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Showing posts from January, 2014

AWA’s Linerless Label Technology: an all-round briefing

All interested in linerless labels across the value chain can benefit from an expert one-day event, the AWA Linerless Label Seminar 2014, scheduled to take place at Amsterdam’s Park Plaza Hotel Amsterdam Airport on March 19th. It is the first stand-alone event devoted to linerless label use and technology, which is currently experiencing a resurgence of interest from end users in the light of a continuing focus on lowering packaging costs and reducing waste, as well as significant recent technological advances. Material, technology and machinery developments are brought together in an up-to-the-minute briefing on the linerless labeling platform in a broad range of applications. Full details of the program are available via the AWA Alexander Watson Associates website, www.awa-bv.com , where it is also possible to register online. The event is being held – along with a separate seminar on silicone technology – in parallel with AWA’s annual Global Release Liner Industry Conference 20

Nordvalls at full speed in Germany

Almost a year after Nordvalls entered the German market, it looks like it was a successful move. Production has been consolidated, new customers have come on board and the sales figures are heading in the right direction. "When we bought NN Etiketten's backlog of orders a year ago, we knew there was an opening for us on the important German market", says CEO Patrik Jenemark. Head of Sales, Norbert Schwick, who is based in the country, has, during this time, succeeded in ensuring trust among existing customers towards Nordvalls plus he has brought in some new ones. Nordvalls in Sweden has moved production to the units in Kungälv and Sjöbo. At the same time, customer support in Sjöbo has been expanded with a German-speaking Indoor Salesman and the marketing material is now available in German. "I believe we've managed the trust aspect well", adds Patrik Jenemark. All the figures are pointing in the right direction and we've laid the foundation for f

FINAT Technical Seminar 2014

Following the last three highly successful seminars, which each attracted around 200 attendees, FINAT, the international association for the self-adhesive labelling industry, will again return to Barcelona this year for its biennial technical seminar. It will take place at the Fira Palace Hotel from 5-7 March 2014. The detailed programme of this year's edition has been released and registration is open. Redesigning the Label "In today's changing world, the self-adhesive label industry is constantly evolving," says Kurt Walker, President at FINAT. "During the Technical Seminar we'll share with the industry the state of the art today and the latest developments in self-adhesive technology that will help redesign the labels of the future." Thus with central theme 'Redesigning the Label', this one-and-a-half day seminar, with simultaneous translation into French, German and Spanish, is aimed at all levels of the technical community, fr

New Esko Store for bits, blades and parts opened

Reinforcing its leadership position and as the first in the sign and display industry, Esko announces the opening of its unique online store with intelligent storefront that simplifies the bits, blades and underlays purchasing for users of Kongsberg cutting tables and the consumables purchasing for CDI flexo platesetters. Esko Store, currently available in English, is located at www.esko.com/store and is publicly available for new and existing Esko customers around the world.   “Come shop with us!” says Christian Korte, Esko Senior Vice President Sales, “Our intelligent storefront features a state-of-the-art shopping experience that makes it easy to find the right bits, blades and underlays quickly and easily. This is a unique capability among digital cutting table suppliers, again demonstrating Esko’s leadership in this field. Visitors to the store will find not only the best materials, but also the best know-how, service and shopping experience.” Choosing the right cutting

Kodak Investment Helps Westdale Press Step Up Efficient Operation

Improved speed and operational efficiency as well as the ability to enable two departments to oversee smoother workflow prompted Westdale Press to invest in a number of solutions from Kodak. The Cardiff business is currently completing the installation of a KODAK MAGNUS Q800 Platesetter , KODAK PRINERGY Workflow System , KODAK INSITE Prepress Portal and KODAK COLORFLOW Software . The £19m turnover litho operation with 140 employees runs two sheetfed Heidelberg XL perfectors and a Heidelberg M600 web press. It produces a wide range of material from report and accounts and journals to catalogues and books, for large UK retailers and department stores. “The decision to invest in the KODAK Systems was part of a long overdue upgrade of our prepress and repro facility,” comments Managing Director Alan Padbury. “A big driver was to introduce decent online proofing capabilities via KODAK PRINERGY Workflow System and KODAK INSITE Prepress Portal. So many clients now do not see a hard cop

