A new system allows the black mask layer in flexo CTP to be applied by inkjet. Andy Thomas reports
Black mask ablation has become the dominant way of imaging digital flexographic and letterpress plates. The plate is pre-coated with a black layer which is burned away (ablated) in the image areas by a laser, followed by conventional plate exposure and processing.
But at Labelexpo Europe a start-up company called Digiflex demonstrated a new approach which uses a high definition inkjet to print the black mask directly onto a standard flexo, letterpress or analog dry-offset plate.
There are three main elements to consider when using inkjet ink as a mask to prevent UV exposure light from reaching the plate:
The desired optical density is achieved by adding UV absorbent elements to the ink in order to ensure high UV light blocking. Since no solid particles are used in the ink formulation, there is no source for nozzle clogging, and Digiflex says smooth jetting ‘is ensured throughout the system’s lifetime’.
The main obstacle preventing earlier pioneers from reaching the high print quality required to print a negative mask on top of the photo-polymeric plate was that inkjet ink is very dilute and non-viscous. Jetting it on top of a non-porous substrate often caused print quality failures.
DigiFlex overcame this difficulty by developing its own unique bi-component reactive ink approach.
The flexo plate is coated with a special primer layer which contains a reactant 'A'. The ink, jetted on top of the plate contains a reactant 'B'. When the ink droplet hits the plate surface, chemical reactants 'A' and 'B' both react instantaneously to cause the gelation of the ink droplet. The resulting highly viscose ink droplet causes no print quality deterioration and behaves almost like a conventional offset ink. This mechanism ensures that the tiny ink droplet forms a minimal dot on top of the flexo plate, eliminating any ink spreading.
The DigiFlex system uses an advanced inkjet unit which jets ink droplets of 3.5 pL at 2880 dpi resolution. Combined with a very accurate plate feeding table, this system achieves 180 lpi quality on the plate.
So how does it work? A photopolymeric plate is coated with a special thin coating via a lamination process. This process transfers the thin coating layer from a substrate onto the plate. The plate is then introduced into the system, and the RIPped separations are printed on top of the plate. The ink is dried in-line and the plate comes out of the machine. Printing speeds are from one m2/hour up to a possible two m2/hour. Once the plate mask is ready, the standard processes of exposure, wash-out, dry-out and development are performed.
The benefits
According to Dr. Moshe Frenkel, founder and CTO, DigiFlex, there are many benefits to the process.
Most importantly, no oxygen reaches the plate during the curing process. Exposing the plate to UV light in the presence of oxygen at the top of the plate causes a round-top dot to form, and this shape can introduce stability problems during printing. A flat-topped dot shape ensures instantaneous set-up since the pressure on the plate has almost no effect on dot gain. ‘Using the DigiFlex inkjet flexo CtP with its bi-component ink technology, a flexo plate with flat-topped dots is produced directly, enabling fast set-up time, with no dot gain,’ says Dr Frenkel.
Any analog plate can be used, including water washable, solvent washable, flexographic, letterpress or dry offset.
Pictured: A DigiFlex Flexojet system
This article was published in L&L issue 2, 2012
Japan-based Nakai International has appointed Infinity Foils as its exclusive North American distributor.
Jim Hutchison, president of Infinity Foils, a UEI Group company, said: ‘Infinity Foils is pleased to be able to provide the Nakai foil products to the foil stamping and embossing customers throughout North America. Nakai has built an excellent reputation for high-quality foil products and their products will fit perfectly within the Infinity Foils’ line of premier foils.’
Infinity Foils will distribute the Nakai foil products under the Infinity Foils brand of products.
The announcement follows Nakai International’s early 2012 decision to close its North American facility. Nakai foil products will continue to be manufactured in Japan.
‘We believe that the customers who have long enjoyed the Nakai family of foil products will be extremely satisfied with the new distribution arrangement,’ added Hutchison.
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RotoMetrics’ Steve Lee, vice president of technology, and Brent Fischmann, director of marketing and corporate development, discuss requirements for die-cutting technology when dealing with ultra-thin film liners
Spurred by the potential for less waste and increased productivity, the label and packaging industry is moving to implement ultra-thin facestock and liners. Converters are pursuing the multiple promises of significant waste reduction, better resistance to moisture and humidity for food and beverage applications and material recyclability. At the same time, brand owners are looking to the combination of new 23 micron/.00092in PET liners with thinner film face materials for label application technology that enables product differentiation and an enhanced clear film, ‘no label’ or opaque conformable look for high-volume applications.
The transition to 23 micron/.00092in PET liner material – or even thinner (20 micron/.00075in) – is also posing new challenges for die-cutting. There is literally no room for error cutting to the ultra-thin PET layer. With the ultra-thin liner materials, pressure sensitive die-cutting requires separation of the facestock and adhesive while ensuring that the die does not touch the liner or cause a break during automated label dispensing. New flexible die technology has emerged in direct response to the new challenges of film substrates, with suppliers optimizing performance for 20/23/25 micron PET.
RotoMetrics has introduced the AccuStar flexible die for extensible film converting. Given the absolute premium on control of liner strike, the die is machined to a tolerance on total plate height of +/- 2.5 microns (.0001in). Advanced manufacturing technology also delivers narrower, and laser hardening achieves hardness levels of up to 68 HRC for more durable blades, providing long lasting performance in high volume applications.
Along with improved flexible die performance, the exacting requirements of new substrates require greater control of the entire die-cutting process, to include high precision, high quality magnetic cylinders and die station components. New technology cylinders are manufactured to guaranteed diameter tolerances of +0/- 2.5 microns (.0001in). Total indicator readings (TIR) are also held to this exacting level. Before converting thin film liner material, we recommend that RotoMetrics inspect the magnetic cylinder inventory to assure their overall accuracy.
Along with advanced flexible cutting die technology, machine-finished solid rotary tooling (such as RotoMetrics RD250 and MU200 series dies) remains an industry option to achieve the tight tolerances on blade edge consistency and total height required for 20/23/25 micron PET.
Beyond the cutting dies, care must be taken to maintain overall die station performance. A strong program of preventive maintenance is necessary as you address the converting challenges of thin film liners. In particular, a very smooth anvil surface must be maintained. Work with your die supplier to audit your anvil inventory. At the same time, wear in the die frame slots can mean your anvil and dies are not being held firmly, which can lead to an inconsistent die strike. Similarly, bearers on support rolls and magnetic cylinders or solid dies should be inspected for wear that could affect liner impression.
Die station component accuracy must be validated as well, given the greater requirement to manage heat build-up. When the web is hot leaving the print stations, it will bring this heat to the cutting anvil causing thermal growth. A rise in anvil temperature by as little as 20 degrees F can lead to die-cutting problems. If bearers are not in good condition and well lubricated, they too can generate excess heat and thermal expansion. Solutions for cooling the web prior to the die station are recommended.
