Diflex has always
opted for technological innovation, offering prepress and supplies for the
flexographic industry that set it apart from other suppliers to the market. Its
success is based on the experience of its staff, around 60 employees working in
the company's three branches located in Madrid, Valencia and Portugal, and on
the guarantee of quality and respect for the environment, which have been
certified for years. To serve all the sectors of the flexographic market, the
company has created three distinct divisions: Diflex embalaje Flexible
[Flexible packaging], Diflex División Cartón [Paperboard Division] and Diflex
Suministros [Supplies].
A year ago, Diflex
decided to acquire a Kodak Flexcel NX System in order to meet customer demand
for digital plates capable of overcoming the limits of flexography, enabling
the company to offer a wider range of options for its customers’ container and
packaging innovations. After twelve months of operation, Diflex has just
achieved Kodak Certified Partner status for its work and is satisfied with the
results achieved with this image processing technology, as well as the
innovative materials in the Kodak Flexcel NX System, which have enabled it to
expand its customer base.
Challenge
Since its
inception in 1995, Diflex has enjoyed unstoppable growth thanks to a strategy
of production process digitisation and automation, entailing continuous
incorporation of new technologies to provide the best possible responses to
customers’ flexographic needs. In view of this corporate philosophy, it is no
wonder that Diflex was looking for a digital plate production system that would
offer efficiency in production, stability and repeatability, as well as high
image quality, and according to the company’s Managing Director, María Teresa
Mesa, this is precisely what Flexcel offers.
Solution
María Teresa Mesa
explains that in the company's decision to acquire this technology, “the
decisive factor was seeing the high-quality results obtained with Kodak Flexcel
NX System in various types of printing, as well as the results achieved by
other printers who were already using these plates and were satisfied with the
reported benefits in terms of faster job start-ups and fewer losses. This,
combined with our customers’ demand for this service, led us to go ahead
without hesitation and invest in a Kodak Flexcel NX System, and we can now
safely say that we are very satisfied with the results as they are exactly as
we had expected.”
Diflex's Director,
Miguel Ángel Ruiz, describes some of the advantages of working with Flexcel NX
Plates: “They practically eliminate the need to divide line screens, and Kodak
Digicap NX Patterning helps to increase density throughout the tonal scale and
make it possible to eliminate some spot colours. Some of these plates last
between two and five times longer than other digital plates and come up to
color faster, reducing start-up time and preparation waste by 25%. They also
allow us to achieve a cleaner run with fewer stops.”
For Ms Mesa, the
acquisition of the Kodak Flexcel NX System “was the right decision, as it has
helped us win new customers by expanding our range of solutions and providing
higher quality results. This enables our customers to obtain better printing
results without having to invest in any equipment themselves.”
Benefits
Diflex's Director
feels that “becoming a Kodak Certified Partner is a bonus for our customers as
it represents a guarantee that work will be carried out properly. Not just
because we say so, but also because we comply with all the criteria laid down
by Kodak. Therefore, when we explain that these plates will improve process
stability and consistency, provide better screens and process printing, better
ink adaptability or ease of adjustment, they can be sure that this is what they
will actually get as we can back this up with certification.”
If having this
certification represents a benefit to regular Diflex customers, Ms Mesa also
feels it serves as a good letter of introduction to potential customers. This
new technology has helped the company to win new customers in the food,
plastics and label markets. If we add to this a wide range of products and
services, as well as personalised customer service, Ms Mesa has no doubt as to
the key to the company’s success.
Gilles Corbé, Key
Account Manager Packaging Commercial Imaging Kodak Iberia, explains that, “the
Kodak system utilises Kodak SquareSpot Imaging Technology to offer exceptional
repeatability and image quality. Combined with the Kodak Digicap NX Patterning
option, which considerably improves ink transfer from the plate surface,
gravure-like solids can be obtained without the need to lay down more ink. This
means that the printers can avail themselves of a wider range of colours in
comparison with traditional digital flexography.”
Bearing in mind
Diflex’s corporate philosophy of offering every available technology on the
market to allow customer choice, Ms Mesa is convinced that the company will
continue to integrate new advances as they arise in the market. Consequently, it
currently has in its sights the possibility of introducing the Kodak Plate for
the corrugated paperboard market.
