FIRST Company Certification singles out a FIRST-driven plant that has implemented its processes and methodologies through compliance practices provisioned and monitored by FTA.
FIRST Company Certification
Is About One Word: Confidence
Be Confident in Your Process
Gain Customer Confidence in Your Results
As the only globally recognized mark of flexographic printing excellence, your customers know that when they see this symbol, they can be assured of world-class results.
For you, a FIRST Company Certification means confidence in your processes, print quality and consistency, from shift to shift, plant to plant, and pressrun to pressrun.
For your customers, it means shelf appeal that they can rely on, through a true printer partnership.
A Printer with FIRST Company Certification
Does It All
Is comprised of experts in the areas of color management and process control.
Preserves stable press conditions to deliver consistency and quality.
Embraces industry standard workflows.
Employs a strong, highly skilled workforce.
Behaves as a true print partner, providing guidance, finding solutions, identifying potential pitfalls and establishing clear communication with the entire supply chain.
- Is comprised of experts in the areas of color management and process control.
- Preserves stable press conditions to deliver consistency and quality.
- Embraces industry standard workflows.
- Employs a strong, highly skilled workforce.
- Behaves as a true print partner, providing guidance, finding solutions, identifying potential pitfalls and establishing clear communication with the entire supply chain.
What Certified Printers
Have to Say
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Certification Starts
with the Individuals
Press Operator Certification
Builds flexographic printing experts who will consistently yield the best possible print quality.
This expert press operator is proficient in color management, process control, troubleshooting and implementing corrective action procedures to bring systems into control for repeatable, predictable results.
40% of pressroom staff must have FIRST Press Operator Certification.
Prepress Operator Certification
Creates experts in the field of flexographic prepress (graphics) operations.
This expert prepress professional excels in graphic file assembly, preparation and management, image capture, process color calibration, and measuring and controlling print variables throughout the entire workflow.
40% of prepress staff must have FIRST Prepress Operator Certification.
Implementation Specialist Certification
Yields experts in flexographic printing support, consultation and communication, who are proficient in communicating the principles and practices of FIRST.
It is designed for supervisors, managers and non-production personnel, including suppliers of flexographic products and services.
40% of management/production staff must have FIRST Implementation Specialist Certification.
All About the
FIRST Methodology
Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST) supports the methodical approach to process control, optimization, fingerprinting, characterization and process improvement as outlined in CGATS TR 012-2003 (Graphic Technology – Color Reproduction and Process Control for Packaging Printing). While each organization may use its own workflow based upon its specific needs, there are certain fundamentals universal to the flexographic printing process.
With a firm understanding and application of the FIRST methodology, flexographers can: identify potentially troublesome issues, benchmark press performance, utilize statistical analysis to maintain optimal conditions, perform accurate device calibrations, identify improvement opportunities and preserve stable conditions for repeatable results—all with the end result of satisfactorily reproducing the graphic design.