Labelling Blog

The growing applications for digital print in the label and packaging arena are today a focus for both brand owners and the converting industry – and they present both benefits and challenges. Troubleshooting these new pathways, coupled with leading-edge success stories, are the key focus of AWA Conferences & Events’ Ink Jet and Digital Label/Packaging Print Seminar 2013, which takes place in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, 29-30 January 2013, co-located with IMI’s annual Ink Jet Conference.   Broad-ranging program The program for this established annual seminar that alternates between Europe and the USA represents an opportunity for brand owners, converters, and industry suppliers to gain an in-depth update on the increasingly-wide base of available options, from digital offset to UV ink jet, thermal transfer, and EB imaging; the pre-press platforms that underlie the print capabilities; substrates, both paper and film; and inks. Speakers include experts from many disciplines –...

The next-generation HD Flexo technology brings breakthrough quality to flexo printing at Bischof + Klein .   Esko is reporting several successes with its new Full HD Flexo technology at customer sites throughout the world. At drupa 2012, Esko first presented the next-generation HD Flexo plate imaging concept technology: Full HD Flexo ( www.esko.com/HDFlexo ). Now, 6 months later, Esko is happy to report customer acceptance and successes at several sites around the world, amongst whom is the well-known German flexo company Bischof + Klein.   Bischof + Klein : very consistently reproduced quality Bischof + Klein ( www.bk-international.com ), based in Germany, is one of Europe's leading full-service suppliers of flexible plastic and paper packaging and technical films. Helmut Wenzl, Operations Manager at the Konzell printing plant of Bischof + Klein, comments: “Thanks to the installation of Esko's CDI with Inline UV2, Bischof + Klein is able to execute 'Full HD' ...

ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCSC), the leading international value-added distributor of specialty technology products, has named Glen “Buck” Baker as President of ScanSource Europe on an interim basis. Mr Baker will be responsible for strategic direction and leadership of the Company’s European operations, including its POS & Barcoding and Communications business units.   Mr Baker will be based in Brussels, Belgium. In Europe, Buck Baker replaces Xavier Cartiaux, who had responsibility for ScanSource’s international operations and recently left the Company. Mr Baker will report to Scott Benbenek, President of Worldwide Operations, ScanSource, Inc. “Buck has been instrumental in leading ScanSource Communications North America, which achieved record sales results for our last fiscal year,” said Benbenek.   “Buck brings to his new position in Europe a wealth of experience in successfully leading a business unit and strong skills in building vendor and customer relations...

Basler has established a close, long-term strategic partnership with Alava Ingenieros : on November 1, Alava officially took over distribution for Basler’s camera range in Spain and Portugal. Alava Ingenieros Group is an entirely privately owned group which has been providing high technology solutions in the Testing, Measurement, Communications, Security, Defense and Preventive Maintenance fields since it was first founded in 1973. The group offers consulting, engineering, distribution, training and technical services, providing solutions for several sectors including Aerospace, Automotive, Security, Defense, Energy, Communications, and Finance, as well as Testing and Research Centers, Universities, Public Services and General Industry.   “We are very proud of this partnership. For almost 40 years, Alava Ingenieros have held a leading position thanks to their commitment to their customers, their complete and advanced technology solutions, and their solid and long-term agr...

Gintzler Graphics will be adding a second Gallus ECS 340 flexographic press at its Buffalo, NY location in late December of 2012. The new press will be the same configuration as the original, but with the addition of a register control. Gallus is pleased to announce the sale of a new Gallus ECS 340 flexographic press to Gintzler Graphics, their second since the model was first introduced at Labelexpo 2009 in Brussels.   "We use Gallus flexo presses in both of our facilities, here in Buffalo, NY, and in Liberty Hill, TX," said Gintzler president, Bryan Scheible. "They are extremely user-friendly and robust, which translates to very high reliability and performance with hardly any downtime. And if we do have an issue, the Gallus support staff is right there to help us. For these reasons and more, there was really no question about what narrow web press we wanted."     The new press will be the same configuration as the original, but with ...