The challenges of handling 23 micron/.00092in PET liners are leading to innovative die station solutions. New technology is being demonstrated today to avoid direct strike to the liner altogether by a process of delaminating and relaminating the substrate layers and the use of chilled dies.
Waste/matrix removal is another area of attention in converting with the ultra-thin liners. The nature of the light die strike on a thin film means there will be areas that are in tolerance but light enough that you need to help the waste removal. As with a number of challenging materials being converted today, you may have to employ the same stripping/waste removal ‘fixes’ currently used at high speeds. Testing for customers at our Converting Technology Center in Eureka, Missouri, has clearly demonstrated the need to help the stripping process as speeds increase to 1000 ft/min.
Another key process at the converter level is testing for liner strike control on press. The margin between acceptable or unacceptable die strike is 2.5 microns/.0001in out of die tolerance. High-volume, automatically applied labels require a lighter impression with no room for error. A converter should perform liner strike testing at the beginning of each run and at the end of each master roll to assure consistent quality. Some converters test every new role of material as it moves on-press. With the rapid growth of thin polyester liners, multiple new options for testing have been developed to test die strike impact for high-speed dispensing.
In many cases, and given the rapid introduction of new materials, the liner strike tests have been developed by converters themselves. Current options include stretching the material, using a ‘snap test’ or applying pressure to the die-cut areas to determine the integrity of the liner. It is critically important that the converter and the customer approve targeted liner strike prior to job launch. Visual inspection remains important, and surface inspection lights (such as LandSco) are recommended for confirming acceptable liner impression. RotoMetrics partners with converters to develop the right testing for die-cutting performance.
In conclusion, the growing acceptance of ultra-thin film liner material poses a range of challenges for converters and their partners for rotary tooling. Both solid and flexible die-cutting solutions are available today to meet the exacting demands for perfect control of liner strike. As a converter, it is more important than ever that you have partners like RotoMetrics that can help you maintain performance of your entire die-cutting system.
Pictured: RotoMetrics’ AccuStar flexible die
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Technicote is to rebuild its Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio plant after a fire destroyed the bulk of the operation on December 16 last year.
‘After evaluating numerous options in various states and sites, we concluded rebuilding at our current location in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio was the best option,’ said Doug O'Connell, president of Technicote. ‘We were anxious to retain our experienced workforce, since they’re one of the keys to producing the unique products we offer. Rebuilding on the same site makes it easiest on our employees. Another factor was that the city of Cuyahoga Falls has been great to work with throughout this process. Finally, we were able to find a builder who can get our facility completed in a reasonably short timeframe.’
Technicote is now going through the approval process with city and county officials. The new manufacturing facility will include new adhesive and silicone coaters, new wide web slitters and an improved process flow design throughout the plant.
The company expects the new facility to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2012 and to resume the manufacture of many specialty coated pressure sensitive products that other Technicote facilities have been producing for customers.
‘Our sincere appreciation goes out to our many customers that have been patient with Technicote during this difficult recovery period,’ said the company in statement.
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Mactac Printing Products has added six Datamax-O'Neil thermal transfer ribbons to its list of UL approved ribbons for use with the Mactac durable films product line under Marking & Labeling Systems PGJI2/PGJI8.
The pre-certification benefits converters by eliminating new testing when using Mactac durable film products with the pre-approved thermal transfer ribbons, requiring only a paper transfer which can be submitted through an internet portal, via email or phone.
‘Compliance with UL's Component Recognition Program offers a convenient way for our label converters and end users to meet performance of marking requirements,’ said Kim Hensley, product manager, Mactac Printing Products. ‘We are constantly seeking ways to make it easier for our customers to get products to the market faster. With pre-approval for these thermal transfer ribbons, we reduce time spent qualifying substrates.’
UL is an independent product safety testing and certification organization and has been defining safety standards for more than a century. The Marking & Labeling Systems program covers labels that have been evaluated to receive additional printing by end-use product manufacturers using thermal transfer printing equipment.
The latest Datamax ANSI/UL969 recognized thermal transfer ribbons include SDR resin ribbon, PGR wax-resin ribbon, SDR-D resin ribbon, SDR-5 resin ribbon, IQMID+ wax-resin ribbon and IQRES+ resin ribbon.
The Datamax-O'Neil thermal transfer ribbons are approved for use with Mactac durable film products including 3.4-mil white vinyl, 2.6-mil white UV polypropylene, 3-mil white polypropylene, 2-mil white polyester, 2-mil bright silver polyester, 2-mil clear polyester, 2-mil brushed silver polyester and 2-mil reverse void polyester.
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In cooperation with Swiss company Folex, a manufacturer of films and paper used in current imaging technologies, Flint Group Flexographic Products has developed a laser ablative dry film.
The laser ablative dry film, LADF, is designed for imaging on infrared laser systems, such as digital flexo or letterpress image setters. The imaged film can be used for the UV exposure of analogue flexographic, letterpress and offset plates, as well as for screen printing stencils and for image control.
The new LAD film is claimed to offer numerous advantages to the user. Due to the very high resolution (>10.000 dpi, depending on the laser system) as well as the high contrast and the reproduction of even the finest details, it is suitable for almost all applications.
The matte film surface enables the exposure of small size pad printing plates up to large size flexo printing plates. The thickness of 175 microns ensures good handling properties and a high dimensional stability. The LADF film minimizes the process tolerances and allows a reliable and repeatable quality in film processing. In addition, the film exhibits ‘outstanding’ scratch resistance, says the company.
After ablation, no further processing steps are required; there is no need of chemicals such as developer or fixative, and no cleaning is necessary. The LADF film can be handled in daylight, so there is neither a need for a darkroom nor for UV protection. The new film is suitable for all standard IR lasers used in flexo and letterpress applications; therefore, no additional investments are required.
Pictured: The LADF can be used without prior cleaning
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Henkel has signed an agreement with the US-based specialty chemicals company Cytec Industries to acquire its pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA) product range.
The acquisition is in line with Henkel’s global strategy to grow its core businesses and further enhances its competence in the area of high performance adhesives. Jean Fayolle, responsible for Henkel’s Packaging Adhesives business, said: ‘The product range to be acquired is complementary to Henkel’s well established high-performance PSA business and is expected to strengthen our position in this field.’
In fiscal 2011, Cytec’s PSA product range generated sales of 94 million US dollars. The business includes about 80 employees. The agreement on the sale was signed on May 11, 2012. The acquisition is subject to satisfaction of certain conditions and is expected to be closed in the third quarter 2012.
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Claudio Labbe, president of Flint Group Latin America, will retire from the company with effect from July 1 2012.
