Labelling Blog

A fast drying and very rub resistant ink complements hubergroup’s standard portfolio for sheet-fed offset process inks. A new ink process series for critical, absorbent substrates has been released for sheet-fed offset printers. Matt coated and uncoated papers are frequently challenging for post-print processing and print production on short notice. The !NKREDIBLE ink family from huber group has a new solution available with the intense series QU!CKFAST. It is suitable for perfecting presses and exists in a very fast drying version and a conditional duct-fresh version. QU!CKFAST is now the top-speed series in oxidative drying, with Fogra approved color standard. More at: www.hubergroup.com

Edale’s aim of promoting their range of printing and converting equipment was successfully achieved at this year’s Drupa event. Despite a somewhat challenging climate, Edale were thrilled to report enquiries were up by almost 30% on the last show held in 2008. There was also a notably higher attendance from International visitors which fitted in with Edale’s export strategy of moving further into the Far East, China and Indian markets.   Range of samples There was strong interest in Edale’s package printing machines – the Gamma printing and converting system with inline FDC-510; flatbed die cutter drew a lot of attention, and in particular from offset printers who look to move into flexo to gain more flexibility, higher quality, shorter lead times and lower cost equipment. The Edale Gamma and FDC-510 folding carton line combines the finest flexo print quality alongside flatbed die cutting technologies ensuring that cost effective low volume folding carton production is ach...

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) and Lüscher AG Maschinenbau (Gretzenbach, Switzerland) have established a collaboration to develop a CtP platesetter with UV technology. Bringing together two cutting-edge technologies like this paves the way for a new member of the Suprasetter family. Heidelberg will offer the machine as a package solution comprising the Suprasetter 106 UV, conventional UV plates from the Saphira consumables range, and the prepress solutions of the Prinect print shop workflow.     The Suprasetter 106 UV will be produced at the Heidelberg site in Wiesloch-Walldorf. Lüscher will be presenting the CtP platesetter in an adapted design under the name "XDrum! UV" at drupa in Hall 5, Stand B38. It will be available for customer installation in fall 2012. "With a reputation for high-quality technical solutions, Lüscher AG Maschinenbau has been delivering outstanding and state-of-the-art products for the graphic arts industry for o...

X-Rite, Incorporated (NASDAQ: XRIT) and Pantone LLC, today reported a successful showing at drupa 2012, the world’s largest printing trade show recently concluded in Dusseldorf, Germany. Despite a drop in overall attendance at drupa as compared to 2008, the company reported an increase in leads over drupa 2008 and strong interest in its new product and service offerings.   “We were extremely pleased with our drupa results,” said Vic Stalam, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the company. “In addition to excellent lead generation, we were happy with the high level of traffic through our stand as well as the revenue we generated at the show. In addition, drupa is a wonderful venue for connecting with customers and prospects from around the world. We were especially pleased with the level of interest attendees expressed in our technology demonstration of X-Rite eXact, the next generation in color measurement tools.” Color: Right the First Time; Right Eve...

  Proud winner at the Kodak drupa stand: Freddy Eckel, Sales Director DACH, Kodak (left), and Jürgen Martinkowics, Account Manager, Kodak (right), congratulate Ingo Nowak, Managing Director of Köller+Nowak, on winning this latest CIPPI Award.   Druckerei Köller+Nowak GmbH has just been presented with a CIPPI Award from the CIP 4 organization at drupa 2012. The award was conferred on the Dusseldorf print house for its "Most innovative use of process automation technology in an implementation", in which KODAK Unified Workflow Solutions and JDF connectivity modules play a key role. This is the second time since 2006 that one of the coveted CIPPI Awards has been won by the company, which has actively pioneered JDF connected graphic production.

OMET embraced Offset technology back in 2007. In 2011 a completely renovated Offset group with Sleeves was presented, now available in wider widths. Offset is the most reliable printing technology when it comes to consistency and uniformity of print including fine details and 0 to 100% vignettes. There is a widespread knowledge of Offset, which helps to abate the costs of pre-press, available all over the world and sharing the same international standards. The introduction of servo-motors and electronic controls helped solve some of the remaining challenges of Offset: start-up speed (decreased at 10 meters per minute during the ink/water balance phase) and general wastage reduction. Offset can be combined in-line on the whole range of OMET multi-process and platform presses and is currently available in widths 430, 530 on XFlex X6 presses (530 mm XFlex X6 being the great innovation debuting at Labelexpo Americas 2012!) and up to 670 and 850 mm on Varyflex V2 machines to meet di...