With  evolving  global trends in electronics manufacturing increasing the demand for high performance materials , ImageTek Labels  manufactures custom label solutions that will survive temperatures up to 1000F (538C). These labels offer superior chemical resistance and meet various ANSI standards of compliance. ImageTek Labels, a nationwide leader in the conversion of polyimide films , has engineered some of the most durable polyimide labels on the market, for use in flexible electronics, PCB fabrication and assembly as well as subcomponent and subsystem device marking.   ESD Labels for PCB Manufacturing Used by electronics manufacturing engineers and OEM’s around the globe, polyimide labels by ImageTek provide excellent readability, while meeting various challenges found in PCB design, assembly, inventory and testing. The failure to utilize the right label for electronic assembly has a direct effect on your product quality and productivity.  Underperfo...

Mark Andy recently completed the acquisition of Print Products Inc., a distributor of flexographic printing products for  US printers and converters.  The purchase marks an important step in support of the on-going strategy of Mark Andy, ‘to provide a total-solutions approach to our customers, printers and converters in the label printing market’.    Print Products, which opened its doors to converters in 2008, is a fast-growing flexo supplies provider in North America, which has enjoyed building a solid customer base and responsive customer service group. For the foreseeable future, Print Products will retain its focus on delivering high quality customer service and technical support to their foundation of customers under its existing name and representatives.    Twelve months ago, Mark Andy, Inc. underwent a transition in leadership, and since then, the company has dedicated much effort and continues to remain highly focused on building a strong f...

Cracks and potholes: Winter takes its toll on roads and highways. Heavy traffic can cause cavities to form in paved roads. In low winter temperatures, water seeping into these cavities will freeze and expand. When the ice melts the asphalt starts to crumble. Experts sometimes compare this type of road damage to tooth decay. To treat it, non-woven geosynthetics are used to bond the new surface with the road-bed. Polyfilld equips these asphalt non-wovens with RFID labels from Schreiner LogiData for more efficient checks of road surface and road-bed conditions. With a total road network length of 620.000 kilometers, maintenance costs are on the increase every year in Germany. Therefore economical reconstruction methods and innovative materials, such as non-woven geosynthetics, are in demand. “Non-woven geosynthetics are inserted between the pavement and the road-bed in the process of repaving roads,” explains Rainer Lugmayr, business director at Polyfilld. They prevent the intrusio...

The capabilities of Sidel in creative bottle design have been recognized at the most important international competition dedicated exclusively to packaging design.  As the only industrial manufacturing supplier to take part, Sidel won Silver at the Pentawards 2012. Sidel's winning concept, DailyDose TM , is both creative and in line with the latest market trends.     DailyDose TM follows the move towards healthier living by offering a new way of consuming single-serve fruit on a regular basis. The innovative solution is a multipack made up of six assorted bottles reminiscent of fruit slices: a flexible concept offering one design for different products. It is ideal for on-the-go consumption as the small bottles fit into the smallest of bags. Each dose is the equivalent of a quarter-serving of fruit - thereby emphasizing the importance of regular fruit intake - packaged attractively and ready to drink for consumers. Although common in other sectors, the concept o...

Epson to offer Esko’s highly functional Digital Front-End with its SurePress L-4033 series, bringing improved productivity and quality to digital label printing .   Esko ( www.esko.com ) announces that it has entered into an OEM relationship with Epson ( global.epson.com ) to provide a customized Digital Front-End (DFE) for use with the Epson SurePress L-4033A and L-4033AW inkjet digital label presses.   “As the label and packaging market increasingly transitions from analog to digital solutions,” says Jef Bogaerts, Commercial Partnerships at Esko, “manufacturers of digital printing equipment are looking for digital front-end alternatives that can effectively address workflow and job processing issues specific to their industry. Our DFE does just that by streamlining prepress and workflow for greater efficiency. And with Esko’s Color Engine 12 integrated into the DFE, it offers Epson the ability to process files of up to seven colors to take full advantage of the capa...

