Birth of the Association
Flexographic Technical Association’s (FTA) Articles of Incorporation were signed Nov. 13. Cited as FTA’s multi-tiered purpose, to:
- Promote, develop and maintain the advancement of flexographic printing
- Work cooperatively on problems of mutual interest among firms engaged
- Develop and maintain standards
- Work cooperatively for the constant improvement of the printing method
- Provide a forum for the exchange of information and discussion of problems
- Do all things permitted by law to promote and advance the process, the printing industry and the welfare of all firms connected to it
Technical Manual
FTA’s Technical Publications Committee announces plans to produce FTA’s Technical Manual as a handbook or encyclopedia of flexography.
Inaugural FORUM brochure image and attendance images
Inaugural FORUM
The inaugural FORUM is held at Hotel Biltmore in New York, NY. The theme? Find the Answers: Inks, Solvents, Their Purposes & Suitability.
1st Awards Competition
FTA stages its first annual awards competition. Twenty-one awards are presented during that year’s FORUM at Chicago’s Palmer House.
FTA One-Day Workshops
FTA One-Day Workshops are set for 16 different sites on the April – December calendar.
FTA’s New Manual
FTA’s New Manual—Flexography: Principles & Practices—goes on press in mid-March
Douglas E. Tuttle, known as a founding father of the Association and for exerting significant influence over its early activities, is the inaugural inductee into the FTA Flexo Hall of Fame.
Saturday Workshops
FTA announces that more than 7,000 people attended Saturday Workshops in the first five years of the program.
Preparation of the Battery
The U.S. Department of Labor announces an aptitude test battery for the occupation of flexographic pressmen. Preparation of the battery was a joint project with FTA.
European Flexographic Technical Association
The European Flexographic Technical Association, having held its inaugural meeting in London, announces an extended membership plan, linking it to the U.S. FTA. FTA offers its members extended membership—an opportunity to add their facility to EFTA’s roster.
A Foundation Formed
Articles of Incorporation for the Foundation of FTA (FFTA) are adopted. Its specific purposes are listed in digest fashion:
- Advance the basic knowledge in the art and science of flexographic printing
- Sponsor appropriate educational projects and training in both degree and non-degree levels
- Provide technical information through new and updated guidelines, material and aids
- Offer financial and other aid for the future growth of flexographic education
- Make scholarships available to those who intend to make a career in flexography
- Improve the competence of people working in flexography through seminars, conferences and workshops
- Assist educational institutions in planning and developing proper courses for those who wish to improve their skills
Flexographic Technical Journal, Vol. 1
Flexographic Technical Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1—the predecessor to FLEXO Magazine—is published. Its editorial opens lauding establishment of FFTA and its two-year history.
FTA announces it will participate in an International Confab on Flexo, set for London, England.
Memorial Scholarship Fund
FFTA launches the Memorial Scholarship Fund. The initial scholarship is to be awarded in honor of Bruce W. Gibson.
Table-Top to INFOFLEX
FFTA announces plans for a One-Day Trade Fair, preceding the formal segment of the 24th Annual Meeting and Technical FORUM. The fair is to be open during registration hours from 7:30 – 11:00 a.m. Exhibitors are limited to a single table—no more than 6 ft. long and 30-in. wide. Materials eligible for distribution must be of a technical and educational nature—not commercial. The event would evolve into INFOFLEX and still proves a powerful drawing card more than 40 years later.
Silver Jubilee
FTA turns 25 and celebrates its Silver Jubilee. A Commemorative Journal is printed to mark the occasion.
Technical Briefs Series
FFTA introduces a series of Technical Briefs—concise technical reports designed for people without time to sift through volumes of text. Papers are drawn from past FORUM presentations and range from three to eight pages.
Educators’ Curriculum Guide
FFTA finalizes the Educators’ Curriculum Guide and sets a Jan. 1, 1987 release date.
FFTA stages the first of several recurring biennial Prepress Conferences—the inaugural one is staged in September at the Holidome Hotel in Rochester, NY.
Fundamentals of Narrow Web Flexographic Printing Program
FTA introduces a student membership, affording the next generation of flexographers all the benefits of a membership to develop their knowledge base and contacts within the industry.
FFTA introduces the Fundamentals of Narrow Web Flexographic Printing Program, centered around a familiar phrase—“Just in Time.”
World of Flexo
FTA introduces World of Flexo, a public relations program ready for member use.
