EBM

Eminence Business Media

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

TARSUS ORGANISES ROAD SHOW AS A PREVIEW TO INDIA’S LARGEST LABEL SHOW

The first road show in its series organised by Tarsus as a prelude to this year's Labelexpo India show was held today at Chennai. This was held at 15 Medavakkam Road, Sholinganallur, Chennai in the evening and was hosted by Nilpeter / Proteck. The second in the series will be held tomorrow at Mumbai and will be hosted by SMI Coated Products at The Club Mumbai at 197 D N Nagar, Andheri (West) from 19:30 to 22:00 hrs.

This is the first time that a number of road shows in the run up to the December event, which is taking place at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on 8-11 December 2010 is being organised by Tarsus. The road shows are free to attend and is organised to bring the printer community together to network and discuss the latest issues and innovations in preparation of the show. The third and the last in the series will however not be held (as anticipated by many) at New Delhi. However, this time the labels printers and other printing fraternity guys from Punjab can take the opportunity and join in the networking reception as well as interactive presentations on the Indian label market and new product launches at Labelexpo India as it is being held in Ludhiana on 29th September at Fortune Park Klassik Hotel, Link Road, Opp Model Town, in the evening.

The road shows will include a networking reception as well as interactive presentations on the Indian label market and new product launches at Labelexpo India. The road show in Chennai also perhaps included a live press demonstration as was announced. These events are sure to be of great benefit for printers and members of the press who will be able to get a preview of all the exciting developments that will be on display at the show in December.

Roger Pellow, Labelexpo Managing Director, said: “Running these road shows before Labelexpo India is a great way to engage with printers across India before the show. We believe in developing the labeling industry and growing it globally. Labelexpo India is one of the events that is key to this strategy and reflects our commitment to this important market.”

Tickets to the road shows are free of charge, but limited to printers and members of the media. Please visit the Labelexpo India website page or email the marketing team to apply for the exclusive tickets.

Monday, September 27, 2010

HENKEL DRESSED UP WITH NEW UV COATINGS

The multimedia age makes the consumer's attention a rare and precious resource. So when it comes to print media and product packages, the more exclusive the design of the print product, the better the chance of standing out from the crowd. For overprint finishing, in particular, Henkel has a portfolio of innovative UV coatings and lacquers, which it will be presenting at the FachPack 2010 fair. One special highlight is MiraFoil, an innovative effect lacquer that gives surfaces a brilliant and radiant metallic gloss.

Be it a brochure or a packaging, printed material that has to visibly stand out from the crowd often needs an upgrade to catch the consumer’s eye. The MiraCure brand UV coatings and special finishings that Henkel will be presenting at FachPack 2010 (Hall 6, Stand 439) are ideally suited for making paper and board surfaces shine in new splendor. The product portfolio includes, for example, matt and gloss coatings for use with flexo or screen printing techniques. They help produce creative dynamic finishes to help each product stand out.

Brilliant metallic gloss with MiraFoil
A real highlight from Henkel is the new metallic effect MiraFoil coating that satisfies even the highest demands while meeting all the expectations of a modern effect lacquer in terms of both economics and ecology. Containing highly reflective, micro-fine aluminum flakes, the UV-curing lacquer gives paper and plastic substrates a radiant appearance similar to that of a silver foil. Furthermore, MiraFoil is perfectly overprintable, either in-line or off-line. Just by applying a layer of ink, it is possible to generate any metallic color with a striking visual impact that shows off graphic products to best effect. A complimentary MiraFoil color selector guide shows more than 1,000 different examples designers can chose from to create attractive sustainable folding cartons, packaging, labels and many other applications.

Printers can also benefit in a number of ways from using MiraFoil. So far, a comparable appearance and feel has only been possible with additional, complex hot or cold foil stamping. Whatever the product – brochures, book covers, folding boxes or labels – with the UV lacquer developed by Henkel, many jobs involving silver or metallized surfaces can now be performed in an inline process, given an appropriate machine configuration. This not only saves time and money, but also benefits the environment lastingly – the elimination of stamping and cutting wastes being just one aspect. Another advantage is that unprinted MiraFoil can be pumped straight out of the press and reused at a later date. The new metallic finish from Henkel has already convinced many printers with its exceptional ease of handling that differs little from that of conventional UV lacquers.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

INDIA PACK 2010 TO START FROM SEPTEMBER 30TH

The Indian Packaging industry with a growth of more than 15% p.a. and accounting for USD 14 Billion shows the immense potential in the industry. This growth is expected to be doubled in next two years and figures indicate towards a change in the industrial and consumer set up. Packaging today, has grown in importance and is regarded as vital marketing tool. It enhances product value and helps expand market within and outside country. With a rapid growth in markets like Food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and textile, and with all these sectors needing specialized packaging, the packaging industry can be characterized as global and fast growing industry.

After the successes of previous three editions of Indiapack it has grown as a brand name in Indian Packaging industry and world over. Recognizing that the new trends and development are essential to the industry’s bright future, the Indian Institute of Packaging, through Indiapack, seeks to provide a perfect platform to bring the packaging industry under one roof. With this the industry has opportunity to connect at this highly specialized event where the issues of meeting the soaring demand for more sophisticated packaging together with the ever present need for increased productivity are addressed.

With the support from Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Food Processing Industry, Ministry of Textiles, Govt of India and many Trade Association, from India and abroad including World Packaging Organization and Asian Packaging Federation, Indiapack is all set to continue the success story in 2010 edition from September 30th to October 3rd at Mumbai. With other concurrent events that include International FoodTec 2010, Dairy Universe and Asia Coat + Ink Show thrown together alongwith a high level International Packaging Conference & the National Awards for Excellence in Packaging organized by Indian Institute of Packaging, the event is sure to be a major success.