The Henkel App for iPad is now available in the App Store. Stay in touch with Henkel using this free Henkel App, and get the latest news as well as an expansive video collection on a wide variety of Henkel themes. Be it company news, or information about the three business units, Henkel’s vision and values or the new Henkel strategy, financial reports or useful facts about the sustainability strategy, the new Henkel App provides iPad users with readily available information. And what's more, users can get access to other available company Apps as well as Henkel’s social media channels through this App.   With this new App, Henkel offers its target groups a dynamic solution to stay up to date with the company, both offline and online, even on the road. To meet the expectations of the growing mobile users, Henkel has already optimized classical corporate websites making it suitable for smartphone users. The new Henkel App now gives iPad users the possibility to stay abreast with ...

Leading Scottish based bacon supplier Quality Foods of Aberdeen has installed a Linx IJ355 high definition case coder after being impressed with the machine’s reliability and performance.   Low cost of ownership and clear printing were among the other factors that led the company to choose the latest machine from coding and marking specialist Linx Printing Technologies       The Linx IJ355’s robust construction is ideal for Quality Foods, where packs of bacon are packed by hand into brown cardboard boxes, which then go via conveyor past the printer.   Information including the product name, pack size, product code and best before date is coded onto one side of each box, with prints measuring 205x40mm and 183x45mm. The machine codes 2.8 boxes/min with the line operating 50 hours per week, all year round.   Allan Park of Quality Foods said: “We decided on the Linx IJ355 after it proved to be more reliable and better performing than other...

Harmonisation of test methods throughout the pressure- sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape industry is a step closer following the recent meeting of the Global Tape Forum (GTF) in Taipei, Taiwan.   Member associations of the international body that address key issues impacting this industry, pledged closer collaboration to develop and harmonise the test methods. Once finalised, the ‘GTF-Harmonised TMs’ will establish a quality label providing international credibility.     One major benefit of the label is a reduction in time and financial commitment required compared to the first three ISO-certification procedures which cost these European, American and Japanese industry associations a total of €25,600 and took five years to complete.   The forum also made meaningful progress in establishing the role and practices of the international PSA tape forum. Held biennially, the only purely global pressure-sensitive adhesive tape event was hosted by the Taiwan ...

MPS will open its doors January 15 and 16, 2013 for printers and converters interested in seeing live demonstrations of the EF flexo and EXL offset presses. DIDAM, The Netherlands (December 17 th , 2012) – MPS today announced its open house taking place January 15 and 16, 2013 at company headquarters in Didam, The Netherlands. Printers and converters will witness live demonstrations of the MPS EF flexo and EXL offset presses. In addition to the mentioned presses, other press lines in production can also be viewed in the MPS factory.   MPS Open House Flexo Offset January 15 th and 16 th , 2013   Label print jobs will be demonstrated on an EF410 UV full servo 8-colour flexo press and the an EXL410 UV full servo 14-colour offset press. Visitors will witness the best in print performance from both printing technologies. Both the offset combination press with flexo, gravure and screen units and the flexo press are equipped with a range of converting units such as ...

Pernod Ricard promotes the return of absinthe with a pinch of innovation. Banned in 1915 due to its alleged power to cause hallucinations, the "green fairy", a liqueur created in 1805 from an infusion of green anise and fennel, has made its comeback in 2012, thanks to Pernod Ricard. The strategic repositioning of the beverage began with a new campaign based on the classic tasting ritual and on the combination of design and liqueur. For the presentation, the Brand's designer has created an entire collection of tasting accessories ranging from glasses to spoons, from fountains to sprayers, all strictly in a vintage style, evoking an era when design was yet to be recognised as such.     The final labelling of the product was taken care of by P.E. LABELLERS, thanks to a state of the art self-adhesive labelling machine . Pernod Ricard is a well-established P.E. LABELLERS client and, thanks to Omme France's commitment and cooperation, from 2000 to date, it has...