The FFTA Educational Fundraising Program is initiated. Ron and Katherine Harper chair the fundraiser. The goal is to raise $1 million dollars in two years; referred to as the “One Million in Two Fundraising Campaign.” A total of $800,000 is raised or pledged between 1990 and 1992.
Quality Control Manual
Charlie Brown, Luigi Carrano, Fred Shapiro and Frank Siconolfi are the first four flexographers to receive the FTA President’s Award, given to individuals chosen by the Association’s management for their support, volunteerism and dedication.
FTA announces an update of its Quality Control Manual.
Charlie Brown, Luigi Carrano, Fred Shapiro and Frank Siconolfi are the first four flexographers to receive the FTA President’s Award, given to individuals chosen by the Association’s management for their support, volunteerism and dedication.
FFTA Joins Forces with Clemson
FFTA joins forces with Clemson University to jointly sponsor a three-day—Feb. 19-21—Process Color Symposium for Flexo. It also sets a schedule of eight co-sponsored programs on process color, press work and inks with Fox Valley Technical College; and five co-sponsored basic flexography and process color programs with Rochester Institute of Technology.
FLEXO Magazine’s cover is printed and produced flexographically for the first time in the U.S. Project partners include Spectrum Label, Kedie Image Systems, DuPont and Mark Andy.
FFTA holds a Conference on Ink, Color and the Environment, Dec. 3-5 in Orlando, FL. The ICE Conference takes a multi-faceted approach in examining the interrelationship of all printing elements.
The Design for the Environment (DfE) Flexographic Printing Partnership begins as a unique voluntary effort between the printing industry and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that seeks to provide information about the advantages and disadvantages associated with solvent, waterborne and UV-cured flexographic ink technologies.
Flexo Quality Consortium
FFTA recognizes the Flexo Quality Consortium (FQC) as a standing committee. Its initial project is a Verification Program. FFTA’s very first FQC Road Show is set for Jan. 14 at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC. FQC prints the results of its statistically designed experiment to quantify and optimize ultraviolet flexography in FLEXO Magazine’s November issue.
SourceBook
FTA stages Flexo Seminars for the Far East, taking place April 7-9 in Shenzhen China; April 11-12 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and April 14-15 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
FLEXO Magazine publishes the inaugural SourceBook, the first-ever, flexography-exclusive international directory of product manufacturers and service providers.
Second Flexo in High School Program
FFTA announces plans to work with Asheville High School in Asheville, NC to establish the second Flexo in High School Program.
FFTA’s Press Components and Equipment Conference and Tabletop Exhibit is held at the Sheraton San Marcos in Chandler, AZ, Nov. 9-10.
FTA establishes the Technical Innovation Award
FTA establishes the Technical Innovation Award. The inaugural recipient is FIT Group for its AutoFlex Inker/Coater.
The first National Environmental, Health & Safety (NEHS) Conference for the Graphic Communications Industries is held in Oakbrook, IL.
FTA joins the World Wide Web, publishing its first website in November at the fta-ffta.org domain.
Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST)
Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST), an FFTA workbook is readied and quickly becomes the talk of the industry. The goal: improve quality and consistency through improved communication. Periodic updates on the plan are outlined in the pages of FLEXO Magazine, beginning in May. FIRST is immediately and indelibly etched on every FORUM agenda.
Phoenix Challenge
New Jersey’s Bergen County Technical School in Teterboro enlists in FFTA’s Flexo in High School program.
The International Phoenix Challenge Flexo Skills Competition for high school students is born.
FIRST Second Edition
The first update to FIRST—titled FIRST Second Edition—is published
March FORUM—the first of the 21st century.
The new millennium kicks off with FLEXO Magazine producing a series of three flexographically printed covers, all leading up to the March FORUM—the first of the 21st century.
FTA’s website moves from fta-ffta.org to its current home, flexography.org. The online FTA store also goes live at ftastore.com.
The videoconference, High Performance Flexo: Printing with a Cleaner, Greener Image, aired on April 27, funded by the U.S. EPA and developed by FTA and the Printers’ National Environmental Assistance Center (PNEAC). The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) placed the event on the 2001 Honor Roll for Associations Advance America.
Flexographic Ink Options: A Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment, the culmination of the Design for the Environment program is released.
FTA announces the debut of its Environmental Excellence Awards, later renamed the Sustainability Excellence Award, recognizing commitments to environmentally sound flexographic printing and production.
Project Fog
Project FOG—an instantly iconic FORUM session where print samples are compared between flexography, offset and gravure—takes place.
