Forum Session Checks Your Flexo Vital Signs, Ensures All Systems Optimized

Forum_IF15BOHEMIA, NY – Feb. 3, 2015 – Each and every session at Flexographic Technical Association’s upcoming 2015 Forum aims to achieve one goal: to give attendees the tools and insight necessary to achieve the absolute highest level of quality. One session in particular, “Gauging Your Flexo Vital Signs: A Basics Reality Check” will address this goal head-on by covering issues critical to the quality control process. The session, chaired by Andy Knapp, Flint Group and Kevin Schilling, Anderson & Vreeland, Inc., will take place Wednesday, May 6 at 8:30 a.m.

“In order for any print operation to see exceptional results in its finished products, the quality of each component going into the mix must be at its highest,” said Knapp. “The aim of this session is to provide audience members with the information they need to make sure that the right checks are in place. Once this is done, printers can be assured that high quality results are achieved on a regular basis.”

In addition to addressing issues critical to the quality control process, the session will illustrate for attendees what to check and how to check it. Examples of some good and bad quality control practices will be included. The session will conclude with a panel discussion featuring some leading industry quality control experts, as well as a few FTA Hall of Fame members, who will share their experiences with the audience.

Topics and their presenters include:

  • “Taking Your Flexo Pulse,” Kenny Bell, Berry Plastics Corp.
  • “OMG! Inspection Mistakes I See All Too Frequently!” John D. Thome, BST eltromat North America
  • Consulting Flexo’s Cooperstown – A roundtable discussion with several FTA Hall of Fame members, including Mark R. Mazur, Denny McGee, Howard Vreeland, Jr. and others to be announced

“We want to make sure every flexographer in the audience is building his or her flexo “house” on the strongest foundation possible,” commented Schilling. “In order to achieve quality, consistency, predictability and repeatability, the whole process needs to be as closely controlled as possible, with checks along the way to ensure that no quality is lost at each step and with each component that goes into the final product.”

FTA’s Annual Forum, themed “Hitting the Perfect Harmony” will take place on May 3-6 at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, TN. Coinciding with Forum is the annual INFO*FLEX Exhibition (May 4-5; Music City Center) which features 280 exhibit spaces showcasing the latest products and services for the package printing and converting industry.

To register for FTA’s 2015 Annual Forum, visit the Registration webpage or contact FTA’s Customer Service Department at 631-737-6020. Early-bird rates offer a $200 savings and are valid through Feb. 27, 2015. Special discounts for printer/converter registrants are available, as well as a “Buy two, get the third free” promotion. Consumer Product Companies are entitled to complimentary registrations.

Platinum Plus and Platinum sponsors of the 2015 Forum & INFO*FLEX Exhibition include: Esko; Kodak; 3M; Anderson & Vreeland, Inc.; DuPont Packaging Graphics; KBA-Flexotecnica; MacDermid Printing Solutions; and Sun Chemical Corp.

# # #

About FTA: Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), chartered in 1958, is a professional society dedicated to bringing all members of the flexographic printing community—printers, suppliers, consumer product companies, institutions, prepress houses and others–together by providing opportunities for the free exchange of technical ideas and discussion of mutual concerns. It is a proponent of maintaining and advancing quality standards and includes 1,650 member sites that represent more than 1,400 companies and 60,000 individuals. Foundation of FTA, founded in 1974, is the educational arm of FTA and is dedicated to supporting and advancing the flexographic printing industry.