Asahi flexo makes its mark
Since assuming the Australian distribution for Asahi Solid Photopolymer Flexo plates in March 2001, CyraChrome has more than doubled Asahi’s market share in high-quality plates used for the flexographic printing of leading brand packaging.
Asahi Photopolymers, part of the giant Japanese Asahi Kasei group which employs 28,000 people worldwide, had long been a ‘dark horse’ in Australian flexography. With CyraChrome’s marketing and technical support muscle, coupled with superb product quality coming out of Asahi’s Fuji City plant, the Asahi name is fast becoming synonymous with trouble-free flexo printing for long runs of brand packaged goods.
All grades of Asahi Flexo plates are made to last longer on-press. At one recent Australian trial, a set of Asahi plates outlasted all competitors and when they were taken off the press, the operators were amazed at the condition, saying they could have gone back on again as almost ‘new’ plates.
Perhaps one of the most differentiating features of Asahi is its superior ink transfer, recognized by UK flexo press manufacturer Timsons (represented in Australia by JL Lennard), which built its T-Flex press with Asahi plates as the preferred option.
Whilst digital flexo platemaking is in the spotlight, a huge volume of plates are still exposed and processed in an analogue environment at screen rulings up to 175lpi. Some substrates demand a softer, low durometer, plate such as Asahi’s AFP-SQ whilst aggressive inks will work much better with Asahi SG solvent resistant plates. The new SH plate is proving very popular where higher durometers are required and Australia is one of the first markets in the world to make available the DSH thin digital Flexo plate.
But a flexo plate is only as good as those who back it up and CyraChrome has two of the country’s best flexo experts in Russell Robertson, pictured right, (Packaging Graphics Manager) and Rob Glover (Technical & Sales Support). Both have spent much time at Asahi in Japan, and Asahi technicians regularly visit Australia. Asahi also supplies entire plate lines and exposure units, these can be viewed on
www.asahi-photoproducts.be
For plate mounting, CyraChrome works with its friends at Aldus Engineering and recommends the Heaford mounters.
The immediate future will see some major shifts to Asahi plates for some of Australia’s most prestigious packaging jobs. Why not join in and enjoy the benefits of using the world’s finest Flexo plates – ASAHI!
Call your flexible friend, Russell Robertson russellrob@cyrachrome.com.au on 03 9815 2700 or 0407 551991.
Since assuming the Australian distribution for Asahi Solid Photopolymer Flexo plates in March 2001, CyraChrome has more than doubled Asahi’s market share in high-quality plates used for the flexographic printing of leading brand packaging.
All grades of Asahi Flexo plates are made to last longer on-press. At one recent Australian trial, a set of Asahi plates outlasted all competitors and when they were taken off the press, the operators were amazed at the condition, saying they could have gone back on again as almost ‘new’ plates. 
Whilst digital flexo platemaking is in the spotlight, a huge volume of plates are still exposed and processed in an analogue environment at screen rulings up to 175lpi. Some substrates demand a softer, low durometer, plate such as Asahi’s AFP-SQ whilst aggressive inks will work much better with Asahi SG solvent resistant plates. The new SH plate is proving very popular where higher durometers are required and Australia is one of the first markets in the world to make available the DSH thin digital Flexo plate.
But a flexo plate is only as good as those who back it up and CyraChrome has two of the country’s best flexo experts in Russell Robertson, pictured right, (Packaging Graphics Manager) and Rob Glover (Technical & Sales Support). Both have spent much time at Asahi in Japan, and Asahi technicians regularly visit Australia. Asahi also supplies entire plate lines and exposure units, these can be viewed on