XSYS, a trusted global expert in flexo solutions, is now represented in Australia by Ferag, who took over the agency for its plates, equipment and software 12 months ago from Flint. In the label and packaging sector, Lars Kraeft, Chief Commercial Officer, XSYS, says the company’s focus is very much the same as it is for its entire range, with sustainability a key focus.
“Creating polymer content, while knowing that it is going to be problematic later in its lifecycle, is not a sustainable approach for our sector. We need to do better. “It is our responsibility not only as an industry but more widely as a community to be more sustainable and XSYS is responding by addressing the environmental impact across all aspects of our business.
“For example, we have started the process of transitioning our entire plate range to a more sustainable formulation which replaces the traditionally high proportion of mineral oils with 30% vegetable oil, which is significantly more sustainable. Label printing customers can expect to see this flow through to the label plate range in the near future – and this is just the beginning,” he advises.
“Recent software developments allow printers to save solvent and cut wash-up and processing times by about 20% which can be dramatic. Flexo tends to be a very time-intensive process, so you can see that by cutting processing times down from, for example, 250 minutes to 200 minutes, we also save significant energy as well as enable faster turnaround times.”
For Lars Kraeft the most significant trend at drupa was sustainability. “Without question, it simply makes sense to work towards more sustainable solutions, and, in fact, that is what is required of us, both as businesses and as individuals. This must, however, be done without compromise on quality, and without ‘greenwashing’. We are proud of our EcoVadis Gold Certification, which places us in the top 5% of companies undergoing this assessment, but we know there is more to be done. We are committed to continuing the process, and to being open and authentic in all our endeavours.”
Ian Martin, General Manager – Trade, at Ferag, adds: “For me, the most significant trend is automation. There is a global shortfall in experience across our sector, and the scarcity of qualified staff and, particularly in the ANZ region, the high cost of labour makes it imperative to ensure the value of all our human resources is maximised. Automation is critical because it allows us to efficiently handle some of the more repetitive and mechanical tasks, often at higher speeds, freeing staff resources for other, more valuable, tasks.”
Caption:
L-R: Ian Martin, General Manager – Trade at Ferag; Lars Kraeft, Chief Commercial Officer, XSYS, and Roy Schoettle, Vice President Flexographic Products at XSYS
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