Labelling Blog

Fix-a-Form International has recently undergone some management changes. Alan Bonnett, General Manager for the engineering team has retired after 18 years of diligent service and dedicated contribution to the licensee network. Alan joined the team in 1996 having worked previously at a local incandescent lamp manufacturers as Chief Engineer. He has handed over the role to Derek Brown, a former Service and Project Manager for KBA. Derek has worked in the printing industry for over 30 years and is a qualified engineer by trade. Derek commented: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the Fix-a-Form team, especially at a time of significant growth in demand for on-pack information such as booklet labels.” Andrew Denny added: “It’s great to have Derek on-board. Alan leaves behind him a legacy of development. We feel very positive that the changes to our team will provide us with new ideas and opportunities to the benefit of the licensee network.” Submitted by: Fix-a-Form

Security logistics labels from Schreiner ProTech showcase the label industry's expertise in product authentication. FINAT, Europe’s international industry association for self-adhesive labels, is active in promoting the achievements of its members, many of whom are label converters, through its annual label competition, whose winning entries go forward for judging in the prestigious World Label Awards. Both competitions demonstrate the versatility, flexibility, and technical skills that print on to self-adhesive labelstock can deliver. One area where self-adhesive labels have, in recent years, proved particularly adept is in the creation of security labels to help brand owners to provide authentication data for their products, and foil the perpetrators of today’s huge global business in counterfeit goods and ‘grey market’ trading. The world’s biggest brand Global sales of fake goods are now estimated at $650bn per annum, making 'counterfeit’ the world’s biggest brand. As

The first ThermoFlexX imager in Greece has been installed by label and flexible packaging printer Forlabels. Forlabels operates from 3,500 sq m plant in Schimatari, Boeotia, near Athens, where it runs flexo, digital, thermal, cold-foil and screen printing equipment. In addition to comprehensive pre-press facilities the finishing department includes laminating and die-cutting plus a host of other processes for producing self-adhesive labels.   It has invested in a ThermoFlexX 48, which has a maximum plate size of 900 x 1,200mm that best suits the work produced at the site. Forlabels production and plant manager Vasilis Chatzichrysos said: ‘We decided on ThermoFlexX after extensively testing the functionality and output of its imagers. ‘We are in no doubt that ThermoFlexX models distinguish themselves from other flexo imagers by providing the highest output quality on the market. We were also greatly impressed by the productivity of the ThermoFlexX imager, which is unmatched

Clondalkin Group company Chadwicks has developed a high-impact packaging solution for a new household cleaning range from Jeyes. The recently launched household trigger spray range has been branded using a decorative shrink sleeve solution from Chadwicks which provides a 360 degree print area allowing for maximum shelf appeal and a distinctive finish. The 50 micron, polyester sleeves were printed using high definition screening producing a quality print finish on the new trigger spray range of cleaning products for the kitchen, bathroom and windows. Each of the premium trigger spays has a special feature allowing it to be used from any angle, 360 degree print on the sleeve and 360 degree spray on the bottle. Melanie Billows, Jeyes Brand Marketing Manager, said: “This was a high profile product launch for the company and so the quality of the finished job was essential.  Chadwicks listened to what we wanted, came up with a solution and produced a finished product that we’re pro

Steinhauser recently installed technology upgrades to their presses and finishing systems. Almost every piece of printing and finishing equipment in the facility was enhanced by newly installed systems, which brings their efficiency, waste reduction, and productivity to an all time high. Their HP Indigo WS6000 is now equipped with an HP In Line Priming Unit to reduce waste from offline coating processes and gain control of primer coat weight. Additionally, an AVT Helios II was installed to obtain 100% defect detection, PDF comparison, color monitoring, and roll mapping. Each of their Comco Proglide presses has also been outfitted with the AVT Helios II systems. To further increase efficiency and quality on these flexo presses, CC1 Apollo 2 systems were also installed. These systems assist in fully automating circumferential registration and constantly detect errors in lateral and circumferential registration.  Steinhauser’s CEI rewinders have also been upgraded to the AVT Work

