Labelling Blog

Label and packaging printers and converters as well as print buyers should mark their agenda’s for the Xeikon Café on Packaging Innovations, hosted by Xeikon and its Aura Partners (May 20 till 22 in Belgium). Participants will discover how digital production can enhance and transform not only the label and packaging industry, but also their own business. The three day-event will highlight the complete range of Xeikon's label and packaging application suites: Folding Carton Suite; Self-Adhesive Label Suite; Heat Transfer Label Suite and In-Mold Label Suite. This release provides more details on the In-Mold Suite and how it overcomes the issues of conventional technologies.     In-mold labeling (IML) is rapidly gaining popularity for the decoration of plastic containers. With in-mold labels the decoration is an integral part of the container, applied during molding and not added on at a later stage in the production process. While this complicates the production and l...

Many Xeikon employees enjoy group activities during lunch breaks, such as walking, yoga, table tennis or jogging. In this sporty atmosphere, the idea arose to participate in the ‘Antwerp 10 Miles’, a yearly jogging event well known in Flanders, Belgium. The group soon decided to not only participate but to run for a good cause. Xeikon’s management promptly agreed to sponsor the runners per mile jogged.   The charity chosen to help was KOK, Kind, Ouders en Kanker (Child, Parents and Cancer) – which aims to help cancer patients attending the pediatric oncology department at the hospital UZ Brussels. KOK provides a range of general toys, play equipment, arts and craft materials, therapeutic toys such as hand puppets and books, as well as games activities that the patient’s family can also take part in. Wim Maes, CEO of Xeikon, comments: "Xeikon employees are extremely committed to helping customers and this philosophy goes beyond their daily job to the wider world outside. ...

ALHENA IML, the new product line, specifically designed for finishing of in-mould labels (IML), is very versatile and can accommodate both monolayer and cardboards as well as lamitubes, multi-laminates that are used for aluminium and plastic labels for thermoformed packaging. ALHENA IML is ideal for converters that produce in-mould labels, blow-mould labels, that multi-substrate lids that cover yoghurt and beverages, but also for retail packaging, beauty and home products packaging. With the new ALHENA IML line, Prati Company once again offers a fast, reliable and versatile machine that is easy to operate and attracts converters who want to achieve fast returns on investment (ROI) while at the same time meets the new market challenges in a rapidly growing sector in comparison to traditional water-glue labels. Close cooperation between Prati and their friends – its customers – made ALHENA IML possible, by studying potential issues together that arose in the design phase. T...

Domino recently appointed Julie Cross as the new Technical Director of its Digital Printing Solutions Division to help support the company’s rapid growth in the digital printing sector. Julie – who joined Domino in 2009 – has vast experience in product commercialisation, having been instrumental in bringing a high number of products to market throughout her career in the print industry. More recently, she initiated and led Domino’s drop on demand (DOD) ink development, which culminated in the first Domino in-house formulated DOD inks. In her new role, Julie will lead all technical aspects of the Digital Printing Solutions Division. This will include the development and launch of new products, as well as expanding the division’s skills and knowledge to facilitate further market growth. Robert Pulford, Managing Director of Domino’s Digital Printing Division, adds: “Julie will play a key role in developing this area of our business as we continue to compete successfully within th...

M&H Plastics , part of the RPC Group, has developed a method of printing Braille characters directly onto plastic packaging. A high-build varnish is used to print the Braille dots directly onto the product using extremely accurate control measures to ensure the height of the Braille alphabet remains uniform throughout the packaging run.   Samples of the Braille printing have been analysed by the Royal National Institute of the Blind and measured against the Marburg and RNIB standards, confirming that the pack exceeds the BS EN 15823 standard. Braille printing directly onto the product also has significant benefits over labels which can be easily damaged or peel off. Although developed for Braille, this process can also be used in traditional screen printing allowing customers to highlight specific design features by using an embossed effect. Source: RPC Group

In an industry first, Tetra Pak®, the world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, today announces that all of the packages it produces in Brazil are now using bio-based low-density polyethylene (LDPE). ​​ Combined with paperboard, the use of bio-based LDPE made from sugar cane increases the content of materials from renewable sources to as much as 82% in a Tetra Brik® Aseptic​ 1000ml Base package.​​ In February Coca-Cola Brazil became the first company to use the new packages for its Del Valle juice beverages, previously sold in regular cartons. Following that success, the pilot is now being extended to include all 150 customers that source from Tetra Pak Brazil -- a total of more than 13 billion packs every year.​​ “We are particularly proud to be the first in the industry to use bio-based LDPE in carton packages”, said Charles Brand, Vice President Marketing & Product Management at Tetra Pak. “We believe that the best way to protect the sustainable future of ...

Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials continued its Select Solutions™ rollout with the introduction of the Piggyback portfolio. This unique portfolio features multi-layer constructions in which a removable self-adhesive label covers a second label that remains fixed to the original surface. The label-on-label construction can be used for promotion, inventory management and work-in-process applications resulting in faster handling and lower cost compared to other label-on-label processes. “Our Piggyback portfolio delivers real savings to current users of label-on-label solutions and could open up new applications for this construction,” said Tali Nay, product manager – custom solutions, Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials, North America. “It provides flexibility and efficiency that converters and brands will find valuable.” Dynamic and versatile, piggyback labels can be created in constructions that adhere to paper, plastics, cardboard and metals. The top labels can...

Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials has introduced its Select Solutions™ Tag Stock portfolio, featuring bright white, pressure sensitive tag constructions suited for apparel and bedding, cosmetics, point-of-purchase and other applications that require sturdy, removable labels. The Tag Stock portfolio delivers flexible and easy converting and dispensing, working well using screen, offset and solvent- or water-based flexo printing. “Our Tag Stock portfolio features durable materials and a range of thicknesses, making it ideal for bundling socks as well as comforters, pillows, set sheets and small garments,” said Tali Nay, product manager – custom solutions, Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials, North America. “It also provides a flexible and efficient solution for point-of-purchase, making it easy to apply and remove special promotions, pricing information and coupons.” Select Solutions Tag Stock portfolio features 8 and 10 point facestocks with a range of adhesives...

Increased process-free plate sales continue to drive targeted regional manufacturing strategy. Kodak will be adding a new plate manufacturing line at its Columbus, Ga., facility dedicated to producing KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. Driven by rapidly-growing customer demand for SONORA Plates, this expansion aligns with Kodak’s plans to drive local sourcing while continuously improving manufacturing quality, production efficiencies and customer service across its entire digital plate portfolio.   “To meet the demand generated by the tremendous growth of Sonora Plates in the Americas, we need to build a brand new world-class plate manufacturing line in our Columbus plant,” noted Brad Kruchten, President of Kodak’s Graphics, Entertainment & Commercial Films group. “This is a clear statement of our commitment to enable sustainable printing in the Americas.” KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates remove the plate processing step completely, without sacrificing the quality or ...

At the Xeikon Café event, taking place May 20 till 22 in Belgium, Xeikon and its Aura Partners will explore how digital printing could enhance the business of label and packaging printers, converters as well as print buyers by making profit from short to medium runs. The three day-event will highlight the complete range of Xeikon's label and packaging application suites: Folding Carton Suite; Self-Adhesive Label Suite; Heat Transfer Label Suite and In-Mold Label Suite. This release provides more details on what Xeikon has in store for anyone interested in digital heat transfer label production. "The event will be informative and interactive, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions," says Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s Director of Segment Marketing Labels & Packaging. "Digital heat transfer label production is still a largely untapped market. We are convinced that, together with our partners, we have created a solution that will allow visitors to exploit its potentia...

Colordyne Technologies (CDT), a leader in providing digital printing end-to-end solutions, announces a major, evolutionary leap in color label printing solutions through its new Color-Code Me program. The Color-Code Me solution simplifies the use of color to highlight information and data as a powerful tool in business supply chains and logistics operations. The ability to print high-speed, high-resolution "picture barcode labels" on cartons and boxes to accurately identify products, is more powerful still. CDT recognizes this growing market and is stepping forward as the leader in price-performance solutions for color and picture enhanced barcode carton labeling. Color-Code Me is designed as an affordable alternative to industrial thermal barcode label printers. The Color-Code Me package includes the CDT 1600-C Continuous Format Digital Color Printer for fanfold labels, CDT Label Designer Pro, CDT printing software, and 1-year warranty starting as low as $2,995.00. Fo...

UPM Raflatac plans to increase production capacity for its film labelstock business in Europe by investing approximately EUR 13 million in a new coating line at the company’s self-adhesive labelstock factory in Nowa Wies, Poland. This initiative will support UPM Raflatac’s target to secure cost competitive growth in films in the long term. The start-up of the new assets is estimated to take place in Q1/2015. Following the planned investment, an older film coating line in Tampere, Finland and the UPM Raflatac siliconising line in Tervasaari, Finland will be closed. In addition, UPM Raflatac plans to improve productivity in its sheet labelstock business by closing sheet labelstock coating operations and reducing capacity in sheets finishing in Polinya, Spain. The sheet coating will be centralized to Nowa Wies. The planned actions are estimated to result in annual cost savings of about EUR 4 million starting from 2015 and exceeding EUR 6 million in 2016. If all plans are implemente...

