the area around the machine remains dust-free during and after use.

There are currently 14 machines in operation in corrugated plants in the U.S., two in Europe and one in Australasia. To learn more about the benefits of MicroClean for corrugated applications, visit www.micro-clean.com or call 1.508.830.9506.

About Flexo Concepts

Headquartered in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Flexo Concepts manufactures TruPoint® doctor blades and wash-up blades and MicroClean™ dry media anilox cleaning systems.  All products are designed to improve print quality and reduce operational costs for flexographic and offset printers.  Flexo Concepts maintains distribution locations in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.  For more information about the company and its products visit https://www.flexoconcepts.com/.  For regular updates, follow Flexo Concepts on Facebook and Twitter.