Esko and Highcon: a powerful digital duo for the packaging industry

OEM partnership brings unique software and finishing capabilities to digital workflow for folding carton production

August 21, 2014

Ghent (Belgium) and Yavne (Israel) — August 21, 2014 — Esko, market leader in packaging design and workflow solutions and Highcon, developer of the Highcon™ Euclid digital cutting and creasing machine, expand their cooperation with an OEM agreement. Highcon will distribute, install and support the Esko CAD Digital Front End (DFE) software as complement to the 2014 MUST SEE’EMS award-winning Highcon Euclid. This combined solution is available immediately on a worldwide basis.

Today, Esko’s CAD software is already the standard for processing structural designs for production on the Highcon Euclid. It converts packaging structures to the finishing format required by the Euclid, which receives its CAD cutting and creasing information from ArtiosCAD prepared or converted DFX files. With the new OEM agreement, the Highcon Euclid now offers an on-board software tool, the Highcon Light Editor, that allows Euclid operators to take full advantage of the benefits of digital technology by editing crease and cut lines in the structural design of the job at the point of production, including the ability to incorporate last-minute changes. It also enables optimizing of nicks by increasing or decreasing their size or adding or removing them; and adding, removing or editing stripping lines.

“We are proud of the opportunity to partner with Esko, incorporating their industry-leading technology into our game-changing digital converting solution,” comments Eitan Varon, Highcon’s Executive VP. “We have been working with Esko since the beginning and are excited to extend this collaboration for the benefit of our existing and future customers. Flexibility is one of the key advantages of digital technology and by implementing the Esko CAD DFE, our customers will be able to perform a wide range of last minute edits that ensure the proper production of the package, promotional item, or greeting card that their clients require.”

“This late-stage capability is especially important in an environment where run lengths and cycle times are compressed,” adds Richard Deroo, Product Manager Structural Design at Esko. “Packaging converters accept files from a wide variety of sources, and it is essential that they have the ability to control final structures at the point of production to ensure a consistent quality product with limited waste and downtime.”

“Esko’s mission is to deliver integrated customer solutions that drive profitability throughout the printing and packaging supply chain,” concludes Deroo. “By partnering with Highcon to integrate Esko’s CAD DFE with the Highcon Euclid, the packaging workflow is streamlined through the ability to perform edits to design files at the point of production, ensuring optimal digital converting in the fast-paced world of digital packaging production. This minimizes downtime and maximizes productivity. We are very pleased to be working with Highcon to bring this innovative solution to the market.”

About Esko (www.esko.com)

Esko is a global supplier of integrated solutions for the packaging and labels, sign and display, commercial printing and publishing industries. Esko products and services drive profitability in the packaging and printing supply chain by reducing time-to-market and raising productivity.

Portfolio

The Esko product portfolio supports and manages the packaging and print processes at brand owners, retailers, designers, packaging manufacturers and print service providers. For 9 out of 10 retail packages, Esko solutions are used in packaging management, artwork creation, structural design, prepress, 3D visualization, plate making, workflow automation, quality assurance, sample-making, palletization, supply chain collaboration and the production of signage and displays.

The Esko solutions consist of an extensive suite of software and two hardware product lines: CDI flexo computer-to-plate imagers and Kongsberg digital cutting systems, complemented with professional services, training and consultancy.

Enfocus, with its suite of automation solutions and PDF quality control tools for printers, publishers, and graphic designers, is part of Esko.

Facts & numbers

Esko employs around 1300 people worldwide. Its direct sales and service organization covers Europe, Middle East and Africa, the Americas and the Asia Pacific, Japan and China regions and is complemented by a network of distribution partners in more than 50 countries.

Esko is headquartered in Gent, Belgium, and has R&D and manufacturing facilities in five European countries, the United States, China and India. Esko is a Danaher company (www.danaher.com).