The conference program for Label Summit Latin America 2014 is now available as registration opens for its 11th edition. The continent’s largest dedicated event, Label Summit Latin America has led the way in professional and commercial development for over a decade and will be held for the first time in Colombia at the InterContinental Hotel in Medellín, between 14-15 May. Consisting of 17 sessions, the two-day conference program will explore various topics surrounding industry trends, prepress, printing and finishing technologies and brand development, product design and positioning. Don Nolan, president, materials group, Avery Dennison will deliver the keynote presentation. His industry overview will take a look at new developments in printing and consider how technological developments offer future growth opportunities. The first day also includes Maria Alexandra Gruesso Sanchez, executive chairman of ANDIGRAF. She will analyze the Andean region’s label market and examine how to

Tarsus Group and E.J. Krause & Associates (EJK) are pleased to announce the latest addition to its portfolio of manufacturing events, Industrial Print Expo. Industrial Print Expo will be Mexico’s first tradeshow exclusively dedicated to industrial print within manufacturing. The 2015 event will be co-located with Expo Manufactura™, the most important business forum for the manufacturing industry in Mexico. Industrial Print Expo will bring together companies providing print solutions used in the manufacturing, assembly, marking, decoration and distribution of a wide range of electrical, mechanical and industrial machine products and components. The show floor will include the latest developments in inkjet technology and 3D printing as well as feature print technologies ranging from screen, hot stamping, laser and thermal transfer. Industrial printing is an area for innovation and growth, playing a greater role in the manufacturing sector. Currently, industrial print is being use

Fred C. Tinsey Named CEO of Green Bay, WI Printing and Packaging Printer/Converter. WS Packaging Group, Inc. has announced today that Fred C. Tinsey has been appointed CEO effective March 31, 2014. Tinsey, a former WS Packaging Director, joins the company from OE Quality Friction Corporation where he currently serves as Chairman, previously serving as CEO. From 1999 to 2005 was President of Murray's Discount Auto Stores. Earlier in his career he was a partner with the accounting firm Price Waterhouse and also served as VP at K-Mart Corporation. He is currently a Director of The Mattress Firm (NASDAQ : MFRM). "We are very pleased to have an individual with Fred's strong qualifications leading WS Packaging”, said WS Packaging Group Chairman, Art Byrne. “The company has a sustained history of growth due to its industry-leading innovations, strong customer focus, strategic capital investments, and lean-centered principles to work to deliver innovative, cost-effective solut

HuigHaverlag Printing has become the first printing company in The Netherlands to invest in a Jet Press 720 B2 sheet-fed inkjet press .  With a mixture of offset and digital presses, HuigHaverlag has always been at the forefront of implementing technologies that add value to their service offering, and the Jet Press 720 fitted perfectly with this ethos. HuigHaverlag Printing is a full service printing company based in Wormerveer just north of Amsterdam in The Netherlands. The company services many retail clients, and has a philosophy of innovation, with a clear vision of specialising in converting data into visual design, whatever the process of delivery.  At the top of their list of requirements was a digital press that could match offset in terms of quality, and allow the company to produce short run, promotional packs more efficiently. Chris Knip, director, explains: “We produce many promotional packs for our retail clients which are personalised to individual stores, and are co

Flint Group has appointed Dr. Eva Freudenthaler, Vice President Marketing and Technology Flexographic Products. At the same time, she became a member of the divisional leadership team for Flint Group Flexographic Products. After studying chemistry, Dr. Freudenthaler started her professional career in 1997, as R&D Manager at BASF Aktiengesellschaft. In 2003, she moved to the former BASF Printing Systems business and was initially in charge of the global Marketing Management and Controlling of the Printing Plates business unit. Since the formation of Flint Group, she has held various positions, including Vice President Marketing and Technology Flint Group Packaging and Narrow Web. Latterly, as Vice President Flint Group Strategic Development, she was involved in the development of the company’s strategy and its implementation into the different business units. With her excellent knowledge of products and industry, she will further promote the divisional innovation process. Dr. Fr