Labels Unlimited Purchases Xeikon 3030 Digital Color Press

Xeikon NV, has sold and installed to  Labels Unlimited a Xeikon 3030 digital color press to support its growing business in pressure sensitive labels, tags, film, laser sheets and other types of packaging. Canadian printer Labels Unlimited has been in business since 1985 and their label and packaging customers run the gamut from the food and beverage industry, to hospitals and even into semi-pharmaceutical businesses.  The company was searching for a press solution that would enable them to serve the needs of these industries.  As General Manager Larry Chartrand says, “Virtually everything we do is custom.  What do you want?  We’ll make it.” Short runs and specific customer needs led them to choose a Xeikon 3030 press. Labels Unlimited needed the capability to produce labels of various shapes and sizes, using temporary or permanent adhesives and other variables.  The Xeikon 3030 gives them the capabilities they needed, along with excellent training resources and customer support,

Jeff Kerlin Named President and COO of Tailored Label Products

Tailored Label Products, Inc. (TLP), manufacturer of high-performance labels, tags, and die-cut adhesives, announced today the promotion of Jeff Kerlin to President and COO. Kerlin has been a nine-year member of the TLP executive management team and most recently became a part of the ownership group.   Given Kerlin’s strong leadership and industry experience, he will be responsible for the day-to-day management of TLP, overseeing execution of all go to market and operational activities … ultimately enhancing the TLP brand and services... Source: Tailored Label Products Inc.

Schreiner ProTech to showcase RFID-Long-Range labels for application to metal at LogiMAT 2014

From February 25 to 27, 2014, Schreiner ProTech will be showcasing the latest RFID labels for application to metallic and conductive substrates at LogiMAT 2014 in Stuttgart. The labels enable end-to-end data acquisition on metal containers, ESD boxes and other large metal components across the supply chain. Easy on-site thermal printing and programming, and fast self-adhesive application make it possible to equip inventory items with RFID tags in an automatic, low-cost process. Another highlight at the Schreiner ProTech booth: the new NFC nameplate label for maintenance and service jobs. ((rfid))-DistaFerr ESD: optimum reading range on ESD materials Conventional RFID labels deliver poor reading results on ESD containers and ESD workpiece carriers in manufacturing operations. Due to its special composition the ((rfid))-DistaFerr ESD label – even in very small sizes of 48 x 23 mm and 69 x 15 mm and a thickness of 1.5 mm – delivers a long read range despite the presence of conduct

PE’s COLD-GLUE LABELLING MACHINES IN THE “SEA OF PEARLS”

Lee Kum Kee is a prestigious Chinese company founded by Lee Kum Seung. Due to a minor distraction while cooking oysters, he discovered the reno wned oyster sauce, which today is an essential seasoning used in Cantonese and southern Chinese cuisine, as well as being the main ingredient in a number of Chinese dishes.   Today, the company's production includes more than 300 varieties of sauces and seasonings whose distribution is not just limited to China, but extends to 100 countries in five continents. The company consists of five establishments worldwide: two in China and the remaining ones in Hong Kong, California and Malaysia. Being a loyal P.E. LABELLERS customer since 2004, Lee Kum Kee confirmed his trust in us in 2012 by purchasing the fifth cold-glue labelling machine for the range of sauces and seasonings in cylindrical glass bottles with a production speed of 14,000 bph. The rotary labelling machine supplied is suitable to apply long cold-glue wraparound labels wit

Colordyne announces new Industrial Class products and software

Consistent with Colordyne Technologies' (CDT) efforts of offering the industry's best end-to-end color printing solution featuring its Industrial Class products, CDT is pleased to announce several new products and software upgrades. Colordyne Label Designer Pro   CDT will now provide a copy of the Colordyne Label Designer Pro with each registered Industrial Class Printer Package at no additional cost. The Industrial Class printers include the CDT 1600-C Continuous Roll Digital Color Printer and the CDT 1600-S Sheet Fed Digital Color Printer. The purpose of providing the Label Designer Pro is to ensure that end users have an efficient and simple way to incorporate variable data into any color enhanced barcode product or shipping label. It is CDT's hope that the Colordyne Label Designer Pro will greatly simplify the use and support of its product today and in the future. Wasatch SoftRIP Update   Up until now, an end user who needed to manage specific colors on his