The South China Label Show 2012 attracted 5,098 visitors as its second edition was held at the Pazhou Exhibition Center in Guangzhou between 4-6 December. The show exceeded previous statistics in attendee and exhibitor numbers and many senior executives visited, confirming the fast growing importance of the event and the market in the region.   Overall attendance was up by 26.8% over 2010’s figure of 4,021. Exhibitor numbers increased from 90 to 150, with 26 new companies exhibiting for the very first time. Before the show closed its doors, the organizers reported a space rebook for 2014 of 28%. As well as a busy exhibition show floor which featured demonstrations of 29 pieces of machinery and 15 working presses, the South China Label Show also featured six well-attended conference sessions.   The keynote presentation was given by Jukka-Pekka Haapanen vice president - Asia Pacific at UPM Raflatac who compared global market trends and explored emerging trends a...

Based in Germany, Wentus is widely regarded as the market leader in the supply of biodegradable films through the companies advanced range of variant products to this growing market.   Sustainability and environmental stewardship are core values within Wentus and the adoption of ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 enable a framework for the ongoing monitoring and improvement in process efficiency and energy, providing another signal to the market place of the company’s serious intentions to continue reducing environmental impact.   A six-month partnership with environmental management specialists, Professor Dr. Manfred Sietz and Thorsten Rudolph from the Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe - University of Applied Sciences with senior management support and buy in from all areas of the business allowed a swift accreditation process.   Wentus Managing Director Jörg Söhngen said “Our customers are increasingly alert to sustainable processes and packaging solutions and we...

Comexi Group, a specialist in solutions for the flexible package convertible industry, welcomed to its headquarters to some brand owners in order to show them the benefits of the new Comexi OFFSET CI8.   Important Catalan alimentary brands were invited to these presentations held on 28th November and 11th December. Those present were able to know in great detail Comexi Group’s installations and also Inplacsa’s, where the OFFSET CI8 is set currently. More than 20 companies were present in these open days to check Comexi OFFSET CI8 good results. Inplacsa, the first converter that bought the new printer, and Inpanasa, a pastrymaking company, as well as newspapers El Punt Avui and Ara collaborated in the presentation. Those present were able to see two different printing works thanks to the quick change of work the OFFSET CI8 offers. Another notable feature of the printer is the reduction of the time-to-market since it is quick both in printing and the plates’ preparatio...

Cambridgeshire-based Lattice Labels Limited, one of the larger label printers in the UK in terms of volume, is increasing capacity in order to fullfill incremental business with the purchase of a Gallus EM 410 label press. The 4-colour Gallus press will enable Lattice Labels to print up to 410 mm width and to convert into rolls and various sized sheets. The Gallus EM 410 was installed in October 2012.   Lattice Labels specializes in the production of pre-printed products that can be over-printed by its customers with their own variable information. Typical customer applications are barcodes and addresses so many of Lattice Labels trade customers are selling to logistics companies, large multiple retailers etc.   Lattice Labels chose to invest with Gallus for a number of reasons: “Our customers’ variable print information is laid down by their own digital printers which take either sheets or reels, so we need a label press that can convert from both reel-to-reel and...

Twin Rivers Paper Company, a leader in lightweight specialty packaging, label and publishing papers, honors Technicote, Inc. with the Twin Rivers Label Recognition. This Label Recognition honors the leadership of key customers, suppliers as well as employees who have helped to drive innovation in the industry. “We value the strong relationship we have had with Technicote in the last two decades and admire the perseverance that they have shown in the face of challenging events. They are a true innovator in the label market,” says Jim Gehrman, President, Twin Rivers Paper Company. “We appreciate this recognition by Twin Rivers. As one of Twin Rivers’ first customers of release liners, we have had a long relationship that has been good for both companies. We value their outstanding technical support and service,” says Doug O’Connell, President, Technicote, Inc. Twin Rivers is a label supplier of choice for release-liner products, as well as label-face papers and wet-strength ...

