Some developments start quietly - but still have the potential to change an entire industry. In an industrial area in Herford, four companies are working on just such a turning point. Their common goal goes far beyond mere process optimisation. The partners involved - Allstein, Esko, Kongsberg and Asahi Photoproducts - are sending out a clear signal: to establish flexographic printing not only more efficiently, but also as a strategically competitive alternative to gravure printing. Especially in markets where rotogravure is historically well established, such as Asia, this is becoming a real alternative.

‘At a time when qualified specialists are in limited supply, the challenge in flexographic printing is also to deploy them in a more targeted manner and to largely automate standardisable tasks.’ The project is not just a showcase, but a forward-looking blueprint for the packaging printing of tomorrow.