Labelexpo India 2014 show highlights

Labelexpo India, the biggest label and package printing show in South Asia, will see new technology from many local manufacturers as well as some of the major international players. There will be an array of new launches of flexo and digital presses, pre-press innovations, a range of ancillary equipment suppliers amongst other displays

Mark Andy digital press

HP Indigo will launch its WS6800 in India and Xeikon shows the 3030 digital press. Multitec, Nilpeter and Omet are some prominent names that will be running UV flexo presses live through the four days of the expo. Brand Innovation Summit is being organized at the show floor on October 30 and the LMAI Awards are being hosted at Hotel Le Meridien on October 31.

Flexo powers on
The show will see prominent Indian and multinational players bring new flexo technology to the show. From high performance presses of Nilpeter and Omet to new launches from Multitec and Alliance Printech, there will be a wide gamut of equipment for everyone who visits Labelexpo India.

Nilpeter will showcase the FB-3300S, an 8-color servo flexo press with short web path that features a value-adding gravure unit for metallic inks, solids, and coatings. It is equipped with corona treater, web cleaner, chill drums on all units, movable cold foil, and a 100 percent print defect inspection system.

Italian label press manufacturer, Omet, will display its new label press, the OMET XFlex X4, an 8-color all servo press with advanced controls.

Rotatek will unveil Smart flex, an advance modular UV flexo machine with shaftless technology, in the Indian market. The press will be displayed at the company's India agent, Provin Technos stand. It is a full servo shaftless  flexo press with shortest linear path offering flexibility of operation and lesser wastage.

Global Graphics and Weigang Machinery will together display two printing presses, ZX-320 intermittent offset and ZBS-320G flexographic print presses. Other off-line converting and finishing equipment demonstrated will be a slitter rewinder with camera system for 100 percent inspection of labels and an off-line label punching machine.

Multitec, a leading Indian flexo press manufacturer, will display three presses at the show floor – Ecoflex, Ecoflex VSi ELS and Ecosmart. Ecoflex VSi ELS and Ecosmart are two new launches from the company. There will be live demontrations of both the new presses. While Ecoflex VSi ELS is the full servo version of Ecoflex VSi and runs on an electronic line shaft and incorporates pre-register capability, Ecosmart will feature open access design, servo infeed and out-feed and short web path.

Alliance Printech will launch its new modular flexo label press with features like top loading print and anilox cylinders, quick job change, shorter web length, servo drive controls for in-feed and out-feed, digital tension controls for unwind and rewind, foiling, web cleaning, delam relam, coating, embossing, lamination, variable data printing and rotary die-cutting.      

Digital arena
Some of the digital and inkjet players on the show floor will include names such as Technova, Vinsak, Epson, HP and Xeikon. While Epson will display its SurePress L-4033AW, Technova will launch its SmartJet LP112, a new inkjet label press built on the Memjet waterfall technology.

HP will give live demonstrations of its new HP Indigo WS6800 digital press, the third generation of HP Indigo WS6000 digital press series. An expanded frame with increased width from 317 mm to 320 mm, compared to print width of the HP Indigo WS6600 digital press, allows for higher press output and reduced costs.

Xeikon will display a Xeikon 3030 digital press, a narrow web entry level press of the Xeikon 3000 series, in roll2roll configuration. The press will be live printing a range of label applications for several vertical markets. With the variable web width ranging from 200 mm up to 330 mm, it runs at a top speed of 9.6 m/min and can handle production volumes of up to 190 m²/hour.

Vinsak will display the LVPI 250/330 variable data printing and inspection system. The design of this equipment includes a quick make ready rotary scissor slitting unit with knife separation and lateral adjustment. It also features a color touch screen HMI operator interface, control of the various counting facilities, automatic web advance, taper tension control and end of roll features, and automatic splicing for 100 percent error free production. The system has maximum unwind and rewind diameter of 700mm and comes with a maximum transport speed of 150 mtrs/min.

Ancillary equipment and raw material
Themed on ‘Inspiring Innovations. Sustainable Growth’, Avery Dennison will reflect its dedication to providing the best products for customers and the environment. The company will showcase numerous innovations that will expand opportunities and drive growth for label converters in new market segments and new product areas. UPM Raflatac will demonstrate the company’s latest developments in pressure-sensitive technology with a particular emphasis on sustainability solutions.

Armor, a French company and Re Controlli Industriali, an Italian company will be amongst the first time exhibitors at Labelexpo India. Armor will showcase APX®FH+, a new wax/resin ribbon dedicated to flat head printers. A division of the company designs and manufactures inked films used in thermal transfer technology.

Re Controlli Industriali will showcase SmartMotion web guide system and the WLigo remote controller. Planned for small and medium size web guide systems, SmartMotion is the new control unit fusing the stepper motor and the drive technologies into a single device. WLigo remote controller is designed to manage multiple hardware devices with a unique keypad that allows the control of more web guide systems connected in series. Other products on display designed for the narrow web sector will include the new Extreme XT7 pneumatic brake and the CPF sensor roller.