Refresher course for flexographic press operators
FFTA develops a refresher course for flexographic press operators who wish to take the examination from the National Council of Skill Standards for Graphic Communications and become certified as an “Expert Flexo Press Operator.” Dunwoody Institute of Technology in Minneapolis, MN holds the April 3-5 course.
FIRST, 3rd
FIRST, 3rd Edition hits pressrooms Nov. 13; the date coincides with the staging of the organization’s FIRST Conference, set for The Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale, AZ.
Technical Advancement Council
FTA announces the creation of its Technical Advancement Council (TAC). It is charged with overseeing and assisting in long-term planning for the FIRST Committee, Research and Technical Committee (FQC), Certification and Skills Committee and Emerging Technology Committee.
The Virtual Flexo Plant is developed in collaboration with PNEAC.
Members-only website
FTA unveils its entirely new, members-only website. Features include a FLEXO Magazine article archive, SourceBook online, industry happenings, a searchable member directory, plus FTA bylaws and organizational documents.
FTA releases findings of its major research report: FTA’s Flexible Packaging Market Research Study: Converter Benchmarking & End User Perspectives in North America.
Technical Education Services Team
In what is hailed as FFTA’s “most important educational initiative ever,” a Technical Education Services Team is established. It will focus on the educational needs of FTA’s membership and be dedicated to authoring, re-authoring and hosting curriculums to meet the needs of an ever-changing industry. The Team will address issues identified via FTA’s Strategic Planning Initiative and work to positively rebuild FFTA’s educational services to provide enhanced support for existing education—secondary, post-secondary and higher institutions, as well as creating a state-of-the-art, web-based training portal—The Virtual Campus.
FIRST Individual Certification, a multi-tiered certification program designed to instill the tenets of Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances in press operators (through FIRST Press Operator Certification) and prepress/graphics professionals (through FIRST Prepress Operator Certification), is launched.
FIRST Implementation Specialist Certification
FIRST 4.0 is released, jumping from 174 to 294 pages of technical information to support the consistency and repeatability of the industry.
FIRST Implementation Specialist Certification is announced as a new segment of the FIRST Individual Certification program.
FIRST Company Certification is born as a way to single out a FIRST-driven plant that has implemented its processes and methodologies through compliance practices provisioned and monitored by FTA.
FORUM & INFOFLEX 2011
A record-breaking 1,600 package printers attend FORUM & INFOFLEX 2011 from May 1-4 in Indianapolis, IN; 39 judges consider 620 submissions in the annual Excellence in Flexography Awards competition and award 146 with honors.
Fall Conference, Oct. 10-12 in St. Louis, MO, brings together nearly 300 flexographers with 34 exhibitors/sponsors and 14 speakers. FTA member Publishers Printing Co in Shepherdsville, KY is tasked with printing FLEXO Magazine’s October cover, using 2011 Technical Innovation Award-winning technologies from MacDermid Printing Solutions and Mark Andy.
FORUM & INFOFLEX app
FTA launches its official FORUM & INFOFLEX app for iOS and Android smartphones along with a web component.
FTA member Best Label prints a specialty cover for FLEXO Magazine’s year-end SourceBook to FIRST standards.
New Training Materials are Born
Flexography: Principles & Practices (FP&P) 6.0 debuts at FORUM & INFOFLEX.
FTA launches the FLEXOGRAPHY 101 Booklet Series with the initial four installments covering An Introduction to Flexography, Ink Handling & Maintenance, Anilox Roller Handling & Care and Plate Mounting.
FP&P 6.0 and FIRST 4.0 go digital, with eBook versions launching on Amazon’s Kindle Store.
FIRST 5.0
FLEXO’s October issue is the site of a large-scale cover project, utilizing the recipients of the year’s Technical Innovation Award: Esko’s Equinox and SpotOn! Flexo, the joint effort of All Printing Resources (APR) and SpotOn! Press. With the assistance of representatives from APR, Siegwerk Group/Environmental Inks, Clemson University’s Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design & Graphics, Esko, DuPont Packaging Graphics and veritiv, the group convened at Clemson. Over the course of several days, the cover—a mirror image with the front printed in 7-color and the back printed in 4-color—came to life and serves as a testament to flexography’s capabilities and power of the award-winning technologies.
FIRST 5.0 brings with it a completely rewritten opening chapter detailing the FIRST methodology, substantial additions to the chapter on “Implementation & Communication.”
The fifth entry in the FLEXOGRAPHY 101 Booklet Series, covering plate making, is released. It covers different plate types, photopolymer plate properties, technologies related to imaging masks and various plate making procedures.