Labbe joined Flint Ink Latin America after the company’s acquisition of Rendic International in 1994. He was named vice president for Flint Ink Latin America South in early 2000. During his tenure with Flint Ink, he started up operations in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Chile. In 2004 he was named vice president for sales and marketing Latin America and in February 2008 was promoted to the position of president Latin America.
Antoine Fady, CEO Flint Group, said: ‘I would like to thank Claudio in particular for extending his commitment and support to Flint Group during what has been an extraordinary career spanning 20 years. His integrity, commitment and dedication have been of great value to prepare the business for a new chapter of growth.
‘Claudio has built a strong business in Latin America and developed a talented team who will ensure that his legacy will continue and further develop. Under his overall leadership, the Brazilian and Andean businesses have grown rapidly – and Mexico has become an important business for Flint Group.’
Adhemur Pilar
Labbe will be succeeded by Adhemur Pilar who has been promoted to vice president and general manager for Flint Group Latam, with effect from July 1 2012. Pilar will continue to be based in Sao Paulo and will focus on further developing the Brazilian and Argentine businesses.
Pilar joined Flint Group in 1999 in a general management position in Brazil and was appointed sales director of Brazil after the acquisition of CQIB. In 2005 he was appointed as general director of Flint Group Brazil and was appointed as VP operations in 2007.
Nestor Porto
In further organizational changes, Nestor Porto will be promoted to vice president of the Andean, Mexico and Caribbean region and will report to Adhemur Pilar. Based in Lima, Peru, Porto will continue with his existing responsibility for the Peruvian joint venture (TGV).
Porto joined Flint Group’s Latin America Division right after Flint’s acquisition of Rendic International in 1994. Since that time he has been responsible for starting operations in Central America, Trinidad & Tobago as well as Dominican Republic. In 2002 he moved to Mexico City as regional sales manager for Flint Groups operations in Mexico and Central America. Subsequently in 2005 he relocated with Flint Group to Lima, Peru as regional manager for the Andes, Venezuela and the Caribbean where he oversees six facilities for the group in this region.
Pictured: Claudio Labbe, president of Flint Group Latin America, will retire from the company with effect from July 1 2012
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Trelleborg has released a new packaging guide for its Rollin and Vulcan range of printing blankets.
The new brochure, which is available to download via the Trelleborg website, features all of the company’s range which has been specifically designed for use in the packaging industry, including two new products.
Thomas Linkenheil, president of Trelleborg Printing Solutions, commented: ‘The package printing industry is extremely fast-paced, varied and demanding, and as such, the industry needs high performance products that can be relied upon to not only stand the test of time, but to continue to provide an exceptional finish.
‘All of our innovative packaging printing solutions are designed to be durable, while still producing quality dot reproduction in high-impact packaging printing. We developed our new guide to showcase our strong capabilities and extensive packaging product line within the packaging market.
‘In addition, we have extended our range of solutions to include two new coating products, both of which will appear in the new guide. The new Rollin MyCoat and Rollin HiCoat have been purposely developed with the wants and needs of the packaging printer front of mind and to always assure the highest productivity and coating quality.’
Trelleborg’s new Rollin MyCoat, a 2-ply mylar-based strippable coating blanket, features a specialist construction which makes stripping easy; the innovative compressible layer of the blanket strips down to the blue layer allowing the end-user to see if knock outs are correct and precise. Available in three thicknesses, 1.96mm, 1.35mm and 1.15mm, the specially designed top rubber compound of the blanket also makes it suitable for use with both aqueous and UV coating applications.
The new Rollin HiCoat from Trelleborg is a compressible strippable coating plate with a polyester carrier, and has been designed for both aqueous and UV-varnish transfer. Specifically developed for use in volume sheetfed press packaging and commercial applications, HiCoat is ideal for spreading varnish on printed paper.
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Reflex Labels, a UK-based operation, has become the first to invest in Landa’s nanographic printing process.
Launched at drupa, the new presses are based on the water-based NanoInk technology and feature touchscreen controls for an intuitive operator user interface. The launch drew large audiences throughout the 14-day show with sold-out presentations of the technology on the Landa stand, included sheet- and web-fed presses. The three sheet-fed presses, respectively S5, S7 and S10, are all available in 4- to 8-colors, range from B3 (20in) to B1 (41in) in format, and have stock capability from 60 to 400gsm.
The three web-fed presses, W5, W10 and W50, have web widths of 560mm, 1,020mm and 560mm respectively, with the W10 aimed at packaging printers with its 200m/min speed on 12 – 250-micron film, or paper stock up to 300 microns. The W5 is suited to label stock, tube stock, aluminium foil and paper as well as plastic films and shrink sleeve applications.
Will Parker, Reflex Labels, said of the initial order for a 560mm W5 press: ‘We don’t see this as a single unit purchase. It’s a multi-unit opportunity across the group.
‘We don’t want to pigeonhole what the machine will do as it’s not something you want to do. It will evolve and there will be expansions to the technology, and we don’t want to constrain our thoughts.’
He continued: ‘It’s beacon technology, and we want to invest in it more. It won’t replace any of the existing presses we have but will be complementary technology that allows us to do new things, added-value work and take on special projects.’
Parker said Reflex has been somewhat of a digital sceptic as the technology has ebbed and flowed over the years, with the ‘shock and awe fading away’.
‘I bought the first Indigo press in Europe 17 years ago,’ said Parker. ‘We’ve had a long, and sometimes painful, introduction to digital technology. A lot of what we’ve seen, as Ian Kendall [owner of Reflex Labels] has said, has been a refinement of 1990s technology. We’ve been waiting for the next step
‘This tech is that step, offering speed, versatility and ecological benefits. It’s a no-brainer.’
Reflex Labels has six manufacturing sites supplying a range of products, from flexible packaging and tray cards to linerless and self-adhesive labels, to the UK, Europe and the US. It said the investment is the first step in a ‘multi-unit opportunity’ across the company.
Ecology is a big part of its business strategy. Reflex uses compostable eco films and inks free from benzophenone and ITX3. It also uses green, carbon neutral energy supplies for the majority of its sites. The green benefits of the water-based NanoInk were named a key element in the decision to invest. NanoInk is to be delivered as a concentrate and diluted on-site by end users. Reflex said it will use rainwater in this process, and Parker added: ‘Water-based ink is a good thing as there is a big focus on ink migration, ablation and safety in general at the moment. The cost per page is also excellent, and it’s very fast.’
The press will be delivered to Reflex within the next 18 months, giving the company time to assess the optimum location and geography in which to install the W5. Parker expects a lot of interest from big companies wanting to see it. ‘A lot of people are asking if this is a publicity stunt but once the machine is operational, it will be there for people to see.’
He added, ‘We are a simple company and we make money to invest money. We’re investing in our core business; we’ve recently bought an MPS press, invested in coaters and reinvested in UV. We’re also planning to move one of our locations into new premises, which will double the size of the premises.
