FLEXcon Opens Hong Kong Facility to Support Business Growth in Asia

FLEXcon, an innovator in adhesive coating and laminating, today announced the opening of FLEXcon Asia Limited in Hong Kong to support growing client demand for FLEXcon’s products throughout the Asia Pacific region. The new facility will serve as the Company’s regional base to support continuing expansion.

“Hong Kong is an ideal platform for fast-growing companies like FLEXcon that want to do business in Asia Pacific markets, including mainland China,” said Neil McDonough, president and CEO of FLEXcon. “Our Hong Kong facility will enable us to respond to market trends with custom products and provide rapid, focused and technical support for our valued Asia Pacific customers.”

FLEXcon Asia Limited in Hong Kong, which has housed its Asian sales, technical service and customer service operations since December 2012, will now be collocated with specialized product manufacturing, finishing and warehousing capabilities. As a result, FLEXcon can offer more custom-made products with improved lead times and service to customers throughout China and Southeast Asia in markets that include automotive, industrial, pharmaceutical, appliance, electronics, mobile handset, manufacturing and durable goods.

FLEXcon is an ISO 9001:2008 manufacturer that has been coating and laminating adhesives and films for more than 50 years. In addition to the new facility in Hong Kong, FLEXcon operates world-class manufacturing and distribution facilities throughout North America and Europe, where orders are custom finished to customer specifications.

Source: FLEXcon

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Gallus, Inc. and Prati Form U.S. Alliance

Gallus, Inc. (USA) and Prati Company of Italy have formed a strategic relationship intended to help Prati expand its geographic reach and extend Gallus' portfolio to its North American customers. Prati is a 40-year old firm founded by Pietro Prati that designs and manufactures high quality equipment for the label printing marketplace, including slitting/rewinding, converting, finishing, and inspection machines. Gallus will not only represent Prati sales in the USA, but provide expertise, aftermarket services and parts to support the equipment from its headquarters in Philadelphia PA.

"With the Prati line," said Brian Bishop, president of Gallus, Inc., "we can bring more value and product depth to our customers. Our strong aftermarket service base will support Prati as they move into the North American market, and their high efficiency machines will benefit our customers, who can improve speed and accuracy while managing their post production costs better. For example, one Prati rewinding/converting machine can serve two full-time flexo presses, saving the customer significant costs on capital purchases."

 

 

According to Prati's area manager, Claudia Fabbri, "Prati has over 2,300 installations worldwide, including 13 recent sales in the US. Based on this early success, we wanted to develop a strategic relationship to improve our market penetration, but with the right partner. The business cultures of our companies are very similar. We both pride ourselves on building high quality, long-term client relationships. In fact, the first Prati machines were sold to Gallus so our history together goes a long way back.

"Prati is continuously developing new products in order to meet customer demands seeking multitasking, reliable, simple and efficient finishing machines capable of performing a wide range of applications. Our machines are versatile, modular and -- thanks to their open concept technology -- can be adapted to any customer requests. Plus, further capabilities can be added to the basic model at any time."

Said Bishop, "Gallus is actively in process of installing Prati equipment in new installations in North America. Soon we will have a full complement of equipment for customers to test drive in our demo room in Philadelphia."

Prati already has strategic relationships with Gallus in South East Asia, Australia and Ocean Pacific Regions, Russia, Israel, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Source: praticompany.com

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Lightweights for hotfill, aseptics and carbonated beverages from Krones

From the fields of plastics technology, container dress technology, plus packing and palletising technology, Krones AG, Neutraubling, Germany, will at the interpack 2014 be showcasing a whole series of innovations and design enhancements. All of them geared to creating even lighter, more attractive, consumer-friendlier packages, plus energy-economical, eco-friendly and affordable production operations designed to reduce the total cost of ownership.

In the field of plastics technology, Krones has developed a new base design for PET containers that features better resistance to heat and pressure coupled with good stability during transport. In comparison to classical hotfill, filling this bottle in the NitroHotfill process enables lower bottle weights to be used, even at high line speeds. In actual operation, the NitroHotfill process, which is used with fruit juices and other sensitive beverages, enables bottle weights down to an exceptionally light 15.5 grams to be achieved.

 

In comparison to shrink-packs, producing the LitePac sixpacks on the EvoLite Bloc packer offers huge potential savings in both packaging material and energy.

 

But it’s not only with sensitive beverages like fruit juices that the thrust towards lightweight containers is being progressed. For carbonated beverages, too, Krones will be exhibiting a true lightweight, one that weighs 30 to 45 per cent less than comparable PET containers on the market: the “PET lite 9.9 carbonated”, a prize-winning study based on the NitroPouch concept. This 500-millilitre bottle, weighing a mere 9.9 grams, scores highly in terms of low material costs and suitability for use at high line speeds.

Deployment of a square 500-millilitre PET bottle weighing just 12.5 grams for product-friendly aseptic filling is made possible by the development of the innovative technology featured in the Contiform AseptBloc, and by the container’s own design, which is particularly persuasive in terms of the bottle’s haptics, and is based on a square-rounded cross-section and a lightweight 33-millimetre neck finish.

Digital direct printing

In comparison to dressing containers in labels, direct printing on the containers themselves, using the DecoType direct printing system, offers significantly more scope for individualised, attractive design of the containers concerned. It is also ideally suited for supporting marketing campaigns and product launches. With the debut of the DecoType, Krones has expanded its product portfolio for container dressing to include an entirely new variant.

In the field of cold-glue labelling technology, Krones will be presenting a redesigned Ergomatic station, excelling in terms of ergonomic and functional improvements, plus reduced complexity. The Ergomatic functions accurately and dependably, is easy to operate, and can be quickly changed over to handle different label formats.

For wrap-around labelling, Krones will be exhibiting a completely redesigned station. The new Contiroll ED station has an ergonomically optimised design, scores highly in terms of improved accessibility for label change-overs, and offers enhanced operator-friendliness. In this series, a variant for pre-glued labels is being offered as an alternative.

Cost reduction for non-returnable sixpacks of up to 74 per cent

For non-returnable sixpacks, Krones has come up with what’s probably the world’s most space-saving packaging and palletising solution, with the lowest energy consumption, in the shape of the LitePac. Three EvoLite machines are already up and running successfully: up to the present date, 15 million LitePacs have hit the retail shelves. The EvoLite pack strapping machine creates packs with an integrated looped handle. In comparison to shrink-packs, and to other packaging systems on the market as well that operate with gluing, the exceptionally resource-economical production process for the LitePac (which comprises six plastic bottles) offers extremely high potential savings for packaging material and energy, with a cost reduction per pack of up to 74 per cent.

Source: Krones.com

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Avery Dennison recognizes suppliers from across the globe in inaugural ceremony

Eight pressure-sensitive industry suppliers were recognized by Avery Dennison Materials Group (NYSE:AVY) during the company’s inaugural supplier recognition ceremony held in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Winners were selected based on their performance in areas such as sustainability, innovation, service, overall value and quality.

“Our suppliers are a vital part of our value chain and these awards are our way of recognizing their work,” said John Klein, global vice president, procurement. “It’s important we have a strong working relationship so that together we continue delivering cutting-edge innovations and superior value to the pressure-sensitive industry.”

Sweden-based pulp and paper supplier Munksjö was recognized as Supplier of the Year for their exceptional effort across all categories of performance. “This is an acknowledgement that their organization delivered to a very high standard in product and service quality as well as in innovation,” Klein said. “Their strategic perspective on Avery Dennison’s business and their willingness to explore new avenues to deliver competitive advantage is a model for others to follow.”

The awards ceremony was preceded by a one-day symposium where nearly 200 professionals from approximately 110 companies came together to discuss the pressure-sensitive industry and learn about Avery Dennison innovation and business strategy from the company’s leadership. Attending companies represented films, paper and chemical materials suppliers for the label, graphics and tapes businesses and those who provide indirect and freight services.

“The day’s events gave our suppliers a look at our view on close collaboration, how we use our guiding leadership principles in the marketplace and the vital importance of sustainability to our business and to the industry,” said Don Nolan, president, Avery Dennison Materials Group. “We appreciate the time and effort that our strategic suppliers dedicate to understanding the needs of our customers and the industry.”

The list below details the companies recognized during the awards ceremony and their respective award categories.