A new online course is launched, titled “Ink Handling & Maintenance.” The course covers the history of ink, various systems, varieties and classes of ink, preparation, transfer, curing and drying systems, postprint testing, and proper clean up and disposal of hazardous materials.
Attendance Growing
FORUM & INFOFLEX set new benchmarks in attendance and satisfaction. Nearly 2,000 flexographers make the trip to Nashville, TN for the events, held May 3-6 at the Omni Nashville Hotel and Music City Center.
Fall Conference 2015 sees record-shattering attendance, as 470 flexographers—a more than 50 percent jump from 2014’s 301—attend the three-day gathering.
FTA Member Webinars
FLEXO Magazine turn 40. To celebrate, to reminisce and to follow its evolution in tandem with the industry it serves, the FLEXO Flashback is born, taking readers on a trip down memory lane.
FTA Member Webinars—later renamed to “Membernars”— debut as a way to educate and inform in a virtual environment. Topics include understanding G7, the basics of inks and expanded gamut printing.
FLEXO Magazine launches the FLEXO Tech Talk Webinar Series, bringing a voice to its technical articles and delivering crucial information in a new format.
20th anniversary of FIRST
FTA’s Generational Study, a year-long project by the Association’s Emerging Leaders Committee that sought to better understand the industry’s youngest workers, is completed and published.
With a celebration the 20th anniversary of FIRST, its newest iteration, FIRST 6.0 is officially launched at Fall Conference.
FTA releases the sixth FLEXOGRAPHY 101 Booklet Series installment, “An Introduction to Color Fundamentals.” Created to provide a better understanding of color related to the graphic arts industry, the booklet was developed for all levels of flexographic professional to build upon or refresh their basic knowledge of color.
MemberConnect
MemberConnect, FTA’s web portal exclusive to members, is launched.
CRPC standards
CRPC standards serve as focal point for FLEXO Magazine’s October cover and Fall Conference demo showcasing an adherence to FIRST methodology.
FORUM & INFOFLEX goes remote
Unprecedented times demand unprecedented measures—FORUM & INFOFLEX go remote. In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Virtual FORUM is held for the first time ever. More than 1,000 members connected online to sit in on six sessions and INFOFLEX Innovation Central. Virtual Fall Conference follows suit and includes a virtual exhibit.
The 60th anniversary of the Excellence in Flexography Awards recognizes 91 print samples.
Flexography: Principles & Practices is broken into six focused booklets, each comprising topics essential to a specific area of the flexographic printing process.
FQC/FIRST Tech Focus webinar series
The FQC/FIRST Tech Focus webinar series is born, serving as a means to show case technical content relevant to FIRST and the FQC.
Marking the 25th anniversary of the Technical Innovation Award, to date, 37 products made by 29 firms have received accolades.
FTA launches a pair of Professional Development Courses, multi-class instructional courses taught live and online. One course covers print quality inspection; the other, color fundamentals.
INFOFLEX at Fall Conference—with full-sized booths and an established identity—debuts.
INFOFLEX turns 40
INFOFLEX turns 40, and FLEXO Magazine’s February cover graphic pays tribute to the power of FTA’s networking event. In May, the magazine showcases repeat Technical Innovation Award winners telling their stories.
FIRST 7.0, debuting at Fall Conference, is completely reformatted to make it easier than ever to access content related to production specific topics. The most significant change is the addition of a new section titled “Measurement and Verification.”
FLEXO Magazine reports analysts’ determinations indicate that 78.7 percent of all printed packaging was produced in run lengths exceeding 50 million sq ft. in 2022. Most was produced with analog technologies, with flexography responsible for the lion’s share. By 2027, volume is projected to drop off nearly 25 percent and equate to 40 million sq. ft., with flexography standing strong.
65th Anniversary
An initiative known as the CPC Awareness Campaign is launched. It is designed to educate consumer product companies and brand owners on the technical aspects of flexographic printing while increasing engagement with the Association and its membership through active participation at its in-person events.
FTA formally celebrates its 65th anniversary at Fall Technical Conference and INFOFLEX at Fall Technical Conference. FLEXO Magazine’s October edition commemorates the occasion.
inaugural FFTA Scholarship Golf Outing
FTA assures its members: “Your Quality Is Our Concern!” with a pledge to encompass brand owner concerns and participation at FORUM & INFOFLEX 2024.
