Prepress
Esko Auto PlatePatcher wins FPPA Excellence in Flexo Award
Wednesday 04. March 2026 - Esko has been named a winner at the prestigious Flexographic Pre-Press Platemakers Association (FPPA) Excellence in Flexo Awards, earning top honors in the Innovation Excellence category for its breakthrough Auto PlatePatcher technology.
A powerful new module within the Esko platemaking ecosystem of integrated solutions, Auto PlatePatcher redefines flexographic plate preparation by automating one of corrugated platemaking’s most complex and time-consuming tasks, plate patch creation.
The award was presented to Esko by Aaron Pettijohn, Board Chair of the FPPA, at the association’s 27th Annual Conference held in Orlando, Florida, on Monday 22 February. In naming Auto PlatePatcher the winner of the award, the judges commented: “While sustainability is always on our minds what is most impactful is the labor market in manufacturing. Doing more with less people always makes the most business sense.
“Esko has proven itself over the years we’ve been using it as a very considerable time saver, allowing current staff to get more done. Better turnaround has always guaranteed more orders. The latest package Esko is rolling out is helping us align newer practices with newer equipment for better workflow.”
Auto PlatePatcher was introduced as a new module in Esko Flexo Engine, now part of Esko Flexo Front End, to analyze job requirements and automatically generate optimized patching proposals based on real-world production conditions. “Designed to eliminate manual intervention and production bottlenecks, the system dynamically adapts to operational demands,” said Thomas Klein, CTO Hardware with Esko. “When mounting capacity allows, converters can maximize patch counts for efficiency. When facing urgent deadlines, such as late courier cut-offs, the software can reduce configurations to just a few patches, cutting mounting time from more than twenty-five minutes to less than ten.
“Auto PlatePatcher addresses today’s pressing need for speed and simplicity while maintaining the precision required for high-quality flexographic printing, transforming what was once a time-consuming manual task into an automated, intelligent workflow,” said Thomas.
Delivering unprecedented flexibility, Auto PlatePatcher enables different patching styles per job, or even per individual color separation, while maintaining strict color registration requirements. “Achieving this level of precision previously required significant manual handling and increased the risk of costly errors,” added Thomas.
“In addition, the software ensures that all patches from a single job remain organized together on the same merge plates. This innovation dramatically simplifies post-cutting handling, reduces tracking challenges, and minimizes production mistakes.”
One of the technology’s most significant advantages is its seamless integration into existing operations. Auto PlatePatcher accepts current Patch Workflow Files (PWF) from the Digital Flexo Suite, allowing converters to immediately leverage years of optimized production parameters without reconfiguration. “The module supports both automated and manual mounting systems and integrates with a wide range of cutting tables and mounting devices, ensuring compatibility with virtually any existing converter infrastructure,” said Thomas.
Auto PlatePatcher also delivers consistent operational improvements across multiple dimensions. Quality control is enhanced through standardized, automated patch configuration that eliminates the risk of human error in layout decisions, ensuring consistent registration marks, proper border dimensions, and accurate text placement every time.
“Process optimization is driven by the software’s ability to adapt output based on real-time production capacity,” added Thomas. “The mounting time calculator, approximately five minutes per patch, empowers production managers to make informed decisions, balancing throughput against deadline pressure. This dynamic optimization ensures maximum efficiency throughout production shifts.”
Notably, Auto PlatePatcher also contributes to prepress sustainability through waste reduction and resource optimization. “By generating optimal patching layouts, the software maximizes material utilization on carrier sheets, reducing substrate waste. The intelligent merging algorithms ensure efficient use of plate materials while minimizing the number of merge plates required for production, reducing material consumption,” said Thomas.
The FPPA Excellence in Flexo Awards recognize technologies that meaningfully advance the flexographic prepress industry, and aim to inspire continuous improvement, promote sustainable practices, and recognize the invaluable contributions of individuals and organizations in shaping the future of the industry.
Eddy Fadel, GM/VP Digital Flexo Solutions at Esko, said: “By combining automation with intelligent, production-aware decision-making, Auto PlatePatcher addresses longstanding industry pain points while empowering converters to respond flexibly to today’s increasing speed and complexity demands.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have been honored with this award by the FPPA,” he said. “It is truly recognition of the entire team’s commitment to automation, connectivity, and accelerated performance, and to developing innovations that help converters achieve greater efficiency, quality, and competitive advantage in flexographic plate production.”