For more details, log on to www.indiapack.in

ESKOARTWORK KONGSBERG XP COMPLETED WITH AUTOMATION

EskoArtwork announces the Kongsberg XP Auto, an extended new version of the XP cutting table. This incorporates automatic loading and unloading to give the highest digital converting capacity available on the market. It is the perfect complement to a wide format digital printer, enabling a full digital production workflow for POP displays and short-run packaging work.

The XP Auto is the successor to the DCM 24 (Digital Converting Machine), which established EskoArtwork and its Kongsberg operation as a leader in fully automatic board handling for digital cutters. The new model is based on the Kongsberg XP, the company’s highest capacity cutting table, designed for high productivity up to 24/7 continuous operation. The configuration can handle a wide range of materials from high-density, rigid sheets requiring a milling tool to flexible materials that can be processed by knife cutting tools. The maximum sheet size for the large format XP44 Auto model is 2310 x 3600 mm.

Full automatic finishing solution
"With the introduction of faster large format digital printers, there is a strong demand for a higher capacity automatic finishing solution for printed packaging and display materials," says Tom Erik Naess, CAM Product Manager at EskoArtwork. "The XP Auto helps to turn short-run packaging and POP work into profitable and value added jobs. Users can now offer their customers on-demand production with just-in time-delivery."

The addition of automatic media handling transforms the XP into a fully automatic finishing system that can run unattended for long periods. Unattended operations are aided by the XP’s automatic tool calibration and a camera system for accurate print-to-cut registration. Exclusive for the XP Auto is the ability to register sheets with the print side facing down, most useful for processing corrugated board. This is achieved by means of a camera, located below the table top level and driven by a separate servo axis, that registers the marks as the board is moved from the in-stack to the cutting area.

"The Kongsberg XP Auto is optimized for packaging and display manufacturers that want to run production series up to about 1000 sheets or stacks of material up to one meter high," explains Naess. "It can run without the continuous supervision of an operator, thus saving considerable costs. Operators can also leave the machine working unattended overnight as a remote alert system automatically sends a message to the operator if operation has stopped."

The system is particularly valuable for producing POP display work and short-run customized packaging, with short turnaround times. Compared with conventional cutting and creasing systems for packaging, this also avoids the lead times and high cost of making cutting dies. A milling capability is optional for materials such as MDF, Forex, Dibond and acrylic panels.

Positive customer feedback
The new Kongsberg XP Auto, including a large format XP44 model, is already operating at SCA Packaging Norway in Sarpsborg, a plant that is part of the Europe-wide packaging production specialist SCA Group. SCA Packaging Norway specializes in short run, on-demand corrugated boxes and in-store POP display boxes for the Norwegian and Swedish markets. In addition to the new XP Auto configuration in operation since April 2010, the company works with two Kongsberg DCM24 cutters for automatic packaging finishing, one Kongsberg CM1320 sample table and a Göpfert Boxmaker.

"We are very pleased with the Kongsberg XP44 Auto,” says Atle Andreassen, Managing Director at SCA Packaging Norway. “The big working area compared to the DCM machines is a big advantage for us. We can produce larger boxes than before. Multiple part jobs, often needed for in-store displays, can now fit into a single sheet which saves time and costs both at the printing and cutting stage. The XP Auto can also cut the protective foam for the inside of the boxes, which we have not been able to do before. Also the increased speed of the XP Auto is a benefit when cutting multiple parts from a sheet."

With a small staff of 13 people, the ability to run unattended is very valuable. "We can leave the XP Auto unattended at night and by raising our stack of material to 100cm, we can produce till 06.00 in the morning instead of 02.00. We even already suggested EskoArtwork to further expand the automatic loading and unloading capability," adds Andreassen. "With the Kongsberg XP Auto, we can make samples for a customer while they wait and deliver the order in two or three days."


Friday, September 24, 2010

MAHARASHTRA PRINT PACK SIGN 2010 @ PUNE STARTS TODAY

Companies like Autoprint, Ess Dee Nutek, Megabound, Fairprint International, Standard Printers Providers are exhibiting at the Maharashtra Print Pack Sign 2010 that kicked off today in Pune. Conducted by the Poona Press Owner’s Association & VNB International, the expo is supported By Maharashtra Mudran Parishad & Affiliate Associations that include Bombay Master Printers’ Association, Nashik Jilha Mudrak Sangh, Kolhapur Zilla Mudrak Sangh, Aurangabad Mudrak Sangh, Sangli Zilla Mudrak Sangh, Printers Guild - Nagpur and the Solapur Mudrak Sangh.

The MPPS 2010 has several industry's leading manufacturers displaying the latest in Pre-Press, Printing, Packaging, Post-Press, Signage Machineries and allied products. Companies like Autoprint, Ess Dee Nutek, Megabound, Fairprint International, Standard Printers Providers are exhibiting at the Maharashtra Print Pack Sign 2010 that kicked off today in Pune. The Expo which started today will continue till 27th September at the Auto Cluster Exhibition Center and is backed by eight regional associations in Maharashtra. Fairprint International will be giving demonstration of its variable data printing (VDP), answer sheet numbering, barcode, mini and poly offset printing machine while Autoprint, Ess Dee Nutek, Megabound will be running live demonstrations.

Nayan Bhayani, the organiser of the Expo is very upbeat about the show. He says: "There are more than 50 exhibitors. In addition, we have planned to host opportunities to network. This is important because the print industry around Pune is witnessing a boom."

THE 11 SAPPI INTERNATIONAL PRINTERS OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED

Sappi recently announced the names of eleven printers from across the globe as deserving winners of the Sappi International Printers of the Year awards. The awards are considered the only truly global print awards and the world’s most prestigious accolades of excellence in print. Held every second year, the much anticipated 2010 announcement was made by Ralph Boëttger, Chief Executive Officer Sappi Limited. The awards recognise, reward and honour the printers’ craftsmanship and attention to their work and understanding of their clients’ brief and designs. Each winner receives a coveted cast-bronze elephant trophy created by world-renowned sculptor Donald Greig, symbolising Sappi’s South African heritage.

