Setting standards
With a new 32,000 sq ft production facility in Dukinfield housing the latest best-in-class hardware and software for reprographics and flexo plate making, Contact Originators provides customers with complete peace of mind when it comes to prepress quality, consistency, and accuracy.
First flexo plate making company in the UK to have gained ESKO HD and Crystal accreditation in the corrugated print industry
First company worldwide to be accredited to the prestigious Flint Group Flexo Expert programme
Largest solvent still in the Europe prepress sector to support customer capacity requirements at 24,000L
Widest corrugated plate development – MagnaForma plate technology developed by Contact maintains 0.2mm register across the print and butt join, even when used on solid colours
Contact can apply all screening technologies available on the market today to its plates (unlike other tradeshops who select based on software availability) providing complete flexibility and optimisation depending on the job
Plate Imaging & Exposure Options
Contact Originators has invested in a range of plate imaging and exposure technologies, including:
• Esko Crystal CDI 50×80 Optics 100 + XPS Crystal LED Exposure
• Xikon Thermoflexx 50×80 Woodpecker + Catena E LED Exposure
• Kodak NX Wide Format 50×80 + LED / UVA Exposure
Screening Options
Contact offers a comprehensive range of screening technologies to ensure the right screening is used to maximise the quality performance of every job:
• ESKO Crystal Screening
• ESKO Highlights Screening
• XSYS Woodpecker Screening
• Kodak NX Screening
• Optimus TM
Contact operates five high speed semi and fully automated plate production lines offering unrivalled capacity and quality that today’s flexo print industry needs. Offering every mainstream screening variant in flexo platemaking that’s available in the market today, gives the customer an unrivalled choice to suit every print discipline and substrate.
Kongsberg XN22 with ESKO DFS Auto Plate Merge & Device Manager
Contact Originators has invested in cutting edge hardware and software integrated into digital workflows to set new standards in mounting for Post Print applications.
Automated Plate Merging significantly speeds up the process, drives efficiencies and eliminates the risk of human error. With accurate automated plate cutting, the Kongsberg investment improves accuracy as well as helping to reduce waste, all delivered in minutes.
Best in class mounting equipment
Contact Originators operates 3 AV 3000 Flatmounts with Image Recognition Software; a new standard has now been set in the Corrugated sector with this move. Image recognition software for improved quality control gives the Contact team the ability to provide a Certificate of Conformance on every plate. With mounting accuracy of 100 micron (previously 250 micron), Contact Originators now exceeds the current tolerances within the post print market and has the potential to improve set up times on tight fitting jobs and give the press the best opportunity to work to tolerance.
Optimus
Contact Originators developed Optimus – an innovative plate technology that delivers improved ink laydown and ink savings in the corrugated printing process.
Following years of trials on different plate surface patterns, different plate types and LED exposures, Optimus combines novel studio techniques to provide printers with proven savings while maintaining superior graphics performance. Recognising its success, the innovative plate technology was named winner in the Business Process category at the annual Stationers’ Awards ceremony.
HQPP Plate Technologies
Contact Originators works with a range of plate material suppliers optimising the performance of HQPP technology. Contact is regularly used as an industry beta test site for next generation HQPP plates to test the latest innovations, manufacturing equipment and techniques.
Contact offers the full range of Nyloflex® range of photopolymer flexographic plates suitable for printing on film, foil, coated paper, corrugated and self-adhesive substrates from XSYS.
Nyloflex® printing plates provide the highest, most consistent quality: fine screens and vignettes and smooth solids on all commonly used substrates. Nyloflex significantly improves ink laydown, high solid ink densities and precise reproduction of the finest highlight details especially when used in conjunction with our Woodpecker screening.
Contact offers Miraclon NX and NXC technology where two innovations are combined
– expertly engineered advanced Digicap NX patterning screening enabling a single plate to be optimised across a wide range of print conditions – all ink types and anilox volumes – with patented built-in advanced edge definition technology to control ink flow. The objective of the Miraclon NX solution is smoothest ink laydown.
The patterns are key to optimising the ink transfer process – the key objective is smooth, thin, ink laydown. The smoother the layer, the more even the reflection, the cleaner and brighter the colours, and the wider the gamut and NX enables lower impression, greater latitude and less defects.