After a period of intensive selection Multipress finally decided in favour of the POLAR LabelSystem DC-11.  Founder and managing director Andrzej Rabenda comments: "I was convinced by the simple and fast job change on the DC-11. This makes our production not only very flexible, but also highly efficient. In addition, the system is extremely reliable." Andrzej Rabenda, Managing Director of Multipress (left) and Christian Steiner, Regional Sales Manager at POLAR, in front of a POLAR LabelSystem DC-11 Rabenda also sees substantial advantages in the integration of the cutting machine and the die cutter. The POLAR LabelSystem has a four-fold output compared with the manual production - and needs even fewer operators. Due to the large range of sizes, Multipress is now able to produce all its formats on this system. However, the company not only produces die-cut labels, but also deploys the DC-11 LabelSystem for efficiently manufacturing square-cut labels. Compucut® integrate

UK based manufactures of printing presses and converting equipment, Edale, can announce their official expansion into the final unit at their head office based in Hampshire. This new expansion will result in an additional 20,000 Sq. ft being added to the already sizable factory, taking the total space to 50,000 Sq. ft, allowing Edale to increase production ensuring alignment with current and future growth plans. In 2009 Edale made the move into its purpose built head office in Hampshire, two years on and the opening of the second unit was marked by a hugely successful open day with over a hundred people in attendance. Fast forward to 2014 and Edale’s growth continues. Edale’s open approach to achieving the right solution for customers through technology partnerships and innovative engineering has seen them having to expand into the remaining unit on site to increase capabilities and facilitate current customer demand. To assist them in this increased demand for product Edale

New basic Xeikon configuration for digital production of folding carton extends color gamut. Xeikon will be showcasing its enhanced Folding Carton Suite at Ipex 2014 on stand S1-E090. The digital production of folding cartons is ideal for event-driven seasonal packaging, intensive test marketing, just-in-time delivery contracts and customization of shorter runs to appeal to smaller geographic and demographic market segments. With the Folding Carton Suite, Xeikon offers a ready-to-use package, making it easy for customers to configure an efficient and cost-effective set-up for the digital production of folding cartons. It’s the ideal solution for packaging converters who need to add high quality cost-effective short runs of folding cartons to their mix of offerings as well as for commercial printers looking to enter the packaging market. The Xeikon Folding Carton Suite includes a Xeikon 3000 Series digital press, a range of recommended substrates, specific workflow and software comp

TagG Informatique strongly believes in the exceptional business benefits of   Xeikon's liquid toner technology, thrilled with field test opportunity . Xeikon, an innovator in digital printing technology, today announces that TagG Informatique, a Xeikon customer for about 15 years, will be the first printer worldwide to install Xeikon's new digital printing press using its breakthrough high quality Trillium liquid toner printing technology. The French company has been in business for more than two decades and produces direct mail, promotional material, financial and other documents for large corporate clients. The company has a diverse production platform with specialized equipment dedicated to producing various applications, making it the ideal field test site for Xeikon's Trillium-based press. “I had the pleasure of seeing Trillium first-hand last year during Xeikon’s customer engagement process, and I was really impressed with what I saw!” says Hervé Lesseur, Managi

Future oriented and sustainable solutions answer needs of the graphic arts industry, brand owners and retailers. At Ipex 2014, Esko ( www.esko.com ) will put a spotlight on solutions that help operations address the industry’s primary challenges. Professionals from packaging, labels, printing and sign & display businesses, as well as designers and brand owners, will have the opportunity to view Esko's industry-leading solutions that are designed to help them better meet the challenges of today's dynamic and rapidly changing industry. Products on display on Esko stand S4-F310 include the Esko Software Suite, Kongsberg XP24 digital cutting table and CDI Spark 2420 with Full HD Flexo. Also subsidiary Enfocus will be present on the Esko stand to demonstrate its newest PitStop preflighting and Switch automation solution.   “Various industry drivers and megatrends create a challenging context in which packaging service providers and printers are under constant pressure to

