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Diflex wins over new customers with the acquisition of a KODAK FLEXCEL NX System Overview

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].

Gilles Corbé, Key Account Manager for Packaging and Commercial Imaging at Kodak Iberia, presents the certification to María Teresa Mesa

Gilles Corbé, Key Account Manager for Packaging and Commercial Imaging at Kodak Iberia, presents the certification to María Teresa Mesa

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.

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