Weldon Celloplast will re-create the Technology Bar that will feature technology from names such as Omet, ETI Converting Equipment, Delta Industrial, Martin Automatic, Link Label Machinery, Berhalter, FAES, Nikka, Lartec, Lundberg Tech and Vetaphone. Weldon Celloplast is an exclusive agent in India for most of these companies.

UV systems manufacturer GEW announced the start of serial production of Rhino power electronics for use with its range of arc lamp and solid-state UV light sources. Displayed at the show floor, its embedded service technology continuously monitors the system, guarding against out-of-specification parameters that could result in an unplanned stoppage.  The operating centre automatically advises of any maintenance needed before a fault can develop.

U V Graphic Technologies, based out of Okhla Industrial Area in New Delhi, will launch its all new LED UV curing systems that will be offered for flexo, offset, gravure and letterpress. The company now has an option to upgrade existing conventional mercury UV lamp systems that are powered with the EPS to an LED UV system. It will launch advanced flexo presses later this year. At Labelexpo India, a glimpse of two stations of this press is offered. On display will also be a new web video inspection system that supports colour distinguishing features with high speed reading capabilities of RGB / CMYK values at the substrate with real time values displayed. The visitors will also see the new Combi Plate Mounter which works with a wide variety of cylinders to go on conventional machines as well as the latest machines.

Precise Graphic from Aurangabad will launch high speed slitter rewinder SR330 D. The basic model comes with the manual tension control but pnuematic and auto tension controls are also available. The single slitting station is equipped with shear knife as well as razor blade slitting options. On display will also be an inline hot foil stamping system that can be retrofitted on most of the narrow web flexo printing machines. The process is controlled by PLC and an interactive HMI. The company is also showcasing semi rotary die cutting machine designed for digital and narrow-web label industry.

Monotech Systems will launch a new VSRI range of solutions under its brand Jetsci.  To be run live for demonstrations at the show floor, it offers solution for track and trace consisting of roll to roll slitter and rewinder with variable data inkjet printing and online camera inspection for 100 percent inspection and verification at high speeds. The company will also launch range of low cost label slitters and rewinders for the label printing industry. On display would also be samples from Scodix, Highcon and EFI range of products as well targeting to niche segment in label printing industry.

RotoMetrics will introduce anodized print cylinder, which is positioned as an economic alternative between Standard and Hardcase grades, offers the same precise tolerances as the Standard but has added surface protection for improved scratch resistance and protection from corrosion. The company will also showcase the new through-hardened, machine-finished RD300 for cutting disposable medical substrates, dust-sensitive labels and tags, in-mold labels, synthetic gasket materials, Velcro, Tyvek and electronic components. Another product at the show floor will be Pin Eject solution that offers a method of preventing build-up of small die-cut slugs. It was designed for challenging cavity sizes as small as 0.0625 inch (1.6 mm).

In pre-press arena, Esko shall be showcasing CDI 2530 that is said to achieve results that before were only achievable in offset or gravure.

Kodak will display its commercially released new extensions to Kodak Flexcel NX system for post-print and pre-print corrugated markets. The new Kodak Flexcel NX Wide 5080 system includes a newly designed imaging platform and laminator that enables plate making in formats up to 50 x 80 inches. The new Kodak Flexcel NXC plates are formulated for post-print applications delivering improved ink coverage, reduced fluting, better highlight reproduction and cost-effective on-press performance. Kodak Flexcel NXH plates, available in 50 x 80 inch format, are available for high quality pre-print applications.

Apex Group of Companies will showcase its patented GTT anilox technology which uses an alternative engraving system to standard cell designs. Kaygee Loparex will display its new range of Glassine, CCK and SCK release liners. The range includes prime grade as well as cost-effective grades ­­and includes 50 gsm Glassine C1S release liner, 55 gsm CCK C1S release liner and 67 gsm SCK C1S release liner. Univacco Stamping Foils will launch hot stamping foils for rough-surface substrates, overprinting and embossing applications. Dhana Impex is an exclusive distributor for Univacco stamping foils in India.

Brand Innovation Summit
In midst of latest technology announcements, running machineries, new launches and networking, Labelexpo India and HP will co-host a session for brand managers. To be held on October 30 at the HP stand from 13.45 hours onwards, the session is meant for a meaningful discussion on new and cost effective labeling methods for brands. An invitation-only session will start with a brief overview of the FMCG market in India. Christian Menegon of HP will then present an overview of the labels and packaging industry while supporting it with case studies from the world over. This will be followed by a panel discussion on the challenges faced by brands and the solution for getting the branding right each time. Discussions wil include topics such as hitting the right color and achieving consistent end results, cost reduction and security printing.

Confirmed panelists include prominent names such as Hitesh Shenoy, head of technical packaging ISC, China and AP, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare; Biswajit Basu, head of packaging development, Reckitt Benckiser Health and Personal Care; Deepak Manchanda, associate director of business development, Firstouch Solutions and Christian Menegon, business development manager, HP.