Sim Cai, senior equipment engineer and technical sales manager at Flint Group, with participants during a practical session at the China summer flexo academy

Sim Cai, senior equipment engineer and technical sales manager at Flint Group, with participants during a practical session at the China summer flexo academy

Flint Group recently initiated and organised the first China Summer Flexographic Academy in Shanghai, attracting 40 teachers from 16 universities and colleges.

Flint Group says that while China‘s flexographic industry has grown steadily, that growth has not reached expectations, and the sector suffers a shortage of talent in contrast to the offset and gravure industry. With few youths interested in this printing technology, Flint Group wants to develop the Chinese flexo market and sees the academy as part of this development. Flint Group and its partners EskoArtwork, Auclean, Tesa, Omet and Avery Dennison, offered training and practical sessions at the academy.

Presenters included Magenta Zheng, general manager Flint Group China, who gave a short company presentation and an overview on the Chinese flexographic market; Lee Yushan, technical manager Flinnt Group Greater China, who spoke on the analogue and digital plate making processes; and Sim Cai, senior equipment engineer and technical sales manager Flint Group China, who gave an introduction on the company’s latest develop­ments such as the nyloflex next technology, the nyloflex automated plate processor, nyloflex in-the-round technology. Teachers also took part in practical plate making exercises at Flint Group Flexographic Products’ Asia Technical Centre.

Flint Group says the teachers expressed excitement about the event and the possibility to gather information on the flexographic printing process. ChenNa from Wuhan university, says, “I feel that the training was very fruitful. Now I understand the latest flexographic technology much better and the detailed slides and movies will help me in teaching the students. We met a lot of industry peers and experts, with whom we can share information and discuss even after the event. I’m convinced that the event will contribute to develop the Chinese Flexo Industry and the printing process with environmental friendly advantages.”

Magenta Zheng concludes, “We believe that we can help to develop the flexographic market in updating teachers with the latest technology and providing them with practical exercises.”