RotoMetrics® announced the appointment of Cain Harper to General Manager, RotoMetrics Australia and New Zealand. In this newly created role, Harper will report to the company’s President & Chief Executive Officer and will have responsibility for all aspects of the performance of the firm’s Melbourne Australia operations.  Mr. Harper joined Rotometrics in December of 2009. He started in manufacturing management and quickly advanced to leading all production operations.  RotoMetrics, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a worldwide leader in precision rotary tooling for the printing and converting industries. The company supports customers from operations in 8 countries with major manufacturing facilities in the United States, United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia and Thailand. Source: http://www.gerhardt-usa.com/

GIDUE provided the perfect complementary experience to drupa by staging at an Open House dedicated to the event. The company’s Florence factory has been busy for 15 days, accommodating converters who extended their trip to drupa in Dusseldorf and visited GIDUE’s manufacturing plant in Italy. The Open House proved very popular, with GIDUE securing a number of sales at the event, building on its strong sales growth during 2012. Almost 60 printing companies from five continents travelled through Europe to see GIDUE’s new product range. Federico d’Annunzio , MD, comments:  “We’d like to thank all the converters who spent their precious time travelling to Florence. The ‘drupa’ Open House was an excellent opportunity to meet with our loyal customer base, and it gave us the chance to introduce our technologies to several converters who we met for the first time.”   Visitors to GIDUE’s manufacturing plant were given access to mechanical, electrical and software department...

WS Packaging Group, Inc. has partnered with KJ International (KJI), a full-service translation services provider, to help localize labeling and packaging content to better target today’s ethnically diverse audie nce of bilingual and multilingual speaking consumers. “More and more companies are doing business on a global scale and the need for bilingual and multilingual language translation in labeling and packaging of consumer products has grown,” said Mark Moorhead, director of marketing for WS Packaging. “Successful businesses building on a global scale have learned to localize their content. But it’s no small task: that’s why WS Packaging has partnered with KJI to provide the depth of experience and translation precision required for everything from single documents to enterprise-wide initiatives .” As cultural demographics continue to grow more diverse across North America, so does the spending power among the different ethnic groups. According to the Selig Center, Asian ...

drupa 2012 is sending out key impulses for the worldwide print and media industry. The most important signal: print has potential and the sector is investing heavily in its future. This trend was already visible at the event’s half-way point and exhibitors reported the conclusion of numerous deals all over the world. This willingness to invest continued unabated in the second half of the trade fair. Add to this the fact that experts specifically highlight the wealth of innovations and market-oriented solutions for the entire print spectrum. “drupa was a resounding success for the sector. The trade fair sent out key impulses. Numerous business ideas and innovations were showcased here that all led to high investment. What the 1,850 exhibitors presented here over the past two weeks will strengthen the development potential of the print and media industry long term,” says Bernhard Schreier, President of drupa 2012 and Board Chairman at Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, summing up the drupa...

International business-to-business media group, Tarsus has expanded its flagship Labels & Package Printing product portfolio with a brand new event Packprint Summit Middle East. Complementing the award-winning Labelexpo Global Series of exhibitions and conferences and Labels & Labeling Magazine, it is set to take place at the Al Bustan Rotana in Dubai between 6-7 November 2012. Focusing entirely on the package printing industry, Packprint Summit Middle East is sponsored by Kodak and supported by Package Print Worldwide magazine. Aimed at brand owners and package printers/converters, the Summit comprises a two-day conference program and table-top exhibition and is designed to deliver an educational and practical platform for delegates to learn about current trends and technologies, as well as provide a valuable networking opportunity. The design and printing of flexible packaging, cartons, pouches, sachets, blister packs, wrappers, labels, sleeves, bags and sacks are ...