The inaugural FFTA Scholarship Golf Outing tees off, offering a mix of networking and casual golfing in support of the next generation of flexographers.
inaugural FFTA Scholarship Golf Outing
FTA assures its members: “Your Quality Is Our Concern!” with a pledge to encompass brand owner concerns and participation at FORUM & INFOFLEX 2024.
The inaugural FFTA Scholarship Golf Outing tees off, offering a mix of networking and casual golfing in support of the next generation of flexographers.
65th Anniversary
An initiative known as the CPC Awareness Campaign is launched. It is designed to educate consumer product companies and brand owners on the technical aspects of flexographic printing while increasing engagement with the Association and its membership through active participation at its in-person events.
FTA formally celebrates its 65th anniversary at Fall Technical Conference and INFOFLEX at Fall Technical Conference. FLEXO Magazine’s October edition commemorates the occasion.
INFOFLEX turns 40
INFOFLEX turns 40, and FLEXO Magazine’s February cover graphic pays tribute to the power of FTA’s networking event. In May, the magazine showcases repeat Technical Innovation Award winners telling their stories.
FIRST 7.0, debuting at Fall Conference, is completely reformatted to make it easier than ever to access content related to production specific topics. The most significant change is the addition of a new section titled “Measurement and Verification.”
FLEXO Magazine reports analysts’ determinations indicate that 78.7 percent of all printed packaging was produced in run lengths exceeding 50 million sq ft. in 2022. Most was produced with analog technologies, with flexography responsible for the lion’s share. By 2027, volume is projected to drop off nearly 25 percent and equate to 40 million sq. ft., with flexography standing strong.
FQC/FIRST Tech Focus webinar series
The FQC/FIRST Tech Focus webinar series is born, serving as a means to show case technical content relevant to FIRST and the FQC.
Marking the 25th anniversary of the Technical Innovation Award, to date, 37 products made by 29 firms have received accolades.
FTA launches a pair of Professional Development Courses, multi-class instructional courses taught live and online. One course covers print quality inspection; the other, color fundamentals.
INFOFLEX at Fall Conference—with full-sized booths and an established identity—debuts.
FORUM & INFOFLEX goes remote
Unprecedented times demand unprecedented measures—FORUM & INFOFLEX go remote. In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Virtual FORUM is held for the first time ever. More than 1,000 members connected online to sit in on six sessions and INFOFLEX Innovation Central. Virtual Fall Conference follows suit and includes a virtual exhibit.
The 60th anniversary of the Excellence in Flexography Awards recognizes 91 print samples.
Flexography: Principles & Practices is broken into six focused booklets, each comprising topics essential to a specific area of the flexographic printing process.
CRPC standards
CRPC standards serve as focal point for FLEXO Magazine’s October cover and Fall Conference demo showcasing an adherence to FIRST methodology.
MemberConnect
MemberConnect, FTA’s web portal exclusive to members, is launched.
20th anniversary of FIRST
FTA’s Generational Study, a year-long project by the Association’s Emerging Leaders Committee that sought to better understand the industry’s youngest workers, is completed and published.
With a celebration the 20th anniversary of FIRST, its newest iteration, FIRST 6.0 is officially launched at Fall Conference.
FTA releases the sixth FLEXOGRAPHY 101 Booklet Series installment, “An Introduction to Color Fundamentals.” Created to provide a better understanding of color related to the graphic arts industry, the booklet was developed for all levels of flexographic professional to build upon or refresh their basic knowledge of color.
FTA Member Webinars
FLEXO Magazine turn 40. To celebrate, to reminisce and to follow its evolution in tandem with the industry it serves, the FLEXO Flashback is born, taking readers on a trip down memory lane.
FTA Member Webinars—later renamed to “Membernars”— debut as a way to educate and inform in a virtual environment. Topics include understanding G7, the basics of inks and expanded gamut printing.
FLEXO Magazine launches the FLEXO Tech Talk Webinar Series, bringing a voice to its technical articles and delivering crucial information in a new format.
Attendance Growing
FORUM & INFOFLEX set new benchmarks in attendance and satisfaction. Nearly 2,000 flexographers make the trip to Nashville, TN for the events, held May 3-6 at the Omni Nashville Hotel and Music City Center.
Fall Conference 2015 sees record-shattering attendance, as 470 flexographers—a more than 50 percent jump from 2014’s 301—attend the three-day gathering.