Holland; Holland, Michigan, USA

Best Transportation Supplier. This award goes to the transportation supplier who has maintained high delivery service and quality standards and has worked collaboratively with Avery Dennison to provide innovative solutions to network and delivery challenges.

MSC Industrial Supply Co.; Melville, New York, USA

Best Indirect Supplier. This award goes to the indirect supplier who provided superior quality and service while continually improving their processes.

Chung Hwa Pulp Corporation; New Taipei City, Taiwan

Best Supplier Sustainability. This award goes to the supplier who demonstrated both leadership and action to align with Avery Dennison’s sustainability policy to use responsibly sourced materials, comply with third party verification processes and show clear commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in this very important area.

Bischof + Klein; Lengerich, Germany

Best Emerging Suppler. This award goes to the supplier who is growing with Avery Dennison globally while successfully meeting quality, service and innovation targets.

BASF; Ludwigshafen, Germany

Best Innovation Supplier. This award goes to the supplier who was a key partner in the successful implementation of new products and ideas in 2013.

Dérivés Résiniques et Terpéniques; Dax, France

Best Supplier Quality Award. This award goes to the supplier who in 2013 best demonstrated the ability to deliver defect-free material that exceeded the expectations of Avery Dennison and its customers.

Boise Inc.; Boise, Idaho, USA

Best Supplier Service Award. This award goes to the supplier who in 2013 constantly met Avery Dennison on-time delivery targets and who found ways to reduce overall supplied lead times.

Munksjö; Stockholm Sweden

Supplier of the Year. This award recognizes the supplier who excelled in all areas of performance: quality, service, sustainability and innovation.

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Craig & Parsons install their fifth Edale press

Edale, UK manufacturers of web-fed flexo printing presses and converting equipment report that longstanding customer, Craig & Parsons, have purchased their fifth Edale machine since their very first was installed back in 1999.

Craig & Parsons based in Folkestone, Kent, were established in 1945 with the labelling division started up in 1970. The company has continued to grow and run as a strong family business boasting three generations of experience and knowledge.

Stephen Craig, Director of Craig & Parsons says “We purchased our first Edale in 1999 and this new press will be our 5th Edale 330. With this 5th press we have decided to opt for UV & water based drying again as we saw a great improvement in productivity since buying our first UV press 2 years ago. We have kept the water based systems as we still produce a lot of short run work in spot pantone colours and find our original water based system is still the better option. We find the Edale press to be perfectly suited to our needs with the option to up-grade and modify the press to any new enquires that come up. All of our presses have had major up-grades over the years and all of these have been fitted seamlessly with very little down time to our production”.

 

Craig & Parsons factory with their five Edale machines

 

The company specialise in the production of printed labels for a wide range of sectors and decided upon another Edale press to allow them to cope with their enhanced workload which new business has brought in.

Steve Cleaver, production manager at Craig & Parsons comments “With a tooling catalogue as extensive as ours it made sense to choose a 5th Edale. This means we can produce almost any job on any of our 5 press’s giving us the flexibility to turn jobs round in the same day if required”.

Louise Bailey, Edale’s account manager, concludes “Craig & Parsons are a true Edale house, they are a very impressive company, who we have great pleasure in working with”.

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INDUSTRIAL LABELLING MACHINES: A 360° DISPLAY OF TECHNOLOGY AT INTERPACK 2014

Labelling technology will be present at this edition of Interpack also. In Pavilion 14, stand 14D09, P.E. Labellers and Packlab will show customers four different types of labelling machines, to meet the various market demands.

From the most recent product from P.E. Labellers, the innovative MAYA model sleeve applicator, ideal for applying shrink sleeve labels on containers of any material, shape and size (the machine can be seen in operation at the stand), to roll-fed labelling machine ROLLMATIC; the versatility of the MODULAR labelling machine will also be on display.

 

Packlab will present a linear self-adhesive labelling machine mod. WING REP FBW 60, with an edge: self-adhesive stations with adjustable axles and height-depth, motorised and controlled electronically from the LCD keypad on the adhesive unit, thanks to motors installed directly on the two axles. This configuration also allows for the adjustment of the automatic size change directly from the HMI panel (optional). This innovative labelling machine can be tried through a practical demonstration of the labelling phases, available during the fair.

Staff from the P.E. Labellers group will be on hand for any further information.

www.pelabellers.com

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MAX International Converters/MAXStick Products Receives Certification on McDonald’s Supplier Workplace Accountability Audit

McDonald’s is committed to partnering with socially responsible suppliers and requires an audit via a third party to ensure that the supplier meets the McDonald’s code of conduct. The audit, conducted by SGS North America Inc, consisted of employee interviews, inspection of the facilities and a review of company initiatives and policies. Areas of review included Applicable Law and Standards, Child Labor, Compensation and Benefit, Environment, Forced Labor, General Information, Harassment and Abuse, Health and Safety, Management System, Non-Discrimination, Sourcing Practices and Working Hours.

The company received a “No Findings Noted” designation on the audit. The “No Findings Noted” designation, the highest rating available, reaffirms MAXStick Products commitment to its customers, suppliers and employees.

MAXStick Products Ltd. is the premier manufacturer of MAXStick, the world’s first liner-free, repositionable adhesive, direct thermal label product crafted for everyday use in an assortment of industries including food service/hospitality, warehousing, retail, libraries, reusable plastic containers and medical diagnostics. MAXStick is currently available in five varieties including MAXStick Premium, MAXStick2GO, MAXStick Colors, MAXStick Plus, MAXStick X2 and MAXStick X2 Colors.

About MAXStick Products:

MAXStick liner-free direct thermal label products are produced by Max International Converters, Inc. under a licensing agreement with MAXStick Products Ltd. MAXStick Products are distributed worldwide by MAX International and affiliated partners. MAXStick is a registered
trademark of MAXStick Products Ltd.

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Trust in Esko Kongsberg C64

Esko (www.esko.com) announces that in the coming months a Kongsberg C64 digital finishing system will be installed at Reproteam Hansbauer GmbH. The company, one of Austria’s leading service providers in digital large format printing, decided to invest in Esko's newest model of the completely re-engineered digital finishing platform for three reasons. Firstly, the unique 3.2-meter width which allows to seamlessly finish large format plates and textile materials. Secondly, the increased speed which matches the high speed of digital printing systems and thirdly, exact precision that guarantees accurate finishing up to a tenth of a millimeter, and as such improves output quality.

“We have never bought a machine without first testing it. But for the new Kongsberg C64, we make an exception. We trust Esko, and we trust that this innovative Kongsberg will once again do everything we expect from it, like all the other Kongsberg systems we have been using for years," says Michael Hansbauer, owner and managing director of Reproteam. "Among our clients are many stand builders. They prefer more and more printed panels and fabrics in one piece as this creates an overall image effect without any, or only very few, interruptions. Next to ReBoard, we also often process composite materials and plastics such Dibond® and FOREX® as well as AIRTEX® polyester fabrics.

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Highcon Expands in North America

Following recent purchases of the Highcon Euclid by Anro Inc. and American Greetings Inc., Highcon announced today the appointment of Mr. Paul Chandonnet to the role of Sales Manager, Highcon North America, effective March 3rd, 2014.

Paul is a highly experienced Sales Manager with more than 20 years’ experience selling into the Graphic Arts, Printing & Packaging Industries.  Paul has held several sales & business development leadership positions, most recently as Director of Business Development for Anro, a Philadelphia, PA full-service print and marketing service provider and the first North American Highcon Euclid customer. Prior to that role, Paul held sales management positions at EFI, OneVision, Vio and Creo/Kodak.  He is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Printing Technology and Applied Computer Science.

Commenting on his appointment, Paul said: “Upon seeing the Euclid in operation  within Anro and the immediate value-added opportunities it created for our customers, I knew I wanted to sell it! I am eager to join the Highcon team and work with companies across North America to help them embrace this unique digital finishing technology and the benefits it brings."

Chris Baker, Highcon VP Sales and Business Development, welcomed Paul to Highcon “There is no question that Paul’s enthusiasm and first-hand experience gained at Anro will make him a valuable addition to our team and help new customers understand the considerable benefits of our solution.

Paul will be jumping straight in and joining Highcon management at the DSCOOP 9 annual meeting of independent global graphic arts business owners and technical professionals who use HP equipment and related solutions event in Orlando, Florida, March 6-8, booth 1004.

