Representatives from Esko and Antalis top executives hosted a press function on 8 February at the Johannesburg Country Club, during which they were offered the opportunity to preview what Esko will be showcasing at Drupa 2012. The two companies also officially kicked off their distributor agreement.
Jacques Staelens, Area Manager and Armand Gougay, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Esko outlined what the companys line-up for the expo, at which Esko will have a 900sqm stand – its largest yet.
Eskos Suite 12 will be showcased for the first time at the expo. It will also showcase its Inline UV 2, the new inline UV exposure unit for Cyrel Digital Imagers which now offers flexo printers the flexibility to select the type of print dot – either round-top or flat-top – according to the specific job requirement. With this new found flexibility, printers can offer their clients the best of both worlds in terms of dot quality.
The Kongsberg i-XP24 Automated and Kongsberg i-XE10 Auto will also be presented at Drupa. The i-cut Automate automates the entire production process to ultimately reduce costs. Users can quickly build dynamic workflows that automate repetitive prepress tasks, reducing operator intervention and errors. As well as time and money, it also saves materials in the production process.
The i-XP24 with sheet feeder is the market’s leading digital finishing solution and is specifically designed to deliver unsurpassed productivity and perfect registration. It is equipped with i-cut camera-based registration. It also has multiple quick-change cutting tools that allow manufacturers to easily handle a variety of materials.
Esko will also highlight its Kongsberg i-XE10 Auto, fully automated, die-less digital finishing solution, designed as the perfect finishing complement to any digital print operation. Specifically created with the growing demand for finishing of small-format, short-run digitally printed material in mind, it can work alongside any small-format or medium-sized digital press to deliver the industry’s most efficient sign and display graphics production solution.
Eskos versatile digital finishing solutions are unique in the industry, they enable customers to implement the most robust, productive and responsive workflow possible. Visitors to the expo will get a full Esko experience as the company is collaborating with its partners such as Du Pont, HP, Fujifilm, Forex and PrintCity.
In the pre-amble to Drupa, everything seems electric and much excitement emanates from our industry. Antalis has focused on the packaging industry, having represented Du Pont in South Africa for over 35 years, but our relationship with Esko is of particular value to us.
We are honoured to welcome Armand and Jacques to South Africa. I strongly feel that the Esko and Antalis partnership is the springboard we both needed into new and exciting markets, Solomon said.
We have hit the ground running since signing the distributorship agreement with Antalis, said Staelens. While the media function is key to the role of our local and international initiatives, we are also using the opportunity of being in South Africa to cement some key deals within the rapidly expanding packaging market.
We are thrilled to be striding ahead in one of our industrys fastest growing arenas – packaging. While we have our work cut out for us in opening our products up to a completely new market, we certainly have the expertise within the Antalis team, supported by Esko, said Antalis Director Keith Solomon.
