Asahi Photoproducts

07/04/2026

At Forum Infoflex 2026, taking place April 26–29 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, WI, Asahi Photoproducts, part of Asahi Kasei, will highlight two key directions in flexographic plate development:

REVO SERIES – focused on improving platemaking efficiency and workflow stability.

AWP™-CLFQ – introduced to the US market for the first time, and the first solventless plate certified for Esko Quartz imaging, designed for high-definition imaging and consistent print performance.

As converters continue to balance productivity and print quality, both aspects are becoming equally critical in day-to-day operations.

👉 Meet our team at Booth No. 725.

11/03/2026

We are pleased to attend the Polish Chamber of Flexographers Conference 2026 in Warsaw from 16–18 March as a new member of the Polish Chamber of Flexographers.

Together with our Polish distributor Reprograf Flexo, we look forward to meeting the local flexo community and exchanging views on current developments in label and packaging printing.

Conferences like this provide a valuable opportunity to share perspectives, discuss market developments and strengthen relationships across the flexo industry.

If you are attending, we would be pleased to meet you on site. Looking forward to meeting Bartłomiej Brzykcy, Łukasz Pluciennik and the Reprograf Flexo team in Warsaw.

10/03/2026

Innovation in flexo printing does not happen in isolation.

It happens when technology partners across the value chain work together.

At the Sustainable Flexo Symposium (May 5–6, 2026, Düsseldorf), leading companies from the flexo ecosystem will demonstrate how automated flexo production can achieve gravure-level quality while meeting new sustainability and PPWR requirements.

Together with our partners Esko, Follmann GmbH & Co. KG, tesa, Polifilm Flexible Films, PETROPLAST GmbH, Pamarco Europe (GmbH) and OCS Optical Control Systems GmbH, we will showcase how integrated technologies – from plate making to inks, screening and substrates – enable the next generation of sustainable packaging production.

Taking place just ahead of Interpack, the symposium offers a unique opportunity to see how the flexo ecosystem is evolving to meet the challenges of modern packaging production.


📍 Düsseldorf

📅 May 5–6, 2026

Registration link: https://go.esko.com/FlexoSymposium2026

26/02/2026

PPWR is accelerating the transition from Rotogravure to Flexo.
📍 May 5–6, 2026 | Just before Interpack

Join the Next-Generation Sustainable Flexo Symposium, hosted at Follmann’s Technology & Knowledge Centre.

Over two half days, the full flexo ecosystem comes together — from prepress to automation — with live CI flexo production at Allstein.

✔ Water-wash plate technology (Solvent ZERO)
✔ Quartz screening & precision anilox
✔ Water-based inks in production
✔ Recycled & mono-material substrates
✔ Inspection & automation workflows

Together with Esko Asahi Photoproducts Pamarco Europe PETROPLAST GmbH Follmann GmbH & Co. KG OCS Optical Control Systems GmbH tesa — with live demonstrations at Allstein GmbH.

If you're heading to Interpack, start here.

👉 Registration now open:

Live Flexo Printing on Recycled Film at Allstein - Gravure‑Level Quality with Smart Automation for PPWR. Experience live printing with water‑based inks and water‑washable plates on films and paper, and see what truly PPWR‑compliant packaging looks like. Taking place just days before Interpac...

23/02/2026

Thank you to Innoform for the insightful discussion.
In the latest podcast episode, Dieter Niederstadt shares how flexo is evolving from individual product innovation toward a fully integrated Solvent ZERO ecosystem.
From water-wash plates to closed-loop recycling systems and automated plate production in collaboration with Esko and Allstein — the industry is moving toward:
✔ Less VOC
✔ Less downtime
✔ More automation
✔ More standardisation
A strong conversation about where sustainable flexible packaging is heading.
🎧 Listen to the full episode, link to be found below and in the comments.

Is solvent-based plate processing already outdated? Flexo is moving towards Solvent Zero. ♻️ In our newest Podcast episode Julian Thielen talked to Dieter Niederstadt from Asahi Photoproducts about how solvent less printing becomes more and more standard, how collaboration is also key within the...

05/02/2026

By 2030, flexographic platemaking and printing will look very different.

Not because of a single technology, but because efficiency will become critical at every step.

Akihiro KATO highlights automation and the shortage of skilled operators
as key drivers shaping the future of flexo.

Watch the full interview to learn how Asahi is preparing for the next decade.

15/01/2026

Save the date – and register for the Flexo Masterclass Series 2026.
We’re pleased to announce two confirmed dates for the Flexo Masterclass Series 2026. Following the consistently positive feedback from previous editions, we’re happy to offer this proven format again this year.
📅 14–16 April 2026
📅 6–8 October 2026
The Flexo Masterclass brings together hands-on flexo know-how, technology insights and practical experience, and has been very well received by participants over the past years.
Registration is now open.
You’ll find the QR code directly in the video and the full link in the first comment.

12/01/2026

Flexo Goes Next Level – Gravure-like Print Results with CLFQ

Gravure-like detail is no longer exclusive to gravure.

In modern flexo production, visual impact is defined by smooth tonal transitions, crisp highlights and stable solids. AWP™-CLFQ is engineered to support exactly this level of performance.

Through fine micro patterns and highly controlled plate behaviour, CLFQ enables gravure-like print quality while maintaining the efficiency and flexibility of flexo — even in automated production environments.

For converters, this means reliable reproduction, fewer corrections on press and confidence when pushing detail to the limit.

12/01/2026

What will flexographic platemaking look like by 2030?

In this interview, Aki Kato, Senior General Manager at Asahi Photoproducts, shares how sustainability, automation, and simplified workflows are shaping the future of flexo — and what Solvent ZERO really means in practice.

From water-washable plates to fully automated workflows with industry partners, this conversation offers a clear view of where the industry is heading.

Watch the full interview and hear how Asahi is helping shape the future of flexo.

The video is showing the first sunrise in Japan over Mount Fuji in 2026.Taking this opportunity, it is a good timing for our Senior General Managing of the A...

06/01/2026

Flexo goes next level – warum die Zukunft des Flexodrucks neu bewertet werden sollte
Flexodruck steht an einem Wendepunkt.

Im Podcast gibt **Dr. Dieter Niederstadt** Einblicke, wie sich wasserwaschbare Platten, Automatisierung und Prozessstabilität in den letzten Jahren weiterentwickelt haben – und warum Flexodrucker Technologien heute nicht mehr nach den Maßstäben früherer Generationen bewerten sollten.

Ein Gespräch über Qualität, Produktivität und den Mut, den Flexodruck weiterzudenken.

👉 Jetzt reinhören: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2t0FEjN3ci7xcRnuNvehde?si=atn1IYvTQ8K_T1bzE4vmUA&pi=yYVL-qzwS6qsf&nd=1&dlsi=04e64451e6d343ce

Inno-Talk - Flexpack-Wissen · Episode

05/01/2026

Flexo Goes Next Level – Why Stable Quality Matters in Automation

Automation only delivers value when print quality remains stable.
As flexo platemaking becomes increasingly automated, the challenge is no longer speed - but consistency across the entire workflow. Within the Asahi Automation Initiative, collaborative automation ensures that all components of the line work in sync - reducing manual intervention and process variability.

The AWP™-CLFQ plate is designed precisely for these environments. Its fine micro patterns support gravure-like print quality, stable ink transfer and predictable plate behaviour - helping converters achieve reliable results, even in highly automated setups.

This is how automation moves flexo to the next level: scalable quality, fewer interruptions and confidence on press.