The slogan for the event this year, “Break the Mold” is perfect to describe the benefits of the Highcon Euclid digital cutting and creasing machine which offers printers and converters an innovative and flexible digital post-print solution with no need for a die. At the show, visitors will be able to see a range of packaging and promotional items produced by Highcon and its customers.

Source: Highcon

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Kodak Expands Manufacturing of SONORA Plates to Meet Global Demand

Kodak is making manufacturing investments to increase capacity to meet rapidly growing demand for its process-free printing plates, while also making worldwide plate production more efficient, and enabling better customer service across its digital plate portfolio.

“This is our strategy to win and best serve customers in the printing plate market,” noted Brad Kruchten, President, Graphics, Entertainment & Commercial Films. “The technology strength of our KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates, combined with our plan to increase production capacity and locate our manufacturing closer to customers, will enable us to serve the many customers who are embracing this product.”

KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates offer a combination of advantages. This technology platform is a breakthrough because it removes the processing step completely, without sacrificing quality or productivity. So in addition to the environmental and economic benefits of going process free with SONORA Plates, printers also receive the quality, productivity and print capability of mainstream processed plates.

More than 450 customers currently use SONORA Plates, and many more are waiting to switch to the product. Today, KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates are manufactured in Europe for distribution to customers around the world. Kodak plans to increase that capacity, as well as begin manufacturing SONORA Plates at sites in Asia and the Americas.

In Europe, Kodak has invested in its Osterode, Germany, plant where an upgraded, high-speed SONORA Plate manufacturing line increases capacity for sales growth. The Osterode plant began shipping SONORA Plates to customers in November 2013, and volume shipped from this site is increasing every month.

In Asia, Kodak has completed an upgrade of its Xiamen, China, plant to produce SONORA Plates. As with Osterode, the line at Xiamen is capable of high-speed production. This provides increased capacity to meet demand for SONORA Plates, and improves efficiency across the entire plate portfolio. Kodak is also selecting a site to better serve customers in the Americas.

As part of its strategic, global manufacturing plan, Kodak will phase out production at its Leeds, U.K., plant, beginning that process in the third quarter of 2014 and completing it in  mid- to late-2015.

“Our employees in Leeds have a long history of capably serving our customers with the quality products they have come to expect from Kodak,” said Robert Price, General Manager of Worldwide Plate Operations. “However, with the investments we made last year in the new high-speed manufacturing line, the capacity of our Osterode plant can now meet future demand growth from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”

Price noted that employees at the Leeds plant will be offered separation benefits and transition services.

As a result of the action, Kodak expects to incur total charges of $30-40 million, $20-25 million of which would be non-cash related to accelerated depreciation and asset write-offs.

Source: Kodak

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L’Emballage Tout Installs Epson SurePress for Short-Run, High-Quality Custom Labels

Epson America, Inc. today announced that L’Emballage Tout, a unique packaging and converting company based in Montreal, Canada, has installed the Epson® SurePress® L-4033A for its label printing services. L’Emballage Tout purchased the inkjet digital label press for its high print quality and accuracy in producing short-run jobs for its Canadian and Northeast American customers in the retail, food and beauty industries.

“Among our growing customer base, we were finding more and more of them needing 500-5,000 run jobs. With only a flexographic printer in-house, it was taking too much time and money to create these short-runs,” said Yves Tougas, president, L’Emballage Tout. “We’d have to purchase printing plates and if there were changes in their artwork, we’d have to go out and buy new plates and continually make adjustments. There are times when we would even have to turn away customers with short-run needs. This pushed us to invest in a new digital label press. After doing much research and looking at demos, we found the Epson SurePress to be the perfect match due to its wide color gamut, its ability to produce accurate repeat jobs and its ease-of-use – not to mention, it fit right within our budget.”

 

Designed for prime label converters and commercial printers, the Epson SurePress L-4033A, as well as the Epson SurePress L-4033AW with White ink, delivers innovative printing features that expand printing capabilities, making it a cost-effective and reliable solution. The Epson SurePress also offers short-runs for easier and more efficient label printing, as well as Variable Data Printing for maximum label customization.

“With the Epson SurePress, we are now able to work more efficiently. When using the flexo, we were dealing with a four-hour process. But with the SurePress, we can start printing five minutes after receiving the print files from our customers,” said Tougas. “There’s no headache from purchasing printing plates. And, when it comes to matching colors from a previous run, we are sure the labels will print exactly the same – right from the first to the last. Our customers are very happy because of the quick turnaround and the impeccable image match. The labels are perfect.”

Additional Epson SurePress features include:

· High Quality Labels: Epson’s acclaimed MicroPiezo® ink jet technology with variable-size droplets as small as three picoliters provides ultra-precise drop formation and placement to deliver smooth gradations, remarkable color quality, and sharp detail for easy bar code readability, plus crisp small type and line work

· Industrial Quality Inks: Six-color (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Orange, and Green), durable, water-based, resin-coated pigment inks provide superior adhesion and reproduce a wide range of colors; SurePress L-4033AW adds White ink

· Versatile Substrate Support: Prints on a range of standard, off-the-shelf materials including gloss, semi-gloss, matte, film, and clear, and metallic substrates

· Variable Web Width: Supports rolls from 3.15 to 13-inches wide up to 0.013-inches (0.32 mm) thick

· Enhanced Productivity: Time-consuming, short-run jobs can be transferred to SurePress for more flexibility and timely results at speeds up to 16 feet per minute

· Less Waste: No chemicals or plates are required in the pre-press process and less substrate and ink is used in make-ready for short-run jobs

“With the high print quality and precise color gamut of the SurePress L-4033A, label printing and converting printers are able to quickly produce exact prints, making for a more cost effective job,” said Mark Elsbernd, North America region sales manager, Epson America. “We are happy to be entering the Canadian market with this purchase by L’Emballage Tout, allowing them to also expand their reliable offerings to the many diverse label markets.”

In addition to the SurePress L-4033A and L-4033AW, Epson also recently expanded its digital label press product line with the introduction of the Epson SurePress L-6034VW and L-6034V – Epson’s first single-pass industrial presses, the first to use Epson’s new PrecisionCore™ linehead technology, and the first to use Epson’s new LED-cured UV ink with in-line digital varnish technology. Both will be shipping in summer 2014. The Epson SurePress L-4033A and L-4033AW are currently available. For additional information, visit www.epson.com/surepress

You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EpsonAmerica), Twitter (http://twitter.com/EpsonAmerica) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/EpsonTV).

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FINAT launches call for candidates for inaugural FINAT recycling awards competition

FINAT, the international association for the self-adhesive labelling industry, announces the first FINAT Recycling Awards Competition. Label converters and end-users who have their paper and/or filmic release liners recycled by dedicated programmes are invited to apply for this new award.

A growing number of sustainable and economically-viable recycling programmes offer companies site-specific solutions for the collection and recycling of used release liners, allowing them to reduce both their carbon footprint and land filling costs.

FINAT is organizing its inaugural FINAT Recycling Awards Competition to raise awareness for these recycling programmes, to recognize efforts made by the industry, and to promote best practices in liner recycling. The competition will culminate in the announcement of the winners at the FINAT World Congress in Monaco, held from 5 to 7 June 2014.

“Release liner recycling is picking up pace. More and more, recycling initiatives are offering turn-key solutions to recover a valuable secondary material that no longer needs to go to waste. Spent paper release liner is a high-quality feedstock, already re-used in products ranging from new liners and copy papers to wall insulation. Likewise, PET and PP liners are reground and granulated and used in a wide range of applications, such as new silicone film and outdoor jacket insulation. The FINAT Recycling Awards Competition was created to recognize the advances these programs are making in our industry,” explains Jacques van Leeuwen, Chairman of the FINAT Recycling Awards Competition.

Eligible projects will be evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria, divided in three categories:

1. Achievements (volume and percentage recycled)

How much liner (in volume and percentage) does the company recycle? Is this traceable? Does the company recycle other secondary label materials?

2. Communication and promotion

Is the company actively involved in the promotion of release liner recycling? Is the company making efforts to encourage partners/customers to engage in recycling?

3. Innovation / opening of new markets

Is the company using a new/innovative approach to logistics or recycling ? Is the company representing a new end-user market for liner recycling?