Release liner is a major contributor to the success of many industries today, from tapes and gaskets to baking papers, medical disposables, and, of course, pressure-sensitive labels. Annually, it is the subject of the AWA Global Release Liner Industry Conference and Exhibition, which alternates between USA and Europe. This year’s event was held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 19-21 March. Its in-depth program, further expanded with two parallel seminars on related topics – silicone technology and linerless labels – attracted around 200 participants from all levels of the value chain worldwide.   The release liner industry may be a global market today, but the profile and characteristics of the business are changing. Conference keynote speaker Michael Apperson, CEO of global release liner manufacturer Loparex, summarized the status: ‘Global isn’t global any more’. Around the world, things are changing. The old ‘global’ definition featured multinational sales offices and manufa...

Extensive educational program completed with customer kohlpharma to inform visitors about the benefits of digital label production. Xeikon and its Aura Partners are hosting a Xeikon Café on Packaging Innovations to demonstrate label printers as well as print buyers how digital production could drive and improve their business. Taking place May 20 to 22 in Belgium, the event will highlight game-changing innovations in digital production and showcase the complete range of Xeikon's label and packaging application suites. One of the suites Xeikon will highlight is the Self-Adhesive Label Suite. "From the myriad of product decoration techniques available, self-adhesive labels are the most commonly used as they offer the highest flexibility to meet market needs," explains Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s Director of Segment Marketing Labels & Packaging, “Self-adhesive labels are available in a wide range of substrates, colors and adhesives and they are compatible with a variety...

An inferior copy or a high-grade original product? At interpack in Düsseldorf (May 8 – 14), at the joint VDMA booth, Schreiner ProSecure will be showcasing security technologies that provide quick answers to this question. With digital counterfeit protection features that can be read by using a smartphone, authenticity can be easily determined and the supply chain secured.   BitSecure authentication now also available for cell phones Mobile authentication has major advantages. A wide range of users, from employees and customs officers, merchants and service partners through to consumers, can authenticate goods anywhere anytime without the need for special technical tools. For this purpose, Schreiner ProSecure has extended the BitSecure technology authentication by a mobile identification option and developed a special application for smartphones. The app allows the user to read the digital copy protection pattern on the mobile device and to find out within a matter of se...

Investing in numerous hardware systems will enable operations to add more strings to their bow, services to their portfolios and increase turnover. But efficiently and cost effectively managing the numerous short run jobs these systems can handle is essential to ensure profitability. This is the essence of Esko’s (www.esko.com) message on its E36 stand at this year’s Sign and Digital 2014 show, taking place April 29 to May 1 at the Birmingham NEC. “Creating a smooth production workflow is critical if operations are going to maximise their capabilities,” comments Paul Bates, Esko’s Regional Business Manager. “Wasted time, effort and materials all add up. We have a number of software solutions we will be demonstrating, including the re-developed 64-bit application i-cut Layout+ running on both Mac and PC platforms, that help customers create the most efficient flow of jobs from pre- to post press. “Although adoption of software is still relatively new compared to Esko’s traditiona...

Pro Mach, Inc. announced today that Alan Shipman has been named President of its Identification & Tracking Group to replace Bob Zuilhof, who is retiring in June. Through its ID Technology and Labeling Systems (LSI) brands, Pro Mach’s Identification & Tracking Group designs and manufactures labeling, coding, and marking systems, peripherals, and labels for a wide range of industries and custom applications. The Identification & Tracking Group employs over 275 people across seven manufacturing facilities and dozens of regional support locations throughout North America. Mr. Shipman will lead operations and provide strategic direction for the business unit, which has regional offices and manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. He most recently served as ID Technology’s Vice-President and General Manager. He began his career with ID Technology nearly 19 years ago as South Central Regional Manager and also served several years as Vice-President of Sal...

After more than two years of utilizing Colordyne Technologies™ (CDT) 1600-C Continuous Format Digital Color Printer, Nasco's in-plant print shop continues to benefit from the printer's speed, quality, and ease-of-use. Headquartered in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, Nasco has successfully operated for more than 70 years providing 24 mail-order catalogs to educators, farmers, and industry in all 50 states and 180 countries world-wide. Nasco's unique blend of products targets education, healthcare and agriculture industries. To support this diverse and fast-growing business, Nasco's in-plant print shop has been tasked with a wide range of printing challenges, including producing labels for their thousands of unique items with the correct label, in the correct warehouse, exactly when needed. The company was searching for a viable solution to enable its in-plant print shop. That solution was found with the CDT 1600-C digital printer after several different systems were previou...