The latest installation is at a new customer to Edale, Frank-Etikettendruck, based in 42655 Solingen. Frank-Etikettendruck specialise in short/medium run jobs, flexibility and short delivery times and have customers from the automotive, food medical and pharma industries locally in Germany, as well as international.   Adam Frank, Owner of Frank-Etikettendruck, says “ Our turnover has increased, on average, by 30% annually since I started the company back in 2004. An increased workforce meant we required a bigger space. We are due to move into our new factory in early January 2013 and a new machine investment was the next step”. Herr & Frau Frank alongside their architect and the plans for their new factory Whilst Frank-Etikettendruck were a new customer, the relationship between Frank and Edale goes back for a number of years; Adam Frank previously worked at a label printing company in Solingen, where he ran Edale presses so when the time came for him to set up on...

Videojet Technologies Inc. , a world-leading manufacturer of coding, printing and laser marking products, fluids and accessories for the product identification industry, today introduced two next generation printers to its reliable 1000 Line – the 1550 and 1650 ink jet printers. Designed with new features to promote productivity and profitability, the 1550 and 1650 ink jet printers provide metrics to measure as well as the tools to measure and improve uptime and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Simple to operate, the 1550 and 1650 also include Code Assurance features to help reduce coding errors and ensure the right code is printed on the right products.   GAINING THE UPTIME ADVANTAGE With an innovative design to provide customers with high Availability for production lines and the right metrics to track it, the Videojet 1550 and 1650 printers reduce unplanned downtime through features like the patented CleanFlow™ printhead and Dynamic Calibration™ ink flow system. Desi...

Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, has completed its range of Silco(TM) Flat release papers for Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) graphics, with the addition of newly developed products for the most demanding graphics applications and for plotter cut films.   Large format self-adhesive graphics are applied on large surfaces to create appealing decoration or advertising in architecture, retail, vehicles or exhibitions. Release liners used for such laminates need to be specially designed to perform well during lamination, printing or plotter cutting, in order to deliver outstanding visual effect once the film has been applied on the surface.     As a leading global release papers supplier, Ahlstrom has developed through the years a range of sustainable paper products for PSA graphic laminates, supplied to the key players in this industry. To be aligned with the latest advances in printing and cutting technologies, the Ahlstrom Si...

Digital strategy boosted with digital system that combines productivity, print quality and efficiency for short runs.   Digital book printing pioneer Imprimerie Nouvelle Laballery has chosen to continue its commitment to print innovation with a KODAK PROSPER 1000 Press. With prestigious publishing houses such as Gallimard, Hachette, Editis, France Loisirs and Editions Bréal as key clients, the book printing specialist has a strong history of investing in market leading solutions to develop a robust business strategy.   Choosing quality This ability to identify market trends was fundamental to the management team’s decision to upgrade its digital capability to print on the inside pages of books. “The decision came down to two suppliers,” says Gilles Mure-Ravaud. “We opted for Kodak and its PROSPER 1000 Press .”   Building on the strengths of digital to gain market share in book printing – this is the strategy of Gilles Mure-Ravaud, CEO of Laballery. ...

The suitability of PET for sauces and condiments has been underlined by the introduction of one of Italy’s leading Passata brands from Conserve Italia, Cirio, in a barrier PET bottle from APPE.   The new bottle provides an ambient shelf life of 18 months – comparable with Cirio’s current glass bottles – but is also able to offer the combination of excellent clarity and light weight. This enables the product to be effectively displayed for maximum on-shelf impact while offering ease of handling and pouring for the consumer. The high resistance to shattering is also a valuable safety benefit in the kitchen environment.   In addition, the lighter weight of PET offers a further advantage for retail markets as it means the bottle can be offered in a multi-pack format. The APPE bottle incorporates the company’s pioneering Bind-Ox™ technology to give the Passata its extended shelf life. Bind-Ox™ is an active barrier that traps oxygen and binds it into the bottle wall, thus pr...