In congratulating the winners, Boëttger said, “Despite the press extolling the virtue of electronic media and
the demise of print, the printed word remains powerful and pre-eminent in all forms of communication, be it for marketing purposes or just for pleasure. Each year printers set new standards of exceptional quality and Sappi is proud to honour these achievements. I am sure that the winners, and indeed all the finalists, will enjoy the recognition of their peers as well as their clients.”

Over 6,000 entries were received from participating countries in this year’s four qualifying regional Printers of the Year competitions in Africa, North America, Europe and the Sappi Trading region of Australasia, Asia and South and Central America. The categories were: * Annual Reports * Books * Brochures * Calendars * Catalogues * General Print * Digital Print * Magazines – Sheetfed * Magazines – Web * Packaging and Labels * Printer’s Own Promotion

Regional gold award winners competed against each other in their respective categories and were judged by an international panel of independent judges, ensuring impartiality and the broadest spectrum of technical expertise in print. Each entry was judged on overall appearance, quality of finishing and general difficulty of the print job, as well as factors such as dot sharpness, ink density, registration, sheet size, paper weight, screen ruling, stitching and die cutting.

The icing on the cake was our very own indigenous printer "Pragati Offset Pvt. Ltd." who was the winner in the Packaging and Labels segment for the printing of the rigid box for the brand "Black Dog Reserve - 18 years whisky." Mr. P. Narendra of Pragati is on Cloud 9 with Three Elephants together. It is also an achievement in itself that Pragati is the only printer to have won Three Elephants in Asia. The company which entered the blister packing, label and rigid luxury box packaging segments in the last decade or so has thus achieved recognition for one of the most difficult competitive categories in the Asia Pacific (Trading) region. Pragati’s elephant is for its Black Dog Reserve- 18 Years Whisky, rigid box printed on Magno Satin 170 gsm paper. Narendra Paruchuri, CEO of Pragati is extremely and understably pleased, "It is a dream, which has come true. I attribute this win to the wonderful and dedicated team who are willing to run that extra mile always."

“Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who entered our competition. The entries for our 2012 Sappi Printers of the Year awards have already opened and I would encourage everyone with a great piece of print on Sappi paper to enter it to help us celebrate excellent print and the power of printed communication.” Concluded Ralph Boëttger.

CLARIFOIL PACKS A PUNCH

Clarifoil, makers of biodegradable cellulose film materials for labeling and packaging, packed a punch at Labelexpo Americas - the world’s largest label and product decoration trade show with its growing range of smart solutions for innovative label designs and tamper-evident label uses.

For converters and printers, specifiers and end-users, Clarifoil is an eco-friendly material that provides many efficiency advantages – it is easy to process, accepts solvent and water-based adhesives without treatment, can be glued and die cut with minimal waste, is printable by most processes without corona treatment and can be foil-blocked.

For creative designers, Clarifoil offers an entire orchestra of special effects for distinctive brands – it conforms well around complicated shapes, can be used to produce ‘invisible’ labels with only print or foil blocking prominent on a transparent background, and is available in clear, white, full matt, Satiné and Semitone finishes and special colors.

Clarifoil, the world’s leading producer of innovative cellulose acetate films for labels, carton windows and print lamination is highly active in the growing market for tamper-evident, security and anti counterfeit label material solutions. Because of Clarifoil’s low temperature manufacturing process, it’s possible to include a number of additives, including infrared agents (which can be energized with a handheld device), thermo-chromic and photochromic dyes, and fluorescent colored and optically brightened films, which produce a distinctive edge glow if torn.

Consumer awareness of environmental considerations is increasingly driving the choice of labeling materials. Consumers seek environmental friendliness in every aspect of the products they buy, including the packaging and labeling. Clarifoil satisfies this demand with its home- compostability and biodegradability, yet – unlike many eco-friendly products – there is no compromise on the quality of the label or its positive tactile qualities, with a variety of finishes available. Clarifoil has EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 accreditation as a certified biodegradable and home-compostable material.

A major contribution to the safety label market is Integuard, Clarifoil’s tamper evident film material. Integuard is specially engineered to retain tensile strength during automatic processing and high speed application but will fragment if removal is attempted when the product is on retail sale, enabling store staff to tell at a glance if the pack is intact. Integuard has been developed for tamper evidence uses in pharmaceutical packaging, cosmetics, perfume, high end food and drink products and electronic goods such as mobile phones and MP3 players.

Marion Bauer, Marketing, Clarifoil explains: “Clarifoil has made enormous leaps forward with tamper evident technology whilst consistently holding firm with our environmental credentials. The exhibition had an exceptional turn out and we received a great deal of interest from both the Americas and Europe.”

Thursday, September 23, 2010

KLÖCKNER PENTAPLAST INTRODUCES PENTALABEL ROLL-SLEEVE FILMS

The Pentalabel film product line from Klöckner Pentaplast has been now extended to include Pentalabel PETG roll-sleeve films for shrink-label packaging. This innovative film solution provides brand owners the high shelf impact of full-body shrink sleeves for their high-volume applications.

Pentalabel roll-sleeve films can be used for full- or partial-body coverage with a wide array of container configurations. By using Pentalabel roll-sleeve films, brand owners can achieve the same 360° superior graphics of shrink-sleeve films with the high efficiency and speed of roll-on and paper labels. These innovative films are engineered to be processed on existing roll-fed label machinery with minimal additional investment. Pentalabel films are offered globally. Klöckner Pentaplast is the only supplier that produces roll-sleeve film on two continents – North America and Europe. With over 20 years of polyester production experience, Klöckner Pentaplast is a leading global producer of rigid polyester films.