Infrastructure, traffic management, security and parking are the focal topics at Intertraffic 2014 in Amsterdam from March 25 to 28. Schreiner PrinTrust will be showcasing its label solutions for efficient vehicle management at the exhibition: ((rfid))-Windshield Labels for automatic access controls, electronic billing for parking facilities or toll roads, and efficient fleet management; counterfeit-proof toll stickers (vignettes) and labels for application behind glass that deliver reliable proof of authenticity and tampering protection.   Operators of parking facilities and toll roads as well as fleet managers require fast and reliable vehicle identification and authorization checks that make it possible for them to offer their customers convenience, security, and efficient service “on the move.” The labels by Schreiner PrinTrust for application to windshields and other glass substrates enable the reliable identification of vehicles. The combination of RFID technology with barc

Sun Chemical has teamed up with T+ink to form T+sun, an organization which will provide conductive ink solutions to make packages and objects communicate, engage customers and manage inventory systems. Drawing from the global resources of Sun Chemical, including the company’s electronic materials, packaging and brand protection groups, T+sun will utilize Sun Chemical’s global R&D, technical support, manufacturing infrastructure, supply chain, marketing, and sales. T+ink, one of the first emerging companies to commercialize true printed electronics across a variety of industries, including toys, packaging, promotional products, construction and apparel, brings patented technologies that are designed to replace switches, wires, buttons, speakers, lights, sensors, microphones, antennas and batteries with printed ink for touch and motion-activated applications. “T+ink’s technology creates a dynamic opportunity for our customers,” said Felipe Mellado, Chief Marketing Officer, Sun

Agreement reached between the Dutch dairy giant and the Florence-based label producer for a 300 million label contract for 2014. The labels will be applied on machines designed and supplied by P.E. Labellers, strategic partners of both companies for the project.   The pre-glued labels “Label Tape Shrink” from Irplast will be applied for the first time on tins : a solution which offers a tight fit on the containers, simple and cost-effective stock management, recyclable labels, and high-speed and efficient labelling operations. This is a completely new solution for tins and cans, allowing perfect adhesion of the labels shrunk on the cans for a durable labelling solution especially for the difficult environmental conditions along the supply chain like extreme temperature swings and uncontrolled warehousing temperatures. This first step will set a new trend in labelling for tins and cans in the dairy industry and for other high volume labelling applications on similar containers, we

At Ipex 2014, CHILI Publish ( www.chili-publish.com ) will be showcasing the impact of their rapidly expanding industry partner network. These partners use the open architecture and easy integration capabilities of CHILI Publisher to complement their best in class technologies with online editing functionality. Together, CHILI Publish and its partners offer complementary solutions that enable customers to create new business opportunities. CHILI Publish, along with UK distributor Workflowz ( www.workflowz.com ), will be showcasing the benefits of these partnerships when they “Plug In The Power” on stand N2-C185 at Ipex, and stand C65 at the Cross Media Production event, both taking place at the ExCel in London. "The continued growth in our partner network demonstrates the benefits and stability of our online editing technology. It is also a confirmation of our strong commitment to work with industry leaders, and complement their offerings with our unique online editing capabili

Label Summit Africa 2014 closed in Cape Town last week as 279 senior delegates came together to discuss local and global issues, hear about applying new technologies and find new ways to develop business strategies with access to industry experts and real life case studies. Held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) between 10-11 March, the two-day conference and table-top exhibition is South Africa’s largest dedicated label industry event. The second edition of the Summit featured over 20 market leading exhibitors including Flint Group, Kemtek Imaging Systems, MPS, New Africa Inks, Nilpeter, Nuova GIDUE, Omet, Paragon Inks South Africa, Prati and Xeikon. Attendees included label and packaging converters, designers, industry suppliers and brand owners with representatives from Appletiser, DairyBelle, Parmalat and Unilever amongst others. Networking activities were ample as delegates broke the ice at a private dinner and reception and private tour of Nitida wine es

