USA Miraclon is one year old this month, and CEO Chris Payne reflects on a successful first 12 months.
Much to celebrate
We’ve been on a tremendous journey since April 9, 2019, the day Miraclon began trading with a dedicated focus on flexo and what it can do. We’re hugely proud of the Kodak Flexcel NX technology our people have been developing over the past decade, helping our customers transform their businesses.
We’re also lucky to be part of an industry we’re passionate about, and a professional community we admire. We’re fortunate we’ve been able to channel that passion, admiration and energy into building a brand new company with newfound agility and ambition, a company through which we can join with our customers and partners in a singular task: transforming flex.
I’m also amazed by the innovation and inventiveness of our customers in challenging circumstances, finding ways of making a difference in our battle against Covid-19. Such as iFlexo in Colombia, making surgical masks from Flexcel NX plate cover film and asking customers in the region to send them their cover film waste so they can produce more. And Inflex in Santiago, Chile, doing likewise and donating them to a local hospital.
A year in highlights
Our business has thrived in its first year. Not only did we successfully complete the transition to Miraclon, but we’re supplying even more plates to a customer base that continues to build volume. We continued to install Flexcel NX Systems in every region, and our new plate manufacturing line in Oklahoma went live. We held our inaugural Global Flexo Innovation Awards, and welcomed more than 60 new employees to the team.
We had our first public appearance as a company, at LabelExpo in Brussels – back when you could hold a major industry gathering without a second thought. The conversations we had there, with customers old and new, were exciting and encouraging. We’re looking forward to a time when we can do that again, and have our sights firmly set on Drupa 2021.
Make a wish
The Covid-19 outbreak is making life challenging for our partners, colleagues, families and friends worldwide. We’re doing everything we can to help, adapting our working practises and putting measures in place to support everyone important to us. This includes helping flexo print providers meet the sudden extra demand, by mobilizing products and technical teams to keep our customers’ operations running smoothly.
We’re also working hard to keep everyone safe in the process. This is a time to look forward with hope, as part of a supportive community working together to tackle whatever tomorrow brings.
I look forward to discovering what successes we’ll be looking back on a year from now when we’re celebrating Miraclon’s second birthday. In the meantime, let’s keep on championing flexo and all it can be. Together.