Flexo Technology
Flexo’s next performance leap: Why platemaking is becoming a strategic weapon for converters
Jan De Roeck
F
or today’s flexographic converters, pressure is building from every direction. Brand owners want faster time to market, tighter colour tolerances across global supply chains, shorter run lengths and hard data to support sustainability claims. Historically, meeting one of those demands often meant compromising another. Increasingly, however, the battleground where those trade-offs are being eliminated is the plate room.
The latest developments in flexo platemaking and workflow connectivity reflect a broader industry shift: platemaking is no longer a support function but a critical enabler of pressroom efficiency, print consistency and environmental performance. For converters looking to futureproof their operations, these upstream processes are now directly influencing competitiveness downstream. “Plate production defines what happens everywhere else in the process,” says Jan De
Roeck, marketing director at Esko. “As brand requirements intensify, converters need platemaking that is industrialised, repeatable and predictable. Without that foundation, it becomes very difficult to deliver speed, quality and sustainability together.”
FROM ISOLATED PROCESSES TO CONNECTED PRODUCTION
While plate quality is critical, converters are equally challenged by fragmented workflows that slow decision-making and introduce risk. Designed as a multi-tenant environment, S2 connects all Esko applications such as ArtPro+, ArtiosCAD, Automation Engine, Phoenix and Cape Pack within a shared digital ecosystem. For converters serving global brands, this means designs, specifications and production data are synchronised in real time across teams and locations.
“The lack of visibility between stakeholders is a major drag on speed and predictability,” De Roeck noted. “By connecting design, prepress and production data, S2 reduces handovers, eliminates rework and helps converters respond faster to brand demands.” Crucially for established operations, S2 is an open platform. It integrates with third-party systems and coexists with existing on-premise Esko installations, allowing converters to modernise incrementally rather than through disruptive rip-and-replace projects.
24
February 2026
www.convertermag.com
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