‘You can’t stand still as a business. This is “bleeding edge” technology, so we expect some issues, but the payback is that we are regarded as innovative and leading the market.’
Parker concluded, ‘Benny Landa is recognized as having moved the industry forward [when he launched Indigo], and he has done it again’.
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Vinsak, part of Creed Engineers, India, announced the sale of its first 1200 UV inkjet system, mounted on to an Omega slitter rewinder for the printing of 2D barcodes on filmic labels, at drupa 2012. The application is said to be the first of its kind in offering track and trace options to the pharma industry in the Indian market.
The VIS 1200 UV is based on DOD technology and can print on a variety of papers, as well as support a broad variety of inks. Its 108mm wide device can cover wide print-width with fewer print heads.
D C Sharma, sales engineer at Creed Engineers, said: ‘VIS 1200 UV is based on technology used in imaging and fabricating printing applications. There is a growing need in the market for solvent and UV curable inkjet systems, which can print on non-porous substrates including films, coated papers holograms among others. The VIS range aims at meeting this requirement.’
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IT Strategies, a Boston, USA-based consultancy specializing in the digital printing industry, has released a white paper on the role of liquid toner and Xeikon’s current technology expansion into this area. The paper concludes that Xeikon’s ownership of the key patents for a high viscosity liquid toner technology has given the company ‘a dramatic shortcut in both time-to-market and investment to develop a new liquid toner technology’.
With the promise of lower running costs and significant speed improvements, while maintaining the high quality level of its dry toner presses, the new technology will offer significant productivity gains to customers specializing in high volume print applications. At the same time, it provides the opportunity for Xeikon to extend its customer base to those printing specialty applications such as consumer photo books and other high-value documents, says the report.
Starting with a brief history of digital printing technologies, the white paper explains the technology of electrophotography and outlines the difference between dry and liquid toners. ‘While both toner technologies strive to create the smallest particles possible in order to optimize quality, liquid toner has greater latitude to control the particles,’ it reports. ‘As such, liquid toners use less material which reduces raw materials costs, allow faster linear throughput speeds and use less heat (hence energy cost) to fuse to the substrate.’
Liquid toner has a long-established history, pre-dating the commercialization of drop-on-demand inkjet technology. When Xeikon acquired ownership of the key patents for the HVT and technology, it gained more than fifty years of liquid toner development giving the company a shortcut in both time-to-market and investment to develop a liquid-based toner. IT Strategies says that Xeikon ‘benefitted from decades of significant prior investment and learning curve for a fraction of the cost’. With its R&D teams of both printer hardware and toner under one roof, IT Strategies anticipates that Xeikon ‘can compress the amount of time necessary to commercialize its new liquid toner technology’.
IT Strategies foresees that the new liquid toner technology ‘will be even more productive than dry toner technology, while maintaining the same high printing quality’. While initial throughput is projected to be 60 m/min (196 ft/min), in theory upper limits of 300 m/min (1,000 ft/min) are possible. This ability to produce higher volumes digitally at lower cost will deliver significant productivity gains to printers and extend the breakeven point for digital printing. At the same time, it provides the opportunity for Xeikon to extend its customer base to those printing high value, high area coverage type documents.
‘Given its ability to leverage its experience in dry toner manufacturing and engine development, Xeikon’s investment in liquid toner makes a lot of sense,’ said Marco Boer for IT Strategies. ‘Many of the skills required to develop a liquid toner printer are similar to those used to develop dry toner technology, thus the work ahead for Xeikon is in the printing system rather than engine development – something Xeikon knows well.’
A copy of the white paper is available on the IT Strategies website or by emailing infocntr@it-strategies.com.
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KBA has received an order at drupa from Koffy Print, a packaging converter based in Chekhov, 60km from Moscow, for two Rapida 106 presses.
Both will be configured as 8-color machines plus coaters and will print commercial products in 4-color perfecting mode, switching to four-backing-one with coating to print food packaging for fast-food chains, and straight mode to print labels with up to eight colors and a coating for major confectionary manufacturers.
Koffy Print’s association with KBA began in 2007 at the Polygraphinter trade fair in Moscow. At that time the company ordered a 6-color Rapida 106 plus coater which replaced a non-KBA press. The first of the two 8-color Rapida 106s will be installed in October; the second next year. This one will replace the Rapida from 2007.
The two new presses will substantially enlarge Koffy Print’s production capacity. The company’s sheet format of 740 x 1060mm (29.31 x 41.73in) is also ideal for printing labels.
Pictured: Koffy Print management with representatives of KBA RUS and KBA at the Rapida 106 exhibited, which is slightly longer than the model ordered
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EFI’s PrintMe Mobile was named winner of the 2012 Mobile Merit Award in the mobile services, enterprise products/services category. PrintMe Mobile was also chosen as one of five finalists for the CTIA Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Award in the Enterprise/Vertical Market, General Business Solution category. These accolades show the increased importance enterprises are now placing on enabling users of tablets and smartphones to print from their devices.
This year’s winners were judged based on industry impact, innovation, technologies, social importance, implementation and overall success factor. The CTIA E-Tech Awards honor the most innovative new products in 15 categories spanning the areas of mobile apps, consumer electronics, enterprise and infrastructure. Hundreds of entries were judged by a panel of recognized industry experts, media and analysts, and scored on innovation, functionality, technological importance, implementation and overall ‘wow’ factor.
PrintMe Mobile enables direct Wi-Fi printing from iPads, iPhones and Android devices, from within the application they are using, to any existing network printer regardless of brand. Users enjoy the ease of simply selecting print within their application and printing to the printers that automatically populate in a drop down menu. Developed for the enterprise, PrintMe Mobile works across multiple subnets, is scalable to thousands of users, and provides powerful management and job reporting capabilities for IT administrators. The software is simple to use, manage and deploy, often installing in less than 20 minutes.
‘As businesses continue the transition to a tablet-centric environment, either by choice or through the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend, they quickly realize the need to support printing from these devices,’ said John Henze, vice president of Fiery marketing for EFI. ‘PrintMe Mobile helps enterprises implement mobile printing fast, using their existing printers and security policies, to make the transition to tablets seamless.’
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Acucote has begun to distribute its line of specialty and commodity adhesive products out of a new distribution center in Fullerton, California. The facility, in addition to enhanced slitting capabilities at its Texas facility, expands Acucote’s footprint in the west coast and southwest regions of the US.
The Fullerton distribution center houses a variety of stock and specialty items. Commodity products include fluorescent facestocks, 60# semi-gloss offered with permanent acrylic or rubber-based permanent adhesive, and a variety of polypropylenes with general purpose, permanent and removable adhesives.
