Ensuring that your product stands out on the shelf can be a daunting task for your design team. They have to make sure it is eye-catching, readable and enticing for your customers. In addition, there are many other things to consider when preparing the final files to be printed. That’s where Emmerson Packaging’s graphics professionals come in. Emmerson Packaging’s graphics technicians can help you turn your vision for your product into flexographic-friendly designs that look great on a shelf, and can even help save you money in the long run.

What is Flexographic Printing?

Flexographic printing is process which is widely used for printing on substrates required for various types of packaging. Often referred to as flexography or flexo, it is essentially a modern version of letterpress printing, and can be used for printing on almost any type of material, including plastic, metallic films, cellophane, and paper.

While this form of printing has been around since the late 1800s, significant advances have been made since the 1990s. The presses and plates have evolved to the point that they can now reproduce HD-quality artwork on ever-changing and evolving substrates.

At Emmerson Packaging, we’ve been perfecting our flexographic printing and packing process over the last 60 years. We were recently featured on an episode of NSBI’s Maritime Made on Eastlink TV (originally aired on March 2, 2017). Watch the video for a behind-the-scenes look into our facility.

Best Practices for Flexographic-Friendly Designs

As you can imagine, the printing process is a highly technical undertaking. Emmerson Packaging has a team of dedicated professionals that work with you and your design team to ensure that your packaging is produced to exacting standards. All printing processes have guidelines and best practices that make an impact on the finished product, and flexographic printing is no different. When creating your artwork, keep the following in mind:

1. Are My Designs Achievable? – While flexographic printing has made significant advancements in reproduction quality over the last few years, sometimes what is built within your design program does not translate the same way to your packaging material. Talking to Emmerson Packaging’s graphics team early on can help you achieve your desired results.
2. What Impact Does the Material Have on the Final Design? – talk to Emmerson Packaging’s team about the impact that opacity and color of the substrate may have on your design.
3. What Specs Do I Need? – You need to ensure you’re designing to a correct layout and dieline. Emmerson Packaging’s graphics team will work with you and your designers to ensure the finished product looks as anticipated, and operates well on the intended packaging equipment.
4. Have I Thought About The Color Plates? – Since each colour is placed on the substrate with an individual plate, keep this in mind when designing your files. Reducing the number of plates required can have a significant impact on the overall cost of your project. Emmerson Packaging’s graphics team can help guide you.
5. Am I Building My File Correctly? – Emmerson Packaging’s team will work with your designers to talk about color capabilities and what will effectively translate from the computer to print. We will also quality assure the final designer files to ensure they meet printing specifications before entering into the final production stage.

Our Graphics Experts Can Help

Your packaging can be just as important to consumers as what’s inside. Our state-of-the-art HD printing technology will ensure your graphics are jaw-dropping from the first package to the last. Our capabilities ensure 4000 DPI resolution (compared to 2400 DPI with traditional printing), and superior ink lay-down and color control compared to traditional press technologies. We take the greatest care in the work that we do for you, so you’re always getting the best we have to offer. Our graphics experts are actively involved with your Project Central internal team and on-site production personnel, and will:

• Transform your own graphic designs or artwork, making them flexographic-friendly.
• Manage conventional and digital workflow, from initial development to plate making
• Manage your brand’s design elements through consistency and attention to detail

If you’d like to learn more about how Emmerson Packaging’s graphics team can help you achieve the results you’re looking for, you can read more here. If you’re ready to get started with your project, talk to Project Central today.