Pentalabel PETG roll-sleeve films provide the best shrinkage capabilities (over 20%) available in the marketplace today. Greater shrinkage properties ensure smooth seams and the ability to shrink to simple and multiple contour containers made of plastic, glass, or metal; thereby, providing design flexibility for maximum shelf appeal. Pentalabel® PETG roll-sleeve films have a low shrink-initiation temperature so minimal shrink tunnel length is required for energy savings and high-output line speed. Pentalabel PETG roll-sleeve films provide an attractive total system cost due to high-speed labeling, low scrap rate, quick changeover, and wide-web printing.

Pentalabel PETG roll-sleeve films are available in transparent clear with a gloss/gloss surface finish. These films are suitable for gravure, flexographic, and rotary offset printing; run on existing printing equipment using conventional inks; work with heat-bar, solvent, hot-melt adhesive, and laser seaming; and use steam or hot-air shrink tunnels. Pentalabel PETG roll-sleeve films are ideal for beverage, dairy, food, and healthcare label applications.

“As a worldwide leader in the production of rigid polyester films and a trusted source for shrinklabel films, we are exceptionally well positioned to deliver total solutions like Pentalabel PETG rollsleeve films,” notes Oliver Gewehr, Klöckner Pentaplast’s business manager for shrink films. “These pioneering films give customers the option of creating high-impact labels and container configurations while maintaining high efficiency.”

MAJOR CHINESE FASHION BRAND JOSSY JO ELIMINATES COUNTERFEITS WITH RFID

Jossy Jo, a Beijing-based high-grade fashion brand, is one of the first apparel companies in China to have implemented a large-scale, item-level RFID solution. The complete RFID solution from Jawasoft China and UPM Raflatac provides Jossy Jo with valuably accurate real-time data concerning its logistics operations and streamlines cooperation between Jossy Jo and its franchisees. The solution is also an efficient brand protection tool, helping prevent counterfeit products from reaching stores. Jossy Jo currently utilises more than two million ShortDipole RFID tags a year from UPM Raflatac to track and trace their garments.

The RFID implementation covers Jossy Jo’s operations comprehensively, starting from production planning where production tasks are generated and assigned to specific plants. RFID labels are accordingly sent to each production plant and attached to every garment during the production phase. For quality control this means a significant boost, as any faulty garments can be effortlessly traced back to the point of production where the root cause of problems can be examined and resolved.

In terms of logistic efficiency, Jossy Jo reports an impressive 40% improvement since the RFID implementation. Easy traceability also streamlines cooperation between Jossy Jo and its distributors and agents as the accurate and readily available real-time information leaves little room for interpretation.

Another feature typical of the apparel business, seasonal sales, are also easier to manage thanks to RFID. The modified sales price information is included in the tags, and data concerning actual sales is always available in real time without any additional manual work.

In the fight against counterfeit products, Jossy Jo has made significant gains with the RFID implementation. Thus far, the company reports that it has been able to eliminate product forgery which has previously accounted for three percent of annual sales. “Counterfeit products are a major issue in the apparel business and product forgery causes many brands to suffer considerable losses. An item-level RFID solution is a powerful means of dealing with this issue,” says Edward Lu, Sales and Marketing Director, Asia, RFID Business, UPM Raflatac.

NEVER LOSE TRACK – 360° AT A GLANCE

Many of today’s pharmaceutical products are primary packaged in round, opaque plastic bottles. The requirement to verify a serialized code on the bottle or to check the presence of labels, the positioning of labels / logos or the presence of tamper evidence tags, makes it necessary to scan the entire body of the bottle after the labeling process.

Pending global regulations and corporate initiatives to secure the supply chain and protect consumers from counterfeit products, are leading packagers to apply serialized 2D codes to their bottled products, when those bottles are the lowest unit of sale. Tracking those serialized containers to the bundle or case, in order to capture aggregation data for full traceability of products at all packaging levels, pose a unique challenge on the packaging line.

Seidenader Vision, a leading supplier for inspection technology to the pharmaceutical industry, has met this challenge by developing a module to check cylindrical objects around their entire surface: the SV360.

With the new SV360 solution, these bottles can be checked on-the-fly, capturing a 360 degree view of the unoriented bottle on the conveyor. The inspection module can be integrated anywhere on the conveyor, typically at the infeed of the bundler or case packer, for speeds of up to 400 containers/minute. By using a six camera solution, and positioning the cameras 60 degrees apart, the SV360 locates, reads, and verifies the 2D code every time by capturing six individual images of the bottle as it passes through the inspection module.

The Seidenader SVIM, a high performance vision processor, takes these images which overlap, analyzes each individual image or “stitches“ them together to create one image to be analyzed. The codes are read, verified and documented in the database to the next level of aggregation.

SPARTANICS FINECUT-PLUS-ROTARY INTRODUCED TO WORLDWIDE LABEL CONVERTING INDUSTRY

Label manufacturers and other converters seeking the speed and capabilities of rotary die cutters without the bottomless lifetime costs for dies and also seeking ways to quickly and painlessly transition to short run jobs with the limitless cut configurations now in greater demand can now use the Spartanics Finecut-Plus-Rotary---Combination Laser Die Cutting and Rotary Die Cutting System.

With Spartanics Finecut-Plus-Rotary you no longer need to choose between a niche in long runs or short runs. And, you can take on any job - in limitless cut configurations. This is now possible because the world’s most accurate single source laser die cutting system, also automatically optimized to cut at the fastest web speeds possible for your designs, can now also be interchanged with traditional rotary die cutting.

