Labelling Blog

duomedia, a leading pan-European agency specializing in public relations and marketing communications for graphic arts, industrial, and technology markets, has signed a partnership with RadTech Europe. RadTech Europe is the association that promotes the development, use and benefits of UV/EB curing technology for inks, coatings and adhesives for a wide variety of industrial segments. Lutt Willems from duomedia comments: “Working with associations is a very rewarding 'mission'. Beyond networking, associations face new challenges to stay abreast of the latest communication technologies, recruit and retain members, and facilitate access to relevant industry knowledge. “We are pleased that RadTech Europe chose to partner with duomedia to achieve these objectives, and deliver an integrated PR and communication program in close collaboration with Lejeune Association Management, The Netherlands.” David Helsby, President of RadTech Europe, says: "UV and EB curing technology

The recent installation of a KODAK NEXPRESS SX3300 Digital Production Color Press at Maygray’s Uxbridge factory in the UK is all part of a strategic change in the company’s business model. The KODAK NEXPRESS Press replaces one of two HEIDELBERG 74 5-colour Speedmasters and signals a complete overhaul of the factory’s logistics. Established in 1986, the company has successfully built a strong client base as traditional litho printers offering high levels of customer care and quality print products. The strategic digital investment will enable Maygray to offer the best of both litho and digital print and maximize its offering. The company also plans to further invest in a raft of finishing equipment. Steve Evans, Operations Manager at Maygray explains: “The choice of the KODAK NEXPRESS SX3300 Digital Production Color Press was a natural progression. We chose the press over the competition after much research,” states Evans. “The Fifth Imaging Unit on the NEXPRESS Press will give us add

Many components used for general industrial purposes and in the automotive sector have oily, greasy or dirty surfaces. This poses a special challenge to product labeling and protection since standard films do not adhere to such substrates. Schreiner ProTech develops customized solutions that effectively protect components during production and transport processes in this special field of applications as well. In general industries, films perform a wide variety of tasks and are used for marking or process control. Protection Films reliably cover components of various shapes, sizes and materials, thus protecting them against damage, dirt or contamination. In these areas, Schreiner ProTech offers a comprehensive portfolio of film solutions. Properties such as tack force and peel-off force or temperature resistance can be customized according to the production process and desired protective function. This results in tailored protection coupled with process improvement and reduced labor

Edale look forward to exhibiting at this year’s North Print & Pack show, held at Harrogate International Centre from 14-16 May 2013. The company will be at Stand B112. With a second office recently opened in Manchester, Edale are keen to expand the brand within the UK; with the introduction of the next generation FL-3 label and flexible packaging press they see this as the perfect machine to break further into the UK market, and North Print & Pack being the perfect venue to cement this.     The Edale FL-3 label and packaging press   Edale’s Managing Director, James Boughton, says “As UK manufacturers of flexo printing presses and converting equipment, it is important for Edale to support UK based events. We view North Print & Pack 2013 not only as a place to meet potential customers but also as a base to meet up with current customers, suppliers and industry friends”. Edale’s objective for the show is to continue sharing the companies’ key messages of being a h

Printpack, Inc. of Villa Rica, a packaging conversion company, has announced a $66 million expansion of its local facilities and the addition of 20 new jobs. “We currently have four separate facilities on the Villa Rica campus,” said Michael Verbeten, Printpack vice president of supply chain. “We’ll be adding a 46,000-square-foot addition, along with recapitalization of all our current equipment within that facility.” Verbeten said the expansion would also help retain 20 jobs in Villa Rica, jobs which would have been moved to another location without the addition. He said the new positions are primarily production jobs.   http://www.printpack.com

As the Czech market for paint is dominated by round and oval pails, paint producer Kittfort chose a rectangular container for the launch of a new interior paint. The colours are great - both on the inside and the outside of the packaging solution.     Kittfort  knows that to get the customers’ attention it is essential to be different from the rest. CEO at Kittfort, Daniel Doksanský, says: “We focus on quality – this is the best way, if not the only way – to beat our competition and to take in new customers. Packaging is part of the quality aspect and helps to stand out. So when we recently started to produce interior paint under the brand name COLORLINE, we decided to launch it in a rectangular pail SuperCube from RPC Superfos. The shape of the pail is new to us and our customers.” Bright and colourful through IML The interior paint COLORLINE has good opacity, abrasion resistance and is easy to work with. These qualities make the paint and the pail a perfectly matchin

