Spinnaker-ITW combo receives BS 5609 Part 3 certification

Spinnaker Coating and ITW Thermal Films have jointly received British Maritime Standard 5609 (BS 5609) Part 3 certification (Laboratory Performance of Printed Labels) for Spinnaker’s 3.3mm durable polypropylene with SFA adhesive using ITW Thermal Films B324 black and B324R red resin ribbons.

Spinnaker Coating and ITW Thermal Films have jointly received British Maritime Standard 5609 (BS 5609) Part 3 certification (Laboratory Performance of Printed Labels) for Spinnaker’s 3.3mm durable polypropylene with SFA adhesive using ITW Thermal Films B324 black and B324R red resin ribbons

The certification applies to the facestock, adhesive, and print combination. It was received using the Cab XC6 printer and would also be recommended for the Cab XC4 printer.

BS 5609 is a drum and barrel test designed to certify that a label will stay affixed to an aluminum drum for at least three months in sea water, so that contents are identifiable in the event of a shipwreck. 

Spinnaker’s product is already in compliance with BS 5609 Part 2 (Marine and Laboratory Performance of Label Base Materials), and the company sees the addition of the Part 3 portion of the certification as a ‘huge win for label customers’. 

While not required for all GHS applications, end users who will be labeling chemical drums that will be shipped over the ocean will need this standard, and the red ribbon specifically is essential for the new GHS labeling standards.

Julie Billing, roll product manager at Spinnaker Coating, said: ‘Spinnaker has an industry-leading thermal transfer films offering, and this certification not only strengthens the line, but indicates our dedication to assisting label converters with products suitable for oceanic travel.

‘We chose this particular construction for certification because it is a reasonably priced versatile product, has great printability and is available on our Trimless program with a low minimum of one 3in x 5,000ft roll.’

Marlee Fink, technical product manager at ITW Thermal Films, said: ‘ITW Thermal Films responded to the needs of our customers by developing the B324R red resin specifically for GHS and BS 5609 certification.

‘B324R is a durable, bright red resin which complements our long-standing, UL-recognized black resin, B324.  An important feature is that each ribbon transfers at the same speed and printhead temperature on the Cab Technologies XC4 and XC6 dual-head, thermal transfer printers.’