The Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) has awarded Asahi Photoproducts with the prestigious Sustainability Excellence Award for its AFP™-R Reduced Solvent CleanPrint flexographic plates. These plates are recognized as a key advancement in the industry’s journey towards Solvent ZERO, the company’s commitment to sustainability by eliminating VOC-based washout platemaking and reducing energy usage and time to market.
Aki Kato, Executive Senior General Manager of Photoproducts Division at Asahi Photoproducts, expressed gratitude for the award, stating, “We are very honored to receive this prestigious Sustainability Award! The AFP™-R plates are a step along the road to Solvent ZERO which is our philosophy for contributing to the improved sustainability for the printing and packaging industry by eliminating VOC-based washout platemaking and reducing both energy usage and time to market due to shorter tact for washout and drying time. We are eager to continue creating new products and solutions which can help our clients ultimately migrate to an environmentally balanced solution such as our water washable AWP™ or AFP™-R CleanPrint plates which are based on our unique polymer development culture.”
The AFP™-R plate, a solvent washable plate, offers reduced environmental impact and improved pre-press and press productivity. It achieves a 30% reduction in solvent use and is 50% faster in platemaking, thereby saving time and energy. This innovation marks a significant milestone in Asahi’s sustainability journey, demonstrating its commitment to advancing product development in harmony with the environment.
Designed for high-quality flexible packaging, label, and paper applications, the AFP™-R plate offers several enhancements over standard solvent-wash plates. It also represents progress towards Solvent ZERO for the approximately 70% of flexographic plate making operations that still rely on traditional solvent-based washouts and seek to reduce solvent usage without additional equipment investments.
CleanPrint plates from Asahi Photoproducts have been engineered by the company’s chemical engineers to transfer all remaining ink to the printed substrate. This feature reduces makeready time, ink consumption, and press stops for plate cleaning while ensuring exceptionally consistent print quality.