Label & Narrow Web Breaking News

Vimercati takes the helm as FINAT president

Steve Katz — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:11:00 -0500

Andrea Vimercati, the sales director of Pilot Italia, a Milan converter, has assumed the presidency of FINAT, Europe’s label association. He succeeds Jan Frederik Vink of Kolibri Labels in the Netherlands.

Vimercati is a member of the younger generation of label printers, and is a founder of FINAT’s Young Managers Club. He has been active in the organization for many years.

At his inauguration, during FINAT’s recent annual congress in Turkey, Vimercati said, “Growth could be considered a challenge, but its pursuit expresses the long-term vision we need for the future of our companies. Confronting this crisis and planning for the future must be the primary objective for us as entrepreneurs: It’s a challenge!

“We have to amend the way we approach innovation and change – overcome resistance from long-standing attitudes and habits. The complexity and speed of these times should not be seen as a threat, but rather as a chance and an opportunity we cannot miss.”

The new president says he has several goals to achieve during his two-year term, one being to develop greater networking between TLMI and FINAT.

A second objective is to introduce TLMI’s Project LIFE to the European label community. LIFE is a certification program for companies that establish environmentally sound practices. “We will have to choose the right approach,” Vimercati says, “because if you go to a converter member and propose a new certification, they will question how many certifications they will have to have to satisfy their customers. LIFE, in my view, gives business people the opportunity to be more responsible for what they do.”

A third goal is to maintain and expand the role of the Young Managers Club, “which is a good investment for an association at this time, especially when we see a lot of generation change. The club will help FINAT to change itself.

“Fourth, I would like to see FINAT promote an entrepreneurial culture. When our companies were founded, it was a first step. Now we need tools, which is what our fathers expect from us as sons after having sent us to the university. When we come back we must bring new ideas, management tools, like Lean Manufacturing.”

Tailored Label named Waukesha Small Business of the Year

Steve Katz — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:02:00 -0500

Tailored Label Products Inc. (TLP), of Menomonee Falls, WI, USA, has been named the Waukesha County Small Business of the Year. It was saluted for excellence in its treatment of stakeholders, including customers, employees and the community.

“Our employees are always working hard to develop and implement new production methods,” says Mike Erwin, co-owner and president of TLP. “Their dedication, along with significant investments in innovating printing technologies and customization of existing equipment, has driven our product innovations and production excellence.”

The label printing and bonding company has grown to $12 million in annual sales and 64 employees. For more than two decades, TLP has carved out a niche as a manufacturer of custom engineered labels for many markets, such as outdoor power equipment, biomedical, medical device, electronic, appliance, motor, and specialty diecut adhesives for bonding applications.

In 2008, TLP was named one of the "Best Places to Work in Southeastern Wisconsin" by Milwaukee magazine and The Management Resource Association for the second time, and was listed on the Inc. 5000 list.

Fairley to receive the industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Steve Katz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:28:00 -0500

Mike Fairley, long respected for his knowledge of and dedication to the label industry, has been selected to receive the R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award, the top prize presented at the annual Label Industry Global Awards. He was selected as the overall winner by an international label industry judging panel meeting at the FINAT Congress in Turkey following a review of the online votes against the criteria. The award is sponsored by Avery Dennison.

Fairley has been writing and talking about labels for more than 30 years. As both the founder of Labels & Labeling and the Cowise International Publishing Group (now part of Tarsus Group) and a successful industry consultant, he has consistently been at the forefront of introducing the latest innovations in label materials, technology, markets and applications, as well helping label industry supplier and converter companies to implement their education, training and marketing strategies.

He has written or contributed to many label technical and market reports, including those for Frost & Sullivan, Economist Intelligence Unit, Info Trends and PIRA, as well as for his own consultancy company. He has been a regular speaker at label industry and association conferences, summits and congresses throughout Europe, as well as in North America, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, India, Israel, Japan, China and Turkey.

Helmut Schreiner, chairman of the judging panel, commented:

“The entire judging panel felt honored to have the opportunity to recognize Michael’s lifetime achievement,” says Schreiner. “In our opinion he has been building bridges for several decades between suppliers and converters, between countries and their people, and between the present and the future to new market segments, niches, technical materials and, perhaps most importantly, a new way of thinking. There is no large and powerful company standing behind Michael. This particular award is given strictly to an individual and his personal achievement. We look forward to celebrating with him and the rest of the industry at the awards evening on the first night of Labelexpo Europe 2009.”

Most recently, Fairley has been the author of the Encyclopedia of Labels and Label Technology, and editor of RFID Smart Labels and co-author of a new Encyclopedia of Brand Protection and Security Printing Technology. In total he has written or contributed to some 10 technical and reference books on labels, printing and packaging.

