Fujifilm is set to display its portfolio of analogue and digital packaging solutions at Interpack 2023 to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and support the production of printed packaging.
Under the theme of ‘Analogue. Digital, Sustainable’, Fujifilm’s latest digital print technologies create a unique portfolio that supports the production of both analogue and digitally printed packaging while demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.
The first product in the line-up is Fujifilm’s Flenex FW water-washable flexo plates, which are designed to cut out the pollutive solvents frequently utilised in the plate-making process. The plates are said to be more durable than most alternatives, reducing both plate changes and waste.
In regard to digital solutions, a Kama finishing unit will work in tandem with the Jet Press 750S High-Speed Model to produce folding carton packaging. This device is made to produce folding carton packaging in short runs to a high quality.
Also showcased on the stand will be Fujifilm’s retrofittable LED UV curing system. It uniquely combines both LED UV curing hardware and a brand-new range of LED UV inks, radically reducing energy consumption, eliminating harmful VOCs, cutting maintenance times, and producing less waste. This results in reduced costs and a higher, more consistent quality.
According to Fujifilm, the inks are also solvent-free and are manufactured at its Broadstairs factory, where the company claims to strive for environmentally responsible manufacturing and operating processes.
Fujifilm EMEA packaging head Manuel Schrutt said: “We work with packaging producers at all stages of their journey, whether it’s helping them to optimise analogue production lines to maximise efficiency or to introduce a digital capability. We don’t do one-size-fits-all – we do the right solution, for the right producer, at the right time.
“And all our solutions, whether analogue, digital, or somewhere in-between, are designed to reduce waste and the use of environmentally harmful chemicals, minimise energy consumption, and be as sustainable as possible.”
In a separate development, dried fruits, nuts and snack company Whitworths has improved its sustainability footprint by adopting Creative’s solvent-free flexible packaging prepress and moving its flexible designs to water-washable Fujifilm Flenex-FW flexo plates.