RAKO Witzhave purchases a Gallus ECS 340

By purchasing a Gallus ECS 340, RAKO ETIKETTEN GmbH & Co. KG in Witzhave, headquarters of the international RAKO GROUP, has made a profitable investment. The Gallus press – which is equipped with ten flexographic printing stations, one screen printing station and one cold foil unit for finishing – was successfully added to the company’s existing 26 presses last October. Since its successful commissioning, the Gallus ECS 340 has been used mainly to produce adhesive labels. Holger Schoer, production manager at the company, which has a 650-strong workforce, is in no doubt about what made all the difference to the purchasing decision: “Efficient production operations are one of the key prerequisites for cost-effective and competitive adhesive label manufacturing. At just 1.1 metres between printing units, the extremely short web path of the Gallus ECS 340 has enabled us to reduce our waste dramatically. Minimal setup times and the robust press design ensure excellent reliability and

Middleton Printing Installs Epson SurePress

Epson America, Inc. has announced that Middleton Printing , a Michigan-based family-owned label printing company, installed the Epson® SurePress® L-4033AW label press to provide its manufacturing, publishing, retail, political, and food industry customers with high quality labels. Middleton Printing purchased the inkjet digital label press to expand from its flexographic production services. “The SurePress seemed like the right technology to shift most of our flexographic production to digital. After doing much research, looking at competitors and comparing print samples, we were convinced that Epson and the SurePress were the right fit for Middleton Printing,” said Steve Middleton, president, Middleton Printing. “What set the SurePress apart from competitors was its reasonable price, reliable performance and world class quality. It truly was a positive experience when the actual use of the digital press exceeded my expectations. After installation, I also found Epson’s support to b

Systems Labelling develop a first class finish to aid South African product launch.

Systems Labelling has successfully developed a unique “brushed metal” lustre for a major South African supermarket own label launch. The “Vit” flavoured water range includes 4 variants which display an eye-catching metallised label design. The “brushed metal” finish has been achieved by sharing technical knowledge from both the South African design agency and the Deeside based technical team from Systems Labelling. Spokesman Paul Byard commented “We pride ourselves on our positive approach to NPD, working with customers to deliver the best result from the combination of standard materials, inks and varnishes.” Commercial Manager Michael Cairns from the Irish beverage supplier Kilkenny Nutritional adds “By working collaboratively Systems Labelling have achieved a premium finish that has enhanced the product offer. We all know the importance of shelf stand-out and the practical requirements of packaging. In this case Systems Labelling have delivered on both counts.” The finish is

FLEXcon Provides Labeling Materials for Standard Register’s Online Ordering Portal

FLEXcon , an innovator in adhesive coating and laminating, today announced it has been selected by Standard Register to provide materials for its unique On-Demand Labeling Solution. Using FLEXcon’s labeling materials, Standard Register has created the only online portal for customers to order durable labels that meet compliance regulations, including UL/CUL recognition, regardless of volume. Printing labels through Standard Register’s digitally produced On-Demand Labeling Solution offers efficient production and delivery of high complexity, low-to-moderate volume labels. Combined with a streamlined ordering process, low volume manufacturing and agency compliance expertise, Standard Register’s On-Demand Labeling Solution allows for “Just In Time (JIT)” delivery to optimize consumer operations. Previously, customers could only receive this level of customization and production for high volume quantities. This process eliminates the bottlenecks and high costs associated with storage an

Kingfisher Labels invest in another Edale machine

Kingfisher Labels have recently purchased another Edale flexo press for their production facility based in Yate, North Bristol. Edale have had a long standing relationship with Kingfisher Labels since they installed their first machine in 2001 and this most recent addition of an FL-1 flexographic press brings their total number of Edale machines up to four. UK based and family owned Kingfisher Labels have over 40 years of knowledge and experience specialising in the manufacturing of plain and printed labels. This purchase has allowed them to streamline their production process, supporting the company’s lean initiatives.   The award winning FL-1 is Edale’s compact flexographic printing press, capable of converting a wide variety of labels and ticketing substrates. Boasting a short web path it has a compact design of 2.5m2 , offers quick job change through ease of access and is available with an extensive range of options. Martin Jackson, Director of Kingfisher Labels, advises

