Labelsco achieves double at World Label Awards

Leicestershire-based reel-to-reel label printers Labelsco are the UK’s first-ever double prizewinners in the latest World Label Awards competition.

Founded in 1990, the World Label Awards annually recognize and reward outstanding achievement in label print.  Entries – this year in excess of 1000 –come from all corners of the globe, including North America, Japan, India, and Russia.  Only a handful of companies have achieved a 'double' in the winners' list since the competition was inaugurated, so several of Labelsco's leading suppliers sponsored a dinner to celebrate the company's success, and provided a fitting stage for the presentation of the awards by the president of the World Label Association, Tony White (also past-president of the British Printing Society and an international expert on the technicalities of printing). 

Labelsco's two World Label Awards prizewinners aptly demonstrated their skills in flexographic print for pre-packed foods and for bathroom products.  Self-adhesive back and front labels for Tesco Christmas turkey gravy won them the award for flexo color process.  The labels were printed by the UV flexo process on a Nilpeter press in four-color process plus gold using XSYS Print Solutions' Flexocure Sigma inks, on a Fasson polyethylene self-adhesive labelstock.  According to Tony White, 'these labels involved a high degree of complexity, and the quality of the process color was excellent.  The additional use of gold added a real festive sparkle to the labels.'

Labelsco also took the prize for non-self-adhesive print for sachets of Charisma-brand Apricot and Walnut exfoliating scrub.  Incorporating a photo-quality image of a face as well as extensive multi-lingual text directions for use, the labels were printed UV flexo on Labelsco's Nilpeter press in six colors – four-color process plus special green and black inks, all supplied by XSYS Print Solutions – on Amcor Transofoil White film. Tony White commented on these 'labels' that 'this type of work is traditionally printed gravure, but Labelsco executed them perfectly on their narrow-web label press, with no quality compromise.'

Labelsco's operations director, Paul Larkin, paid tribute to the suppliers who helped them to win the coveted World Label Awards. 'To achieve these outstanding results we needed the right tools. XSYS Print Solutions' flexo ink technology innovation has enabled us to achieve high color strength using ultra-fine anilox rollers, so that we can achieve the crisp dots and fine tone vignettes for which the World Label Association recognized our company.'

Labelsco, founded in 1976 by Bob Robinson, who still owns and runs the company, also featured in the winners' list for the annual FlexoTech International Print and Innovation Awards in 2005, and in the International Label Competition run by label industry association FINAT.

Bob Robinson, Labelsco's MD, was delighted:  'It's a credit to Labelsco's staff that we are achieving such exceptional results for our customers.  With these World Label Awards, we have been recognized as being among the industry's global elite.  Labelsco has achieved certification to all the important quality standards, including ISO 2001, the pharmaceutical standard PS 9000, and the environmental standard ISO 14001.  We like to work with our suppliers to get the best out of our presses, our inks and dies, and our substrates – and we operate a continuous improvement process to keep us at the leading edge of print technology.  That way, we can always give our customers what they want, when they want it, at the right price.'

Labelsco Ltd employs 125 people at its factory in Barwell, Leicestershire. The celebration dinner took place on Friday January 27 at Hambleton Hall near Oakham, Rutland, with customers, suppliers, and Labelsco staff present to see Tony White formally hand over the coveted World Label Awards to Bob Robinson.  Barry Deri, UK technical service manager, narrow web, for XSYS Print Solutions, then presented a special memento of the two companies' close co-operation over several years in optimizing new inks for specialist narrow-web label presses. 

Celebrating Labelsco's World Label Awards wins in the photo are, L to R: Colm Horton, Quantum Manufacturing; Jamie Robinson, sales director, Labelsco Ltd; David Wyke, finance manager, RPC; Tony White, president, World Label Association; Andy Dunn, business manager, Labelsco Ltd; Bob Robinson, managing director, Labelsco Ltd.