Fotograbados Longo partners with Miraclon to elevate flexo pre-press

When Buenos Aires based Fotograbados Longo upgraded its pre-press setup earlier this year, it did more than add equipment. The 87-year-old trade shop installed Miraclon’s NX System with PureFlexo printing and the Shine LED lamp kit, enhancing its capacity for efficiency and print consistency.

For Sebastian Longo, owner and managing director of the company, the investment marked a strategic shift in how he defined quality. He said quality was not limited to print results but extended to the process itself. “It is about how smoothly the customer can work with our plates. There should be no issues during press setup or the print run. Consistency and reliability translate directly into savings, and that is what Flexcel NX with PureFlexo printing allows us to deliver.”

Founded in 1938 by Longo’s grandfather Alfonso, the company began by producing zinc plates for letterpress printing. Under his father Rodolfo, it became an important part of Argentina’s flexography industry during the 1980s and 1990s. Today, Fotograbados Longo serves converters and brands in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, offering design to plate imaging services and what Longo described as – the magic in pre-press, through detailed colour management and file optimisation.

The installation of the Flexcel NX System with PureFlexo printing gave the company a new toolset for both quality and efficiency. PureFlexo Printing, part of the Flexcel NX Print Suite for flexible packaging, uses triple form plate surface patterning to control ink spread and reduce dot gain. The result is greater stability and cleaner print reproduction across a range of substrates.

According to Longo, the technology also opened the door for fixed colour palette printing. The company now offers customers consistent production using a reduced set of inks, cutting makeready time and material waste. “This level of stability makes fixed colour palette printing realistic and appealing for converters,” he said.

Customer feedback following the installation was positive. Converters noted improved plate stability and ink control, while brands recognised the potential to match gravure quality more economically. Longo said flexo had become more flexible, achieving the same print quality and ink laydown, while offering a faster and often more sustainable process.

Miraclon’s Shine LED lamp kit added another layer of efficiency by converting older fluorescent exposure units to LED operation. Longo called it an example of smart engineering that aligned with the company’s focus on sustainability and longevity of equipment.

The relationship between Fotograbados Longo and Miraclon was based on shared values of innovation and foresight. Longo said Miraclon’s approach to product development reflected the same forward thinking that had guided his family business since the 1950s. “Every time I speak to the Miraclon team, I feel they are already thinking ten years ahead,” he concluded.