EFI AND LANDA FORM STRATEGIC ALLIANCE

EFI ™  and Landa Corporation have entered into a partnership agreement for the development of a digital front end (DFE) as part of Landa’s end-to-end Nanographic Printing™ solution. Landa’s new DFE will employ high-performance, EFI-developed Fiery® technology. With this technology, the Landa DFE will offer unique, new functionality for sheetfed and webfed Landa Nanographic Printing™ Presses in the commercial, folding carton, point-of-sale, publishing, and flexible packaging markets. Guy Gecht, CEO of EFI and Benny Landa, Chairman and CEO of Landa Corporation conclude their strategic agreement for Landa’s new high-performance DFE powered by EFI Fiery® technology. The Landa DFE will stream jobs at full printing speed for 4-8 color printing with Landa Nanographic Printing presses and will enable press operators to perform last-minute job changes on the press, to proof jobs and to print rush jobs on-the-fly. In addition, it will collect production feedback from the presses and suppo

Ninth annual Packaging and Converting Executive Forum to feature visionary speakers

Arena International is putting the final touches on the Packaging and Converting Executive (PACE) Forum, scheduled for 12 – 14 February 2014 in Brussels. Topping the agenda are visionary keynote speakers and the opportunity for senior decision makers from the world’s leading FMCG manufacturers to interact with each other and with industry experts to come away with actionable ideas that can be put to work immediately. “We are excited to bring exceptionally high quality speaker and content to this important event,” said Mihaela Biti, Head of Conference Programme of Arena International. “Our keynote speakers and conference content are shaping up to be the best ever in our nine-year history.” Keynote presentations include: Marta Pazos, Decorative Finishes & Materials Senior Scientist, Procter & Gamble, who will discuss low volume/high margin product packaging development and will share insights into exclusive processes and design features. Arno Melchior, Global Packag

ROTOCONTROL/LeoMat Expands Sales Team

ROTOCONTROL has announced the appointment of Alexander Siegmund as Assistant Sales Manager, reporting to Marco Aengenvoort, Managing Director. This new role will focus on supporting the ROTOCONTROL/LeoMat world-wide agent network and customer inquiries, as a result of a number of new assigned agents and growth in sales in the last year. Alexander earned a bachelor degree in business management from the West Coast University of Applied Sciences in Heide, Germany and joins the ROTOCONTROL/LeoMat team of over 30 employees in Trittau at company headquarters. He is the first point of contact for the ROTOCONTROL/LeoMat world-wide agent network. Alexander Siegmund Agents that added the ROTOCONTROL/LeoMat line to their portfolio over the last year include Wink Danmark A/S in Denmark, CGS in Malaysia, Northern Graphic Solutions in Canada, Itraco in Russia, Imp. Exp. Enric Pont S.L.in Spain, Media Technology Japan Co. Ltd. in Japan, MPS Systems UK in the United Kingdom and Lirmaprint in

Marking the FINAT 2014 Labelling Agenda

FINAT, the international association for the self-adhesive label industry announces its 2014 labelling events. Learning and networking are key aspects of the industry and greatly valued by its members. A number of important gatherings is being organized this year again. The programme gives members the opportunity to meet with peers, clients, press and other industry related contacts, get informed and exchange information. A fully packed agenda 2014 Technical Seminar, 5-7 March 2014, Barcelona, Spain: ‘ Redesigning the label ’. This will include reviewing the current technology and market for self-adhesive labels, as well as the latest trends regarding raw materials, label construction, printing, converting and applications for self-adhesive labels. The one-and-a-half day seminar, with simultaneous translation into French, German and Spanish, is aimed at all levels of the technical community, from research and development to production to technical directors and executives. Atte

