Printers/converters, prepress providers and suppliers meeting their demands are gearing up for the Foundation of Flexographic Technical Assn.'s (FFTA) 2005 Annual Forum and INFO*FLEX Exhibition.

Themed "The Wonderful World of Flexo," and appropriately hosted at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, FL, March 20 to 23, Forum 2005 will feature new sessions, address the latest trends and technologies and encourage serious discussion of hot topics in flexo today. The program is chaired by Rick Rosenberger, Solo Cup Co., with assistance from vice chair Catherine Haynes, All Printing Resources.

Forum 2005's opening session will feature scientific data presented by William Pope of RIT that will address the practicality and functionality of four-color process. It will be followed by a discussion among representatives holding various positions in consumer product companies (CPCs). A heavy emphasis will be placed on getting educational institutions to rally behind the notion of promoting four-color process and two spot colors.

"The use of CMYK, Hexachrome and Opaltone have not typically been taught by the universities," Haynes says. "You do see it on the offset side, but not on the flexo side. Most schools don't have that."

Other items on the agenda include two brand new sessions. The Art and Science Session is targeted to strike a balance between the levels of science and craft in flexo printing. "Flexo is often considered an art, but with the tools that we have now, we can make this more of a science and gain control of the process," Haynes says.

The Business and Procurement Session, an early addition to the Forum, will provide a new perspective on the printing process. "Procurement really is motivating the purchases in our industry," Rosenberger says, "so we wanted to give people in procurement—who are a lot of the people who come to the Forum—an opportunity to exchange ideas. Many people who come to the FFTA Forum are not necessarily technical."

Following the trend of recent Forums, Rosenberger and Haynes also made strides to secure a strong presence by CPCs. "We're continuing to try to bring in more CPCs and graphic designers, and let them feed us more information," Haynes says. "Hopefully, we can create good interaction. Not only can we share with them what we're going through, but they too can share what they feel and what they're trying to do."

More info: 631/737-6020, www.flexography.org