FIRST 5.0
FLEXO’s October issue is the site of a large-scale cover project, utilizing the recipients of the year’s Technical Innovation Award: Esko’s Equinox and SpotOn! Flexo, the joint effort of All Printing Resources (APR) and SpotOn! Press. With the assistance of representatives from APR, Siegwerk Group/Environmental Inks, Clemson University’s Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design & Graphics, Esko, DuPont Packaging Graphics and veritiv, the group convened at Clemson. Over the course of several days, the cover—a mirror image with the front printed in 7-color and the back printed in 4-color—came to life and serves as a testament to flexography’s capabilities and power of the award-winning technologies.
FIRST 5.0 brings with it a completely rewritten opening chapter detailing the FIRST methodology, substantial additions to the chapter on “Implementation & Communication.”
The fifth entry in the FLEXOGRAPHY 101 Booklet Series, covering plate making, is released. It covers different plate types, photopolymer plate properties, technologies related to imaging masks and various plate making procedures.
A new online course is launched, titled “Ink Handling & Maintenance.” The course covers the history of ink, various systems, varieties and classes of ink, preparation, transfer, curing and drying systems, postprint testing, and proper clean up and disposal of hazardous materials.
New Training Materials are Born
Flexography: Principles & Practices (FP&P) 6.0 debuts at FORUM & INFOFLEX.
FTA launches the FLEXOGRAPHY 101 Booklet Series with the initial four installments covering An Introduction to Flexography, Ink Handling & Maintenance, Anilox Roller Handling & Care and Plate Mounting.
FP&P 6.0 and FIRST 4.0 go digital, with eBook versions launching on Amazon’s Kindle Store.
FORUM & INFOFLEX app
FTA launches its official FORUM & INFOFLEX app for iOS and Android smartphones along with a web component.
FTA member Best Label prints a specialty cover for FLEXO Magazine’s year-end SourceBook to FIRST standards.
FORUM & INFOFLEX 2011
A record-breaking 1,600 package printers attend FORUM & INFOFLEX 2011 from May 1-4 in Indianapolis, IN; 39 judges consider 620 submissions in the annual Excellence in Flexography Awards competition and award 146 with honors.
Fall Conference, Oct. 10-12 in St. Louis, MO, brings together nearly 300 flexographers with 34 exhibitors/sponsors and 14 speakers. FTA member Publishers Printing Co in Shepherdsville, KY is tasked with printing FLEXO Magazine’s October cover, using 2011 Technical Innovation Award-winning technologies from MacDermid Printing Solutions and Mark Andy.
FIRST Implementation Specialist Certification
FIRST 4.0 is released, jumping from 174 to 294 pages of technical information to support the consistency and repeatability of the industry.
FIRST Implementation Specialist Certification is announced as a new segment of the FIRST Individual Certification program.
FIRST Company Certification is born as a way to single out a FIRST-driven plant that has implemented its processes and methodologies through compliance practices provisioned and monitored by FTA.
Technical Education Services Team
In what is hailed as FFTA’s “most important educational initiative ever,” a Technical Education Services Team is established. It will focus on the educational needs of FTA’s membership and be dedicated to authoring, re-authoring and hosting curriculums to meet the needs of an ever-changing industry. The Team will address issues identified via FTA’s Strategic Planning Initiative and work to positively rebuild FFTA’s educational services to provide enhanced support for existing education—secondary, post-secondary and higher institutions, as well as creating a state-of-the-art, web-based training portal—The Virtual Campus.
FIRST Individual Certification, a multi-tiered certification program designed to instill the tenets of Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances in press operators (through FIRST Press Operator Certification) and prepress/graphics professionals (through FIRST Prepress Operator Certification), is launched.
Members-only website
FTA unveils its entirely new, members-only website. Features include a FLEXO Magazine article archive, SourceBook online, industry happenings, a searchable member directory, plus FTA bylaws and organizational documents.
FTA releases findings of its major research report: FTA’s Flexible Packaging Market Research Study: Converter Benchmarking & End User Perspectives in North America.
Technical Advancement Council
FTA announces the creation of its Technical Advancement Council (TAC). It is charged with overseeing and assisting in long-term planning for the FIRST Committee, Research and Technical Committee (FQC), Certification and Skills Committee and Emerging Technology Committee.
The Virtual Flexo Plant is developed in collaboration with PNEAC.
FIRST, 3rd
FIRST, 3rd Edition hits pressrooms Nov. 13; the date coincides with the staging of the organization’s FIRST Conference, set for The Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale, AZ.
Refresher course for flexographic press operators
FFTA develops a refresher course for flexographic press operators who wish to take the examination from the National Council of Skill Standards for Graphic Communications and become certified as an “Expert Flexo Press Operator.” Dunwoody Institute of Technology in Minneapolis, MN holds the April 3-5 course.