Harper Corporation of America Now Servicing Europe from United States

It has been over one year since global anilox roll supplier Harper Corporation of America and Inometa GmbH, Harper's former European licensee, mutually decided to discontinue their partnership. Harper Corporation of America now processes all European orders directly from our corporate headquarters, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Harper Corporation assures its European customers that the recent change in manufacturing locations will not interfere with the quality of service that they receive. The company is dedicated to continuing to provide leading innovation and support within the flexographic industry. In addition to our high-quality anilox rolls, Harper Corporation now offers Plate Sleeves and Bridge Sleeves (adapters) from our newly formed HEX Division (Harper Echo Xcessories). This new division has allowed the Harper Team to introduce this new line of sleeve products, thereby truly becoming the one-stop shop for anilox rolls, sleeves, and press supplies for printing com

Sacmi labels for the Korean “national drink”

New OPERA 300CG 24T supplied to Korean firm Jeju Chensoo, a major distiller of the celebrated Soju liquor. A Made-in-Sacmi label to “dress” that most celebrated and widely appreciated of national Korean drinks, Soju liquor. The new labelling will be applied by Jeju Chensoo, one of the drink’s main producers and the recent purchaser of a brand new 24-ton OPERA 300CG from Sacmi Verona. The drink has centuries of tradition behind it. It’s said that its first distillers were the Mongol invaders who reached Korea in the 13th century. Today Soju is sold all over the world. For Sacmi, this is a strategic partnership - in one of the world’s most dynamic, key economies - that provides further confirmation of the results of continuous investment in labelling technology, now acknowledged among the major global players as being synonymous with quality and reliability.

CCL INDUSTRIES acquires majority interest in Chilean venture

CCL Industries Inc.has  announced  that it has acquired an additional 12.5% interest in its Chilean wine label venture Acrus-CCL for US$1.2 million and now owns 62.5% of the equity. CCL’s partners, the Marinetti family, have a significant role in the venture so the business will continue to be treated on an equity accounting basis. In the first quarter of 2014, CCL and its partners plan to inject a further US$5 million into the venture providing capital to add capacity and broaden market scope in Chile while expanding into new territories in the Andean region. Geoffrey T. Martin, President & CEO of CCL Industries commented, “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Mitch Kendall and David Goodman. While they have now exited their shareholder position in Chile, they played an important role in one of our more successful start-up ventures in Emerging Markets.” Source: CCL Ind

KODAK SONORA XP Process Free Plates Deliver Sustainable Advantages to the Very Large Format and Packaging Segments

When Grafiche Esposti in Mantua (Italy) wanted to find a way to combine the colour fidelity and high-quality images required for its customers’ display stands with more sustainable print production processes, it turned to Kodak for its technical know-how. The result was an investment in the KODAK TRENDSETTER VLF Platesetter and KODAK SONORA XP Process Free Plates , in formats of up to two square metres (21.52 square feet) - a first in this sector. The plates eliminate processor costs and reduce environmental impact by removing the need for chemicals.   Giovanni Esposti, Marco Esposti and Silvano Finelli In 1979, Giovanni Esposti, who was already working in the field of photolithography, founded his own firm - called Fotostudio Esposti - to supply advertising and industrial photographic services to local, national and international companies, especially those producing toys. In 1981, encouraged by the success and loyalty of his customers, he founded Studio E, a successful com

Supply chain protection: logistics seals by Schreiner ProTech for variable marking and reliable authentication

Faked and pirated products, gray market trading and overproduction are increasingly putting brand owners under pressure. The logistics seals by Schreiner ProTech give manufacturers the chance to mark their products and spare parts for shipping and to additionally provide them with security features that prove the authenticity of the products, for instance with ShiftSecure, an innovative combination of color-shifting security inks and latent images that delivers a high level of counterfeiting protection.   Companies that fail to provide their products with adequate protection against product piracy along the value chain risk losing sales revenue, damage to the brand’s image and product liability lawsuits. The sample logistics seals demonstrate how variable marking can be efficiently combined with counterfeiting protection when shipping products and spare parts. Schreiner ProTech equips the logistics seals, which can subsequently be custom-printed for order-picking, with counterfei

KODAK Technology Helps Ellegi Trento and Italgrafica Sistemi Reduce their Environmental Impact

