Louth-based repro house Waldo Limited has upgraded its proofing capabilities with FlexPack from ORIS Packaging Innovations, the UK partner for CGS Publishing Technologies’ packaging products.

‘We found we were no longer getting consistent results from the existing system,’ explained managing director, Phil Walmsley. ‘We saw FlexPack at the Packaging Innovations exhibition and liked the fact it connects with Esko.’

As for return on investment, he explained, ‘Because it was principally purchased for proofing and to provide a service we needed, ROI wasn’t a key consideration. However, the fact we can now offer mock ups to customers is an added string to our bow and one we will grow and market ourselves. People can produce a 3D representation but this is something they can physically hold and nothing compares to that.’

Designed to ensure smoother production, save time and costs, the web-based colour management software which, combined with a specially designed custom interface for Roland VersaCAMM VS series printers, delivers production flexibility for halftone and continuous tone proofi­ng. All printer features, such as multi-pass and print-and-cut, are supported, and Pantone colour libraries included, to enable proofi­ng or special colours, with the possibility of de­fining custom colours.

In addition to white and metallic ink, it features orange and green, with the specially developed high-pigmented XG Inks. This allows the production of contract quality proofs and prototypes on media, specifically designed to match original stock used in flexible packaging, ranging from aluminium foil to shrink film. The ORIS Flex Pack // Web software also offers integrated soft proofi­ng, proof certi­fication and halftone support with any 1-bit file format.

Mr Walmsley did review other options on the market but chose FlexPack because of its quality and ability to expand the services offered by Waldo through delivering mock ups. ‘We have now started to talk to corrugated suppliers and interest in that is growing. They like having the product straight in their hands.’

He added, ‘Also, when you compare the cost of mocking up the design against producing a set of plates, it is a lot cheaper and, as customers tend to change their minds, the savings mount up. 3D design shows how a product looks on the screen but physical mock ups are something you can hold in front of you. This gives us an extra USP.’