Smurfit Kappa Colorys in France, a manufacturer of high quality preprinted liner, has obtained the HD Flexo Prepress certification and won two awards in the 2013 Flexostar Awards

Print plays an essential role in packaging as it greatly influences consumers product recognition and ultimately sales. In an increasingly competitive retail environment, the quality of secondary packaging has become an important consideration of company’s marketing strategy.

Smurfit Kappa Colorys obtains HD Flexo certification

Preprint is a flexographic print process whereby paper reels are printed before corrugating, thus achieving a high quality finish. HD Flexo produces finer plate imaging which achieves a much sharper, high quality print on a par with offset.

With the new flexo quality standard HD Flexo Certification initiated by Esko*, Smurfit Kappa Colorys now meet the high quality standards of markets such as luxury goods, wines, spirits and cosmetics sectors in particular.

This accreditation, in combination with existing Imprim’Vert and FSC accreditations, demonstrates Smurfit Kappa’s commitment to combining competitiveness with respect for the environment. These certifications guarantee the following:

– The use of a new generation of green inks** combining renewable raw materials with conventional materials of chemical origin, enabling the group to restrict the use of petroleum derivatives and obtain superior printing quality.

– The sustainable management and exploitation of forests. Resource renewal, the preservation of biodiversity, and the protection of indigenous peoples’ rights are all taken into account in the management of forests.

Equipped with a range of printing processes – flexo, offset, screen, and digital X – Smurfit Kappa is now able to offer a wide variety of solutions to meet the needs of its customers in terms of quality and cost.

1st Prize in the Flexostar 2013 Competition

In its 27th year, the Association Technique Française de Flexographie (ATF)*** awarded Smurfit Kappa Colorys with a Silver Flexostar and the Flexostar « Technical Jury Award ». Both awards were for a HD flexo pre-printing solution for the Future Event Cube pack in the category « Pre-Printing on Coated and Uncoated Corrugated Cardboard ».

In addition, a Gold Flexostar was awarded to Smurfit Kappa Tours sur Marne in the category « Post-Printing on Coated Corrugated Cardboard » for the Liebig Campbell pack.

Open to all commercial printers eager to showcase their expertise and latest innovations, the ATF competition aims to position companies as recognised players in the market and to boost their visibility.

* Esko is a global supplier and integrator of pre-production, collaboration, and materials software for the packaging and publishing sectors
** In partnership with the ink manufacturer SIEGWERK (labeled UniRICS)
*** ATF: French Technical Association of Flexography

December, 18th 2014