UK graphics origination specialist for the print and packaging industry, VCG Connect serves many of Europe’s largest printers and brand owners. The EskoArtwork solutions, introduced throughout their longstanding relationship, touch every aspect of the company’s operations. For example EskoArtwork’s HD Flexo technology forms the basis of VCG Connect’s Q-Flex high quality flexo platemaking and service developed by David Piercy, operations director, and Geoff Walton, technical director.
Jim McCormack, managing director, explains: “We are known for our leading-edge innovative technology and that is why we work with EskoArtwork. In fact this year we have installed £800,000 in capital equipment and we believe that is more than the rest of the UK trade shops put together.”
VCG Connect’s dedicated development programme has enabled them to create the perfect solution for their customers says McCormack: “We can now extend our tonal range with smooth vignettes, highlights and shadows and also adjust imaging resolution from job to job and produce sharper and more accurate imaging. As a result of the high quality; we have just won a major contract with a huge brand and 2012 will see us export over £750,000 of printing plates to nine countries including Russia and Poland."
“In winning this work, we felt vulnerable with only one CDI. We were so satisfied with all the technical support that we had received since the installation of the first CDI Spark 5080, we had no compunction in ordering the second, ” continues David Piercy.
VCG Connect also adopted HD Flexo and McCormack adds: “Since the investment in HD Flexo, we’ve seen a marked increase in the quality of the final product, which has gone down very well with our customers. They like the flat top dots that enable them to run fewer colours at a lower cost or achieve finer detail. We have been taking a lot of work from gravure with many accounts moving over to flexo.”
Development commitment continues with HD Flexo
Introduced two years ago, HD Flexo combines 4000 dpi HD optics with unique screening technologies to take advantage of sharper and more accurate imaging for an outstanding print quality. The aim of HD Flexo is to increase flexo printing quality and be a viable alternative to offset and gravure printing. With HD Flexo, the screen rulings in flexo can be increased, while at the same time the size of the smallest printable dot is reduced. Users of HD Flexo also benefit from being able to achieve the full tonal range of offset, greater run lengths and fewer washing cycles as well as improved shadow performance of their prints.
McCormack concludes: “It is no longer believed that flexo is a poor relation to any print process. It has now come of age as a cost effective and high quality alternative and next year we see demand increasing exponentially as the world’s top brands increasingly adopt its potential.”
EskoArtwork is a global supplier of integrated solutions for packaging, sign and display finishing, commercial printing and professional publishing. Its products and services help customers raise productivity, reduce time-to-market, lower costs and expand business. EskoArtwork is the worldwide market leader with software for artwork creation, pre-production, automation, quality assurance and collaboration targeted at brand owners, retailers, designers and packaging manufacturers. The CDI flexo computer-to-plate imagers, Kongsberg short-run converting and signage finishing systems complete the portfolio for the packaging, label, signage and display industries. The company provides a range of workflow, automation and quality assurance solutions for the commercial printing and publishing market. For graphic designers and print production professionals there’s also the Enfocus suite of PDF tools.
