Since its inception, flexographic printing has seen significant advancements, particularly in plate mounting technology. In the early 1940s, the use of metal dies and vulcanised rubber plates marked the beginning. By the mid-1940s, companies like Mosstype and Harley introduced optical plate mounting machinery, aiding the transition to multi-colour printing.

Rubber plates, though innovative, had issues with stretching, requiring careful and skilled mounting. The introduction of photopolymer plates in the late 20th century brought stability and reduced stretching, leading to more precise mounting processes.

In 1984, J.M. Heaford Ltd revolutionised the industry with a flexo proofing press featuring 30x magnification microscopes. This evolved into high-magnification video cameras, marking the advent of camera-assisted mounting. By 1992, Heaford collaborated with Crown Zellabach to create the VIPER, a machine that used microdots as register marks and high-magnification cameras for precise positioning, significantly reducing the skill level required.

The mid-1990s saw the introduction of flat table plate mounters for corrugated boxes, enhancing the precision and ease of plate mounting. Heaford’s Microdot mounters quickly gained popularity for their ability to ensure accurate alignment, reduce polymer consumption, and improve print quality.

The late 1990s and early 2000s brought advancements in sleeve technology, prompting Heaford to design dedicated machines with cantilever mandrels. This led to the development of the ELS and XLS ranges for shaftless label cylinders, and later the FTS model in 2012, which offered fast and error-free mounting, even for minimally trained operators.

The latest innovation, the AutoMounter, introduced in 2016, employs image recognition technology to position plates with unmatched accuracy, catering to both flexible packaging and narrow web markets. 

Heaford’s continuous innovations have not only transformed flexographic printing but also set new standards in the industry.