There are two award categories:

1. Self-adhesive label end-users

2. Self-adhesive label converters

How to apply

All entries must be submitted by Friday 2nd of May, 17:00 hrs CET to the FINAT Secretariat. To apply, please complete the application form at http://alturl.com/i3tyt

All entries will be judged by an independent jury comprised of expert representatives from NGOs in the field of recycling of both paper and plastic.

For more information, please contact the FINAT’s recycling manager, Mark Macaré, at mmacare@lejeune.nl or visit the FINAT recycling portal at http://finat.com/en/Sustainability/Recycling-Portal/Recycling-Awards.aspx

Source: FINAT

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Spear and Nine Design bring Carlsberg’s Xide range to life

Carlsberg Sweden recently unveiled a radical redesign of their beverage range, Xide. The extensive portfolio of alcoholic mixed RTDs has been injected with a new lease of life via 10 exclusive label designs, printed by Spear.

Carlsberg’s design agency on the project was Nine. Nine’s objective was “to bring the X to life”. Spear helped to achieve this by working closely with designers throughout the process to identify the optimum printing processes and finishes for each piece of artwork.

 

“The redesign of Xide was a complex project, with unique and intricate artworks requiring completely different printing techniques for each flavor in the range. Essentially each SKU was a project in itself and the technical knowledge, experience and support provided by Spear proved invaluable in translating the original vision to an award-winning range of beverage design,” Andreas Linnell, Design Director, Nine.

Spear utilised a combination of screen/flexo and foil processes to enrich each individual design. For example, Raspberry Blossom was created using a simple, four-color process but, by substituting the black flexo for a screen black, the label gains a visual and physical tactile appearance. The Mandarin Chilli variant has a layered and vibrant appearance, achieved using multiple screen ink colors. Another interesting effect can be seen on Xide Bright, which was constructed combining two hot foils, silver and holographic.

The logo-type is printed with a foil finish for each design, allowing it to suitably accompany the illustrative detail. The result is a striking collection in which the X takes on its own identity across the 10-bottle range.

Source: www.spearinc.com

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Indio Celebrates 120 Years with Style

Celebrating Indio’s 120th year anniversary, Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma Brewery set out to do something that was truly unique. Reaching out to eclectic Mexican subcultures, ranging from beatniks to hipsters, Cerveza Indio asked for new label designs. After thousands of submissions, Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma Brewery picked 120 of the best designs to be featured on the anniversary’s promotional bottles.

 

To make the concept a reality, Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma Brewery relied on Constantia’s Haendler & Natermann for label printing. Due to the randomized print pattern, Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma Brewery did not have to worry about pack consideration to ensure a randomized grouping of bottles. Utilizing gravure print process, H&N was able to recreate the vibrant label designs on the same run and has since been awarded Constantia’s 2013 Innovation Award for the process.

Source: http://www.spearinc.com/

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Jürgen Andresen retires as Esko's Vice President Flexo Business

Esko (www.esko.com) announces that after a long and distinguished career, Jürgen Andresen will retire from his role as Vice President Flexo Business at the end of the month. As of March 1, Thomas Klein, currently Senior R&D Manager for the Flexo Business, will succeed Jürgen in this leadership position.

Jürgen’s 20-year career at Esko is distinguished by his vision for the flexo industry and the way in which he made that vision a reality. His inventions, including the CDI, revolutionized flexo printing by taking the manual work out of many of the processes needed to prepare and produce flexo plates. The systematic productivity and quality improvements created by the CDIs made them a standard in the industry. Today, there are more than 2 540 CDI’s installed worldwide and close to 90% of all digital flexo plates from various vendors are imaged on Esko devices.

 

“Esko has continuously been at the forefront of digital flexo development, and that leadership position is due in large part to Jürgen’s continuous innovation and advancement," says Carsten Knudsen, President and CEO of Esko. "His effort, combined with Esko’s research and development teams, gave tradeshops and flexo converters around the world a way to use flexo technology to do what had not been previously possible: produce superb results in the most efficient way. We all wish Jürgen the best in his retirement, and will honor him by ensuring that Esko maintains its leading global position of flexo technology provider.”

As of March 1, Thomas Klein will assume the role of Vice President Flexo Business. Thomas brings a wealth of experience to this role, having worked alongside Jürgen for 22 years. Currently, Thomas leads the Research and Development team for the Flexo Business.

When talking about his retirement, Jürgen Andresen comments: “It is an honor to have been part of such a transformative technology, and to see the impact it has had for so many businesses. I am proud of this work and of the team at Esko who helped make this vision a reality. I am confident that Thomas will successfully lead the Flexo team toward a prosperous flexo future within Esko.”

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Expert panel discussion headlines global release liner conference:Industry leaders explore the future

Delegates attending this year’s AWA Global Release Liner Conference & Exhibition 2014, March 20-21 2014 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, will be able to participate in a discussion on the industry’s future during a visionary Executive Leadership Panel, spanning the topics of globalization, innovation, leadership, talent, challenges, and opportunities.

Participants in this unique discussion will be Michael Apperson, CEO, Loparex Group; Thomas Blaige, Chairman and CEO of Blaige & Company; Roland Hill, Chairman and MD of Contra Vision Ltd; Dr Bernhard Klofat, CEO of Felix Schoeller Group; and Tomas Rink, President of Ritrama S.p.A. The discussion panel will be moderated by Corey Reardon, President & CEO of AWA Alexander Watson Associates, global market research and marketing consultancy specializing in the paper, film, packaging, coating, laminating and converting industries.

Details of the full conference program, as well as online registration, are available at https://www.awa-bv.com/download/event-brochures/GRLICE_2014_Brochure.pdf.

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Sleever International presents "Sleever Aerosol", a revolution in the aerosol market

  Sleever International, exhibitor at Aerosol Forum 2014 stand D19 introduces Sleever® Aerosol , a packaging that opens new horizons in the world of aerosols that is in perpetual search of innovation.

Aware of the concerns of the personal care , cosmetics and pharmaceutical markets and the constraints of the traditional aerosol solutions, Sleever International has developed a modern response to the growing brand requirements for personalization, late differentiation and a shorter " time to market".

To meet the expectations of personalization of aluminum aerosols Sleever® has developed an opaque white film that brings contrast and light to your designs. These can be created by using a range of printing effects including CYMK for photos, material effects , 3D effects and braille, all of which allow you to create a real difference at the point of sale.

Sleever ® Aerosol is also a response to allow late differentiation and a shorter time to market by streamlining the supply chain, reducing batch sizes , logistics optimization and customization to enable event marketing.

Finally Sleever ® Aerosol brings efficient industrialization and cost optimization.

Source: Sleever International

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Brazilian Baumgarten Gráfica Ltda. acquires Autopack S.A.

Baumgarten Gráfica Ltda. signed on February 26th, 2014 the acquisition agreement of Autopack S.A., a printing plant located in Pablo Podestá, 30km away from the capital city Buenos Aires. The transaction was completed on February 26th, 2014. “This second acquisition abroad is part of our internationalization strategy for the improvement of our presence in the worldwide market. Our goal is to become a global supplier for multi-national customers and a stronger supplier for domestic customers by offering them the most updated and efficient resources available in the printing business, says the chairman, Ronaldo Baumgarten Jr.

The newly acquired printing plant, Autopack S.A. is a 22-year old company, has 110 employees, is one of the most well-known suppliers in the Argentinean market, and has a consolidated exporter profile. It converts packaging, promotional and safety labels.

As for the brands, Baumgarten is going to keep the Autopack name in connection with the promotional and safety label business.  For the packaging label market, the brand “Autopack, a Baumgarten company” will be used for a transition period.

“Now, by owning plants in México and Argentina, in addition to our headquarters in Brazil, we are going to work in order to spread best practices among the plants and use our efforts in liaison with each other to bring opportunities and benefits, particularly to our customers”, says Ronaldo Baumgarten Jr.

About Baumgarten

Baumgarten Gráfica is one of the most important printing plants in Latin America of labels and thermally molded cardboard packages. Founded in 1881, it is headquartered in the south of Brazil, in the city of  Blumenau, SC.

On January 1st, 2014 it purchased its first plant abroad, now called Baumgarten México, formerly called Etiquetas Rodak S.A. de C.V.