More print service providers turned to Ricoh’s innovative technologies at drupa to help them imagine change and discover new ways to transform their business. Peter Williams, Executive Vice President, Head of Production Printing Business Group, Ricoh Europe, said, "“We will remember drupa 2012 as one that truly considered the future of the printing industry, by looking at print and beyond, where print service providers focused upon increasing the services and the value they add to their clients and further bridging the gap between digital and online.  Visitor numbers to our stand far surpassed drupa 2008 and the number of new contacts made and sales orders placed have increased beyond expectations.” Thousands of print service providers from all across the world visited Ricoh to learn more about its rich combination of hardware and software solutions, services and environmental values and how it is working with printing businesses to manage the trends that are changing the...

EFI™  today announced that commercial printer and EFI Pace™ customer Alliance Printing LP has successfully installed an EFI Jetrion® 4830 UV inkjet label printer, and is experiencing increased profits and significant new customer orders. Alliance purchased the Fiery®-driven Jetrion 4830 to fit their industrial label printing needs, including the desire for quick turnaround and versioning, and already over half of their orders are from new customers seeking to take advantage of the unique materials and short-run capability. Alliance Printing chose the Jetrion 4830 digital label printer after talking to customers and seeing trends moving towards increased versioning and shorter turns. Quality and speed were also key factors in the purchasing decision. "We recently had a customer that ordered runs of 190 different labels to ship to over 2,000 store locations of a national home improvement chain. We printed the entire job in less than 24 hours. That time would have been spent ...

Recognizing the fast-growing development of UV LED curing and ink products in the narrow web flexo industry, the R&D team at Mark Andy is creating fully compatible print platform designs to integrate these latest curing solutions across their leading lines of narrow web machines. Mark Andy realizes that UV LED technology demonstrates an important evolution in curing or drying in narrow web, continuing to show measurable advantages in energy usage, reduced heat load for thinner substrates, smaller footprints and clear environmental benefits. Mark Andy has been recognized globally for numerous innovations over the past 65 years, most recently winning two technical innovation awards for the Performance Series print platform. By developing UV LED curing technology into these latest, award winning print platforms and traditional flexo machines, converter productivity and efficiency will be improved, increasing their profit potential.  The program fully supports the missio...

MACtac® Printing Products secured Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Recognition for Flint Group inks when used with its durable film product line, including 3.4-mil white vinyl, 2.6-mil white polypropylene, 2.0-mil white and clear polyester and 2.0-mil bright silver polyester labels. When using UL Recognized MACtac® products, converters now have pre-approval for Flexo inks. Pre-approval means no new testing is required, only a paper transfer which can be submitted through an internet portal, via email or phone. Upfront UL Recognition reduces converters’ cost and time spent qualifying substrates with UL and allows our customers to enter new markets faster. UL’s label adoption process ensures fast market access by demonstrating that recognized labels have been evaluated to meet UL safety requirements. UL’s Marking and Labelling Systems Program covers labels that display safety and warning information on UL certified components and products.   The Flint Group Packaging and Na...

  UPM Raflatac has developed a new filmic face for beverage, wine and food labelling. PP Solid White TC 50 is a non-cavitated, top-coated film which provides a superb foundation for a premium print job. Combined with the RP 74 adhesive and PET23 liner, it offers the highest attainable quality in application performance and visual distinctiveness. The RP 74 adhesive gives the clarity and cleanliness that is essential for beverage applications in potentially moist and chilled conditions. It is superb for converting at high speed, thanks to a high sheer value which brings the added advantage of minimal adhesive build-up on label applicators. The thin and strong PET23 liner is an excellent material for high-speed label applicators where web-breaks and machine downtime can really cost. PET23 also offers more labels per roll than traditional backing materials, which means longer production runs and less packaging waste. Source: www.upmraflatac.com

During the last Label Expo Europe held in Brussels in 2011, Edale officially signed up Romexsa (Rotograbado en Mexico) to exclusively cover Mexico.   April 2012 then saw Juan Luis Brunhuber, Director, and Jesus Rueda, Operations Manager of Romexsa participate in the first show as representatives of Edale at the Label Summit Latin America event held in Guadalajara, Mexico.   From left to right: Edale’s Bernhard Grob with Juan Luis Brunhuber and Jesus Rueda from Romexsa     Label Summit organisers have reported record breaking attendance to the show, and this was confirmed with Edale’s Export Sales Director, Bernhard Grob, who went out to support the event. Grob says “Mexico is a fairly new territory for us, and one where Edale has not really been promoted in the past, but the feedback that we received from prospective customers was very positive. Juan Luis Brunhuber, Director of Romexsa, is very well known in the printing industry and was able to int...

