Asahi Photoproducts is present its latest label solutions at Labelexpo Europe 2025. At the heart of Asahi’s sustainable flexo strategy is the AWP Ecosystem. It is designed to eliminate solvents and minimize resource consumption, delivering both environmental advantages and measurable gains in production efficiency and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). 

At the exhibition, Asahi has outlined its future direction by demonstrating the concept of the recently installed new AWP system using just water and no detergents in its plate processing. Its products include:

• New AWP water plate
  A water-washable photopolymer plate that requires just water for processing—eliminating the need for VOC solvents or detergents. It offers high-resolution print quality and contributes significantly to reduced press downtime, consistent performance, and simplified handling.
• AWP-2530AA plate processor
  A compact, all-in-one processor engineered for small-format plate sizes. It features a user-friendly interface, refined brush design for easy washout, and optimized fine-screening capabilities to ensure consistent color reproduction in short-run environments.
• AWP-LOOP Petite
  A closed-loop water recycling unit that uses Asahi Kasei’s Microza membrane filtration technology to recover and reuse up to 90% of the process water. This significantly reduces wastewater and operating costs, enabling a more sustainable and efficient platemaking workflow.

A new benchmark

By integrating these components, the AWP Ecosystem sets a new benchmark for solvent-free, small-format flexo platemaking, the company says. This delivers both sustainability and enhanced productivity.

The first AWP system, which is using just water without detergents, in the washout solution is currently installed at The Oldham Group in the United States. The solution is expected to be commercialized soon. In addition to the AWP Ecosystem, Asahi is also providing insights into upcoming flexographic innovations.

FlatTop plate

Asahi is also showcasing printing samples with a new FlatTop plate. This product is currently developed to perform together with the latest screening and laser imaging technologies, aiming to meet the demands of high-end label and flexible packaging printers. The new plate is designed for high solid ink densities and fine, crisp, detailed printed characters. Print samples are on display at the show.