Leading narrow web press manufacturer Mark Andy will be hosting an Open House at its UK showroom and demonstration facility in Macclesfield in April.  The one-day programme, which will repeat over the 4-day event, will showcase the latest technologies to label and packaging converters from across Europe.  Some of the top features will be the latest in UV LED curing with ProLED, combination decorating with high-end flexo printing, inline converting, and entry-level digital print. On working display will be two of the company’s Performance Series machines – the fastest selling, innovation award winning press, with more than 200 installed since 2009.  A P5 eight-colour 430mm UV-flexo press will be fitted with Mark Andy’s new QCDC (Quick Change Die Cut) system that is easy and ergonomic to use.  QCDC reinvents the entire die cut workflow, allowing the operator to set up a new die offline, and use an efficient cart to change over without a hoist.  It will be demonstrating high-end lab

AWA Alexander Watson Associates and easyFairs are co-operating to provide visitors to packaging tradeshow EMPACK 2013, March 27-28, 's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, with a holistic insight into the world of labels , labeling technologies, and related innovations. The AWA DecTec™ Europe Labeling & Package Decorating Technologies Seminar 2013 takes place on Wednesday March 27 during EMPACK 2013. Reviewing label markets and assessing labeling technologies The program provides seminar delegates with the opportunity to increase and update their knowledge of labeling markets and decoration technologies -- in only six hours. Dr William Llewellyn, Vice President and Senior Consultant at AWA Alexander Watson Associates, will open the seminar with an overview of the labeling and decoration markets, looking at market shares and volumes by geography, market segment, technology, and end-use application. A comparison of the main labeling technologies -- pressure-sensitive, in-m

Key decision makers from across Europe learned how Kodak’s combination of continually evolving technology and knowledgeable expertise could help them identify a clearer path to profitability at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2013 in Lucerne last week. “What was important about this vibrant event for us was the ability to have so many interesting and engaging conversations with current and potential customers and decision-makers,” comments Philip Cullimore, Managing Director, Consumer and Commercial businesses EAMER and Chairman Eastman Kodak Sarl. “We know how rapidly our portfolio of solutions has expanded and evolved in the past year to 18 months and it is very exciting to be able to discuss this with the businesses they have been designed to help.” The next step in the evolution of the KODAK PROSPER Press Platform was announced at the show- the KODAK PROSPER 5000XLi Press, upgradable from the 5000XL Press. It features Kodak’s new Intelligent Print System (IPS) that monitors output qua

More versatile design, more flexible material selection and management. And that’s not all: outstanding efficiency levels can reduce both machine costs and material costs by up to 20%! This, then, is the new Formsleeve+ labelling machine, the latest Sacmi Labelling ‘creation’, soon to be presented at the Open Day to be held at Sacmi on 13th March 2013 . Using laser or solvent technology, this innovative new machine uses roll-fed film to make sleeves with a heat-shrink percentage on a par with current best standards . The event is aimed at an audience of specially selected visitors who will have the opportunity to visit the Sacmi factory and the R&D lab where the innovations that have made the company the leading technology supplier to the ceramic, plastic and packaging industries are created. The latter is a sector in which Sacmi has, in recent years, invested heavily, focussing not just on technological innovation but also on the organisational side by uniting the vari

The one hundred-year-old Italian company, renowned for “inventing” morello cherry coulis and fruit syrups and committed to positioning the Italian confectionery industry across the world, once again chose the all-Italian technology of P.E. LABELLERS labelling machines for its production lines. They were supplied with five machines over the last two years, three of which are self-adhesive labelling machines featuring a non-stop system. Fabbri 1905 is a company with 17 product ranges and 23 packaging lines; it is a family-run holding that distributes its products divided into four different markets in 100 countries worldwide: mass-market syrup, professional syrup, semi-finished products for the high-end confectionery market and semi-finished products for the food industry. The quality of the company's products goes hand in hand with a “global” philosophy that draws inspiration from the slogan “think globally, act locally”. In fact, there are eight associated companies managi

iSys Label announced the release of their new variable data software, iSys Variable Data Printing (iVDP) Version 2.2.0.0, a full featured easy-to-use software package that was developed exclusively for the company’s short to mid run digital label printers, the APEX 1290 and EDGE 850.   Compatible with iSys2Print label software programs, iVDP provides the user the ability to combine static and dynamic content to create varying multi-graphic labels containing variable text, images and barcodes. iVDP layouts can be easily set up and configured to run variable portions in both horizontal and vertical dataset formats enabling the user to quickly create highly-targeted, professional designs. Included with iVDP is our innovative pre-adjust color registration app and memory management system. This means that even large jobs that exceed the capacity of the printer will run without data loss making every label job perfect. Mark Hopkins, President of iSys Label adds “With the addition of