Fullerton supports Acucote’s specialty product lines by expanding its coupon capabilities that utilize the company’s trademarked Diamond-CoteEZ and LiftCote, as well as a variety of custom coat and hold products. The center can slit 60in master rolls to 45in outer dimensions, and has the ability to slit to 2in widths.
Acucote has extended its sales coverage throughout the west coast, now with two sales team members serving Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona.
Click here for more stories about Acucote on L&L.com.
drupa was a somewhat overwhelming experience, but it was clear that package printing is a growing market. The show has also seen plenty of label-related launches; a full review will be published in L&L issue 3, 2012.
On the show floor, the view of the industry and its future seemed positive. A spokesperson for Kodak commented: ‘Everyone thinks the future for print is in daily life.’ While many of us are moving away from printed books in favor of digital formats, we continue to need everyday items such as food and drink, as well home and personal care products. For these products, nothing can replace the label and packaging. Even where QR codes and other interactive innovations have been adopted, the label still has a place to display this link to the ‘virtual world’, as well as vital product information. The threat will come as commercial printers die out and look to move into labels.
Returning to the subject of using the label as a marketing tool, it was pleasing to hear there was a large presence from brand owners wandering the exhibition halls – evidence they are increasingly aware of the benefits the label can offer their brand. Jeanine Graat, global marketing manager at Apex, noted that brand owners are now contacting the company directly. This is a positive sign that the entire packaging supply chain is beginning to connect and work together.
Carol Houghton, journalist, L&L
By Stephen M. Key, CEO of Stephen Key Design
When I heard Roger Pellow, managing director of the Labels and Packaging Group at Tarsus, speak at the Label Institute in New Orleans this year, he stressed the power of labels. ‘The label isn’t a commodity,’ he said, ‘and we shouldn’t look at it as such.’
I couldn’t agree more. The label is our first line of communication with the customer. When my wife Janice worked at E&J Gallo Winery in the marketing department, one of the founders told her that she needed to get out of the office and into the retail environment, because that’s where the war was won or lost. I love that. How did the packaging look? He wanted to know. How did it stand up to the competition? Whether it’s on a wine bottle or otherwise, we all know that what we say on and with our label can make or break a sale. Are we saying all that we could? If you had more space at your discretion, what else would your label say?
Spinformation, a rotating label technology that adds 75 percent more space to packaging, is emerging at a perfect time. The current generation of consumers demands more information. Every time that they touch or engage with a product, they want information about it at their fingertips. This smart-phone generation has come to expect that information to be instant and thorough. The Spinformation label allows the consumer to engage and interact with the package just by spinning the label.
The brand owner is empowered with more space in which to communicate with the consumer, whether that is through contest promotions or games or data or reward programs to build loyalty. At its core, the Spinformation label gives the producer more space to develop its brand and convey its intended message to the consumer. The Spinformation label talks to the consumer and gets them involved in the product, not only intellectually and visually but also physically. It’s a powerful combination of form and function.
Stephen M. Key
CEO, Stephen Key Design, LLC
Figures suggest there are 285 million people worldwide with a visual impairment. With this in mind, a number of interesting innovations are emerging within the label industry.
Labels are read for primary product information and are also a key marketing tool in getting consumers to notice and purchase a particular product. But for those with limited sight or blindness, how is it possible to access all this?
The French seem to be leading the way in terms of related innovations. Stratus Packaging has launched a Braille printed QR code that takes the user to an audio link, allowing them to access product information. Arman Martirosyan, a student, has invented a new barcode scanning technology that is linked to an earpiece, providing similar benefits. More details on both will be published in L&L issue 3.
Enabling the blind to shop more independently and access the same information as those with full vision, the label just became even more valuable.
Carol Houghton
Journalist
Labels & Labeling
The planned free trade agreement between Colombia and the United States will come into force on May 15 this year. It is a further boon to a country that has seen a dramatic reversal in fortune in recent years.
Under president Juan Manuel Santos and his predecessor Alvaro Uribe, Colombia has dismantled its infamous drug-trafficking cartels. Foreign direct investment has risen almost tenfold since 2003, to 13.2 billion US dollars in 2011. The economy grew at six percent last year and is closing in on Argentina as South America’s second largest.
Colombia hosted the Summit of the Americas in the Caribbean port city of Cartagena on April 14 and 15, welcoming US President Barack Obama and 31 other western-hemisphere heads of state. During the event, President Juan Manuel Santos told Time magazine that Colombia was ‘not just a recovered nation, but the new economic and diplomatic player on the Latin American calle, or street’.
In the US, the Retail Industry Leaders Association – whose members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers and service suppliers, which together account for more than one and a half trillion US dollars in annual sales – was quick to praise the implementation of the free trade agreement. Stephanie Lester, vice president of international trade for the association, said the move ‘will benefit retailers by bringing certainty and stability to the trade relationship between the United States and Colombia’.
L&L recently visited a number of companies in the Colombian cities of Bogota and Medellin, and found both industry suppliers and label converters excited by the opportunities presented by the trade deal.
The label converters varied in size and market focus, but the message was almost universal: it will be cheaper to get raw materials into the country, while the vast consumer giant that is the United States becomes a viable target for export. Added to a growing local economy and increasing internal consumption, the label converters interviewed by L&L were full of optimism for their businesses.
The industry supplier perspective was similarly positive. Arclad, a labelstock manufacturer, already has a strong presence throughout Latin America and last year the company invested in a new plant located in Cartagena, the port with the shortest distance to the US. Nearly doubling the company’s production capacity, the new facility aims to target the US market.
With increased stability and solid economic growth, Colombia is one of the region’s current success stories and the outlook for the label and packaging sectors is positive. You can read a series of articles about the Colombian market in the next two issues of L&L.
James Quirk, Latin America editor, L&L
Label Summit Latin America begins tomorrow in Guadalajara, Mexico. With some 70 industry suppliers exhibiting, the event will provide further evidence of the investment and growth taking place in the region.
Indeed, there has been a plethora of recent announcements from leading international suppliers acquiring local companies, appointing distributors in the region or installing high-tech equipment.
The news is not only coming from the usual suspects. While press manufacturers such as Nilpeter, Mark Andy and Gallus have long had strong customer bases in the area – and HP Indigo has a firm grip on digital press installations – they are being joined by companies that have traditionally had a smaller presence in the region, but who are seeing increasing numbers of installations of their equipment among converters seeking advanced technology that would more usually find a home in the more developed markets of Europe and North America.
Omet and MPS have both found recent success in Argentina – where Artes Gráficas Modernas and Adhepel, two of the country’s leading label converters, have respectively installed machines, while Cartes sold its first laser die-cutting machine in the country to Multilabel.
