Chocolatier focuses on press registration

摘要

A tension-control system from MAGPOWR retrofit on Astor Chocolate's eight-color flexo press enables the purveyor of decadent sweets to take on more complex, higher-quality process printing of wrappers, bags and labels. Sweet, smooth and utterly self-indulgent, the gourmet Belgian chocolates and truffles prepared by Lakewood, NJ-based Astor Chocolate Corp. for hotel amenities, seasonal and occasional gifts, foodservice, corporate gift giving and private label no doubt sell themselves after a consumer's first delectable bite. But, notes Astor printing director Tom Rouze, "it's not enough just to have a good product; it's the package that initially makes the sale." Five years ago, the 55-year-old, family-owned business purchased an eight-color flexo-printing press in the hopes of duplicating the quality of the offset-printed labels, wrappers and bags supplied by outside sources. For several years, Astor's print department honed its skills, process-printing and UV-coating much of its packaging with fairly simple designs, as well as hot-foil-stamping its boxes. "As our company's capabilities grew, new packaging needs were presented," relates Rouze. "When designs became more complicated, we did everything we could to keep things in register."