FINAT, the world-wide association for the self-adhesive labels and related products, introduces the entry and participation details of its annual international labelling competition and the programme of its congress. On the occasion of its 55 th birthday, FINAT is joining forces with the German national label association VskE to host this European label industry’s annual leadership congress. The congress will take place in the Westin Grand Hotel in Munich, Germany from 12-15 June 2013. FINAT also reveals the winner of the congress logo contest of this year's edition. The FINAT/VskE congress provides not only the perfect place for delegates to meet and network with peers, but offers also the opportunity to collect input for the development and implementation of their future business strategies. Both members and non-members are welcome to attend and become inspired. Congress 2013 Theme: 'Label Your Future' The organising committee responsible for the preparation of thi

Registration is now open as Label Summit Latin America 2013 returns to address the key issues facing the region’s label and package printing converters. Being held at the Hotel Transamérica in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the two day table-top exhibition and conference will run between 14 – 15 May. Aimed at printers, brand owners and designers, the event promises to showcase the products and services of approximately 50 leading international and domestic industry suppliers with confirmed exhibitors including: UPM Raflatac, BASF, Comprint Ind e Com de Mat Graf Ltda, Durst, Flint, Frimpeks, Gallus, Mark Andy, MPS, Oji Papeis, Wacker Quimiea do Brasil Ltda and Xeikon. The keynote presentation will include a summary of global trends, highlight the main challenges facing converters and also anticipate future trends and will be given by Maurício Médici, general manager of UPM Raflatac Brazil. The full conference program is set to be announced shortly. Tasha Ventimiglia, event director for L

On 6 February, the Belgium postal service ‘bpost’ announced a series of five innovative postage stamps carrying both the smell and taste of chocolate. A limited edition of stamp sheets will be issued on 25 March to honour the different forms of the world famous Belgian chocolate.   The stamps are printed on UPM Raflatac’s Tropimatic Chocolate paper. The scent of chocolate comes from an aroma which has been added to the printing inks, and the taste of dark chocolate is based on cocoa oil released from the gummed adhesive layer when the stamp is licked.   According to Mr Pierre Leempoel , Director of printing at bpost, “These are the first stamps in the world that have a taste in addition to scent. They are the result of close cooperation with partners from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and UPM Raflatac in Switzerland.” www.upmraflatac.com

The characteristics of specialty papers and paperboards are today valued not only for their aesthetic and functional qualities, but also today for their intrinsic sustainability. A new, in-depth market study from AWA Alexander Watson Associates, Specialty Papers & Paperboards Global Sourcebook 2013, sets these diverse products in the context of their geographical and end-use markets; their physical properties; and coating and conversion -- to provide a thorough source of reference for specialty paper producers and their customers worldwide.   Opportunities and threats Competing today in may arenas with plastics, specialty papers and boards are nevertheless able to replicate plastic’s properties – notably in the production of such products as stretchable papers for molding food containers; water-resistant papers for digital print; and recyclable papers for concrete molding or shuttering. Overall, in the three key markets – packaging and labeling, building and construction,

Print-Leeds, the specialist label, plastics and digital printing house has rebranded and launched a new website as part of its continued expansion plans, which have included the acquisition of S&C Labels. Almost a year ago, Managing Director Rod Fisher acquired the label printing business, S&C Labels, which was based in Huddersfield.  Over the Christmas period the label division moved to Leeds and the rebranding and new website is part of the merging of the two businesses. “We’re investing in our future – a wet glue label division, a new B1 Heidelberg press and a CtP (Computer to Plate) system and an extension to our headquarters in Leeds, doubling the amount of floor space.  The rebranding exercise was essential to give us a clean, modern look and bring together the three printing divisions – labels, plastics and digital – under the one name, Print-Leeds.” The investment in new machinery makes Print-Leeds one of the most technically advanced label printers in the UK a