Xeikon has appointed a number of distributors throughout Latin America over the last two years and has reported a series of installations, including three for heat transfer labels in Brazil. A further installation will shortly be announced by two Mexican converters who have jointly purchased a Xeikon 3300 digital press.
Codimag recently installed its first Aniflo offset press in the region, at Brazilian converter Degrafica Impressos, while Agfa Graphics sold its first Dotrix modular digital press in that country last year, with three companies coming together in an innovative joint venture to house the machine.
GM has opened an office in Santiago, Chile, while Allen Datagraph has appointed Argentine label converter Artes Gráficas Raal as a distributor.
EFI – aware of the growing potential in the region for its management information software – has acquired Brazil-based software supplier Metrics, while there has also been much recent activity in the materials sector. Mexico has witnessed the arrival of a new labelstock manufacturer, IPVenus; UPM Raflatac has opened a slitting and distribution facility in Buenos Aires; and Colombia-based Arclad has nearly doubled its capacity with the opening of a new plant in Cartagena. With a free trade agreement about to come into force between Colombia and the USA, the company sees potential for its materials in the North American market and will make its Labelexpo Americas debut in September.
It is not only industry suppliers who are ramping up their presence in Latin America – international converting groups, too, are taking advantage of the region’s growth. Label converting giant CCL has formed a joint venture in Chile, where US group Multi-Color Corporation already has a presence. Austrian group CTI Invest – under its Viappiani brand – now has operations in Colombia and Brazil, and expects to announce two further acquisitions in the region over the coming months. Sato America, meanwhile, recently acquired Argentine converter Archenar.
You can read about many of these developments not already covered in L&L in upcoming issues the magazine, while no doubt more interesting news will surface over the next couple of days during the Summit in Guadalajara. In the meantime, click here for news from the region; and click here for feature articles about the Latin American market.
James Quirk, Latin America editor, L&L
On recent travels, I have continued to hear more active discussions around sustainability in the label industry. It has been inspiring, fulfilling and pulls the curtain back on what being greener really means. It’s far more than selecting a certified paper facestock that costs more and might not perform as well as virgin material.
It’s starting to move. Knowledge sharing and ideas are gaining traction; still the industry has more serious moves to make.
Mead Johnson Nutrition explained at AET’s Label Institute that it has dropped its current sustainable packaging design software, opting to implement the use of SPC’s COMPASS software, a rapid prototyping tool for designers and engineers. It gives supply chain stakeholders a quick snapshot of the environmental footprint of a particular package based on the Product Indexing information on which the software is based. Product Indexing takes into account natural resource extraction, distribution, packaging used and the ability to close the loop on particular packaging and labels.
The most vivid example of a brand owner initiative to achieve zero waste and to reduce its Environmental Footprint is GNP Company’s use of a linerless pressure sensitive label on its Just BARE Chicken brand. It made the conscious switch away from a typical PS label, and because of its success is looking to move the packaging solution to other brands.
In another move – retailers in Canada have pointed the finger at adhesives in PS labels for contaminating primary packaging in recycling streams. Through testing they’ve found that adhesive gums-up the recycling process of PET thermoform containers, and associations like NAPCOR and APR are digging deeper to reveal that paper fibers can often also be found in the plastic material. The industry must understand end-use recovery and how their labels fit within a brand’s goal to reduce their environmental footprint.
There’s opportunity for an edge here.
A few leading converters in the US have come up with innovative solutions for shrink sleeve labels that can be more easily removed in the recycling process, maintaining clarity of the container glass or plastic. Others have realized the benefits of using eco-coatings without chemicals, or ones that enhance the end value of the label – for example it emits a higher BTU at incineration. TLMI’s LIFE program is gaining more adopters and brands are beginning to understand the significance of label industry-specific certification that serves as an ever progressing Environmental Management System (EMS).
Brand owners at Label Summit Africa were eager to switch to PET containers because the recycling rate is higher where the South African-made products are sold, which helps reduce their product’s carbon footprint. These decision makers were eager to learn more about the construction of various labels and how their design relates to the primary package. They wanted to know if their container was fully recoverable at the end-use phase of a product’s life-cycle – and where it was sold (Europe).
Digital printers at Dscoop7 were eager to uncover tactics for implementing real sustainable actions within their businesses – meaning doing it right the first time and helping reduce production costs. Establishing a working team, setting a mission, collecting data and creating goals are the first steps to becoming a more sustainable label manufacturer. An EMS can serve as a valuable guideline to achieving such goals as energy reduction, waste recovery and product innovation.
Labelexpo Americas will feature an EcoVillage that will show the opportunity for converting matrix waste into fuel pellets and offering an alternative energy source. This is a valuable solution for waste in the label industry – and it needs a wider geographical spread. Further opportunities will be demonstrated in this area as the industry shifts to actively participate in creating a green label economy.
It is imperative that label converters continue to ask suppliers more questions. The industry must learn how to communicate its sustainable actions effectively down the supply chain.
Danielle Jerschefske
North America editor
Labels & Labeling
I wrote about the beginning of the digital label revolution almost 20 years ago when Indigo and Xeikon launched their electrophotographic engines at Ipex ’93. I watched with amazement as the technology almost died through a lack of understanding of the PS industry, then bounced back when HP acquired Indigo and Punch Graphics Xeikon, and we saw the launch of the first industrial strength digital label presses. Today ‘digital’ is the biggest single press brand and of course inkjet has gatecrashed the party, but it has been a long and rocky road.
At a pre-drupa press conference in Tel Aviv I believe I witnessed the start of the second digital revolution, where industrial strength digital printing is extended into the field of packaging (and avoiding the mistakes of the early digital label years). HP Indigo showed prototypes of two new digital presses targeted respectively at the carton and flexible packaging and film label markets. These are heavyweight machines, weighing in at around 11 tonnes, and HP is working with a range of partners to bring complete converting lines, from pre-press to finishing, to market. The presses’ extended format size fits in with existing carton and flexible packaging workflows and allows wide web and sheetfed converters to use existing finishing equipment. In other words, these presses sit squarely in traditional packaging print workflows.
At the same time, L&L’s technical editor Barry Hunt attended the Xeikon pre-drupa event, and learned that the company is demonstrating a 3500 press with a dedicated and robust in-line carton finishing unit. Add to this a range of inkjet options dedicated to packaging production which will be launched at the show.
Does this affect label converters? Absolutely. At the HP Indigo pre-drupa event, it was revealed that it was a label converter – Jay Dollries, president of Innovative Labeling Solutions – whom HP had consulted in the development of their new digital packaging presses. With their extensive experience of working with digital technology, label converters have the opportunity to become one stop digital packaging shops, offering end users color managed on-demand print across multiple packaging substrates.
It will be fascinating to see how this all pans out in the four years to the next drupa.
