Features Packaging Printing
Esko Equinox Receives FTA Innovation Award

The Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) presented Esko with its Technical Innovation Award in the category of Prepress Graphics during the FTA Annual Forum, which began on April 27 in Baltimore, MD.

Equinox is Esko software for the implementation of extended gamut – or fixed inkset – printing. “Esko has always been committed to advancing the effectiveness of flexography and packaging graphics. Our development of Equinox was really an investment in flexography. It’s great to see the specific recognition this unique technology is receiving as recipient of the 2014 FTA Technical Innovation Award,” stated Tony Wiley, President, Esko North America.

Equinox Expanded Color Gamut (ECG) Technology is Esko’s patented technology for converting packaging graphics from CMYK and spot colour to seven-colour process. Esko describes Equinox as the only commercial product in the world to make use of 7-colour profile technology. By quantifying only subsets of four-colour combinations, Esko explains Equinox 7-colour profiles contain hundreds of times the amount of colour data as a 7-colour ICC colour profile. These profiles are used to convert industry standard ink books into tint build books for a specific flexo press.

Equinox also leverages Esko’s HD and Full HD Flexo platemaking, which is able to extend the gamut by producing plates that can print dots from 0-100%. “While we have been touting the economic and visual advantages of Esko Equinox for a few years now, it’s been in the past year or so that we’ve seen the accelerated growth we’ve long anticipated,” stated Mark Samworth, Esko Senior Color Specialist. “It has to do with the proliferation of brand extensions resulting in shorter runs – as well as the continuing economic interest in reducing print and inventory costs.”