Prepress

KODAK FLEXCEL NX Wide System Helps Precision Color Graphics Reduce Costs and Streamline Production

Wednesday 08. May 2013 - Imaging quality surpasses customer expectations

Precision Color Graphics, a Wisconsin-based full-service prepress services manufacturer and long-time Kodak customer, recently turned to Kodak for the latest, state-of-the-art flexographic solution. The company has served the printing industry for more than 21 years—evolving from a small lithographic color separator shop to a one-stop print and prepress house handling everything from design to fulfillment. Now, Precision Color has made the decision to expand by improving its flexo plating capabilities.
The solution was the KODAK FLEXCEL NX Wide System, coupled with KODAK FLEXCEL NX Plates. Precision Color Graphics installed the new system and instantly offered its clients the opportunity to elevate print quality, achieve numerous production efficiencies and impress their customers with greater cost savings and performance.
“I looked at all the competitive products, but I thought, ‘What’s the next great thing? It’s really the KODAK FLEXCEL NX Wide System,'” said John Goeden, President and Owner of Precision Color Graphics. “We wanted to promote more rotogravure-like printing and, thanks to its outstanding imaging, we are seeing exactly that with the FLEXCEL NX Wide System. At the same time, we are helping our customers save money by reducing the number of plates and the time needed on jobs. We are growing our business and taking on higher volumes of work.”
Precision Color Graphics has a diverse client base, and meeting their varied packaging needs can be challenging. The company services a range of industries, including the pet food, fast food, dairy and auto industries. The company also frequently produces POP displays, floor graphics and window clings for national department stores and chains.
Goeden understands firsthand how important selecting the right image and packaging for a product can be, as he himself owns a dog food company called “Redpaw.”
“We take pride in creating ‘made in America’ products. We wanted to bring higher-quality packaging to the market and using the best materials and printing is essential. We’ve even developed and are marketing a patented compostable package,” said Goeden. “That mentality of achieving the highest quality carries over into our printing services when we work with brands to achieve their vision for their own products. The FLEXCEL NX Wide System’s capabilities allow for greater shelf impact. Our clients are floored when they see the results, especially the color, clarity and consistency.”
Precision Color’s packaging offerings have been an evolution. The company previously used a KODAK THERMOFLEX Mid Platesetter before switching to a KODAK THERMOFLEX Wide Platesetter. The FLEXCEL NX Wide System was installed last November and now serves as a complete solution for digital platemaking that delivers outstanding on-press performance.
The high-definition flexo plate technology enables the FLEXCEL NX System to increase press uptime, reduce makeready waste and run presses faster to accommodate more print jobs. Precision Color Graphics is able to offer their clients smoother, higher-density solids in a single pass and reduce the number of colors per job for improved productivity. The FLEXCEL NX Wide System also supports plates up to 42 by 60 inches, allowing Precision Color Graphics to produce a wider range of package sizes.
Precision Color Graphics uses FLEXCEL NX Plates to protect each brand’s integrity by ensuring that brand colors and images are achieved with consistency and stability on each job, no matter if it is a bag, label or flexible packaging application. FLEXCEL NX Plates provide a wider color gamut, higher densities and greater print stability than traditional digital flexo plates. The FLEXCEL NX Plates have helped Precision Color Graphics accomplish imaging that rivals offset and gravure imaging, while offering greater production flexibility and improved cost savings for the customer.
The company relies on KODAK PRINERGY Workflow to streamline and automate its production process. PRINERGY Workflow is the system of choice for powerful file preflighting, color management, trapping and imposition—as well as flexible device connectivity, customizable automation and database-driven production management. To handle the accurate proofing that is so critical in packaging, Precision Color Graphics uses the KODAK APPROVAL NX Digital Color Imaging System. The advantage of the system is that it is capable of producing proofs on the same stock as the final job, which means that customers can preview the dot gain, line screens, and Pantone colors exactly as they will appear in production.
Precision Color Graphics also utilizes the KODAK INSITE Prepress Portal System, giving its clients the option to access and manage prepress workflow for any job, at any time via the web. The system tracks all activity, including job submissions, change requests, and approvals or rejections remotely. According to Goeden, more and more clients are seeing the value in utilizing the INSITE Prepress Portal, especially with some of their larger jobs that require multiple approvals.
“Precision Color Graphics has successfully grown its business over the years by listening to its customers’ needs and going above and beyond their expectations with high-quality packaging,” said Nick Brunk, Kodak’s National Packaging Sales Manager. “John has plenty of personal experience within the industry, and it’s great to see how his company has embraced KODAK Solutions to help provide clients with superior products that have remarkable shelf impact and appeal.”