Source: Baumgarten

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“PAKMARKAS” is gradually increasing its turnover in Lithuania and Latvia

Flexibility, investment in technology, product quality improvement and caring for the welfare of employees are the major factors that determine the growing success of the packaging and labelling company “PakMarkas”. As a result, in 2013 the consolidated turnover of the company’s subsidiaries in Lithuania and Latvia increased by 5.4 percent to LTL 70.7 million.

“The packaging market is highly dynamic: both fashion and consumer expectations are changing rapidly. In order to stand out, manufacturers are trying to make use of all possible technological options—from printing techniques, original, unconventional, high-quality packagings to eco-friendly solutions,” says “PakMarkas” director Virginijus Gumbaragis.

According to the head of the company, the boost in export volumes resulted in the 35-percent growth of domestic sales of adhesive labels and shrink sleeves in 2013. In addition, sales of gear and automation elements accounted for the 10-percent increase. Such results were influenced by the development of exports and the opening of the only official “Motovario” reducer assembly centre in the Baltics. With the increase in production exports to the Ukrainian and Belarusian markets, the number of employees in this sector has increased by 42 percent.

The same growth trends prevailed last year in Latvia where the company manages its subsidiary SIA “PakMarkas” with an increase in turnover of 8 percent in 2013 and the growth of production of colour labels and blanks of 32 percent. Due to the burgeoning demand in colour labels, the number of employees in the neighbouring country has grown by one-third. It is estimated that the growth of sales in Latvia this year will constitute 8-10 percent.

As pointed out by Mr Virginijus Gumbaragis, a consistent growth of the company depends not only on the innovations to be implemented in the production to respond to the market needs, but also on the competence of employees. Last year we carried out projects the success of which was doubted even by the experienced packaging manufacturers in other European countries claiming that the production is impossible to be packed. Meanwhile, our employees have come up with a solution and saved a lot of redundant expenses for both customers and the end users,” says Mr Gumbaragis.

This year “PakMarkas” is planning to keep on investing in the label production equipment which will allow to even more qualitatively satisfy the growing needs of the customers and fully comply with the production requirements.

Established in 1994, the company “PakMarkas” operating in Lithuania and Latvia specializes in the production of self-adhesive labels, printing of packaging, packing and labelling equipment, gear and automation systems. In 2013, the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists nominated the company as “Successfully Operating Company 2012” in the category of small and medium-sized businesses. The company pays a considerable attention to the promotion of social responsibility in Lithuania; therefore, in association with its partners “PakMarkas” has set up the Lithuanian Association of Socially Responsible Business

Source: Pakmarkas

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European Launch of Accraply’s In - Line Roll - Fed and Shrink Sleeve Technologies at Interpack 2014

Central to Accraply’s presence at Interpack 2014, May 8-14, is the launch of the Trine Model 4800 roll-fed labeling system to the European market.

Offering a small footprint and quick change parts, the Trine Model 4800 features advanced container-control which delivers superior bottle handling at speeds up to 600 containers per minute, a segmented vacuum drum which eliminates the need for re-padding, and a stainless steel guard specifically designed for the beverage industry. A dual label-roll unwind and automatic splice unit further support the higher production speeds.

 

Integral to this new development is the ability of the Trine Model 4800 to upgrade the hundreds of operating Trine Model 4500 and Model 6500 machines without expensive conveyor changes.

An industry standard for three decades, Trine has redefined versatility, operating value and productivity with its new Model 4800. Additionally, and with focus on its expanding shrink sleeve converting and application technologies, Accraply is advancing a new focus on its expertise in application equipment for the pre-formed shrink sleeve market –specifically for the pharmaceutical arena. This builds upon Accraply’s existing and significant product offerings to the pharmaceutical market ranging from high-speed self-adhesive solutions to full body, tamper evident and Safeguarding solutions.

Source: Accraply

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Renewed and responsive UPM Raflatac website goes live

UPM Raflatac has launched a redesigned website at www.upmraflatac.com, featuring a fresh new look, richer content and enhanced access to product information.

In terms of content, the new website offers extensive and upgraded product information for UPM Raflatac self-adhesive label materials. Visitors have access to regionally specific product ranges and downloadable technical product information PDFs, all of which are accessible through a redesigned, effective product search.

Visually, the new-look website reflects the company’s technical expertise and attentive customer service attitude that sets the industry benchmark. The responsive new website also scales itself automatically to desktop, laptop and mobile device displays. In addition to English, the UPM Raflatac website is available in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian and Spanish.

“We have listened to the voice of our customers and developed the UPM Raflatac website to meet their needs”, says Sari Raunio, Manager, DigiCenter at UPM Raflatac. “All the information about our products and services has been made available with an emphasis on maximum accessibility. Our aim is to exceed customers’ and stakeholders’ expectations.”

 

Submitted by: UPM Raflatac

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Videojet keeping pace with flow wrapping

Bakeries need to keep up with coding regulations

Regulation requires bakeries around the globe to include expiration and manufacturing information on their products, and flow wrapped products are no exception. Different technologies from a mechanical approach to digital printers are used to print these codes directly on the products. Primarily, codes are used to indicate the freshness of the product. A consumer will use a ‘best by’ or ‘sell by’ date to verify that a product is safe to eat. Additionally, this information can be used by retailers to remove expiring items from the shelf. Manufacturing information is also used for traceability purposes as these unique codes allow products to be tracked throughout the supply chain and be recalled should there be an emergency.

Some bakeries use coders to print different types of non-regulatory information on their products. For example, some print the price of the product directly on the package to avoid the additional step of adding it at the retail location. Other bakeries may print gaming information on the inside of the product for certain customer promotions. Coders can be used for printing other information including logos, nutritional facts, bar codes and ingredients.

To find out how different technologies are used to print this information directly onto products http://buzz.mw/b5j23_l

Submitted by: Videojet

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Royston Labels Relocate for Expansion

Leading UK label manufacturer, Royston Labels, is relocating to a new production facility. The move will deliver both greater capacity and increased efficiencies, allowing Royston to continue in its expansion and remain best equipped to meet the needs of its growing customer base.

Royston Labels has secured purchase of a 60,000 sq ft production and warehouse complex, which was on the market for £1.5million with agents Cheffins and Brown and Lee. The new complex is on the Orchard Road Industrial Estate, Royston, where the firm already occupies five buildings.

“We will be completely refurbishing the property, before moving our entire set-up into the new location.” Said Paul Clayton, Royston Labels’ MD. “The factory will be a state of the art facility – I’m extremely excited about how it will transform and improve our business.” Royston Labels is a major supplier of high quality specialist labels for a wide range packaging types, particularly within the personal care, drinks and pharmaceutical industries.

Dee German, Royston’s Quality Manager, added that “We expect to recognise huge efficiency savings throughout (the company), and by reducing waste and energy we’ll add to our green credentials. We’ll also be able to add new equipment – which is fantastic news! We’re getting the capacity we need to reduce lead times, even as we continue to grow.”

This ongoing growth represents great success by Royston Labels, in a time of economic uncertainty. Philip Woolner of Cheffins said: “Orchard Road is Royston’s main industrial and commercial centre and the property Royston has purchased will become a key landmark building once the modernisation has been carried out.”

Source: Royston Labels

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Continuing confusion over EU food labelling legislation

 

With a mere ten months to go until EU legislation governing the rules around food labelling is implemented, food manufacturers are projecting concerns that the rules are still unclear.

An article published by FoodManufacture.co.uk earlier this month reported the growing worries of food producers and manufacturers, highlighting that these parties are uncertain of how to comply with rules that are to be enforced from December 13th 2014.

The UK government in particular is facing criticism for failing to make the changes and amendments to food labelling regulations clear to manufactures. Speaking to Food Manufacturer, Stuart Shotton, Consultancy Services Director of FoodChain Europe, said: “We don’t know how the rules are going to be enforced […] we are using our own interpretations of the EU rules and if the guidance contradicts this, then what does that mean?”

The new regulations have been outlined to make the nutritional information more accessible to consumers and to highlight important information like allergy warnings. In addition to specifying what information needs to be conveyed by packaging, the regulations will also determine things like minimum font sizes and how much nutritional information has to be displayed on the front of the product.

These changes will call for brands to undertake a major redesign of their packaging, to accommodate required information and styles. Packaging design companies like Adare Advantage, which produces a range of packaging for some of the UK’s top brands, will feel the pressure.

According to the UK Food Standards Agency website, the law will be introduced in 2014, but not made mandatory until 2016, giving businesses the opportunity to adapt to the new regulations before they face prosecution.

