Mumbai-based Bhatia Graphics recently installed the Xeikon ThermoflexX TFX 30 platesetter at their Goregaon unit. The Xeikon was supplied by Malhotra Graphics who is a representative for Xeikon platesetters. Bhatia Graphics is a 20-year-old prepress service house with customers in the pharmaceutical sector as well as the FMCG sector. It is managed by the father and son team of Ram Bhatia and Jitendra Bhatia.
It was time for us to upgrade to the latest technology which would help us in expanding our client base. Also, we wanted to move from analogue to a digital platemaking setup, Ram Bhatia says while explaining his reasons for going in for a Xiekon platesetter. Our assessment was that our customers were demanding a technology like this from us.
The Xiekon flexo, dry offset and letterpress plate imager was installed at Bhatia Graphics in early December and began full operations around the middle of the month. The Bhatias have received encouraging feedback from customers. The most important feedback we have got from our customers is about the much improved print quality. In addition to that the customers have experienced faster makeready at their end. All in all our customers are very happy, Jitendra Bhatia says.
Bhatia Graphics is currently operating at 2540 dpi and would soon move to higher resolutions up to 5080 dpi, Navdeep Dadwal, vice president of sales at Malhotra Graphics, says. Dadwal adds that the Xeikon ThermoflexX solutions are unique in their use of 5080 dpi resolution, resulting in smaller screen dots, cleaner mid-tones, sharper text, lines, barcodes and QR codes. ThermoflexX 30 is equipped to handle both flexo plates and metal back plates for dry offset that many label printers use.
Bhatia Graphics would be among the very few who would be providing digital metal back plates, Dadwal points out. Finally, talking about his companys relations with Malhotra Graphics, Ram Bhatia says that they were extremely good and Malhotra Graphics was very prompt in training the staff as well as in the physical installation of the machine.