Axon, powered by Pro Mach, has supplied Avon Cosmetics, S de R.L. de C.V., Celaya, Mexico, with an innovative shrink sleeve labeling solution for lipstick, mascara, and eyeliner. “The quality of the label in terms of appearance and consistent application is superior to what we were able to do with our previous process,” said Alonso Esquivias, Latin America Project Engineer at Avon. “Furthermore, compared to other equipment, the Axon applicator delivers higher efficiency at lower overall cost. The new system also gave us the opportunity to automate the sleeve application process for lipsticks.” Axon supplied Avon with a complete solution – an EZ-100H horizontal shrink sleeve label applicator, an Axon hot air tunnel, and an integrated roller conveyor. The unique EZ-100H accurately applies shrink sleeve labels to small, unstable cylindrical products, such as lipsticks and pencils that are not easily conveyed standing on end. The integrated roller conveyor rotates the cylindrical pr

Digital printing in the book market is growing rapidly as publishers find more opportunities in the areas of short runs, out-of-print books, textbook revisions, and others. Book printers rely on lighter weight matte papers for their applications, and need to know that the paper will perform as expected in the production process. Kodak has added NewPage TrueJet® Book paper to the PROSPER Paper Rating Program, awarding it a 4 Diamond Rating. This paper joins others on a growing list of commercial print and book media that have been certified as part of the program, giving printers more options. “This is the second line of NewPage paper we have optimized for the PROSPER Press Platform, and the extension of TrueJet into book printing grades will create new growth opportunities for us,” said Steven J. DeVoe, Vice President of Marketing for NewPage. “TrueJet Book paper is based on our patent-pending TrueJet design, so it offers outstanding dimensional stability and performance for a w

The Label Printers has just introduced a program that fits the goals of their “Go Green, Save Green, and Earn Green” sustainability program, and at the same time, provides much-needed teaching materials support to local school districts. The company invited teachers from nearby USD 129 (principally West Aurora, IL) to come to their plant and choose from any of the available materials that The Label Printers could not use in manufacturing (such as cores, label stock and laminates, oversize papers, and miscellaneous office supplies). Chief of Operations Lori Campbell suggested the idea to the “Sustainability Team” after a visit to a supplier’s facility. She says, “I got the inspiration from FLEXcon during a plant tour.  I mentioned it to George [Tommasi – team leader] upon my return and thought we should be able to offer something along the same lines...next thing I knew we had an Open House!” Tommasi explained, “The Take Stock for Education program offers a variety of materials, 

Kodak has entered into a referral agreement with Arrow Electronics*, a leading supply channel provider of electronic components and computing solutions and Premier Dell OEM partner. The agreement gives Kodak customers easy access to Arrow’s expertise in enterprise computing and storage solutions, enhancing the performance of KODAK Unified Workflow Solutions . Featuring high-performance Dell OEM solutions, Arrow’s portfolio will meet the needs of the most demanding print production environments. By working with Arrow to supply computing and storage resources, Kodak is able to focus on its core competency of developing workflow software and solutions, and can ensure seamless integration for a wide variety of applications. “Our customers’ print businesses are built on data and the ability to leverage that data to deliver high-impact communications,” explained Jon Bracken, Kodak’s General Manager of Unified Workflow Solutions. “They need very robust computing and storage solutions, not

This week at WestPack 2013 (Feb. 12-14) in Anaheim, CA, Allen Datagraph Systems Inc. (ADSI) is introducing its new iTech AXXIS HS Digital Label System, a complete digital solution built to print and finish labels for label convertors and brand owners of all sizes. The system offers a significant increase in speed from ADSI’s original iTech AXXIS Digital Label System. The iTech AXXIS HS Digital Label System, designed and manufactured in the US, is comprised of both the iTech AXXIS HS Digital Label Printer, a high-resolution roll-fed CMYK print engine featuring LED toner technology, and the iTech AXXIS HS Digital Label Finisher that laminates, integrates die-less diecutting, and then strips, slits and rewinds to finished rolls of labels. "We have been very successful selling the tabletop iTech AXXIS Digital Label System, but our customers have also expressed interest in a faster version. The iTech AXXIS HS Digital Label System is ADSI’s answer for our customers who appreciated

Checkpoint Systems, Inc . today announced a new enhanced performance (EP) anti-theft EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) food label for supermarkets that is certified to be microwave safe. The 4010 EP Food Label was designed specifically to protect fresh and frozen supermarket food.  It has been certified as microwave safe and non-flammable by TUV Rheinland, an international service group that provides manufacturers with assessment and certification services to ensure product safety. Extensive TUV testing revealed EAS labels from other manufacturers sometimes showed browning around the edges and in some cases even caught fire when placed in a microwave oven, making the food potentially unsafe for consumers. Checkpoint’s 4010 EP Food Label passed all TUV tests without incident. Protecting supermarket food items from theft, especially fresh and frozen meat, poultry and seafood, is more important than ever . According to the last Global Retail Theft Barometer , shrink rates for