At present, the regulations for food labelling determines that manufacturers must include a list of ingredients, allergy warnings and recommend storage conditions. The biggest change will see allergy information merge with ingredients listings, a switch that critics propose will only serve to create confusion for consumers.

The pressure for authorities and governments to tackle ineffective food labelling is by no means limited to the EU or the UK. In Australian politics, the coalition government is facing its own criticism, based on accusations that ministers are attempting to delay the introduction of healthy food labelling.

You can read more on this story at The Guardian.

Submitted by: Adare Advantage

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Geneva High School’s FIRST Robotics Team Sponsored by The Label Printers

The Label Printers is pleased to once again sponsor a FIRST robotics team which has been organized by Geneva High School, Geneva, Illinois.  The ROBOVIKES have begun their sixth season of competition.

The 2014 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) season has begun and the Robovikes are back for their sixth season. They joined tens of thousands of team members in over 90 locations worldwide who tuned in to the January kickoff via live NASA-TV broadcast and webcast for the start of the 2014 season.  A record 2,729 teams from 17 countries must now take their “Kit of Parts” and transform it into a robot engineered and programmed with the skills to play this season’s Aerial Assist game.

The FIRST program is designed so that the kids have only 6 weeks to build their robot, with no instructions – one of the many life lessons that are part of this “competition of the mind”.  That six week time frame is a significant commitment of time and effort, which this experienced Robovikes team understands very well.  Geneva High School’s team meets on Mondays and Wednesdays after school for about two to three hours, and then for about nine hours on Saturdays.  And usually even more time as the competition nears. 

This year’s game is called AERIAL ASSIST which is, as FIRST explains, “played between two Alliances of three teams each. Each Alliance competes by trying to score as many balls in goals as possible during a two-minute and 30-second match. Additional points are earned by robots working together to score goals, and by throwing and catching balls over a truss suspended just over five feet above the floor as they move the ball down the field. View the game animation.

In accordance with FIRST values, AERIAL ASSIST is about more than just robots. FRC competitions embody the fun and excitement of a sporting game, but also showcase the power of collaboration and the determination of students.”

The Robovikes are working on assembly of this year’s ‘bot, exercising the “platform”, developing the team’s first ever web site, programming, watching, talking, laughing – pretty much everything you’d expect from over 20 teenagers and their adult mentors. Now in the team’s sixth season there are a lot of veterans around the room, but also a lot of kids who have joined because their friends and families told them how much fun it is and/or because of the success that the team has enjoyed since its rookie season. And their reputation for success which comes from hard work, skill and fun is beginning to define the program.

In addition to Mary Keyzer, a teacher at Geneva High School and the Robovikes coach, the team has two other principal adult mentors who have volunteered countless hours working with the team since the beginning – Kevin Keyzer, a ceramics engineer and Mary’s husband, and Joe Kane, who is the Director of Research and Development at The Label Printers.

On this Saturday, at the team meeting being held in one of Geneva’s schools, the Keyzers and Kane are joined by team dad Jon Snurka, whose son Brad (a junior at GHS) is in his 3rd season as a Robovike and whose daughter Robyn (a freshman at GHS) is a rookie.  Brad is delighted to be the main programmer for the robot, having wanted to do so since his freshman year, but feeling that he has really big shoes to fill. Says Brad, “I’m glad Justin [2013 graduate of GHS Justin Mui] graduated, but I also wish he was still here.” Brad’s career goal is to be an astronomer. His sister Robyn likes science, and she likes how the club is run.  But she’s a Robovike mostly because it’s fun to be on the team with her big brother.

The Snurkas aren’t the only siblings on the Robovikes.  Freshman Greg Wendt joins his brother Ken, a senior. Greg has gone to previous competitions to see Ken and the team, and has enjoyed the program, but he also wanted to be on the team with his brother. Freshman Ben Deem’s brother Trevor is a recent graduate of GHS and a 4-year team member, including the first Robovikes team.  Ben joined the team because his brother recommended it and he knew that “it was a lot of fun – and you learn a lot of stuff.”  Ben’s favorite subjects are science and music, and his job is to help assemble the robot.

A few years ago, Anna Green (the Safety Captain and a member of the Build Team) was the only rookie and the only girl on the team.  But this year there are 4 girls and 16 rookies who generally got involved because of their career aspirations and/or because they had heard how much fun FIRST is – in many cases from friends who were already on the team.  Anna’s freshman idea of perhaps becoming a chemical engineer or a particle physicist has evolved into a desire to be a mechanical engineer, and she will be attending NIU in the fall. 

Ken Wendt (senior and a 4-yr. team member), Prem Desai (freshman) and Ben Maher (freshman) have created the team’s first-ever web site – Robovikes3067.com [www.robovikes3067.com].  The site includes images and videos of previous teams, practices and game footage, as well as some basic information about the team and its sponsors.

Rachel Warren is a junior, but a rookie Robovike.  She knew about the program before but couldn’t participate because she was on the track team.  But this year she quit track and joined the Robovike team because “I’m good friends with a lot of the team. And I think I might want to be a mechanical engineer.”

But not everyone on the time wants to be an engineer or a scientist or a programmer.  Zach Gauntt is on the programmer team because he’s “pals with the other programmers and it seemed fun.”  But the future?  “I want to do something in the culinary field.”

Mary Keyzer is proud of this year’s program – both in terms of student participation and school support.  She says, “this is the first year we’ve had over 20 kids – we’ve got 27. And because of the growth, our success in competition since our very first year, and a solid and sustainable program (including our sponsors), we’re getting really good support from the school.  From the space assigned to us for practice, to financial support, to the school bus for the Buckeye Regional in Cleveland in March, they’ve really stepped up to the plate.”

Beginning in March, 98 Regional and District competitions will take place around the globe, and 400 teams will advance to the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship, which will be held in the Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri on April 23-26, 2014.  The Robovikes are aiming to be in Missouri this spring.

ROBOVIKE Team Members:

Seniors:  Anna Green, Stephan Hecht, Grif McDonell, Quade Spellman, Ken Wendt

Juniors:  Mitchell Bennett, Brandon Elizondo, Zach Gauntt, Zach Krampitz, Alessa Laserna, Jack McCloughan, Tom Miller, Tyler Rasmussen, Brad Snurka, Rachel Warren

Sophomores:  AJ Novy, Johannas Vandermeij, John Zupke

Freshmen:  Shane Allcroft, Ben Deem, Prem Desai, John Hammond, Zaymon Harris, Quinn Hensley, Ben Maher, Ethan Reed, Robyn Snurka, Greg Wendt

The Robovikes will be competing at the:

Buckeye Regional at the Wolstein Center, Cleveland, OH, March 20 – 22

Midwest Regional at the UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL, April 3 – 5

About THE LABEL PRINTERS:

The Label Printers, Aurora, IL, started in business in 1967, manufacturing simple label constructions in a 1,000 square foot space, with 1 employee, serving the local Chicago market.

Today, the company has evolved into one of the 100 largest converters in the United States.  The Label Printers owns and operates two facilities in Aurora, Illinois, manufacturing and distributing labels and packaging products to thousands of customers in 25 countries around the world. The company’s quality systems are registered to ISO 9001 and are backed up by their 99.6% Quality Acceptance Rating.

The Label Printers is a member of NASPO (North American Security Products Organization), CACP (Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy), TLMI (Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute) and the FTA (Flexographic Technical Association).

About Geneva High School (Community Unit School District 304)

Geneva Community High School is over 130 years old and has over 1,800 students, 150 faculty members, and offers more than 150 courses in eleven academic areas.  Students may also enroll in one of thirty-seven academic courses in the Fox Valley Career Center curriculum.  Advanced placement and honors courses are offered in all academic areas supported by the expansion of our Acceleration and Enrichment program. 

While maintaining an outstanding tradition of excellence in education, athletic and extracurricular programs, our school provides a wide variety of community service learning experiences throughout Geneva and the Fox Valley.  Our experienced administrative team and dedicated staff, along with the support of the community of Geneva, offer one of the finest educational opportunities available throughout the state of Illinois.

About the “Aerial Assist” Game:

AERIAL ASSIST [http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/2014-game] is played by two competing Alliances of three Robots each on a flat 25’ x 54’ foot field, straddled by a lighting truss suspended just over five feet above the floor. The objective is to score as many balls in goals as possible during a 2 minute and 30 second match. The more Alliances score their ball in their goals, and the more they work together to do it, the more points their alliance receives.

