中文Italian flexographic pre-press specialist Zincopar has won the Quartz Award in the Water Web category at the inaugural Esko Dot Awards, for its Brainrot Collectible Trading Card Packaging project developed with printing partner Ekaflex.
Presented at Esko World 2026 in New Orleans, the award recognised precise dot reproduction, image sharpness, registration accuracy and consistent results across complex artwork printed with water-based inks. The project required 15 coordinated designs reproduced with consistent colour and fine detail — a demanding brief where even minor variation could undermine the finished packaging.
Through pre-press optimisation and colour profiling, Zincopar determined that conventional four-colour process printing could achieve the required quality, replacing a seven-colour process initially planned and simplifying production without compromising the result. Massimo Cipolla, CEO of Zincopar Group, said the company chose to enter the project because it represents the kind of work it handles every day.
“With multiple artworks in the same product range, even minor variations in colour or reproduction quality could affect the consistency of the finished packaging,” Cipolla explained. “It was a challenge we were able to overcome using the latest Esko technology as part of our integrated workflow.” Founded in 1938 as a zinc printing-plate producer, Zincopar now operates from Parma and Treviso, connecting structural design, prepress, colour management, workflow automation and plate imaging to standardise production and reduce manual intervention.
Cipolla stressed that Zincopar uses “100 percent Esko technology,” and that Esko Quartz Screening delivered the image definition, smooth tonal transitions and production consistency the winning project required. Jan De Roeck, director of marketing, industry relations and strategy at Esko, said the achievement demonstrates how advanced screening technology, process expertise and workflow integration can push the boundaries of flexographic print quality.
Cipolla credited collaboration between pre-press and printing teams for the result, calling the Quartz Award “an important recognition for Zincopar and a source of great pride” that reflects the company’s commitment to continuous investment and innovation. The inaugural Esko Dot Awards attracted 29 entries from around the world, assessed by an independent panel on technical print quality, degree of difficulty and Esko ecosystem excellence.
The winning project — Brainrot Collectible Trading Card Packaging — required 15 coordinated designs reproduced with consistent colour and fine detail. Through pre-press optimisation and colour profiling, Zincopar determined that conventional four-colour process printing could hit the required quality, replacing a seven-colour process that had been planned and simplifying production without compromising the result. Judges at Esko World 2026 in New Orleans singled out precise dot reproduction, image sharpness, registration accuracy and consistency across water-based inks.
Founded in 1938 as a zinc printing-plate maker, Zincopar now operates from Parma and Treviso and runs an integrated environment linking structural design, prepress, colour management, workflow automation and plate imaging. CEO Massimo Cipolla stressed that the company uses “100 percent Esko technology,” with Quartz Screening delivering the definition and tonal smoothness the project needed. The inaugural Esko Dot Awards drew 29 entries judged on technical quality, degree of difficulty and ecosystem excellence.
Beyond the trophy, the result is a tidy illustration of how screening technology and workflow integration can push flexographic quality into territory once reserved for other processes. For Zincopar, it validates a philosophy of continuous investment and cross-team collaboration — and sets a benchmark for the next wave of collectible and promotional packaging work.
The winning project – Brainrot Collectible Trading Card Packaging – required 15 coordinated designs reproduced with consistent colour and fine detail. Through pre-press optimisation and colour profiling, Zincopar determined that conventional four-colour process printing could hit the required quality, replacing a seven-colour process that had been planned and simplifying production without compromising the result. Judges at Esko World 2026 in New Orleans singled out precise dot reproduction, image sharpness, registration accuracy and consistency across water-based inks.
Founded in 1938 as a zinc printing-plate maker, Zincopar now operates from Parma and Treviso and runs an integrated environment linking structural design, prepress, colour management, workflow automation and plate imaging. CEO Massimo Cipolla stressed that the company uses 100 percent Esko technology, with Quartz Screening delivering the definition and tonal smoothness the project needed. The inaugural Esko Dot Awards drew 29 entries judged on technical quality, degree of difficulty and ecosystem excellence.
Beyond the trophy, the result is a tidy illustration of how screening technology and workflow integration can push flexographic quality into territory once reserved for other processes. For Zincopar, it validates a philosophy of continuous investment and cross-team collaboration – and sets a benchmark for the next wave of collectible and promotional packaging work.
The choice to standardise entirely on one vendor’s ecosystem is itself a strategic statement. By going 100 percent Esko, Zincopar trades supplier diversity for deep integration, tighter support and a workflow where design, screening and platemaking speak the same language. In an industry where version control and colour consistency across dozens of SKUs can make or break a promotion, that single-vendor discipline is increasingly the difference between a good result and an award-winning one – as the Quartz Award now attests.
Source: https://www.labelsandlabeling.com/news/brand-owners-design/zincopar-wins-esko-dot-award