The Spartanics Finecut-Plus-Rotary innovation is expected to especially be valuable for companies that are increasingly combining short run and long run work, and therefore need different cutting tools for optimum efficiency. An extension of the best-in-class laser die cutting system in the world, Spartanics Finecut Laser Die Cutting Systems, the Spartanics Finecut-Plus-Rotary is an extremely versatile cutting technology that can serve as the optimal cutting solution for diverse job requirements, with capabilities that include:

  • Rotary die cutting at speeds as fast as 400 feet per minute (121 meters/minute).
  • Tool-free laser die cutting with super-accurate single source lasers at speeds as fast as 300 feet per minute (100 meters/minute).
  • Rotary sheeting – cutting variable lengths as much as 2X faster than traditional guillotine sheeters.
  • Semi-Rotary die cutting, with X, Y registration, perfect for interchanging job stepups while maintaining speeds as fast as 100 feet per minute (30 meters/minute).
  • Add-on modules for UV coatings, lamination, slitting and more.
  • State-of-the-art laser die cutting features ONLY found in the Finecut technology line-automated optimization of cutting paths for fastest web speeds without need for operator intervention or setup; entire job set ups from vector-based drawings in seconds; unsurpassed defect-free cutting on a wide range of polycarbonate, polyester, paper, abrasives, magnetic materials, and more.

Spartanics Finecut Laser Diecutting Systems sheet, roll, combination sheet/roll, and now also combination rotary plus laser - are used in a wide array of applications - flexible circuits, membrane switches, gaskets, labels, cardstock and paperboard products, packaging, automotive and medical device components, discs, belts, and gaskets, novelty magnets, RFID tags, P-O-P display products, industrial textile applications, and more.

MADICO SCORES WITH THERMAL TRANSFER PRINTABLE LABELSTOCK

Madico Graphic Films, a leading UK supplier of specialist pressure sensitive, coated film products for durable label applications, has attributed increased sales of its versatile range of printable films that offer excellent adhesion and superior clean removability on a wide range of surfaces and at high temperatures to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

One of the key applications for the innovative thermal transfer printable film (code: 01-716) is removable labels for electrical and audio visual equipment, including TV screens. With some retailers reporting TV sales during the FIFA Cup equivalent to those during the peak trading period of Christmas, Madico says this has influenced sales of the easy-peel labelstock, which leaves no adhesive transfer or residue upon removal.

Madico’s innovative 01-716 film comprises a 50μ white polyester or 80μ polypropylene print receptive facestock that provides excellent dimensional stability combined with good solvent, humidity, elevated temperature and UV resistance. Engineered to accept conventional ink, the labelstock offers superior thermal transfer print quality with crisp definition at low burn temperatures with resin and wax/resin ribbons.

Pivotal to the film’s performance is Madico’s very low tack, and proven R51 acrylic adhesive, which offers clean removability after short and long term application. As well as audio-visual equipment and electrical appliances, this makes 01-716 perfect for on demand variable information labels in a host of automotive, electronic and laboratory applications. Madico’s 01-716 substrate also includes an 82gsm white polycoated glassine liner which is suitable for high speed dispensing and is PE coated on one side to ensure adhesive smoothness.

“The key differentiator with Madico’s 01-716 easy-peel label compared to similar products, is its removable adhesive and the reliability of that adhesive under difficult conditions”, says Gary Dixon, International Business Manager at Madico Graphic Films Ltd. “Removable labels are already available on the market, but unlike 01-716, these typically fail to perform when subjected to high temperatures or if exposed to chemicals. However, the 01-716 polyester film has been proven to function successfully at up to 200°C.

“At the point of purchase, 01-716 labels are crisp, clean and adhere to surfaces perfectly, and leave no surface contamination upon removal”, he adds. “This makes them highly suitable for point-of-sale labels on electrical and audio-visual products, white goods, or for factory tracking of products during assembly. We noticed similar peaks of the product prior to the 2006 World Cup and believe the boost in TV sales could well be the reason behind this.”

Madico’s 01-716 can be supplied directly from stock and as well as a 50μ gloss white polyester, is also available on a 50μ clear white polyester, as well as on an 80μ matt white polypropylene facestock.

CONNECTION IS KEY AT FESPA EMEA SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL

More than 100 industry leaders from across the EMEA region will gather in November 2010 for the first FESPA EMEA Summit in Istanbul (23rd- 24th November 2010). The event, which will attract delegates looking to stay ahead of the competition and equip themselves with essential knowledge, is set to enhance future business success through a series of industry focused sessions designed to inspire innovation.

The launch of the FESPA EMEA Summit follows the success of a series of FESPA knowledge sharing events, including the FESPA Global Summit held in Miami in March 2010 and the FESPA Planet Friendly and European Sign Summits held during FESPA 2010.

Straddling Europe and Central Asia, Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul is the cultural, economic and financial centre of the country. Named the European Capital of Culture in 2010, Istanbul is a major conference destination and is an increasingly popular choice for the world's leading international associations, including FESPA. Without stringent visa regulations, the city’s central location and excellent transport links guarantee an easy journey for delegates travelling to the Summit.

Working in partnership with FESPA to deliver the EMEA Summit is the member association ARED – Outdoor Advertising Association for Turkey, which has observed demand from the market to host an event which would inspire, inform and create networking opportunities for professionals from the EMEA region. In response, the FESPA EMEA Summit will gather together the wide format print community from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, giving delegates the opportunity to meet top industry professionals and to connect with leading creative experts and brand owners. Sharing ideas and expertise on the trends which will affect their business, they will deliberate how to tackle the latest challenges and opportunities faced by the wide format community.

A comprehensive speaker programme has been created to provoke thought, educate and encourage debate. Sessions will cover ‘The Future of Marketing and Communications;’ ‘EMEA Innovation Leaders;’ and ‘Sustainable Communication and Creative Connection.’ Within each topic, discussions will be led by principal opinion formers. The line up includes Pedro Jacques de Souza of Digital Impression Global who will deliver a keynote talk on the ‘The future challenges of communications - the importance of engagement’. Also presenting is Scott Seaborn, Ogilvy’s Head of Mobile, who will speak from the perspective of a leading agency, and the head of a multinational corporation who will steer a debate on the use of print in corporate communications.

