A flexible packaging job for beef dripping Yorkshire puddings had the FlexoTech Awards judges salivating over its print and repro quality in 2024, seeing ProAmpac Grimsby take the much-acclaimed Supreme Award.

Supreme Award-winning flexo print is not a matter of luck or sudden inspiration. Instead, it results from a team’s unwavering commitment to excellence and a meticulous process honed over time.

This year, ProAmpac demonstrated this dedication, winning the Supreme Award at the FlexoTech International Print & Innovations Awards. The winning entry, The Best Buy Beef Dripping Yorkshire Puddings, triumphed in the Flexible Packaging on Film (Narrow/Medium Web) category, impressing judges with its outstanding print quality and lifelike food depiction.

ProAmpac’s success culminated in taking home the Supreme Award for Best in Show. The judges praised the entry as “an outstanding submission that blew the judges away. Excellent quality, from halftones through to solid colours. A fine example of four-color print that stood out from all other entries.”

Team dedication

Mark Sarjantson, operations director for ProAmpac’s Grimsby facility, reflected on the achievement, explaining, ‘This recognition speaks to the dedication of our entire team and their unwavering commitment to delivering the highest quality flexographic packaging solutions. Winning the Supreme Award is a true honour and motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of print excellence.’

The award-winning job was printed at ProAmpac’s Grimsby facility on an eight-colour Bobst 20Six CI flexo press—one of several at ProAmpac Grimsby. The site also houses a Bobst Expert CI press and multiple laminators.

‘When you see an image like that, it stands out immediately. You want it to look like a perfect Yorkshire pudding. The job came out very well from repro and everything aligned on press. Ten or fifteen years ago, we’d have struggled with a job like this, but now our team’s efficiency and expertise ensures excellent results,’ said production supervisor Dave Wood, who accepted the award.

Sarjantson added, “Print quality is essential. Customers expect it as a given, so efficiency is crucial. Gone are the days of spending hours setting up presses. With our controls, a job goes on press and passes inspection swiftly.”

Driving innovation

ProAmpac continues to enhance its production capabilities. Plans for 2025 include the installation of a state-of-the-art pouch-making line, necessitating a purpose-built production space. The site is also a hub of innovation, featuring automated trolleys, custom monitoring systems, and ProAmpac’s largest European product development facility.

Lynsey Maddison, product development director at ProAmpac, highlighted the site’s sustainability initiatives by saying, ‘There’s significant demand for recyclable, compostable materials and PCR content. With evolving legislation, we’re focused on developing effective solutions. From shelf-life analysis to the Fiberization of Packaging, we’re committed to providing customers with sustainable pathways.’

The site’s collaboration with ProAmpac’s Innovation Center in Rochester, NY, enhances its development work. Ms Maddison noted, ‘Our customers can bring an idea and leave with a prototype in a single session. It’s about having the right solutions available as customer demand accelerates.’

ProAmpac claims that its dedication to innovation and excellence ensures it remains at the forefront of the flexible packaging industry.