MacDermid Graphics Solutions is a worldwide leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of a full range of flexo packaging plate solutions.
At Contact, we offer the Lux ITP™ 60 plate ideal for the flexible packaging market, as well as tags and labels, folding cartons, sacks, paper and multiwall packaging applications.
LUX ITP™ 60 is a hard durometer photopolymer plate for flexographic printing formulated with award-winning technology from MacDermid. LUX ITP features the convenience of flat-top dots right out of the box. No additional platemaking steps or equipment are needed to take advantage of the print quality and consistency that LUX flat-top dots provide, with the added convenience of unique flat-top dots already in-the-plate. LUX ITP 60 is a durable and extremely low tack plate, which is perfectly suited for long and clean running print jobs especially when used in conjunction with our ESKO Crystal screening.
DuPont Advanced Printing offers a broad portfolio of flexographic plates developed specifically for the corrugated market.
So, whether you are looking for a corrugated plate designed for high quality post- print, or you need a flat top dot workflow solution that minimises fluting on even the most challenging types of corrugated boards, we have a product to meet your needs. Dupont DLC specifically made for corrugated the low grammage recycled liners coupled with our Optimus screening offers fantastic coverage and an uplift on colour.
Contact Originators was proud to be one of the first beta testing companies for the innovative XPS Crystal, which optimally combines UV main and back exposure.
Unlike UV frames, using light bulbs with fluctuating output, the XPS Crystal uses UV LEDs that do not need warm-up time and always emit consistent radiation. A simultaneous and optimally controlled UV main and back exposure produces highly consistent digital flexo plates – for every digital flexo plate type, on every job. The XPS Crystal exposing unit won the prestigious FTA award, 2017 Intertech Technology Award and the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017.
See what our plate partners have to say about us here
See what our plate partners have to say about us here
We at XSYS are proud to be the main supplier of flexo printing plates to Contact Originators. We’ve worked closely together for more than two decades on the evolving challenges and opportunities in the flexo market. Contact’s innovative and versatile approach makes them the perfect early test partner for our new plate, equipment and service developments. An example being our unique Flexo Expert program, which is designed to improve efficiency, quality and consistency in the Plate Department. Contact was the first of XSYS’ global network of partners to achieve this status and has recently been reaccredited for the next two years. Contact shares the XSYS key principle of ‘Better, Faster and Easier to use’.
Paul Campbell, Managing Director, XSYS UK & Ireland
See what our plate partners have to say about us here
Contact Originator’s focus on innovation is clearly aligned with MacDermid’s philosophy. Their openness, honesty and understanding of development hurdles and timing were critical to our success in commercialising a recent new photopolymer sheet product. One of the key factors Contact Originators brought to the table was closeness to the printers, derived from Contact’s approach to their customers and development of strong relationships. Contact Originator’s commitment to innovation and their customers are obvious and that resonates with us. It is a pleasure to work with them.
Matt Bennett, European Vice President, MacDermid Graphic Solutions
See what our plate partners have to say about us here
When working with Contact Originators we know our plates are processed to a consistently high standard as they adhere to strict quality control procedures. Coupled with their high level of expertise, market knowledge, and creativity, Contact Originators continuously pushes the boundaries of our products and our company to obtain the optimum performance and highest quality of print possible for the customer. This innovative and collaborative approach helps drive constant advancement in today’s challenging workplace to achieve results you never thought possible in this market sector.
Steve Whitham, Account Manager, Dupont Advanced Printing
All driven by digital workflow innovation
Contact Originators is a pioneer in digital workflow development for the corrugated platemaking process, as well as working across the flexible packaging and labels markets today.
The company uses the latest ESKO Webcenter and Automation Engine workflow technology directly linked to the company’s in-house developed MIS system Metrics via JDF.
Digital workflows have a number of benefits
The team has one point of entry reducing the potential for errors
Processing speed and efficiency from customer order to invoice
Internal and customer KPI reporting with accurate up to date data
Consistency in all processes
Customers, in-plants and employees can identify the stage of every job, as well as track deliveries
Real time tracking of all jobs
The output workflow – delivered in minutes and right every time!