“Our FESPA EMEA Summit will provide a unique opportunity for professionals representing all regions and all links in the print value chain,” comments Marcus Timson, Marketing Director, FESPA.

“It’s important that print service providers look beyond their own businesses and understand more about their customers’ commercial drivers. Only by offering solutions to the business concerns of agencies and their brand owner clients can printers start to develop more loyal partnerships and break the trap of commodity pricing. By facilitating this discussion, FESPA hopes to push our community forward, tackling some of our biggest challenges and driving at real strategies for growth,” he concludes.

For more information and to register your company to attend the FESPA EMEA Summit, visit http://bit.ly/aidVFA. Registration costs 400€, or 325€ for members with a discount code.

MPS UNVEILS THE EVOLVED VERSION OF THE EC

During the last five years, the EC printing press has proved to be the ultimate press for printers that require a print quality of exacting standards to the very highest level, press flexibility and operator friendliness. Now, MPS is unveiling the evolved version of the EC.

More and more, the average order size of the label and packaging printer is becoming smaller; our engineering team at MPS have studied this ever increasing problem and developed a solution to short order runs. The focus had to be on reducing press set-up time and job change-over waste without any concessions in terms of quality, flexibility and productivity. Press automation for initial set-up in conjunction with repeat jobs is an absolute must for short order runs. MPS has therefore developed: Automated Print Control (APC).

Thanks to Automated Print Control, together with short web technology and the most ergonomic press control system available today (iControl), the new EC has become the answer for short order runs. Consequently, our customers are reporting huge cost price reductions per 1,000 labels. The new EC is also equipped with a unique and advanced heat management system thus enabling it to run both label stock and unsupported film. Finally, a converting rail system for flexible positioning of all converting functions such as laminating, foiling, web turn and de-lam/re-lam is now fitted as standard on the new EC.

With the new EC, a printer can now own the ultimate label and film press for both short and long runs. The new EC provides the flexibility required to adapt to the constantly changing dynamic world that is “narrow web flexographic printing.

DOMINO DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF DIGITAL PRINT

“The Domino N600 is the ink jet press that makes sense of digital,” asserts David Ellen, Senior Vice-President, Digital Printing Solutions at Domino North America, “and we’re delighted to be introducing it to the market at Labelexpo.”

Ellen’s comments follow the N600’s launch at the UK’s IPEX show in May. Based on visitor reaction there, Domino is confident that there is huge potential for the N600 in North America, thanks to its productivity, cost-effectiveness and ease of operation. The N600 stands apart from the competition in that it runs at speeds that deliver 50% higher productivity than any comparable printer on the market – 246 feet/minute (75 meters/minute) with three grayscales or 164 feet/minute (50 meters/minute) with four. Nominal print resolution is 1200dpi (native 600dpi) and the printer is compatible with a wide range of PE and PP label stock, thanks in part to the use of durable UV inks. Ellen says that while the vast majority of labels are flexo-printed, the benefits of digital – simplified workflows and increased customer responsiveness through fast turnaround and easy customization of jobs – mean that migration is both desirable and inevitable.


“The Domino value proposition is very clear in this context,” comments Ellen. “There is a large market for four-color labels where the N600 delivers twice the productivity of other digital presses due to its high speed print engine. Combine this with utter simplicity of operation and reliability and you have the formula for very rapid return on investment.”


“This fact was not lost on visitors to IPEX, with many returning several times during the show with different customers to show them just what the N600 is capable of,” he reports, “and we’re expecting to see this repeated at Labelexpo.”


The first installations of the N600 are expected to take place around the time of Labelexpo. Ongoing development means that a fifth color option will shortly be available, while the printer’s modular design allows integration with conventional presses to deliver hybrid solutions and with a variety of existing finishing solutions.


At IPEX, Domino also announced a partnership with EskoArtwork to deliver their Digital Front End for the N600, so offering workflow integration, color management and RIP functionality from the acknowledged market leader in the packaging and labeling sectors.
Also on show at Labelexpo is the N600’s single-color sibling, the Domino K600. Featuring the same high-performance ink jet technology as the N600, the K600 features double the print resolution of its predecessors in the K-Series range combined with multiple grayscales. It reproduces high quality variable data such as barcodes, 2D codes including QR Codes, numbers, graphics, logos and personalized data in a range of different image sizes. Significantly, the 600dpi K600 satisfies the growing market requirement to digitally print complete products. Print widths range from 4.25” (108mm) to 30.8” (780mm), with scalability being achieved by mounting print modules across a bar.


Like the N600, the speed of the K600 is compelling, with line speeds up to 490 feet/minute (150 meters/minute) accommodated. “Alternative binary technology, although high speed, cannot match the simplicity of the K600 piezo-based technology or indeed get close to the print quality,” continues Ellen. “There are numerous applications in the tickets, tags and labels arena where we believe this product will be seen as a significant advancement.”

MEECH SHOWS HOW TO IMPROVE PROFITS AT LABELEXPO AMERICA 2010

Visitors to the booth of Meech Static Eliminators at LabelExpo Americas 2010 were able to learn about the latest developments in web cleaning and static control, two areas in which the manufacturer is a key global player. The recent launch of ShearClean means that Meech has both non contact and contact web cleaning systems in its product portfolio, so customers can ensure they have the best solution for the type of materials they handle. Meech has also added several products to its line up of static control systems.