The match begins with one 10-second Autonomous Period in which robots operate independently of driver.  For the rest of the match, drivers remotely control robots from behind a protective wall.  Once all balls in autonomous are scored, only one ball is re-entered in to play, and the Alliances must cycle a single ball as many times as possible for the remainder of the match. With the single ball, they try to maximize their points earned by throwing balls over the truss, catching balls launched over the truss, and scoring in the high and low goals on the far side of the field.  Alliances receive large bonuses for “assists,” which are earned for each robot that has possession of the ball in a zone as the ball moves down the field.

About the FIRST Robotics Competition:

The FIRST Robotics Competition is an annual competition that helps students discover the excitement of science, engineering, and technology and the rewards a career in STEM can bring. The FIRST Robotics Competition began in 1992 with 28 teams and a single 14-by-14-foot playing field in a New Hampshire high school gym.

"The Varsity Sport for the Mind," FRC combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams of 25 students or more are challenged to raise funds, design a team "brand," hone teamwork skills, and build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors.  It’s as close to "real-world engineering" as a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team.

Students get to:

Learn from professional engineers B

Build and compete with a robot of their own design
Learn and use sophisticated software and hardware
Compete and cooperate in alliances and tournaments
Earn a place in the World Championship
Qualify for over $19 million in college scholarships

About FIRST:

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST ® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and nearly $15 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC® ) and FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®) for high-school students, FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) for 9 to 14-year-olds, (9 to 16-year-olds outside the U.S. and Canada) and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL®) for 6 to 9-year-olds.

2011 marked the 20th season of the FIRST Robotics Competition. FIRST has grown from 1 event to nearly 60 and from 28 teams to over 2000. Much has changed over the first twenty seasons…but our key goals remain the same; our commitment to Gracious Professionalism™, our emphasis on learning, helping one another and inspiring careers in math, science, engineering and technology. 

Gracious Professionalism™ is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.

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Superlight Krones PET bottle wins iF packaging design award

Lightweights can be pretty impressive as well: an ultralight PET bottle from Krones was among the winners at this year’s packaging design awards in the “Beverages” category. In recognition of this achievement, the “PET lite 9.9 carbonated” is now entitled to wear the internationally prestigious iF label.

The innovative bottle is suitable for being filled with carbonated beverages, and has a capacity of 500 millilitres. It tips the scales at a mere 9.9 grams – making it 30 to 45 per cent lighter than comparable PET containers on the market.

 

The innovative bottle is suitable for being filled with carbonated beverages, and has a capacity of 500 millilitres. It tips the scales at a mere 9.9 grams – making it 30 to 45 per cent lighter than comparable PET containers on the market.

 

 

The lightweight bottle has been developed by a design team at Krones that’s already won several awards for its innovative packaging solutions. One of the designers’ paramount priorities is to develop containers that are both supremely marketable and at the same time eco-friendly. Like the “PET lite 9.9 carbonated”, which marries affordability to ecological awareness. Since it can be produced with minimal expenditure of energy and material, it’s a true lightweight, not least in terms of production costs and minimised environmental impact.

This is achieved, for example, by dividing up the bottle into several functional areas with different wall thicknesses. Most of the PET material is located in the upper part of the bottle, where it is held and opened. The walls in the lower section, by contrast, receive only half as much material. Nonetheless, the bottle is reassuringly stable for handling and consumers’ use, thanks to its sophisticatedly ingenious container geometry, in which the designers have left not a single square millimetre to chance. Further significant weight savings are achieved with the special neck finish, since in contrast to other PET bottles this one does not have a screw-cap, but a tear-off ring-pull closure.

Source: Krones

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Xeikon specialty Suites bring innovation to Ipex 2014

Xeikon, an innovator in digital colour printing technology, will be showcasing a host of market-leading solutions at Ipex 2014. Located on stand S1-E090, the company will demonstrate its integrated hardware and software solutions specifically developed to help customers raise the bar in digital print quality and productivity for a wide range of applications. Ipex is taking place March 24 to 29 at the ExCel in London.

 

 

“Xeikon has been and continues to be a supporter of Ipex and we are excited to be part of the show at its brand-new location,” says Patrick Van Baelen, VP Marketing at Xeikon. “In addition, the UK is an important market for us, and Ipex provides good access to UK printing companies. As such, it is the ideal platform to showcase the capabilities of our digital printing solutions and revealing more details on our Suites."

Focused end-to-end solutions

At Ipex, Xeikon will be demonstrating its Suites that include not only an outstanding digital printing press, but also the software and workflow, consumables and tools, recommended print media, and equipment that are required for a true end-to-end digital printing solution. “We have made a number of enhancements to our Folding Carton Suite, and are introducing dedicated Suites for commercial print and book printers,” comments Van Baelen. “Visitors to our stand will be able to see live production and speak to Xeikon experts about how their businesses can benefit from implementing these unique configurations.”

The Future of Folding Cartons

On show will be Xeikon's enhanced Folding Carton Suite and Xeikon 3500 digital press, the star model in Xeikon's Folding Carton Suite, producing personalized short-run folding cartons. Combined with solutions from Xeikon’s Aura Partner Network, the Folding Carton Suite enables a highly automated short-run manufacturing process, covering the entire flow from design to finished box. It includes dedicated workflow and software components, application-specific toner and consumables and a full library of approved conventional and specialty cartonboard without any pre-coating required.

 

 

"While demand for conventionally produced folding cartons will remain, brand owners also need to produce a greater variety of products in smaller quantities and with faster time-to-market. And they need the ability to do intensive test marketing affordably," marks Van Baelen. "Digital printing technologies are proven to be the most effective means of meeting these evolving requirements. Xeikon has been delivering digital folding carton manufacturing solutions since 1998. Visitors at Ipex will see that we continue to enhance these solutions as market conditions and technology evolve."

Books and Documents

Ipex will also mark the introduction of the Document Production Suite and Book Production Suite, that address the evolving needs of commercial, document and book printers in new and innovative ways. “Customer feedback tells us that these application-specific Production Suites add significant value to printing operations across a broad spectrum of segments,” adds Danny Mertens, Director Segment Marketing & Business Development Document Printing. “They make it easy for conventional printers to add digital capabilities to the mix, while digital printers can easily integrate with existing environments.”

 

Full details about all of the Xeikon Suites will be revealed during a press conference, scheduled on the first day of the show at 2pm.

Xeikon will also be demonstrating its digital printing creativity at Ipex's new Future Innovations Zone created to highlight printed products and technologies that are set for rapid expansion over the next few years.

Submitted by Duomedia on behalf of Xeikon

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Food Safety and UV-Cured Printing Inks: RadTechEurope is a key information provider for brand owners and retailers

There is much to be said in favour of radiation-curing inks, as world-leading manufacturers of packaging print equipment – and their users -- have already discovered. Because UV inks and their EB equivalents cure faster, work throughput is much faster than with traditional print drying tunnels. Just as importantly, UV inks deliver high-quality, crisp, graphics (partly a by-product of their speedy cure, which reduces the ‘dot gain’ flow tendency of liquid inks) at a competitive cost per m². Perhaps most important of all, they achieve all this without emitting any VOCs, making them an environmentally-friendly alternative to solvent-based inks. RadTech Europe is the industry association focused on the use of radiation curing in a number of manufacturing arenas, and it is proactive in promoting and managing the technology’s future in the field of packaging print.

Learning lessons

Since the first application of UV inks and coatings in the world of packaging print, the industry has reacted swiftly to market issues and worked diligently to increase the performance and suitability of the technology for use in food packaging, for example through the development of low-migration inks to deal with the potential issue of migration of ink components into food.

Packaging barrier performance

It is a notable fact that, although some of today’s advanced packaging structures may effectively act as a barrier against migration, only two materials – glass and metal -- are regarded as absolute barriers. The permeation of possible contaminants through the packaging substrate, including ink migration,may therefore be possible. An additional factor in relation to ink migration is the possibility of ink ‘set-off’. This involves the transfer of ink from the printed side of packaging -- when it is stacked for construction or, in the case of printed labels, for automatic application -- to its underside (ie the surface which will make contact with the pack contents). Issues like this, along with questions reflecting wider discussions with respect to human exposure to chemicals– are at the heart of RadTech Europe’s consumer safety agenda with UV inks and varnishes.