Andy Thomas
Group managing editor
Labels & Labeling
A particular highlight of the first Label Summit Africa, held in March in Cape Town, was the high number of brand owners and designers in attendance.
Brand owners and designers represented 15 percent of visitors, and their presence was also strongly felt in the event’s conference program. Panel discussion brought together leading names from the retail and wine industries – Woolworths, Clicks and Shoprite; and Cellar, Boer & Brit and Haskell Vineyards.
One attendee identified packaging as ‘the key customer touch point’, saying that without it ‘all surrounding marketing activity is wasted’.
With 303 attendees, the two-day conference boasted an excellent mix of technology presentations as well as printer, designer and brand owner panels. The event also hosted a table top exhibition, with 38 exhibitors.
It brought together the entire label industry from all aspects of the supply chain – proving to be a very educational and enlightening two days for the industry.
The brand owner theme continued with a wine blending afternoon at Zevenwacht winery – where teams blended their own wine in a competition to win the title of ‘the best wine of the day’.
The event will return to Cape Town in 2014.
Roger Pellow
Managing director
Tarsus Labels and Packaging Group
Baker Self Adhesive Labels’ HP Indigo-sponsored open house event towards the end of last year (see L&L issue 1, 2012 p68) opened my eyes to another ‘layer’ within our industry. In addition to the obvious message that ‘digital is everywhere’, there was a strong emphasis on the value of the operator and the skill, knowledge and training involved in the job. Yet, after a year in the industry – including visits to printers, suppliers and trade shows – I had never really thought about the people behind the machines. Indeed, one lady at HP Indigo suggested they are ‘the forgotten people’.
A discussion on LinkedIn further highlighted the mystery surrounding operators. A post from Amy Munice, president of Global B2B Communications, a resource for engineering and technology-based companies that sell products and services worldwide, got us at Tarsus thinking. What do operators read?
Munice discussed a recent conversation with a client in the automotive industry; revealing that print magazines are nowhere to be found in engineers' offices, and several companies are known to have banned reading trade publications in the office – including online media.
Jack Kenny, president of Jack Kenny Media, commented, ‘The management of a printing trade magazine I worked for tried to encourage subscriptions by press operators, pre-press people and all others who contributed to purchasing decisions. These folks might not be managers, but they use the equipment and materials and in most cases (I'd like to think) have opinions about their performance. Advertisers in the magazine wanted to know if the publication was penetrating to the operator level because they understood the role that these folks play in purchasing decisions.’
Andy Thomas, editor of L&L, noted, ‘Worker education is a wider problem than just discouraging workfloor access to trade magazines.’ Finat sponsored an ‘operator dedicated’ day at Labelexpo Europe last year in an effort to promote the importance of their role in the industry. However, only a few companies participated. These companies benefited hugely and as Thomas said, ‘Their workers spotted things which the managers missed which helped them do their jobs more efficiently – often “insignificant” things from an owner's point of view. The same benefits to the wider company would accrue from encouraging shop floor workers to read their trade industry magazines!’
Without the expertise of the operators there would essentially be no label production. So, if not from trade magazines or attending industry shows, where do they pick up their knowledge? If you are an operator, please enlighten us!
Carol Houghton
Journalist
Labels & Labeling
At one end of the spectrum are the agencies which work directly with the client and simply deliver to the converter a final proof and a job file. The converter has no influence on any aspect of the job design or the material on which it will be printed. At the other end of the scale are clients which invite converters in at the concept stage before.
There are two problems with bringing in the converter when nothing can be changed:
Firstly, and in the worst case, the job may be unprintable without serious rework. The converter is often expected to undertake this at no cost to the client, even where a contract clearly states that this work is rechargeable. This affects the end user by adding time for the product to get to market, and reduces the converter’s margins – a classic lose-lose.
Secondly, significant opportunities can be lost to take out costs and reduce cycle times for the end user – an achievement which makes the converter worth more to that client than a commodity supplier. This may include suggesting reducing the number of colors in a job; replacing non-critical solid colors with process colors; slightly adjusting label dimensions to better fit a press width or cutter availability; or suggesting thinner materials or different liners which may save waste or speed the labeling and packaging process.
All too often, 4-color offset plus specials is the central reference point for a designer. But a roll label converter has an intimate knowledge of the different ways of combining processes on a modern multi-process machine, in a way that would be far too expensive on a multi-stage sheet-fed job. In this way a converter can complement and enhance the creative genius of an agency’s design team.
So the key advice is always ask customers to be present as early as possible in the design cycle of a new label. Also, do not be afraid to (tactfully) make designers aware of the possibilities which are being missed and to encourage them to make you part of their concept team.
Andy Thomas
Group managing editor
Labels & Labeling
ComQi, a provider of digital signage and display technology, recently launched five new place-based mobile applications interacting with digital signage displays in a retail venue. As industry expert Mike Fairley says, ‘It’s one thing to link with digital signage in store, but if the consumer wants to follow-up at home then the communication link will also have to be with the label.’
We have recently seen a surge of QR codes being used on labels to add value and extend the consumer’s experience online; to websites, quizzes, games, social networks and purchase incentives such as money-off tokens. However, the wrong use of QR codes – for example, links to poorly executed websites – could be putting consumers off using them altogether.
At the moment QR codes are still a novelty. But as we become accustomed to seeing them on increasing numbers of products, brands need to do more to ensure the correct, beneficial usage. One good example is US retailer Sam’s Club using QR codes on every bottle of its Simply Right vitamins to lead consumers to videos by naturopathic physician, Dr Andrew Myers.
Some wine producers have also caught on: restaurant diners can scan the code on their bottle of wine to find out more about the vineyard, grape and how to order, instead of trying to remember the name for the next time they are shopping.
Mobile network operator Verizon increased sales by 200 percent by encouraging in-store customers to scan a QR code that shared a competition on social networking sites. If a friend used the link to buy a Verizon mobile, the original customer won a smart phone. The company gained a 35,000 dollars return on a 1,000 dollar investment and greatly increased brand awareness.
Other good uses of QR codes include virtual stores, store locators, recipes and data capture – eg polls to get consumer to vote for their favorite flavor. I look forward to seeing what label innovations will be dreamt up next to keep us interested.
Carol Houghton
Editorial assistant
Labels & Labeling
2011 was an eventful year in the label world. This year, the popularity of ‘smart labels’ will surely continue to grow and new innovations will be launched accordingly. A recent report showed that consumers are increasingly using mobile technology applications such as QR codes to access information on products, especially to access information such as the product’s ethical credentials and origin. ‘Eco-labels’ have been criticized for causing confusion as many shoppers are unable to distinguish between Organic, Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance and QR codes offer easy, instant access to such data.
