Today’s packaging and label printing industry is fiercely competitive and high-pressure. As a printer, you’re facing more challenges than ever before – so every edge counts.
Rising costs, environmental regulations, and unrelenting demand for quality are creating a perfect storm of pressure on your operations – but it doesn’t have to be that way.
At Creation, as a trusted and highly experienced prepress partner, we understand these challenges and believe that water-washable flexo plate technology – specifically Fujifilm Flenex-FW – offers a solution to many of the pain points you face daily.
Why water-washable plate technology matters
The flexographic printing industry has evolved significantly since the early days of solvent-based plates. Today’s brand owners demand rapid turnaround, exceptional quality, and demonstrable sustainability credentials from their printers – all while keeping costs under control. Traditional solvent-based plate systems, while familiar, often create bottlenecks in these key areas.
What makes Flenex-FW particularly relevant for 2025’s printing challenges is its unique rubber-based compound technology. Unlike conventional elastomeric materials, this innovative composition eliminates oxygen sensitivity issues that typically affect dot shape and complicate plate production. And of course, being solvent-free, they don’t release harmful VOCs in prepress washout. The result is simpler, faster, and more sustainability-focused platemaking process that directly addresses your operational challenges.
Meeting your quality demands
We know that your brand customers are rightfully demanding when it comes to print quality. Flenex-FW delivers here with its ability to achieve 1% flat top dots without complex oxygen elimination systems. This translates directly to lower dot gain and superior ink transfer – giving you noticeably cleaner, brighter print results that will impress even the most discerning print buyers.
The need for speed
We’re in an era where speed to market is everything. And platemaking speed can make or break your productivity. Flenex-FW reduces total platemaking time to under 40 minutes – that’s 300% faster than conventional solvent-based systems. This dramatic improvement in processing time enables us to deliver your plates faster than ever before, helping you maintain press uptime and meet those tight deadlines and lead time promises, while maintaining the highest quality standards.
If the following sounds all too familiar – now’s the time to explore what Flenex-FW and Creation, as your prepress partner, can do.
Flenex-FW eliminates expensive solvent handling and disposal, providing an immediate reduction in consumable costs and regulatory compliance expenses.
With durability proven to be twice that of conventional solvent plates, Flenex-FW means fewer plate changes, longer run capabilities and significantly improved press utilisation.
Thanks to its innovative flat top dot technology and superior ink transfer, Flenex-FW delivers the sharper details and brighter colours your brand customers demand, with consistency across even the longest runs.
By eliminating VOC solvents entirely from platemaking, Flenex-FW dramatically simplifies your environmental compliance while reducing your operation’s overall carbon footprint.
With total platemaking time of just 40 minutes – 300% faster than conventional solvent systems – Flenex-FW underpins your ability to meet tight deadlines while maintaining exceptional quality.
Flenex-FW’s simplified platemaking process reduces labour requirements and frees up your team to focus on more value-adding activities.
Innovation in action
As your dedicated prepress partner, we don’t just supply Flenex-FW plates – we help you maximise their potential in your specific printing environment. Our position as a Fujifilm Centre of Excellence means we can offer hands-on demonstrations at our Daventry headquarters, letting you see first-hand how these plates can transform your printing operations.
The printing industry continues to evolve at speed and staying competitive means embracing technologies that solve multiple challenges simultaneously. Flenex-FW water-washable plates represent a significant step forward in flexographic printing technology, offering a solution that addresses quality, speed, sustainability and cost control in one comprehensive package.
Ready to explore how Flenex-FW could transform your printing operations?
Get in touch with our team today to learn more about implementing this technology in your business.
Questions?
Contact us on +44 (0) 1604 906000 or info@creation-repro.com
and we’ll be happy to help