EUROPEN announces a totally revised edition of its indispensable guide to European legislation affecting packaging and packaged goods. The guide takes account of relevant EU policy developments and voluntary initiatives, as well as changes introduced at national level since the previous edition was published in 2007. The key European legislation in this area is the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC. The business of every company operating in Europe is affected by this legislation and by the adaptation of its requirements into national law in each EU Member State. Its twin objectives were to provide a high level of environmental protection and avoid obstacles to trade and competitive restrictions or distortions in the European market. The guide contains an analysis and interpretation of the overarching legal setting in which the industry operates, and an explanation of the CEN harmonised standards. As legislation regarding packaging is also constantly evolving in...

Spear, the leading provider of pressure-sensitive labeling solutions, is now helping the craft and regional beer industries transition to the same pressure-sensitive labeling technology already embraced by leading global beer manufacturers. Pressure sensitive is the largest labeling technology in North America and Europe. Thanks to its graphic, performance and cost benefits, it is quickly becoming a leading alternative to cut stack/wet glue (CS/WG) labels in the global beverage industry.       Cold Spring Brewing Company began brewing beverages in 1854. Their products were solely decorated with CS/WG labels until 2001 when they introduced pressure-sensitive labeling into their operation. After several years of side-by-side comparison, Cold Spring converted all their production to pressure-sensitive labeling due to: Improved line efficiency and flexibility Minimal change part requirements Elimination of glue preparation and clean-up Additional m...

For an exclusive UK birthday edition of Jack Daniel’s famous Tennessee Whiskey, packaging expert, CCL Decorative Sleeves created a stylish matt black, full body sleeve using shrink film made from Eastman EmbraceTM LV copolyester resin. The eye catching ‘billboard effect’ eliminated the need for expensive direct-on-glass screen-printing while maintaining a high quality shelf presence.   Eastman Chemical Company’s Embrace™ LV delivers a shrink film with excellent printing capabilities and shrink stability, ensuring a consistent level film edge with perfect alignment at the top and bottom of containers. This stability eliminates uneven gaps between film and container edge (‘smiley faces’) and is ideal for unique shapes requiring a high ultimate shrink.   “We needed a reliable and technically-expert supplier who could both meet our deadlines and deliver the attention-grabbing look we required,” explains brand manager Jamie Butler of Brown Forman Beverages, the owners of th...

Rexam’s award winning FUSION aluminium bottle has given Pepsi Twist a new look, with the original lemon flavoured cola from PepsiCo Italy being repackaged and launched for a trial run in Italy.     PepsiCo Italy has designed the new Pepsi Twist bottle to appeal to young, dynamic consumers, seeking new trends and fashionable drinking solutions. The FUSION bottle guarantees a striking image and a contemporary feel, with Rexam’s innovative design and printing solutions ensuring the bottle has stand-out shelf appeal. Rexam’s FUSION aluminium bottle is lightweight, shatterproof and keeps the drink cool, and sparkling. The bottle is resealable which helps keep the product fresh whilst enhancing the fresh lemon flavour. These benefits make FUSION the ideal packaging for out-of-home consumption and therefore  a perfect fit with Pepsi Twist’s target market.       Being made from aluminium the FUSION bottle is also 100% and infinitely recyclable. ...

For variable coding, serializing and printing of packaging products as well as booklet labels, Atlantic Zeiser will be exhibiting its latest DIGILINE solution at ACHEMA in hall 3.1, stand J50. The solution offers maximum flexibility for applications in chemical engineering, security printing, packaging, as well as pharmaceutical, cosmetics and industrial. Further benefits are offered by the Track & Trace anti-counterfeiting module.   DIGILINE for serializing, coding and printing of booklet labels for pharmaceutical packaging and products.     The Atlantic Zeiser Group, a leading developer and supplier of modules and integrated end-to-end system solutions for industrial digital and security printing, has expanded its DIGILINE system solutions for printing, coding, serializing and verifying roll materials, sheets and 3D products. The expanded range has been designed for sector-specific applications. On a DIGILINE at ACHEMA (Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 18 – 2...

