RotoMetrics and partners host European celebration

The Evolution of Print 2014 event took place across September 23-25 at RotoMetrics’ location close to Walsall in the UK, and featured a series of presentations on each day from the likes of Avery Dennison, Herma, Mark Andy, Epson and AVT.

Dantex gave a presentation in which it spoke about its partnership with Screen for distribution of the Truepress Jet L350UV press, while Avery Dennison detailed its ClearCut adhesive technology and some of its other developments.  Label Traxx’s Jenny Whittle detailed the importance of data processing in print environments during another presentation, while Peter Juxon, director of sales for Northern Europe at AVT, spoke on the evolution of both its technology and the label industry, whereby its inspection technology has moved from primarily being installed on converting technology up the production process to now largely being installed on-press to eliminate defects at source.

There was also a special presentation from Steve Cunningham, a motivational speaker who lost his sight aged 12 but has gone on to undertake a number of challenges such as flying point-to-point around the UK in order to tackle and challenge misconceptions about what those with disabilities of all forms can achieve. His presentation also made clear that anyone can achieve anything they want through self-belief, a positive mental attitude and ambition.

Evolution of Print 2014 was supported by a cross-section of suppliers from across the label printing supply chain, such as HP Indigo, Xeikon, Nilpeter, Edale, Mark Andy, Focus Label Machinery, AB Graphic, Bar Graphic Machinery, IST, GEW, Zeller+Gmellin, Paragon Inks, JM Heaford, Sandon Global, Dantex, TTS, AVT, Graphic Republik and Print-Tech, plus associations FINAT, BPIF Labels and EFIA. Partner companies exhibited as part of a table-top ‘exhibition’ where they were able to network with attendees and showcase their products and technologies.

The event offered attendees an opportunity to tour RotoMetrics’ engineering facility, where flexible and solid dies are manufactured, tested and distributed to customers across Europe. This included seeing CNC and EDM processes for producing solid dies, and a new Schmid CtP system that now forms part of its flexible die manufacturing capabilities, and which UK and Ireland sales director David Casey said has enhanced its production capacity. This is supplemented by a team of highly trained staff carrying out hand finishing of new and refurbished dies.

RotoMetrics also used the Evolution of Print 2014 event to raise money for charity, with both a raffle and a cupcake sale raising funds for causes such as Macmillan Cancer Support, which hosted its most recent Coffee Morning fundraising event on September 26. RotoMetrics’ UK and Ireland customer services director Neil Lilly used the availability of cupcakes to host its own Coffee Morning-related gathering 24 hours early.

Evolution of Print 2014 was the second installment of RotoMetrics’ biennial European Open House event, and is scheduled to return in 2016, with Lilly looking at ways to enhance and improve the event for its third edition.