Esko has announced the appointment of Chris Rogers as EMEA Business Development Manager for Structural Design. In this role, Chris will be responsible for expanding Esko's long-term success with ArtiosCAD, the world's leading structural packaging design software. Chris brings a wealth of experience to his new role. Prior to joining Esko, he held the position of General Manager at Arden Software, a developer of packaging design and manufacturing process solutions. In that role, Chris was responsible for the general management of the company, including international sales, marketing, and product development. Prior to his role as General Manager, Chris served as Arden Software’s UK Sales Manager.   Stefan Meire, Esko's EMEA Director Software Sales, comments: “Since its introduction, ArtiosCAD software has been a tremendous success, giving over 16,000 packaging professionals around the world the tools they need to improve their processes and gain efficiencies. Now, as we

Peter Kloppers, Director of DGpM, commented, “We formed this partnership with UTECO to increase our ability to offer the press worldwide. UTECO, worldwide leader in all printing technologies such as flexo – Hybrid flexo with inkjet – rotogravure – and web offset, has strong market knowledge and a strong foot in the market which we want to pursue. Besides this, UTECO will complement the Thallo web offset printing press with dedicated flexo and rotogravure units. There is a good synergy between the two companies and we are pleased to have the opportunity to work together with UTECO.” Luigi Bertagna, Special Machines BU Technical Director remarks: “Thanks to this partnership, UTECO Group with our massive experience in different areas of packaging, printing, coating, security, aerospace, nanotechnology, and with DGpM’s extensive and lasting experience in the offset field, created a modular machine fully developed with the latest technical solutions and fitting for all customer’s needs.”

ISO 14001 helps meet legal requirements and improve environmental performance but new version should take a broader perspective - users say A recent survey of the environmental management system standard ISO 14001 covering its future content and its current benefits, which received over 5 000 responses, found that it is particularly useful in meeting legal requirements and improving environmental performance. However, a clearer focus on preventing pollution, eco-efficiency and life-cycle thinking should be provided in the next version of the standard. The survey had responses from organizations of various sizes in 110 countries – a majority of whose system is built on ISO 14001 – with 46 % from small and medium-sized companies. Conducted in 11 languages, the survey was run by the ISO committee responsible for the standard ( ISO/TC 207/SC 1 ). "The level of response was incredible. The detail of responses provides experts writing standards in this area with valuable inpu

Leading manufacturer of labels, tickets and tags, Labelnet, have just purchased an eight colour, full UV, Edale FL-3 label and flexible packaging press with an array of additional options. UK based Labelnet have been producing labels since 1999, supplying to a wide range of industries for a variety of applications. They began their search for a new machine primarily to improve efficiencies and Edale’s FL-3 was the perfect match, boasting a wide range of features to ensure maximum productivity, minimum downtime as well as a rapid return on investment. The FL-3’s ‘on the fly’ job set up and storage capability were crucial features in making this decision. “Being able to prepare jobs in this way in our production facility is going to create a massive advantage for us. Not only will it increase productivity, we’ll also be able to reduce lead times, which ultimately means we’ll be able to take more work without compromising on the quality of our products.” Mark Slattery, Operations Dire

Latest Product Series Delivers Flexible Labeling Solutions for the Pharmaceutical, Health and Beauty, Food and Beverage and Household Chemical Markets FLEXcon , an innovator in adhesive coating and laminating, today announced the launch of sureFLEX™ , a series of Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) films designed for primary and secondary labeling applications. The multi-purpose 2 mil clear films have enhanced flexibility, utilizing the company’s new, higher-shear V-01 permanent acrylic adhesive, which offers improved performance without adhesive buildup on presses and die-cutting equipment and enables improved application to irregular surfaces. Ideal for the pharmaceutical, health and beauty, food and beverage and household chemical markets, sureFLEX adapts to a variety of container types, including squeeze tube applications as well as full wrap labels and front and back panels. It also has a low haze level for no-label-look graphics on High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Po