Project Fog
Project FOG—an instantly iconic FORUM session where print samples are compared between flexography, offset and gravure—takes place.
March FORUM—the first of the 21st century.
The new millennium kicks off with FLEXO Magazine producing a series of three flexographically printed covers, all leading up to the March FORUM—the first of the 21st century.
FTA’s website moves from fta-ffta.org to its current home, flexography.org. The online FTA store also goes live at ftastore.com.
The videoconference, High Performance Flexo: Printing with a Cleaner, Greener Image, aired on April 27, funded by the U.S. EPA and developed by FTA and the Printers’ National Environmental Assistance Center (PNEAC). The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) placed the event on the 2001 Honor Roll for Associations Advance America.
Flexographic Ink Options: A Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment, the culmination of the Design for the Environment program is released.
FTA announces the debut of its Environmental Excellence Awards, later renamed the Sustainability Excellence Award, recognizing commitments to environmentally sound flexographic printing and production.
FIRST Second Edition
The first update to FIRST—titled FIRST Second Edition—is published
Phoenix Challenge
New Jersey’s Bergen County Technical School in Teterboro enlists in FFTA’s Flexo in High School program.
The International Phoenix Challenge Flexo Skills Competition for high school students is born.
Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST)
Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST), an FFTA workbook is readied and quickly becomes the talk of the industry. The goal: improve quality and consistency through improved communication. Periodic updates on the plan are outlined in the pages of FLEXO Magazine, beginning in May. FIRST is immediately and indelibly etched on every FORUM agenda.
FTA establishes the Technical Innovation Award
FTA establishes the Technical Innovation Award. The inaugural recipient is FIT Group for its AutoFlex Inker/Coater.
The first National Environmental, Health & Safety (NEHS) Conference for the Graphic Communications Industries is held in Oakbrook, IL.
FTA joins the World Wide Web, publishing its first website in November at the fta-ffta.org domain.
Second Flexo in High School Program
FFTA announces plans to work with Asheville High School in Asheville, NC to establish the second Flexo in High School Program.
FFTA’s Press Components and Equipment Conference and Tabletop Exhibit is held at the Sheraton San Marcos in Chandler, AZ, Nov. 9-10.
SourceBook
FTA stages Flexo Seminars for the Far East, taking place April 7-9 in Shenzhen China; April 11-12 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and April 14-15 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
FLEXO Magazine publishes the inaugural SourceBook, the first-ever, flexography-exclusive international directory of product manufacturers and service providers.
Flexo Quality Consortium
FFTA recognizes the Flexo Quality Consortium (FQC) as a standing committee. Its initial project is a Verification Program. FFTA’s very first FQC Road Show is set for Jan. 14 at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC. FQC prints the results of its statistically designed experiment to quantify and optimize ultraviolet flexography in FLEXO Magazine’s November issue.
FFTA Joins Forces with Clemson
FFTA joins forces with Clemson University to jointly sponsor a three-day—Feb. 19-21—Process Color Symposium for Flexo. It also sets a schedule of eight co-sponsored programs on process color, press work and inks with Fox Valley Technical College; and five co-sponsored basic flexography and process color programs with Rochester Institute of Technology.
FLEXO Magazine’s cover is printed and produced flexographically for the first time in the U.S. Project partners include Spectrum Label, Kedie Image Systems, DuPont and Mark Andy.
FFTA holds a Conference on Ink, Color and the Environment, Dec. 3-5 in Orlando, FL. The ICE Conference takes a multi-faceted approach in examining the interrelationship of all printing elements.
The Design for the Environment (DfE) Flexographic Printing Partnership begins as a unique voluntary effort between the printing industry and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that seeks to provide information about the advantages and disadvantages associated with solvent, waterborne and UV-cured flexographic ink technologies.
Quality Control Manual
Charlie Brown, Luigi Carrano, Fred Shapiro and Frank Siconolfi are the first four flexographers to receive the FTA President’s Award, given to individuals chosen by the Association’s management for their support, volunteerism and dedication.
FTA announces an update of its Quality Control Manual.
Charlie Brown, Luigi Carrano, Fred Shapiro and Frank Siconolfi are the first four flexographers to receive the FTA President’s Award, given to individuals chosen by the Association’s management for their support, volunteerism and dedication.
World of Flexo
FTA introduces World of Flexo, a public relations program ready for member use.
