Leading Chinese platemaker Sinwa Printech, also known as Sinwa, has recently integrated a ThermoFlexX Catena-WDLS washer, dryer, light finisher, and stacker unit from XSYS into its operations. This strategic investment aims to elevate the level of automation within the trade shop’s workflow and enhance the quality of its flexo plates.

A subsidiary of Taiwan Sinwa Printech Group, Sinwa Shanghai was founded in Shanghai, in 2000. Since then, it has expanded by establishing branches with facilities in multiple cities. As a trailblazer in technology, Sinwa was the first trade shop in China to introduce CDI plate imager technology. In 2015, it took another step forward with the installation of a state-of-the-art nyloflex® NExT Exposure from Flint Group to provide added value to its customers. This commitment to innovation has earned the company numerous awards over the years, as well as the loyalty of its printer customers in the labels and packaging industry.

Building on its well-established relationship with Flint Group (now XSYS), the latest introduction at Sinwa is a highly automated and integrated ThermoFlexX Catena-WDLS washer, dryer, light finisher, and stacker system. This cutting-edge technology streamlines the platemaking workflow by minimizing the need for manual intervention, enabling fully optimized plate production with very low waste. “Since the installation a few months ago, the Catena-WDLS has performed exceptionally well, providing high consistency and stability. The new system has been instrumental in simplifying our platemaking process, improving standardization levels, raising quality consistency, and boosting overall efficiency,” stated Mr. Michael Lin, President of Sinwa.

The ThermoFlexX Catena-WDLS unit sets a new benchmark for automation in modern flexo plate processing. Once a plate is loaded into the machine, it operates seamlessly without the need for any additional operator involvement or interaction until the plate emerges fully finished and ready for cutting or dispatch. “The operators quickly became comfortable with the new integrated system. They no longer need to monitor each process step closely or transport plates from one unit to the next. They also appreciate the cleaner workshop environment resulting from the WDLS’s fully enclosed environment and efficient extraction,” added Mr. Michael Lin.

The demand in China for higher levels of automation in platemaking is set to continue, promising to reshape the landscape of flexo printing. XSYS stands at the forefront of this transformation with its advanced technology portfolio including the end-to-end fully automated Catena+ solution, which integrates the Catena-WDLS system. “XSYS is very proud to partner with Sinwa, an innovation leader, as we pave the way in automated flexo platemaking. In this era of process digitalization, XSYS enables platemakers to transition from mechanization to full automation, helping to reduce costs, deliver highest quality, and improve sustainability,” commented QiHong-Magenta Zheng, General Manager, XSYS China.