Wilmington, DE-based DuPont Packaging Graphics (www2.dupont.com/Cyrel/en_US/index.html) achieves the registration milestone of 125 patent families consisting of more than 600 patents and applications worldwide.

“Since the introduction of DuPont™ Cyrel® photopolymer printing plates in 1974, we have been working with our customers to develop innovative technologies to advance flexography,” says Lisa DiGate, global business director, DuPont Packaging Graphics. “These patents represent our investment in flexography, the package-printing industries and in the innovations that our customers value.”

Some of the highlights in the evolution of Cyrel and flexography: Cyrel, the first photopolymer printing plate (1974); automated and in-line platemaking systems (1980s); capped-plate technology for improved print quality (1987); aqueous-processed printing plates (1990s); a fully digital photopolymer workflow for flexo including Digital Cyrel printing plates and the Cyrel Digital Imager (1995); Cyrel FAST solvent-free, dry, thermal plate-processing system (above) (2000); Cyrel digital sleeve system (2002).