A great token of trust and satisfaction on the part of one of Thailand's largest producers of sauces. Founded in 1947, Yan Wal Yun was the first company to receive, in the '80s, the Thai Industrial Standard award in the soy sauces category; this award has granted worldwide recognition of the quality of its products. The company has considerably expanded in the late 90's and the new establishments have enabled them to be known as one of the most advanced industries in the production of soy sauce. The top of YWY range is available in many variants of sauces to suit every taste: from the oyster sauce to the hot ones, from the sweet and sour sauces to the spicy ones and many more. An important P.E. LABELLERS customer since 1991, the company has added two new labelling machines to their bottling lines in 2012 and three in 2011, for a total of eight installations in its factories, all with cold glue technology.   www.pelabellers.com

Xeikon NV has  announced today that TOPP Digital Label Solutions , a Xeikon 3050 customer in Miami, FL, has received G7 certification from the IDEAlliance .  G7 certification means that TOPP’s print personnel are experts, trained in the field of color management, process and quality control for proofing and printing equipment. TOPP is more than a name to the Florida-based printing company, it’s an aspiration.  The company prides itself on providing a combination of value, technology and education to its customers, acting like a business partner with an expertise in labels rather than a vendor.  Xeikon has been a valuable partner for TOPP as the company serves a wide variety of customer needs.  Its Xeikon 3050 press enables the company to provide variable QR codes, security enhancements, eco-friendly toner, and the ability to incorporate RFID features. “Yes, we produce great labels, but we’re just as focused on providing business value.  And Value means quality, consistency and bran

First demonstration of high-level digital label presses and UV-Setters in Africa . Xeikon, an innovator in digital color printing, announced today that it will be showing the Xeikon 3030 in a roll to roll configuration at Propak Africa 2013. This will be the first demonstration of one of its Xeikon 3000 Series presses at a major industry event in Africa. Furthermore the basysPrint 865x UV-Setter with increased flexibility will be demonstrated at the show. The equipment will be shown at the booth of Thunderbolt, in Hall 7 stand A14. Thunderbolt is Xeikon’s Southern African dealer for its Xeikon and basysPrint product portfolios. Propak Africa 2013 will be held from March 12 to 15 at the Expo Centre, Nasrec, Johannesburg, South Africa.     The Xeikon 3030 is the entry level press of the Xeikon 3000 Series that consists of five different digital presses designed for the label and packaging market, differing in speed and printing width capability. Along with the other Xeikon 30

Constantia Flexibles Group, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, has signed a deal to acquire Spear Group – one of the leading manufacturers of labels globally. Thomas Unger, CEO of Constantia Flexibles, “We will be able to serve our customers even better together with Spear, a leading beverage labels business with a highly attractive, global, blue-chip customer base. The Group’s outstanding technological capabilities present many opportunities for continued profitable growth. We look forward to partnering with Spear’s excellent management team to capture the benefits from combining our businesses.” Spear has been the world’s leading innovator and supplier of pressure sensitive labels for the beverage industry since 1982. The company has sales of approximately US$ 195 million with 650 employees located at four facilities in North America, one site in Europe (Wales/UK), one site in South Africa and a sales office in Singapore.  Additionally, Spear has an increasingly growing

Two back-to-back events focussed on leading-edge packaging technologies hosted by AWA Conferences & Events. AWA Conferences & Events’ established International Sleeve Label Conference & Exhibition 2013, alternating between Europe and North America, will this year be held on 18-19 April in Amsterdam Airport’s Park Plaza Hotel, and offers a full one-and-a-half-day program spanning all aspects of this increasingly-popular topic. Both stretch and shrink sleeves will be considered, with expert speaker presentations covering, among other subjects, product branding and marketing, sleeve label design, pricing issues at both ends of the value chain, material selection, pre-press, inks, converting, and seaming. The conference is moderated by Dr William Llewellyn, Vice President and Senior Consultant for AWA Alexander Watson Associates, who will also present an overview of quantitative market data gained from the company’s extensive research in the field.   Partnered with a co