The FFTA Educational Fundraising Program is initiated. Ron and Katherine Harper chair the fundraiser. The goal is to raise $1 million dollars in two years; referred to as the “One Million in Two Fundraising Campaign.” A total of $800,000 is raised or pledged between 1990 and 1992.
Fundamentals of Narrow Web Flexographic Printing Program
FTA introduces a student membership, affording the next generation of flexographers all the benefits of a membership to develop their knowledge base and contacts within the industry.
FFTA introduces the Fundamentals of Narrow Web Flexographic Printing Program, centered around a familiar phrase—“Just in Time.”
Educators’ Curriculum Guide
FFTA finalizes the Educators’ Curriculum Guide and sets a Jan. 1, 1987 release date.
FFTA stages the first of several recurring biennial Prepress Conferences—the inaugural one is staged in September at the Holidome Hotel in Rochester, NY.
Technical Briefs Series
FFTA introduces a series of Technical Briefs—concise technical reports designed for people without time to sift through volumes of text. Papers are drawn from past FORUM presentations and range from three to eight pages.
Silver Jubilee
FTA turns 25 and celebrates its Silver Jubilee. A Commemorative Journal is printed to mark the occasion.
Table-Top to INFOFLEX
FFTA announces plans for a One-Day Trade Fair, preceding the formal segment of the 24th Annual Meeting and Technical FORUM. The fair is to be open during registration hours from 7:30 – 11:00 a.m. Exhibitors are limited to a single table—no more than 6 ft. long and 30-in. wide. Materials eligible for distribution must be of a technical and educational nature—not commercial. The event would evolve into INFOFLEX and still proves a powerful drawing card more than 40 years later.
Memorial Scholarship Fund
FFTA launches the Memorial Scholarship Fund. The initial scholarship is to be awarded in honor of Bruce W. Gibson.
Flexographic Technical Journal, Vol. 1
Flexographic Technical Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1—the predecessor to FLEXO Magazine—is published. Its editorial opens lauding establishment of FFTA and its two-year history.
FTA announces it will participate in an International Confab on Flexo, set for London, England.
A Foundation Formed
Articles of Incorporation for the Foundation of FTA (FFTA) are adopted. Its specific purposes are listed in digest fashion:
- Advance the basic knowledge in the art and science of flexographic printing
- Sponsor appropriate educational projects and training in both degree and non-degree levels
- Provide technical information through new and updated guidelines, material and aids
- Offer financial and other aid for the future growth of flexographic education
- Make scholarships available to those who intend to make a career in flexography
- Improve the competence of people working in flexography through seminars, conferences and workshops
- Assist educational institutions in planning and developing proper courses for those who wish to improve their skills
European Flexographic Technical Association
The European Flexographic Technical Association, having held its inaugural meeting in London, announces an extended membership plan, linking it to the U.S. FTA. FTA offers its members extended membership—an opportunity to add their facility to EFTA’s roster.
Preparation of the Battery
The U.S. Department of Labor announces an aptitude test battery for the occupation of flexographic pressmen. Preparation of the battery was a joint project with FTA.
Saturday Workshops
FTA announces that more than 7,000 people attended Saturday Workshops in the first five years of the program.
FTA’s New Manual
FTA’s New Manual—Flexography: Principles & Practices—goes on press in mid-March
Douglas E. Tuttle, known as a founding father of the Association and for exerting significant influence over its early activities, is the inaugural inductee into the FTA Flexo Hall of Fame.
FTA One-Day Workshops
FTA One-Day Workshops are set for 16 different sites on the April – December calendar.
1st Awards Competition
FTA stages its first annual awards competition. Twenty-one awards are presented during that year’s FORUM at Chicago’s Palmer House.
Inaugural FORUM
The inaugural FORUM is held at Hotel Biltmore in New York, NY. The theme? Find the Answers: Inks, Solvents, Their Purposes & Suitability.
Birth of the Association
Flexographic Technical Association’s (FTA) Articles of Incorporation were signed Nov. 13. Cited as FTA’s multi-tiered purpose, to:
- Promote, develop and maintain the advancement of flexographic printing
- Work cooperatively on problems of mutual interest among firms engaged
- Develop and maintain standards
- Work cooperatively for the constant improvement of the printing method
- Provide a forum for the exchange of information and discussion of problems
- Do all things permitted by law to promote and advance the process, the printing industry and the welfare of all firms connected to it
FTA’s Technical Publications Committee announces plans to produce FTA’s Technical Manual as a handbook or encyclopedia of flexography.
Inaugural FORUM brochure image and attendance images