“ShearClean is a non contact system suitable for sectors ranging from narrow web label printing, including litho, gravure and flexo, as well as converting, food packaging and pharmaceutical applications,” says Matt Fyffe, VP/General Manager of Meech Static Eliminators USA Inc. “ShearClean opens the door to a whole new range of applications where contact cleaning systems are not feasible.

“This could include substrates with surfaces that are prone to scratching, special coatings or decorative labels destined for premium consumer goods. ShearClean is also highly effective when used in applications involving coating. We believe its ease of installation, effectiveness in removing dust and debris from an extensive range of materials and its low running costs will make ShearClean attractive to many companies seeking to improve productivity.”

ShearClean can be supplied for use with reel widths up to 70 inches (1.8m) and web speeds of up to 1,475 feet per minute (450m/minute) as standard. Faster speeds may be achieved by adjusting factory settings. The system can be used to clean materials as diverse as paper or film. Printers wanting to remove debris from the web prior to printing could fit ShearClean before the first unit, while pre-printed reels could be cleaned before packaging.

ShearClean incorporates two cotton-covered rollers, which are positioned 0.5 to 1.0mm on either side of the web. The rollers spin at high speed - 4,000 RPM and upwards - in the opposite direction to the travel of the web. The air currents generated break up the boundary layer on the surface of the web, allowing ShearClean’s highly effective vacuum system to remove even extremely small particles that would otherwise be trapped in that layer.

ShearClean can be tailored to suit customers’ requirements, not just in terms of width but also in sophistication. For instance, Meech can provide different control upgrades to create a fully programmable unit. The company has also deployed its longstanding expertise in static control to incorporate the latest AC ionising bars into ShearClean, which significantly improve the effectiveness of the cleaning process and greatly reduce the risk of re-attraction of contaminants to the cleaned web surfaces.

XEIKON EXPANDS LABEL PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES WITH ‘ONE-PASS’ OPAQUE WHITE PRINTING

Xeikon, a leader in digital color printing innovation, announced today that its latest label presses offer converters a much higher productivity with its ‘one-pass’ opaque white toner to create the ‘no label or label-less look’ on transparent labels.

Transparent - or clear film - self-adhesive labels have emerged as a highly desirable option for companies looking to enhance their brand image and seeking an alternative to glue-attached paper labels. “Clearly, an increasing number of brands are recognizing that they can achieve a higher impact on the shelf with this ‘no label or label-less look’, as it provides a more natural and aesthetically pleasing appearance,” said Filip Weymans, Business Development Manager - Labels and Packaging at Xeikon. “Xeikon stands alone as the only digital color label press manufacturer with a ‘one-pass’ opaque white capability. As a result, label converters can now create this look with a much higher productivity on the Xeikon technology. We’re happy to offer this added competitive advantage to the market.”

All the Xeikon label presses come equipped with five color stations: four for the standard process colors (CMYK) and the fifth station for gamut expansion or spot colors, including its ‘one-pass’ opaque white toner.

BOBST GROUP TO PRESENT LATEST TECHNOLOGIES FOR CONVERTING FILM & FLEXIBLE MATERIALS AT K’2010

Bobst Group – Business Unit Web-fed will present its latest technologies for printing & converting plastic film and flexible materials at the K’2010 Intl. Plastics Trade Fair in Düsseldorf, Germany from 27th October to 3rd November, on Stand 3 – D52 in Hall 3. This will include both primary and secondary slitting & rewinding from Atlas & Titan (UK) solutions in vacuum web coating & metallizing from General (UK), flexo printing technology from Fischer & Krecke (Germany) and coating & laminating and gravure printing solutions from Rotomec (Italy).

Atlas has installed the world’s largest & fastest slitting machines for BOPP film and has installed more than 200 primary film slitters worldwide, exceeding 6m in width. This includes the widest machines at 10 metres and the fastest at 1500 m/min., with precise control of web and winding tension. In recent years, Atlas has increased sales of primary & secondary slitter rewinders for BOPET film. Atlas also has a range of secondary slitter rewinders in narrower widths up to approx. 4 metres. The modular design of the Atlas CW800 centre winder for both plain and metallized films enables easy change of unwind options, slitting systems and machine accessories like edge trim and finished reel handling, with a maximum speed of 1000 m/min and 1200 mm unwind / rewind diameters. There are over 100 Atlas CW800 slitters working with metallizers, CPP & BOPP film lines worldwide as it has become the benchmark secondary slitter rewinder for plain and metallized film producers globally. Information on the latest developments for Atlas slitter rewinders and roll handling solutions will be available at the show.

Titan provides secondary slitting, rewinding and reel handling solutions for plain, metallized and printed plastic film and laminates used mainly for flexible packaging applications. The versatile Titan SR8 cantilever slitter rewinder is the most successful in the Titan range with more than 250 machines installed worldwide. The capability of handling a wide variety of flexible materials up to 2250 mm (88 ins) wide at high production speeds with many options for automation, is an essential part of its huge success. The Titan ER610 is a more compact and cost-effective slitting solution with all electric, oil-free operation, no hydraulics and reduced power consumption. With up to 1650 mm web width running at 450 m/min with quick and easy installation, the ER610 extends the Titan portfolio of slitter rewinders to converters producing lower volumes of flexible materials. The Titan CT610 is an automated twin-turret slitter rewinder with very fast turret action, slit widths as narrow as 20 mm (less than 1 inch) and a distinctive continuous turret shaft support system. Turret changeovers take less than 20 seconds and the CT610 runs at speeds up to 750 m/min to meet very high volume production requirements for 1400 to 2200 mm web widths. Information on the latest developments for Titan slitter rewinders and reel handling solutions will be available at the show.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

AUSTRALIAN LABEL SPECIALIST INVESTS IN XEIKON 3300 TO INCREASE PROFITABILITY

Xeikon recently announced that MR LABELS invested in the Xeikon 3300, the award-winning digital label printing solution. MR LABELS is one of Australia's most awarded label companies. After extensive research and product evaluation, the company decided to select Xeikon - not only for its best-in-class technology, but also for the reliable, around-the clock support from local distributor, Absolute Electronics, which stand behind the Xeikon product.

