Italian flexographic prepress specialist Zincopar has been named winner at the inaugural Esko Dot Awards, in recognition of a project that demonstrates how advanced screening technology and an integrated digital workflow can deliver exceptional print quality while simplifying production.

Presented at a prestigious ceremony as part of Esko World 2026 in New Orleans, Zincopar received the Quartz Award in the Water Web category for its Brainrot Collectible Trading Card Packaging. Judges commented the entry stood out for its precise dot reproduction, image sharpness, registration accuracy and consistent results across complex artwork produced using water-based inks.

“Zincopar’s achievement demonstrates how the combination of advanced screening technology, process expertise and workflow integration can push the boundaries of flexographic print quality,” said Jan De Roeck, Director of Marketing, Industry Relations and Strategy at Esko. “The Dot Awards celebrate the printers and prepress specialists who are raising industry standards, and Zincopar is an excellent example of how innovation translates into measurable production benefits.”

Founded in 1938, Zincopar has evolved from a specialist zinc printing plate producer into a leading flexographic prepress provider, operating from sites in Parma and Treviso, Italy. The winning project reflects the type of complex production challenge Zincopar manages every day, the customer requiring 15 coordinated designs to be reproduced with consistent color and exceptional detail using water-based inks. Through extensive prepress optimization and color profiling, the team determined that the required quality could be achieved using conventional four-color process printing rather than the seven-color process initially planned, simplifying production without compromising the finished result.

“We chose to enter this project because it represents the type of work we handle every day,” said Massimo Cipolla, CEO Zincopar Group. “With multiple artworks forming part of the same product range, even minor variations in color or reproduction quality could have affected the consistency of the finished packaging. It was a challenge we were able to overcome using the latest Esko technology as part of our integrated workflow.”

Zincopar has built an integrated production environment spanning structural design, prepress, color management, workflow automation and plate imaging. These connected processes help standardize production, reduce manual intervention and deliver repeatable results across demanding applications. “Our company uses 100% Esko technology,” added Massimo. “Within this ecosystem, Esko Quartz Screening helped deliver the image definition, smooth tonal transitions and production consistency required for the winning project.”

The Quartz technology has also earned industry recognition, including a recent FlexoTech Innovation Award, reflecting its contribution to advances in flexographic platemaking and print quality. For Zincopar, the Dot Award recognizes years of investment in technology, expertise and collaboration, including close work with printing partner Ekaflex on the winning project.

“Receiving the Quartz Award is an important recognition for Zincopar and a source of great pride,” said Massimo Cipolla. “It reflects our commitment to continuous investment, innovation and collaboration across the value chain to deliver outstanding results and keep raising the quality standards of flexographic printing.

“We would like to thank Esko, our technology partner with whom we have shared for many years a vision focused on innovation and the continuous improvement of flexographic printing, and Ekaflex, with whom we developed this project through close collaboration and continuous dialogue between prepress and printing,” he said. “For Zincopar, it is not a final destination, but further motivation to continue investing, experimenting and raising the quality standards of flexographic printing.” The inaugural Esko Dot Awards attracted 29 entries from around the world, evaluated by an independent judging panel on technical print quality, degree of difficulty and Esko ecosystem excellence.