Miraclon, home of Kodak Flexcel products, has announced the return of the Global Flexo Innovation Awards to honor companies that are at the forefront of the transformation of the flexo industry. Christopher Horton, former senior vice president of SGS, will chair the independent international judging panel that will comprise a rich selection of flexo industry influencers, technical experts and CPGs.

The inaugural Global Flexo Innovation awards, launched in 2018, received over 200 entries spanning 26 countries. With high quality considered a pre-condition, the program looks beyond the print sample and recognizes products that deliver value across the print production value chain. Entries had to demonstrate how flexographic printing, Kodak Flexcel NX Technology and their own approach resulted in excellent achievements in the use of creative design, production workflow improvements, greater use of the flexo print process and commitment to sustainability.

Emma Schlotthauer, chief marketing officer at Miraclon, comments, “The transformation and growth of the flexo industry is dependent on companies that grow their businesses through innovation that impacts the whole supply chain while driving an efficient, consistent and sustainable manufacturing process. The first iteration of the Global Flexo Innovation Awards proved that there are a great number of these businesses that have motivating stories to tell. The Global Flexo Innovation Awards not only celebrates these companies, it also helps bring like-minded individuals together and creates a valuable global network in pursuit of the same goals. The next round of the Awards program will further strengthen that network.”

Horton, who was also on the previous Global Flexo Awards judging panel, is excited to again be part of the judging process. “It’s great to see what companies around the globe are accomplishing with flexo to differentiate themselves from competitors and bring additional value to their customers,” he says. “While other awards typically focus on quality print, the Global Flexo Innovation Awards allows the industry to showcase how they are using flexo technology to be more efficient, reduce waste and leverage environmental benefits, and execute work to a higher level to meet brand and financial needs. It is the perfect platform to showcase the transformation of flexo and the future of the flexo industry.”

The rest of the judging panel, which will see experts representing the complete flexo and packaging value chain, will be announced next month. Entries for the 2021 Global Flexo Innovation Awards will open in June 2020.