DS Smith wins at DFTA Awards

This year saw the first DFTA Awards. They were looking for excellent packaging, printed using the flexo printing process, which set the standard for the future.

The DFTA Executive Committee hosted the first ever DFTA Awards 2011 under the motto “Everything flexo”. The 11 categories, with the areas flexible packaging, corrugated cardboard, labels and special flexo applications, saw over 300 submissions. These were assessed on criteria including print quality with regard to image, writing and register, innovation, complexity, and print process conversion. The social event, which took place under the framework of the ProFlex Conference, saw only the winners of each category announced in front of over 700 flexo printing specialists.  

We decided to submit the print sample from HENKELL Trocken,” said Nicole Hohmann, Printing Coordinator at Pre-Press Services. “We were nominated under the motto “Game, set and match” for the packaging printed with 48lpc, four-colour plus coating and ultimately took the victory in the “Corrugated cardboard – flexo pre-print” category. This means that we are one of the best among the good ones,” said Hohmann.  

This success was made possible by the close cooperation of Pre-Press, the pre-press printing specialists of DS Smith in Germany, who are responsible for the printing and packaging production, and DS Smith Fulda. “Our colleagues at Pre-Press Services prepared the print image for flexo printing through excellent retouching of the offset data and created the printing plate for the winning print. We then did everything possible with the print to ensure an optimal final print with our flexo pre-print,” said Alexander Eichhorst, Head of Printing at DS Smith Fulda.  

“After finishing in second and third place at the DuPont Grand Prix Cyrel last year, our victory at the DFTA in the “Corrugated cardboard – flexo pre-print” category once again demonstrates our excellent competence in flexo printing,” stated Hans-Albrecht Lerch, General Manager at  DS Smith Fulda. “Our customers value our reliable, high-quality prints as that is a key factor in making sure our packaging positively highlights their brand image.”