DuPont celebrates 40 years of innovation in flexographic printing

DUPONT marks the 40th anniversary of DuPont? Cyrel? flexographic printing systems this year by commemorating its past, celebrating its present and looking ahead to a future of continued innovation.  In 1974, DuPont introduced the first elastomeric photopolymer printing plates under the Cyrel? brand to the printed packaging industry.  Forty years later, DuPont has played a leading role in shaping the industry, consistently advancing flexography through its Cyrel? systems and working to provide printers with the best balance of quality, productivity and sustainability to help them succeed.

“Over the last 40 years, forward-thinking printing companies have used Cyrel? systems because they represent the best balance of quality, productivity and sustainability,” said John Chrosniak, global business director, DuPont Packaging Graphics.  “The flexographic printing market adopted Cyrel? as the industry standard and DuPont continues to deliver innovative new products such as Cyrel? Performance Plates, and invest in continued R&D to meet the needs of this growing market.  We are honoured to be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Cyrel? this year with our customers.  Together we achieved this milestone through our shared commitment to advancing flexography.”

Key milestones

DuPont invented the first elastomeric photopolymer printing plates along with the first solvent workflow equipment in 1974 and by the 1980’s began developing automated inline platemaking and processing systems, recognising the advantages of pairing plate and equipment to improve quality and productivity.

Light finishing replaced chemical finishing and DuPont commercialised the first safer alternative plate processing solvents in 1990, which enhanced the sustainability of flexographic printing.

DuPont introduced the DuPont? Cyrel? Digital Imager (CDI), the first digital Cyrel? plate, and a fully digital prepress workflow at DRUPA in 1995.  This enabled the industry to move away from film based prepress workflows and implement a distributed digital workflow, using laser ablatable masks (LAMs) to achieve computer-to-plate (CTP) output that allows design and production files to be easily shared by brand owners, tradeshops, and printers prior to printing. 

The beginning of the next century marked another wave of growth, as DuPont? Cyrel? FAST, the first thermal plate system, was unveiled in 2000, and 11 more new products were rolled out at DRUPA in 2012.  The latest innovation from DuPont was the 2013 commercialization of the Cyrel? DFP and DSP Performance Plates, specifically designed to provide outstanding tonal range and the highest possible solid ink density from an existing standard digital workflow.

Operating in 6 continents and 100 countries, DuPont continues to innovate and expand the Cyrel? product line.

DuPont Packaging Graphics is one of the world’s leading suppliers of flexographic plate-making systems in digital and conventional formats, including DuPont? Cyrel? photopolymer plates, Cyrel? FAST processing equipment, Cyrel? round sleeves, mounting and finishing products.