Turate, May 6th 2008 – GIDUE, IST Metz, Air Liquide, Softal and Sun Chemical have joined forces to present a breakthrough concept for UV flexo printed food packaging at Drupa 2008. Combining their expertise and most innovative technologies, “UV flexo for Food Packaging” represents the first turnkey UV flexo printing solution specifically designed to provide cost-efficient, solvent-free and food approved flexible film packaging.

The global packaging market is looking for the optimal solution for a safe food packaging meeting the critical requirements typical for this sector. UV flexo printing has proved to be the ultimate resource for the production of extremely high quality packaging with effective advantages in terms of productivity and safety of the final product.

The digitally-controlled mid-web press GIDUE ATHENA now incorporates ALDYNE, in-line plasma treatment from Air Liquide and Softal, and UV TIME, inert atmosphere curing integrating the latest generation IST Metz air-cooled MBS lamp modules with revolutionary gas sealing technology from Air Liquide and GIDUE.

Using the latest generation SOLARFLEX LM INERT low migration inks from Sun Chemical the press can print reliable high quality UV cured flexible packaging, at high speed and cost effectively on standard grade packaging films, while meeting the most rigorous standards for ink component migration and odour in food packaging.

This innovative solution offers new opportunities for narrow web printers to enter new markets and gives to flexible packaging converters a real alternative to solvent-based printing, while eliminating previous constraints in UV printing, such as poor ink adhesion on packaging films, low print productivity, and high nitrogen consumption in inert atmosphere curing units.

“Today, we can meet the converters’, retailers’ and brand owners’ current and future needs, by offering a complete UV flexo print solution for Food Packaging. This ultimate solution offers no VOC, odour-free and tasteless operation, while promoting the best Good Manufacturing Practices”, stated Federico d’Annunzio, President of GIDUE.

The ATHENA press concept will be presented by GIDUE at Drupa 2008 (Hall 10/Booth C40), while the new ALDYNE Flex module will be shown in Hall 11/Booth A27.

Exhaustive information about the “UV Flexo for Food Packaging” project will be available at each partner’s booth: GIDUE (Hall 10/C40), Air Liquide & Softal (Hall 11/A27), IST Metz GmbH (Hall 3/B17), Sun Chemical (Hall 6/B75).

The partners will be pleased to illustrate the project and the related activities and answer to all questions during their joint Press Conference at DRUPA: CCD Pavilion, Room 17, on June 3rd 2008 at 1pm.