Asahi Photoproducts wins FIA UK Gold Award for AWP-LOOP water recycling technology

Asahi Photoproducts, a pioneer in flexographic photopolymer plate development, has received the FIA UK Operational Environmental & Sustainability Gold Award 2026 for AWP-LOOP, Asahi’s water recycling system for flexographic plate processing, registered for the award as “Flexo Plate Waste Water Recycling System”.

The award was presented at the FIA UK Awards Dinner in Liverpool and accepted on behalf of Asahi Photoproducts by Karl Davison, sales manager UK. It recognizes Asahi’s continued commitment to developing more resource-efficient flexographic platemaking solutions and supports the company’s long-term vision of leading the road to a Solvent ZERO flexographic platemaking environment.

As part of the Asahi AWP Ecosystem, AWP-LOOP helps recover and reuse process water during flexographic plate processing. The technology uses Asahi Kasei’s Microza membrane filtration technology and can recycle 70–90% of wastewater generated during the platemaking process, helping printers reduce wastewater and detergent consumption while maintaining a reliable production process.

According to the award presentation, Asahi Photoproducts was recognized for demonstrating how wastewater recycling technology can help flexographic printers reduce resource consumption in plate processing while supporting reliable, production-ready workflows.

“We are honored to receive this Gold Award from FIA UK,” said Dieter Niederstadt, technical marketing manager at Asahi Photoproducts. “For Asahi, sustainable innovation means developing technologies that can make a measurable difference in day-to-day flexographic production. AWP-LOOP supports printers in reducing resource consumption in plate processing while maintaining the stability, quality and productivity they need in industrial production environments.”

AWP-LOOP forms part of Asahi’s wider Solvent ZERO roadmap, which focuses on reducing solvent dependency and supporting the transition toward water-wash plate processing technologies. By combining plate, processor and water recycling technologies within the AWP Ecosystem, Asahi aims to help flexographic printers improve workflow efficiency, support cost savings and reduce the environmental impact associated with platemaking.

Karl Davison, sales manager UK at Asahi Photoproducts, who accepted the award on behalf of Asahi at the FIA UK Awards Dinner, added: “It was a great honor to receive this recognition on behalf of the Asahi team. The award highlights the relevance of practical technologies that help printers make their platemaking operations more efficient and resource-conscious.”

The FIA UK Awards celebrate excellence and innovation across the flexographic industry. With the Operational Environmental & Sustainability Gold Award 2026, Asahi Photoproducts has been recognized for a technology that reflects the growing importance of practical, production-ready solutions for more resource-efficient flexographic platemaking workflows.