Sometimes innovation doesn’t announce itself with a dramatic presentation, a stack of data sheets, or months of debate.
Sometimes it shows up on a single test plate.
That was the experience for Nagels Druck, a German family-owned printing company known for producing machine-readable tickets, access control cards, and other highly specialized print products where consistency and quality are non-negotiable.
Like many flexo printers, Nagels was operating with exposure technology that had served them well for years. But as customer expectations continue to rise and quality requirements become more demanding, the team began looking at what the next step could look like.
The answer came in the form of the Esko XPS Spark.
Looking Beyond the Press
When conversations around print quality begin, most people immediately think about the press itself.
But as every experienced flexo professional knows, great print starts long before ink reaches the substrate.
Plate quality, consistency, and repeatability all play a critical role in the final result.
For Nagels, the goal wasn’t simply to replace existing equipment. The goal was to improve the foundation of their flexographic process.
Seeing the Difference
The team put the XPS Spark to the test under real production conditions.
What stood out wasn’t a single feature or specification.
It was the result.
Improved reproduction of screens. Sharper image details. More consistent outcomes. The kind of improvements that become visible not only in the prepress department, but also on press and in the final printed product.
For companies producing high-security and machine-readable applications, those gains matter. Consistency isn’t just desirable. It’s essential.
LED Exposure and the Future of Flexo
The XPS Spark introduces a new generation of LED exposure technology designed to deliver highly controlled, repeatable results while reducing the maintenance challenges traditionally associated with conventional exposure systems.
For printers, that means greater confidence that today’s plate will perform like tomorrow’s plate.
And in an industry where every variable matters, predictability can be one of the most valuable improvements of all.
A Customer Perspective
What makes the Nagels story particularly interesting is that it isn’t about chasing the latest technology for the sake of technology.
It’s about solving a practical challenge.
How do you continue raising quality standards when customers already expect excellence?
The answer, in this case, wasn’t found by changing the press.
It was found by improving everything that happens before the press starts running.
Watch the full customer story to hear directly from Thomas Nagels and Maike Bamberg about their experience with the Esko XPS Spark and what they discovered during their evaluation.
Sometimes one test really is enough.
