Numex Blocks headquartered in Mumbai bagged the silver award. The Miraclon citation reads: "The customer wanted to explore a ‘direct-to-tube’ printing workflow to remove the variability in recycling and eliminate a manufacturing step. As most jobs were eight colours, Numex had detailed discussions with the printer and brand to establish how best to improve colours or textures, including the choice of varnish. Using Flexcel NX plates, excellent results were achieved at 150 lpi and a production speed of 130 tubes per minute."

Over 200 entries from 24 countries were judged by an independent panel of eight flexo industry experts during a hybrid session that saw the judges convene both in person and through digital collaboration applications.

With high quality a pre-condition of entry, submissions were evaluated on four criteria: the efficiency of the company’s workflow, conversion from other print processes to flexo, the degree of creativity in the graphic design and the level of sustainable business practices in the project. Excellence in two categories received a silver award (seven winners), in three categories a gold award (five winners) and in all four categories a platinum award, demonstrating to the industry and to the winner’s customers a commitment to the highest level of print production. This year, Lorytex (Uruguay) became the first winner ever to receive the platinum commendation. The judges also awarded highest honours to four of the winners that they believed demonstrated the biggest impact on advancing the flexo printing process.

Nitin Patil of Numex Blocks, Mumbai

“At a time where all of us were experiencing the additional challenges because of the pandemic, these winners prove that we’re not only part of an incredibly resilient industry, but one that continues to innovate with companies that drive creativity and efficient, consistent and sustainable manufacturing processes,” said Grant Blewett, chief commercial director at Miraclon. “The high conversion rates from other printing processes to flexo, focus on fixed color palette printing, and efforts to maximise on-press productivity and efficiency that also contribute to sustainability that we have seen in so many of the entries, all demonstrate how much the flexo industry is set to become the print process of choice for packaging.”

Grant added, “We’re pleased to see companies from around the world innovating and being creative in growing their businesses as well as driving the transformation of the flexo printing industry.”