Esko Quartz screening technology drives water-based flexo precision in Zincopar trading card project

Esko's Quartz screening technology has demonstrated its capacity to elevate water-based flexographic printing standards, as evidenced by Italian prepress specialist Zincopar's recent technical achievement recognized at the inaugural Esko Dot Awards in New Orleans. The integration of advanced digital prepress ecosystems is proving critical in pushing the boundaries of flexo quality on complex substrates.

The industrial milestone centers on the "Brainrot Collectible Trading Card Packaging" project, which required the reproduction of 15 coordinated designs. Printed by partner Ekaflex using water-based inks on a complex multilayer substrate, the project demanded absolute consistency across the entire product range. Through rigorous prepress optimization and color profiling within the Esko ecosystem, Zincopar successfully replaced an initially planned seven-color process with a highly optimized conventional four-color process, significantly simplifying production without compromising fine detail.

Advanced screening and workflow integration

The technical foundation of this achievement relies on the Esko Quartz ecosystem. Operating at 4,000 ppi and utilizing proprietary Q-Cell surface technology, the system creates microscopic surface structures that optimize ink transfer. For Zincopar, which operates a 100 percent Esko-integrated workflow connecting structural design, color management, and plate imaging, this technology delivered the necessary image definition and smooth tonal transitions.

• Precise dot reproduction: Ensuring clean highlight transitions and sharp fine detail.
• Registration accuracy: Critical for maintaining consistency across 15 different artworks.
• Process optimization: Reducing the color palette from seven to four colors, lowering production complexity and costs.

Massimo Cipolla, CEO of Zincopar Group, emphasized that even minor variations in color or reproduction quality could compromise the finished packaging when dealing with multiple artworks in the same range. The ability to overcome this challenge highlights the operational value of standardizing production and reducing manual intervention through automated workflows.

The recognition of this project in the Water Web category at Esko World 2026 underscores a broader industry trajectory. As Jan De Roeck, director of marketing at Esko, noted, the combination of advanced screening technology, process expertise, and workflow integration is expanding the capabilities of flexographic printing. This development confirms that water-based inks can meet the stringent quality demands of premium flexible packaging when supported by robust digital prepress infrastructure.