Solidus Solutions is a leading provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging solutions for the food and beverage, consumer goods, and industrial sectors. With plants in the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium, the company is dedicated to offering high-quality, recycled board and packaging options that meet strict safety standards and are suitable for direct food contact.
Recently, Solidus Solutions decided to investigate Agfa’s new screening technologies. Samantha Proost, Pre-production Support Specialist, and Filip Peeters, Senior Specialist Digital Prepress, had the opportunity to test out both SPIR@L and SolidTune screening and share their experiences.
According to Filip Peeters, the deployment process for SPIR@L was smooth and did not require any changes to Solidus Solutions’ existing setup. First, the company conducted a test run by printing SPIR@L test wedges in the waste areas and hidden zones of their standard production process without disrupting normal production. These wedges were sent to Agfa for analysis, where the quality team selected the dot shape with the highest potential for savings.
These validation tests convinced Solidus Solutions that the printing quality using SPIR@L was equal to or even better than their standard production. Peeters notes that the press operators were initially hesitant about the technology. Still, once they were educated on the benefits and saw that it did not disrupt production, they could print SPIR@L jobs without any significant issues.
One of the main advantages of using SPIR@L is the significant reduction in ink consumption. The company has also experienced faster drying times, which allows for quicker delivery of products and the ability to save on floor space by stacking more sheets on palettes.
Job preparation
In addition to SPIR@L, Solidus Solutions also had the opportunity to test SolidTune, another innovative Agfa screening technology that helps further reduce ink consumption by creating tiny 30-micron holes in solid tones, without impacting the final quality of the print.
Solidus Solutions has been impressed with the professional approach and deployment of both SPIR@L and SolidTune. They are even considering how the technologies can help them reduce varnish costs as they continue to work towards their sustainability goals.
Adopting these technologies is just one example of Solidus Solutions’ commitment to innovation and excellence as they look for ways to improve their processes and offer the best possible products to their customers.