RadTech Europe has engaged with the entire packaging print supply chain, from the suppliers of ink raw materials to the end-user brand owners and retailers, and continues to do. A highly-focused pan-European food packaging seminar is planned for the second half of 2014, as part of the association’s proactive ongoing formal and informal communications programme.

Regulatory initiatives

There have been ongoing developments to increase the performance of UV inks for food packaging and ensure their suitability for use and brand owners such as Nestlé have instituted their own company-specific food packaging production standards. Food safety has also been the driver for a raft of regulatory initiatives across Europe providing a framework for the use of inks in food packaging – initiatives that reflect the importance of the issue to all involved in the packaging print supply chain. RadTech Europe and other leading technical associations, including the European printing inks association EuPIA and the European chemical industry council CEFIC, are all actively addressing these concerns in concert with the EU authorities.

 

Although there is currently no specific EU legislation concerning printing inks in food packaging applications, good manufacturing practice for all materials involved in the production and packaging of food– including inks – are covered by regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 which requires that materials and articles which, in their finished state, are intended to be brought into contact with foodstuffs or which are brought into contact with foodstuffs, must not transfer any components to the packed foodstuff in quantities which could endanger human health, or bring about an unacceptable change in the composition or deterioration in organoleptic properties.

Additionally, the Swiss Ordinance on materials and articles in contact with food – often used as an industry standard -- continues to refine a list of permissible substances as knowledge grows; any listed components being subject to specific migration limits. Germany is also in the development stage of its own Ordinance in this respect. RadTech Europe members are contributing their expertise to help establish the highest-possible migration limits for key raw materials, and, together with EuPIA and the CEFIC UVEB Sector Group, have been instrumental in developing REACH dossiers and in compiling migration data for submission under both the Swiss and upcoming German Ordinances. As a direct result, GPOTA and TMPEOTA have been granted higher 50 ppb migration limits, with work on other substances, including a number of commodity photoinitiators, on the way.

 

Ink innovation

EuPIA has developed its own guidelines for the printing industry on the selection of raw material constituents of food packaging inks, which are today the established standard. There is a standard Statement of Composition which EuPIA members will provide to the food printing and packaging chain to confirm that the inks supplied are fit for purpose; and printers are encouraged to conduct their own practical migration tests as appropriate for the types of packaging print they undertake, as a ‘fail safe’ mechanism. The industry continues to innovate, too, with inks demonstrating lower migration levels associated with radiation curing.

RadTech Europe’s President, David Helsby, comments: ‘RadTech Europe’s prime goal is straightforward: to work with all stakeholders to ensure that brand owners can safely use radiation-curable inks in food packaging applications, without endangering the consumer, and enjoy the attendant benefits. Radiation curing has a long and successful history in providing optimal outcomes in many other aspects of manufacturing, including flooring, automotive and electronic components, household appliances, metal cans, and rigid plastics. Food packaging print need not be an exception.’

Further information on RadTech Europe’s ongoing work in the printing inks arena is available via the association’s website, www.radtech-europe.com.

 

by David Helsby, President of RadTech Europe

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Britvic stays ahead of the game with Videojet 1620 Ultra High Speed Printers

Leading soft drinks manufacturer Britvic UK implements Videojet’s new 1620 UHS, CLARiSOFT® and CLARiNET® software to increase production line speed by 30m/min. A long-time trusted partner of Videojet, Britvic UK looked to the next generation of machines at its Rugby manufacturing facility, in order to meet the increasing production demands of the beverage industry.

The advantage of the new Videojet 1620 UHS is that it is over 40 percent faster than its existing printers, allowing operators greater flexibility to run faster or print more content, increasing the line speed by 25 percent to 150 metre/minute and increasing the size of the print character from 7x4 to 7x5 – all without compromising print quality. Paul Ash, Maintenance Technician at Britvic UK, commented: “We now choose to clean the printhead once a week at a convenient time when there is no pressure from the line being down. Due to high print makeup and ink volumes, ink lasts three to four days, maybe more. There is no mess. No problems.” 

 

Once installed, the 1620 UHS printer coded in excess of 23 million codes at the soft drinks site, all produced without the printhead requiring a clean.  With a patented CleanFlow™ printhead design, the printer provides maximum uptime with minimal maintenance reducing the ink build-up that can cause traditional ink jet printers to shut down, the CleanFlow™ printhead requires less maintenance and delivers longer runs without intervention.

The integrated core consolidates the printer’s key ink system components into one part, enabling the 1620 UHS to perform up to 14,000 hours between planned maintenance or approximately 19 months for around the clock operations. Core replacement is simple, mess-free and is designed to be customer-replaceable without necessarily requiring a visit from a trained technician. A countdown meter also allows for easy monitoring of time remaining before the core must be changed.

 

Simply integrated into existing systems, the Videojet 1620 UHS contains advanced connectivity options, including its USB port, which allows for hot swapping print jobs and backing up messages. The machine also adds further convenience to the customer, through off-site control and diagnostics via Ethernet capability through CLARiSOFT® and CLARiNET® software which enables simple and seamless real-time message changes. Paul adds:   “We were happy with our Videojet Excel printer but we are even happier with the new 1620 UHS model”.

Jose Gomez CIJ Business Unit Manager at Videojet commented: “At Videojet we strive to help our customers to improve their operational reliability and productivity so that they can grow their brands and are able to stay ahead of industry trends and regulation. With the Videojet 1620 UHS, our customers can respond to the ever-increasing demands of their industries, by coding more quickly and without compromising on quality.”

For more information about the Videojet 1620 Ultra High Speed printer Systems  visit: http://global.videojet.com/us/homepage/products/continuous-inkjet-printers/videojet-1620uhs.html.

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RELEASE LINERS: THIS YEAR’S EXPERT INDUSTRY BRIEFING

The annual event and meeting point for the world’s release liner industry – the AWA Global Release Liner Conference & Exhibition 2014 – takes place on March 20-21 2014 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Organised annually by AWA Conferences & Events, and alternating between Europe and USA, the event is the established – and unique – industry forum for this broad-ranging sector.

 

The state of the industry

This year’s program appropriately reflects the many markets, opportunities, and challenges the industry faces. The conference keynote, examining the state of the industry and its future expectations, is this year delivered by Michael Apperson, CEO of leading release liner manufacturer Loparex Group, and will be followed by an executive leadership panel discussion between Mr Apperson and Dr Bernhard Klofat, CEO of specialty paper manufacturers Felix Schoeller Group, moderated by Corey Reardon, President and CEO of AWA Alexander Watson Associates.

Up-to-the-minute market data

Mr Reardon will then present AWA’s up-to-the-minute overview of the current release liner market in terms of growth, developments, and trends, and Ms Jackie Marolda, AWA Vice President and Senior Consultant, will then inform delegates of the results of the company’s annual release liner industry survey, conducted with industry players around the world. The survey is a valuable guide to the industry’s activities and expectations on key topics such as sustainability, costs and profitability, M&A activity, and growth prospects. Mergers and acquisitions are also the topic of an expert paper from Thomas Blaige, Chairman and CEO of Blaige & Company, investment bankers specializing in the plastics, packaging, and chemical industries.

Materials and markets

Release liner components, from pulp and paper to films and resins, are discussed in specialist papers, and are a key feature of a panel discussion involving speakers from five leading companies involved with release liner. Self-adhesive graphics applications, envelopes, and medical applications are also featured in the program, along with a ‘label maker’s perspective’ from Alan Hazlewood of the Skanem Group.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a topic high on the industry’s agenda today, and Calvin Frost, CEO of Channeled Resources Group, will present a paper on ‘the complexity of being green’, while EUROPEN’s Managing Director, Virginia Janssens, will update delegates on the EU Waste Review and how it affects packaging and packaging waste.

Parallel seminars

The AWA Global Release Liner Industry Conference 2014, being held at the Park Plaza Amsterdam Airport Hotel, also features a complementary exhibition, extensive networking opportunities, and, on the day prior to the conference, March 19, the opportunity to attend one of two specialist seminars – on linerless label technology or silicone technology – at the same location. Full details are available via the AWA Alexander Watson Associates website, www.awa-bv.com, where it is also possible to register for any event online.

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