Harper Corporation Helps Costa Rican School Establish Flexographic Training
Charlotte, N.C., September 27, 2005 – The Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje de Costa Rica (INA), in San Jose, Costa Rica, recently approached global anilox roll supplier Harper Corporation of America to explore the possibility of establishing a hands-on flexo program at the school. The institute became aware of the Harper Campus flexographic studies program at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), the FTA Flexo in High Schools and Colleges programs, and the Phoenix Challenge Competition, through an interview with Ron and Katherine Harper published in Conversion Magazine, a Spanish-language industry publication.
INA has an overall student population of 15,000, and presently offers classes in both offset and screen printing. The school’s graphic arts instructor, Efrain Quiros Vargas, recently spent two weeks at Harper’s Advanced Technology Center in Charlotte, N.C., getting a comprehensive overview of flexographic teaching programs, and obtaining assistance in how to set up a such a program at INA. He also received training at CPCC’s Harper Campus and the Flexographic Trade School, and had the opportunity to operate Mark Andy and Comco presses.
Phoenix Challenge chairman Bettylyn Krafft accompanied Vargas on visits to observe the innovative FTA Flexo In High Schools hands-on flexographic programs at South Mecklenburg High School and Fort Mill High School. They also toured converters Parks Printing and Label Tec; all located in the Charlotte N.C., area.
Three interpreters from Harper Corporation and its divisions assisted with Vargas’s training: Juan Bermudez, Vargas’ local host and the Latin American sales manager; Polly Betancourt, customer service representative at Harper Corporation; and Jazmin Clark, customer service specialist at HarperScientific™.
INA reports that it has more than forty eager students pre-registered for the course in flexography; plus several converters in the San Jose area have committed to assist with flexographic training at INA.
For more information, please contact Ron Harper at 704-588-3371 or rharper@harperimage.com.
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Pictured in photo, from left : Katherine Harper, President, Harper Corporation of America; Efrain Quiros Vargas, graphic arts instructor at The Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje de Costa Rica (INA); Ron Harper, CEO, Harper Corporation of America.
