Esko XPS Crystal Achieves GreenCircle Certifications for Dematerialization and Certified Energy Savings

GreenCircle Certified is an internationally recognized third-party certification entity that independently verifies the validity of sustainability claims. GreenCircle Certified products and operations are thoroughly assessed and verified to applicable standards. The company was founded in 2009 to help companies and organizations accurately communicate their sustainability achievements to their stakeholders.

Esko energy savings and dematerialization claims for the XPS Crystal have been validated and certified by GreenCircle.

GreenCircle Certified evaluates products, manufacturing operations, and corporate sustainability programs against pre-established criteria. Certification can be granted for a wide range of sustainability attributes, including recycled content, renewable energy use, waste diversion, carbon footprint reduction, and more.

The certification process involves a rigorous review of documentation and on-site inspections by GreenCircle auditors to verify that a company’s sustainability claims are accurate and transparent. GreenCircle also requires ongoing monitoring and reporting to maintain certification.

Conducted in compliance with ISO 17065, ISO 14021 and FTC Green Guides, GreenCircle certifications demonstrate an organization’s commitment to reducing impacts during the use phase of a product’s life cycle. The GreenCircle Certified markis a trusted symbol of environmental responsibility and sustainability performance.

GreenCircle recently analyzed the attributes of the Esko XPS Crystal. The XPS Crystal optimally combines UV main and back exposure. Unlike UV frames, using light bulbs with fluctuating output, the XPS Crystal uses UV LEDs which don’t need warm-up time and always emit consistent radiation. A simultaneous and optimally controlled UV main and back exposure produces highly consistent digital flexo plates – for every digital flexo plate type at every time of your production day. Benefits include:

• Synchronized main and back UV LED exposure
• Further plate room automation
• Repeatable, consistent plate quality

Don’t just take it from us! Here’s what our customers think about the XPS Crystal. Manfred Schrattenthaler, CEO of Glatz Klischee, stated

Jérôme Gros, Directeur Commercial Associé for Médialliance Graphic, France, said

Want to hear more? Click here to check out our customer stories.

It’s imperative for consumers to be able to trust the sustainability claims made by brands they know and love. That’s why, over a period of months, GreenCircle assessed the XPS Crystal and conducted their own independent testing. During a site visit, GreenCircle calculated energy savings by comparing the power consumption of the unit when exposing flexo plates designed for UV LED exposure, and the power consumption of a UV bank light frame exposing flexo plates designed for UV lamps. The analysis, based on observing an eight-hour working shift, determined that tradeshops benefit from an energy saving of 41%, while converters benefit from savings of 59%.

The XPS Crystal also achieved GreenCircle’s Dematerialization certification, which relates to the absolute or relative reduction in the quantity of materials used, and/or the waste generated in the production of a unit of economic output. GreenCircle validated the technology for a staggering 92% reduction in waste over the lifetime of the machine and 100% removal of hazardous wastes, such as mercury, found in traditional UV lamps.

GreenCircle’s Dematerialization certification demonstrates Esko’s commitment to developing products that consume less material over their lifespan, or that use fewer materials within the product and its packaging.

Moreover, GreenCircle assessed the XPS Crystal by comparing the ‘product recipes’ to a traditional main exposure bank light table and verified a reduction in material inputs during the product lifecycle. The assessors used the average number of UV LEDs to determine the number of plates produced in an eight-hour amount of time. A traditional main exposure bank light was used to represent the equivalent quantity of UV lamps needed to match the output of one plate from the XPS Crystal. After the units were measured and collected, GreenCircle calculated the percentage of material saved by using the XPS Crystal.

Overall, GreenCircle certified the XPS Crystal for the following sustainability achievements:

Energy Savings for Tradeshop:

• 41% energy savings for a tradeshop with an average plate consumption of 13 plates per 8-hour shift compared to UV bank light exposure
• Activation of UV LEDs only during each UV exposure pass
• No “pre-heating time” required

Energy Savings for Converter:

• 59% energy savings with an average plate consumption of 6 plates per shift compared to a UV bank light frame exposure
• The XPS Crystal plus chiller has a significant lower energy consumption of just 59W in idle mode vs the bank light table at 2kW when in idle
• No peak energy consumption while heating bulbs during UV exposure

Dematerialization:

• The XPS Crystal, while using UV LEDs, has a 92% waste reduction of light elements over the total device lifetime
• 100% mercury-free UV LEDs compared to mercury containing UV lamps used in UV bank light frames
• Shorter UV LED exposure time on the XPS Crystal results in lower energy consumption (see XPS Crystal certified plate list)
• No emissions of environmental hazardous waste

Esko strives to preserve and protect the environment for future generations. The XPS Crystal is just one of our efforts to promote global sustainability. We are excited our hard work has been recognized by these GreenCircle certifications.

Learn more about the XPS Crystal here!