PCT Engineered Systems, an innovative manufacturing solutions provider known for its global leadership in the development and implementation of both automated systems and BroadBeam electron beam technology, has been awarded the Better Business Bureau’s annual Integrity Award. The Integrity Award was established in 1993 to recognize those firms whose business practices and related activities exemplify the Better Business Bureau’s mission, “To Be the Leader in Advancing Marketplace Trust.” PCT was one of five local businesses honored at the Better Business Bureau’s annual Integrity Awards luncheon and awards ceremony on April 26.   PCT President Terry Thompson was pleased with the recognition, which stemmed from a nomination from a local company that conducts business with PCT. “The culture, work ethics, honesty and integrity that drives the Midwest and particularly Iowa has allowed us to become a very successful company,” Thompson noted. “These core values come out every...

Pageflex, an international supplier of marketing and printing automation solutions, announced today that R and R Images signed an agreement at drupa to license Pageflex Storefront web-to-print technology. R and R Images licensed Pageflex Storefront to help grow their business and better support the expanding needs of their customers. R and R Images currently uses Pageflex iWay as its web-to-print solution, and has purchased Pageflex Storefront to supplement Pageflex iWay technology. Having Pageflex Storefront gives the company the technology to offer a wider variety of online storefront capabilities that will better service their growing client base. Says Rod Key, CEO of R and R Images "The market is moving very fast and Pageflex gives us what we need to best support our clients today and in the future. In addition to acquiring Pageflex Storefront, we also added the Pageflex API/punch-out integration kits that allow us to offer specific personalized products to clients' ecom...

The 2012 edition of AWA Alexander Watson Associates’ annual global review of the labeling and product decoration markets has just been published. It provides a concise and up-to-the-minute evaluation of the major aspects of these important markets as a ready-reference for labelstock producers, material suppliers, and all companies involved in the value chain or interested in its status. Labeling & Product Decoration Markets Global Review 2012 looks at world label volumes and demand; at the market structure; market characteristics by region and by substrate; and current and future growth rates. It assesses raw materials, identifying trends, and pinpoints activity in the mergers and acquisitions arena. Complete with CD-ROM for users’ own use To further enhance its value as a day-to-day reference source, the review comes with a CD-ROM complete with exhibits, charts and graphs for downloading.   Label Growth Rates by Format 2011   Global and Regional Label Ma...

Presstek reported that during drupa 2012, held at Messe Dusseldorf, Presstek partnered with digital finishing company Highcon to demonstrate the value of high quality short run offset printing combined with digital cutting and creasing for the folding carton market. Sheets printed on a Presstek DI digital offset press were converted using the Highcon Euclid and made available to visitors during the show. “We were delighted to be partnering with Highcon at drupa 2012,” said Joe Demharter, Presstek’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Due to the proliferation of SKUs, the need to make frequent content changes on packaging, and the desire of brand owners for faster time to market, run lengths continue to decline in the folding carton market. The combination of the Presstek 75DI digital offset press and the Highcon Euclid is an ideal solution that removes many of the pain points and bottlenecks we see today in the folding carton supply chain enabling converters to meet today’s ...

Brian Graham is a patient man. The president and founder of in mold labelling (IML) automation integrator idesign IML ( www.idesigniml.com ) has advocated the advantages of IML for almost 20 years to a North American molding industry that remains slow in adopting the technology. Yet his confidence in IML’s potential remains high, not least because to date the Lodi, Ohio-based company has sold systems to such big name brands as GM, Tupperware, Cardinal Health and Radio Flyer. Along the way, Brian and his team — which is, he believes, “the most knowledgeable IML team in North America — have also notched up a series of IML ‘firsts’, including the first stack IML tool, the first wraparound IML label (22” long and for an ice cream container), and the largest cavitation mold (16 cavities). In 2006 idesign IML also won a US patent for its ‘Label Ledge’ technique for preventing labels being dislodged or damaged by melt flow. After initially manufacturing their own robotics, the company chan...