Spanish company Ducplast has added Esko Equinox to reduce the need for spot colors and extend color gamut production.

Ducplast, a subsidiary of food products brand Grupo Dulcesol, has implemented the new approach with the support of Coflex and Esko to switch plates for flexible packaging printing to extended color gamut production.

Equinox is a module of Esko’s color management solution: Color Engine. It features spot color conversion software, image conversion tools and a proofing solution.

It provides all the functionality to convert users' packaging print files to the extended gamut.

Equinox color management solution holds capacity to convert any color into four to seven process colors. With the support of fixed set of inks, the printer can reduce downtime of the presses.

Equinox enables to convert spot colors to CMYK + 1, 2 or 3 additional inks. The CMYK fixed ink set can replace some or all of the spot colors based on the print application and requirements.

The solution will also offer complete predictability on the gamut and accuracy that can be attained with any ink set.

Equinox will also help to reduce time-consuming press wash-ups and makeready waste between jobs, as the same fixed ink set can be used for multiple jobs.

Coflex owner David Alcañiz said: “DUCPLAST was interested in reducing the number of spot colors it was using to produce flexible packaging without compromising quality. We turned to Esko for a solution and found that Equinox was the perfect way to address this customer request.”

Established in 2004, Coflex offers flexographic plates to flexible packaging companies. Earlier, Coflex used an Esko CDI Spark 4835 digital flexo plate imager for plate production and installed the second imager in 2014.

Both units are installed with high resolution and high definition (HD) screens. It also uses ArtPro packaging preproduction editor, Digital Flexo Suite plate making software and Kongsberg X20 digital cutting system.

Image: Coflex helps converter Ducplast to print in extended gamut with Esko's Equinox. Photo: courtesy of Esko-Graphics bvba.