Towards the end of last year, the retail situation in India dominated the headlines. According to Benjamin Punchard and Lamine Lahouasnia, Euromonitor International, market research and analyst firm, the Indian retail market is evolving and moving towards a supermarket/hypermarket model – regardless of the Indian government’s actions on retail Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The market is seriously underdeveloped in comparison to other regions, with virtually no infrastructure or chill chain. This means there is plenty of potential for label industry growth, and we will be watching closely to see how it develops.
L&L issue 5 2011 looked at the food labeling sector and highlighted the problem of food wastage – the UK alone throws away £12 billion of food according to the date on the label, when it is actually still safe to eat. I’ve just seen an exciting new labeling system which is planned for release to the retail market at the beginning of this year. Oli-Tec labels is a patent-protected traffic-light style food freshness label from Open Life Packaging that looks set to have a huge impact on the UK food industry (see L&L issue 1 2012 for more information).
Sustainability, as well as the continuing battle to increase shelf appeal and create value added packaging, will remain on my list of things to watch for in the year to come. I’ll also be focusing on design agencies, looking at their work with regards to the label and their views on how its role will change within specific sectors. If you’ve got something to say, get in touch!
Carol Houghton
Editorial assistant
Labels & Labeling
Change is inevitable. CPGs are feeling increasing pressure from consumers to lower the total carbon output of their products’ life-cycles. They are evaluating packaging on a macro level – reviewing specific areas within the value chain that can reduce wastage and pollution.
The label industry needs to begin designing labels for products that can be reprocessed and reused easily, helping to reduce their customers’ products’ carbon footprint. Converters must understand what their customers’ environmental goals are and they have to be able to respond with knowledgeable support.
Diageo has created and will regularly use a packaging life-cycle assessment tool, SPOT (Sustainable Packaging Optimization Tool), a software program that allows the brand, packaging designers and engineers to evaluate any given combination of packaging. SPOT will support the company’s new Sustainable Packaging Guidelines. Many other brand owners have been using similar software systems such as COMPASS and PIQET to address a package’s impact on the environment at the early design stage.
The life-cycle of a label must be evaluated at the design stage. The industry must understand how the construction of a label as a whole can impact the environment. Is the adhesive used in the construction recycling compatible? What is the material that the label will be applied to? Will the label contaminate recycling streams?
While many of the materials currently in these life-cycle databases pertain only to the wider packaging industry – polymers, board and glass – information is being collected for secondary packaging with a specific focus on pressure-sensitive labels (adhesive and liner) and shrink sleeve labels (energy usage).
CPGs will begin evaluating the labels they choose to use by the impact the construction will have further up the supply stream. For example, in Canada, the government enacted a tax on retailers that sold products with packaging that is not currently recyclable in the nation’s recovery streams. The adhesive in PS labels was found to gum-up the recycling of PET thermoform containers. Within a matter of months, the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers published test methods for Recycle Compatible Adhesives (RCAs).
Leading material suppliers UPM Raflatac and Avery Dennison quickly reacted with verified options for label converters serving this market.
Real innovation has been introduced to the industry that will support many brand’s search for lower impact packaging. Take look at the Closed-Loop, or Cradle-to-Cradle, recovery system Mitsubishi has introduced for PET liner for pressure sensitive material. More of these types of initiatives are required.
This is only the beginning. The life-cycle databases are being developed and the software programs are being used to provide brands with rapid snapshots of a package’s sustainability. Diageo says that it is looking for packaging that is both sustainable and premium. Are you prepared to manufacture labels that meet these requirements?
Label converters can find support and guidance in the new Environmental Performance book in Chapter Six: Design for Sustainable Performance.
Danielle Jerschefske
North America editor
Labels & Labeling
Returning to China for Labelexpo Asia in Shanghai provided an opportunity to gauge the development of the label industry in the country.
Firstly, the quality of manufacturing is improving – the exhibition even saw the launch of a digital press by Taiyo – and many companies are looking at the west as a potential market in the near future.
Secondly, the standard of the labels and package printing being produced is improving all the time. This is being driven in particular by the Chinese FMCG and personal care brands wanting to compete with the likes of Unilever and P&G on the shelf.
The third dynamic is that the universe of package printing and label printers is growing rapidly to meet demand. Attendance at Labelexpo Asia was up by nine percent, to 18,019. If the western brands don’t take the game to the Chinese they will come and attack the western manufacturers.
The final surprise is that the environment is now being talked about and appearing on the agenda.
Roger Pellow
Managing director
Tarsus Labels and Packaging Group
The foundation in 2007 of Flexo Print, Bolivia’s first dedicated narrow web label converter – and its subsequent investment in machinery from Gallus, Nilpeter, Rotoflex and Karlville – is a story representative of three major trends in some of Latin America’s lesser developed label markets: the creation of local label converting operations to serve brands owners accustomed to importing labels from abroad; the increasing installations of top quality machinery; and the desire to export.
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile may dominate the headlines – all four boast local label converting operations that compare favorably in technology and quality with Europe and the USA’s finest. But the smaller markets of Bolivia and Peru – even Ecuador and Paraguay – are increasingly attracting high quality machinery as local companies seek to reverse the trend of end users importing labels from abroad.
In Peru, Kuresa, the country’s leading producer of prime labels and adhesive tapes, has just invested USD $23 million in a new facility. Grupo Fibrafil, a manufacturer of agricultural netting and twine in the same country, will shortly open a dedicated label division housing two new Nilpeter FB presses. In Bolivia, packaging supplier Industrias Ravi is on the point of establishing a local label converting operation in cooperation with Argentine printer Artes Gráficas Raal. You can read about all three of these stories, as well as about Flexo Print in Bolivia, in upcoming issues of L&L.
These smaller Latin American markets have traditionally imported the majority of the labels used on locally sold goods. But now, companies in these countries are increasingly taking advantage of the gap in their local markets.
Bolivian brands historically import their labels from the more developed markets of Argentina and Colombia, and before just four years ago, there was no dedicated narrow web converting operation in the country.
This changed with the foundation in 2007 of Flexo Print, a Cochabamba-based offshoot of offset printer Sagitario, located in La Paz. In its short lifespan, the company has reaped the benefits of investment in advanced technology that has made it unique in its local market.
Landlocked Bolivia’s central location and large number of neighboring markets (it shares borders with Peru, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil), combined with the fact that it is one of the cheapest nations in the region, provide great potential for export. Flexo Print cites northern Chile and southern Peru – both far from their respective capitals and industrial bases – as regions which the company intends to target.
Flexo Print’s impressive growth since its foundation shows that in Bolivia, the trend of end users importing their labels is changing. The company is not only clawing back its local market – bringing its customers a level of quality previously only available abroad – but will soon reverse the trend and win work from markets that used to serve its own. It is a blueprint that other converters from Latin America’s smaller markets are following.
James Quirk
Latin America editor
Labels & Labeling