Winner of multiple PICAs (Printing Industry Craftsmanship Awards), Brisbane-based MR LABELS prides itself on delivering exceptional quality labels to its clients and has been doing so for more than thirty one years. Key to this success has been the on-going investment in the most advanced technology available on the market. In line with this proven strategy, the company invested in the Xeikon 3300 after 8 months of extensive product evaluations.

“We took a long time to decide which solution to invest in. We evaluated several vendors and visited a lot of companies. After a thorough evaluation and analysis, we found Xeikon to be head and shoulders above the competition in offering the best solution including equipment, service and people," explains Paul O’Brien, Managing Director of MR LABELS. "It’s a competitive market out there. You need to have the best technology to be at the top of your game. Superior image quality, speed and substrate flexibility, however, won’t keep you there. Key to long-term success is a close partnership with suppliers and their unrelenting commitment to support their product for the long term. That is what really made the choice an easy one for us in the end.”

“We are delighted to partner with MR LABELS and look forward to working together to grow the label market in Australia,” says Filip Weymans, Business Development Manager Labels and Packaging at Xeikon. “With just-in-time production and delivery, the Xeikon 3300 offers MR LABELS the freedom to act and react more quickly to changes in the marketplace - without any economical impact. In addition, label applications take full advantage of the flexibility of our technology,” adds Weymans. “A good example of this is that no special coating of the substrates is required, negating the need to purchase and stock expensive pre-treated material - saving significant costs which have a direct impact to the bottom line.”

RFID IN 2010: THE NEW DAWN

IDTechEx has recently completed its survey of the global RFID industry which provides detailed market forecasts segmented in many different ways. In 2010 IDTechEx find that the value of the entire RFID market will be $5.63 billion, up from $5.03 billion in 2009. This includes tags, readers and software/services for RFID cards, labels, fobs and all other form factors.

In total, 2.31 billion tags will be sold this year, up from 1.98 billion in 2009. Most of the growth in this period is due to an increase in use of passive UHF tags. For passive UHF tags, the biggest category of use is asset tracking in many closed loop systems. Such applications typically use tens of thousands of tags and more; and, rarely, a million tags or more. The paybacks of these applications are very strong but the numbers of tags is relatively small per case study. Out of this is arising apparel tagging. The UK retailer Marks & Spencer still lead the way and will use almost 200 million UHF tags alone this year, but their success in this sector has not gone unnoticed and many others are on their way to large deployments. In total, IDTechEx find that in 2009 550 million passive UHF tags were sold, rising to at least 800 million in 2010. Indeed, IDTechEx is aware that two passive UHF tag suppliers have increased their prices for the first time in many years this year and they are installing extra capacity.

However, the biggest spenders are still governments, who are able to implement large RFID schemes such as animal tagging, transit ticketing, people identification etc where the paybacks are typically greater efficiency and improved safety. Rapid ROI is less of a concern for them. Well managed suppliers to these sectors operate profitably. For example, in 2010 178 million tags will be used for animal and pet identification, at an average tag cost of 97 US cents each.
The market for all RFID interrogators grows from $0.92 billion in 2010 to $4.99 billion in 2021.

The biggest sectors by numbers and value
According to the IDTechEx research data, the biggest sectors by numbers of tags are contactless cards (HF, for transit, secure access, purchasing etc) using 450 million tags, followed by RFID tickets (HF, for transit ticketing) 380 million tags, and then apparel (UHF) 300 million tags. By value, just over $1 billion will be spent on RFID cards in 2010 and $240 million on tags for passports. $36 million will be spent on tags for apparel in total.

RFID adoption by standard
The pecking order of RFID specifications by RFID tag expenditure is shown in the chart below. The market size is given in millions of US Dollars.

RFID adoption by territory
In 2010 43% of RFID tags will be sold and used in North America. In the future, IDTechEx believe that RFID will not be just big in China - it will be huge. Indicators of this include the fact that Chinas has been adding new RFID manufacturing capacity while the US and Europe saw a shakeout in tag providers, the Chinese Government is a strong advocate for RFID, and has the power to mandate companies to use it; China has already executed the largest RFID order by value (over one billion national identification cards for adults - six billion dollars including systems) and has a policy of making its own requirements throughout the RFID value chain; in 2009/2010, RFID events in China are five times bigger by attendance than the biggest RFID events in the US and Europe; and finally most products will be source tagged, and because China is one of the largest exporters the tags will be supplied there.

Active RFID expands into Wireless Sensor Networks
Traditionally, active RFID has been tags with a battery to boost read range or add extra functionality to the tag such as sensors. Then came Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS). In 2010, these two sectors will be a total of $610 million in value, where $225 million is spent on tags and the rest on infrastructure, software and services. Now there are Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) which may or may not be used to form mesh (self forming and self healing) networks. Those in active RFID and RTLS have added extra functionality to create WSN but we also have new standards emerging, such as ZigBee, which are part of the scene.

Over 20 million ZigBee tags have been sold and are used to form mesh networks for "smart" electricity meters, preventing the need for manual reading of the meters and allowing rapid response to high use. This is increasingly becoming mandated as new houses move towards having "greener" credentials.

Market by Value Chain positioning
The split of spend on RFID by value chain positioning in 2010 is shown in the chart below.

Report covering all these aspects
The widely cited IDTechEx report "RFID Forecasts, Players & Opportunities" covers all these aspects in great depth. It gives historic data and forecasts for 2011 to 2021. It is based on over ten years research IDTechEx has in the field of RFID and those buying the report have some free limited access to IDTechEx consultants for questions and discussion.