Ellegi Trento and Italgrafica Sistemi have taken further steps towards improving the sustainability of their print operations by investing in a KODAK TRENDSETTER Q400 Platesetter with Autoloader running KODAK SONORA XP Process Free Plates . It joins a KODAK FLEXCEL NX System using KODAK DITR (Direct Thermal Recording) Film. Ellegi Trento, based in Lavis in the province of Trento, and Italgrafica Sistem, based in Castelgomberto in the province of Vicenza, both belong to the Konig Print Group, which also includes: Konig Print Solutions, an importer and distributor of overprinting systems and labelling applications; NPS, the Group's commercial agency operating in Switzerland; and Studio Grafico Canteri, the Group’s preferred partner for the production of all kinds of labels.   Production of labels for the food and drinks industry is the core business of Ellegi Trento, which was acquired and successfully relaunched by Konig Print three years ago, and Italgrafica Sistemi. To a

Fort Dearborn Company Achieves BRC Certification

Fort Dearborn Company has announced that it has certified 6 of its 12 facilities to The British Retail Consortium (BRC) Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials set forth by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). The facilities receiving the certification include the Bowling Green, KY; Brunswick, GA; Fort Worth, TX; Leamington, ON; Niles, IL and Sparks, NV manufacturing locations. The certified facilities produce cut & stack, pressure sensitive, roll-fed and shrink sleeve labels. “Fort Dearborn decided to enhance each facility’s specific HACCP program to be based on food safety guidelines so that the program would meet the needs of our customers’ Safe Quality Food (SQF) and BRC certification requirements from the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA),” said Fort Dearborn’s Chief Operating Officer Bill Johnstone. “Achieving BRC certification confirms our ongoing customer commitment to producing safe, high quality labels for food and non-food use.” Developed by pac

Bertram Capital acquires Maxcess International

Bertram Capital has announced  its acquisition of Maxcess International Holding Corporation, a leading global provider of guiding, winding, slitting and tension control systems for web fed converting applications. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., Maxcess marks Bertram’s fifth transaction in the plastic processing industry and second investment in the web handling equipment industry following the 2012 acquisition of Webex, Inc. “Maxcess has established a world class brand and distinguished itself as a technology leader in the converting industry for a wide range of applications including paper, film, flexible packaging, non-wovens and metals,” said Kevin Yamashita, a Partner at Bertram Capital. “The union between Maxcess and Webex creates a company that is uniquely positioned for growth and unmatched in its combined product portfolios, design capabilities, manufacturing expertise and long standing customer relationships.” Greg Jehlik, CEO of Maxcess, commented, “We are thrill

1974 – 2014: P.E. LABELLERS CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF BUSINESS

This year P.E LABELLERS passed the milestone of 40 years of business. Over time, the company has evolved and grown, attaining a world leadership position in the exclusive production of automatic labelling machines, with a staff of almost 400 people. From the very beginning, the strategy adopted by P.E. LABELLERS has mainly been twofold: - To subdivide production into plants dedicated to various processes, to obtain a general high-level quality of the finished machines. - To be present in the international market as a "local supplier", thanks to a strong marketing strategy that includes manufacturing facilities in the United States, Brazil and Algeria as well as sales offices, including after-sales and spare parts services, in China, the UK and France. The enterprising spirit has remained unchanged over the years. The company's efforts, which in 2013 presented three new projects, testify to this, the last of which (the MAYA sleeve applicator), was presented at Sim

KODAK MAGNUS Q800 Platesetter Helps Chesapeake Maintain Quality

To maintain its high quality print production, Chesapeake’s Polish site in Bialystok has installed KODAK MAGNUS Q800 Platesetter exposing KODAK TRILLIAN SP Thermal Plates . The new solution at the operation, which also works with national and international brands as well as microprint-secured medicine packaging for leading pharmaceutical companies, has helped increase efficiency, production security and expand market opportunities. Continual expansion Chesapeake Bialystok is one of several printing sites in the Chesapeake group – a leading supplier of packaging, labels and commercial printing. Established during the era of political and economic change in Poland in the beginning of the 90’s, Chesapeake Bialystok’s former owner had a vision of a company delivering high quality products. Soon his offer was expanded with wet glue, highly processed labels that quickly became a dominant product on the Polish market for high percentage spirits.   The company then introduced IML