Label Apeel expands into cartons with Edale

Leicester-based Label Apeel has expanded into premium printed cartons with the launch of Carton Apeel, using an Edale CartonLine FL6p flexo press to combine printing, embellishment and die-cutting in a single pass.

The service extends the converter’s decorative label printing capabilities into cartons for sectors including tea and coffee, confectionery, cosmetics, fragrance, gifting and craft beer multipacks.

The FL6p combines printing, hot and cold foiling, embossing, varnishing and lamination, with die-cutting on the same line. It also supports printing on both the inside and outside of cartons.

Carton Apeel has no minimum order quantity and a typical turnaround of 10–15 days. Customers can source labels and cartons from one supplier, with color matched across both formats. Label Apeel says combining production stages will reduce handling and work in progress while shortening lead times.

Stuart Kellock, director at Label Apeel, said: ‘Smaller brands are fighting hard for attention on the shelf, so their packaging has to do more than simply hold a product. It needs to tell a story and give people a reason to pick it up.

'This is all about the right design, materials and decorative techniques, together with the skill and care of the people producing it.’

The service allows brands to order quantities ranging from a single carton to 10,000, replenishing packaging as products sell. Larger runs for core products can be combined with shorter runs for seasonal promotions, helping customers manage stock and reduce obsolete packaging.

Kellock continued: ‘Our press operators are craftspeople who enjoy taking on a challenge, and we work closely with designers to bring out the best in their ideas. The FL6p lets us extend that approach from labels into cartons.

'With Carton Apeel, we’re now able to offer these smaller brands consistency across their product and packaging.’

Quick changeovers allow label and carton jobs for the same customer to run in close succession, giving Label Apeel scope to take on additional packaging work alongside its existing label production.

Lachlan Buirds, managing director of Edale, said: ‘Label Apeel has built a strong reputation for producing premium labels that help brands stand out.

'The FL6p gives the team the ability to bring that same creativity and quality to carton production, combining print, embellishment and die cutting in a single pass.’