Glass packaging production volumes in Europe grew by 1.9% in the first half 2012 according to data published today by the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE) (1). The growth is in response to the increasing demand on the domestic and outside EU markets. This builds on the positive trend recorded in 2011. Despite the unstable economic and financial crisis that negatively affects the whole European manufacturing sector, these records shed a positive light on the stability and future prosperity of the European container glass sector.   In the first six months, the industry (2) produced 10.9 Mtonnes of glass compared to 10.7 Mtonnes in the first half 2011. The increase was striking in countries such as Portugal (13%), Poland (7%) as well as in the North & Central Europe (6.2%) and South & East Europe (5.1%). Other EU countries like United Kingdom (2.9%), Germany (1.4%) and Spain (1%) kept the steady trend of previous years while other countries recorded a slow-­‐down...

UK POS specialist Best Digital first saw and ordered the world’s first Truepress Jet W1632UV wide-format flatbed printer at drupa in May 2012, and is now producing work at five times the previous speed and four times the quality it was achieving with its old kit. Despite only having the Truepress Jet W1632UV for four months, there has been a massive impact on the business, with increased volumes and capacity, reduced staffing levels and more jobs being produced in less time. The new Screen printer has allowed the company to move into new markets. Says Best Digital co-MD, Geoff Rawlings: “The small picolitre printhead delivers finer type and lines and we can now print anything from A5 car stickers, for instance, to 3.2m graphics.”   A major benefit to Best is the print speed; at 100m2 per hour in its fastest mode, the Truepress Jet W1632UV produces high quality work on media up to 1,600 mm x 3,200 mm, with a maximum thickness of 48 mm. “Our clients really like the machine. ...

Mark Andy local distributor Aldus Engineering has announced two more sales of the Performance Series press equipped with new die stations, taking the number of sales in Australia to seven. The QCDC (Quick Change Die Cutting) system was showcased at Labelexpo America in September and resulted in a major jump in sales of the Performance series presses around the world, with sales now touching 200. The QCDC system can also be retrofitted to existing P series presses with several retrofits already having been carried out in the USA.   These latest Mark Andy sales, one 8 colour and one 9 colour, both 17” web width models will be equipped with GEW UV drying, Enercon corona treaters, Harper ceramic anilox rolls, Teknek web cleaners plus a full complement of quick change trolleys to take advantage of the high output and rapid changeover times associated with the Performance series presses.   Ian Guanaria, general manager, Aldus Engineering told Australian Printe...

Fiordo, an Italian graphics and creative agency based in Galliate, Italy, has enhanced the quality of its output and made production runs more efficient and cost effective after investing in the Xeikon 6000. The company, which has 50 employees and a turnover of around 10 million Euros, counts Mondadori and Sole24Ore among its customer base. Fiordo is using the Xeikon 6000 for direct mail promotions, personalized mailings and other applications, such as manuals and catalogues. The system is equipped with the Web Finishing Module for simple and fast post-print processing. Xeikon’s Print Service Providers program offers an entry level way to step into full color variable data printing.   Combining technologies delivers the best results Fiorenzo Donati, founder of Fiordo, explained the decision to invest in digital technology: "In the early years, we focused on black and white transactional web applications. Then in 2008, we decided to enter the world of digital color prin...

Netherlands-based Thijsen Media Group (TMG) is celebrating a European first with eight full colour KODAK PROSPER S20 Imprinting Systems installed on two web offset presses.   The first four KODAK PROSPER S20 Imprinting Systems were installed in November on a press at TMG’s Emmen printing plant and a further four will be integrated with a press at the company’s Buren plant in early 2013.       This will allow TMG to add high speed full-colour, variable content to advertising leaflets. TMG director Onno Thijsen explains: “We’ll soon be offering customised promotional products, printing in full-colour, 600dpi quality on our web offset presses at a speed of 60,000 copies per hour.”   Developing new applications Thijsen says the move puts numerous applications within commercial reach: “We are very excited about the new applications we can achieve with this solution. We are now able to add lottery numbers to a leaflet, and switch images – for exa...