Neuefeind GmbH, with headquarters in Ochtendung, was founded in 1993 as a classical print-ing plate company in Weißenthurm. Over the years, Neuefeind has evolved from a classical pre-press craftsman's business conducting retouching work with its own printing plate production, to a service provider with superior technical expertise. In order to maximize customer benefits, Neuefeind’s competencies are divided into three core businesses: pre-press and plate produc-tion, support for its customer centricity and service concepts, and academy for sustainability and social commitment. With the aim to offer innovations for the flexographic market, Neuefeind is now using Flint Group’s nyloflex® Xpress Thermal Plate Processing solution for the production of pre- and post-print flexographic printing plates as a pioneer in Germany.
“VOC restrictions and the ongoing trend towards more sustainability in the printing industry are currently providing a thrust for the thermal plate processing market and boosting interest in the nyloflex® Xpress Thermal System outside the label industry, particularly in the flexible packaging and corrugated board markets”, notes Friedrich von Rechteren, Global Commercial Vice Presi-dent of Flint Group Flexographic.
Increasing demands for flexibility in plate production, coupled with environmental compatibility without sacrificing on quality were the main drivers for Neuefeind to choose the nyloflex® Xpress Thermal Processing System. "Our aim is to always be one step ahead of the game, and before we decide on investing in new innovations, we estimate the value this investment could bring to our customers, from a strategic then monetary perspective”, says Dieter Neuefeind, Managing Director of Neuefeind GmbH. "That's why we've been using digital printing for ten years now. In terms of ecological aspects, we chose Flint Group's nyloflex® Xpress Thermal System as the first pre-press company in Germany”.
Thermal plate processing is simple and quick. Flint Group’s nyloflex® Xpress Thermal Process-ing System promises better plate quality, faster plate production and easier handling. This tech-nology eliminates the need for solvents, as the system does not require any hazardous sub-stances, with minimal space requirements. The main components of the nyloflex® Xpress Ther-mal Processing System are the processor, flexographic thermal printing plates, and developer rolls, which are precisely coordinated with each other to perform optimally. An essential differ-ence to other systems in the market is the infrared (IR) pre-heating technology inside the proc-essor, selected for maximum energy efficiency. The thermal plates are optimized to melt using a specific wavelength of the IR preheating system and work with the non-woven developer mate-rial to remove excess polymer without leaving any impression of the material on the finished plate surface.
Implementation
"It is important for us to have a trustworthy partner who looks forward to the future like we do. We cannot achieve this if we change partners every two years. That's why we've been working with Flint Group for 19 years now and buy our raw printing plates and processing equipment from them”, explains Mike Theisen, also Managing Director of Neuefeind GmbH.
"We made the decision in favor of the nyloflex® Xpress Thermal Processing System for three reasons: it is innovative, sustainable and time-saving. On the one hand, we want to offer our customers a high-quality alternative to the existing options, which did not exist before. On the other hand, we want to provide a more resource-friendly way of working that is not necessarily based on chemistry, so that we can meet the ecological requirements of our customers and their customers. In addition, the plates are ready in less than an hour, and we can deliver on the same day for very short notice jobs”.
Compared to other systems, the nyloflex® Xpress Thermal System offers increased efficiency in energy management. Furthermore, the thermal plates offer a comparable quality to solvent plates. For Neuefeind, flexibility is increased by complementing their solvent platemaking proc-ess with thermal processing. In addition, almost no VOCs are generated with nyloflex® Xpress and thus benefits the sustainability aspect.
Results
According to Mr. Neuefeind, flexo printing will remain and will not be replaced by digital printing. The demands are increasing on printers and from printers to Neuefeind. Therefore, their equip-ment is geared to the well-being and benefit of the customer.
Neuefeind is committed to not only delivering products, but also multiple services. "We expect from Flint Group exactly what our customers expect from us. Technical support and good serv-ice such as Flint Group's FlexoExpert program to standardize flexo plate processing, which we have successfully completed", says Mr. Theisen. Neuefeind is determined to offer customers more than just low-cost products, instead working with them to identify their needs, optimize processes and provide the necessary service for all printing needs.