He is currently the director of strategic development for the Labels Group at Tarsus Exhibitions and Publishing and is a fellow of both the Institute of Printing and the Institute of Packaging, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers, and a Licentiate of the City & Guilds of London Institute.

The panel of judges also announced the finalists in the other awards categories. The winners will be revealed at the award ceremony and gala dinner at the Albert Hall in Brussels, on the evening of September 23.

The 2009 finalists are:

European Converter of the Year (sponsored by Flint Group Narrow Web): Marzek, Pago, Rako.

Label Industry Award for Continuous Innovation (sponsored by Label & Narrow Web, NarroWebTech and Labels & Labeling): Codimag, EskoArtwork, Flint Group.

Label Industry Award for New Innovation: EFI, Erhardt + Leimer, Kodak.

TLMI members to ‘Get Smart’ at September Tech Conference

Steve Katz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:25:00 -0500

The biennial Technical Conference of the Tag & Label Manufacturers Institute takes place September 9-10 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The event, traditionally attended by hundreds of TLMI members, will feature a wide range of presentations, as well as a tabletop exhibition by industry suppliers.

“This year proves to continue the tradition of offering real life information, solutions and innovation to increase efficiencies and support growth for printers and converters,” says Terie Syme of Prestige Label. Syme, Tom Spina of Luminer Converting and Paul Brauss of Mark Andy are the chairpersons of the conference.

Some of the topics to be covered include maximizing your profits, the new G7 color calibration system, process technology comparisons and printed electronics. Roundtable discussions will be held on equipment technologies, along with a panel discussion with industry leaders titled “Learning from the Champions.”

“Knowing the state of the economy, these sessions focus on upgrading your current equipment to do more for less while improving quality, consistency and profits,” Syme says. “And, of course, keeping you informed of the latest technology.”

Online registration is available by visiting www.tlmi.com. For more information, contact Vicki Runyeon at vicki@tlmi.com.

Stork Prints partners with Nuova Gidue

Steve Katz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:23:00 -0500

Stork Prints, the Netherlands based manufacturer of rotary screen technology, has announced a collaboration with Federico d’Annunzio, former president of Italian press manufacturer Gidue. After the December liquidation of Gidue, d’Annunzio started a company called Nuova Gidue, which intends to produce new press lines and serve the installed base of Gidue machines.

Stork Prints will deliver Rotary Screen Integration (RSI) units to Nuova Gidue. Rieks Reyers, sales and marketing manager of graphics at Stork, says: “As far as we are concerned, it’s business as usual. We have had a very successful partnership and experience with Mr. d’Annunzio in the past and wish him good luck with his new company in the future.”

RSI modules are fitted into existing presses. For narrow web, Stork Prints makes the RSI Compact modules, which feature limited sizes between 12” and 18”. Stork Prints has partnerships with more than 30 of the world’s leading press manufacturers to supply screen printing units on new or existing presses. The company says that 2,000 RSI units have been installed worldwide.

SATO acquires the former Franklin Press Group

Steve Katz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:20:00 -0500

SATO Labeling Solutions America, a provider of label and tag printing systems to the retail supply chain, announced today the addition of the former Franklin Press group to its organization.

SATO Labeling Solutions offers customers variably imprinted tags, labels and ticketing products for retailers, brand owners and apparel manufacturers. The company says that it plans to deepen its market penetration by launching a software platform to administer customer data, as well as support SATO’s global printing operations.

“Expanding our offering to include service bureau printing is a great benefit to our existing customers and a much needed alternative for any customers requiring the delivery of variably imprinted tags and labels,” says Joseph Podsedly, president. “We are very excited to have the former Franklin Press team join SATO as we leverage their service bureau experience and together best serve our customers.”

SATO’s products include industrial laser printers, direct thermal and thermal transfer bar code printers, handheld labelers, ticket queuing systems, mobile computers, printer accessories, printer supplies, label design software, labels, tags, forms, thermal transfer ribbons, software, and professional services

Europe’s label industry looks at possible 7 percent decline

Steve Katz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:51:00 -0500

Signs are emerging that the economic recession is bottoming out, as far as self-adhesive labels are concerned – but the European industry could face the prospect of a 7 percent fall in output in 2009. That’s according to a forecast by FINAT, the Europe based label association, which held its annual congress recently in Turkey.

Speaking at the event, FINAT Managing Director Jules Lejeune said that the performance of the industry during the second quarter of this year will be crucial in determining the actual level. He expects a “significantly” improved picture in a year’s time.

Each year Lejeune presents figures on the consumption of pressure sensitive materials throughout Europe. This year, he said, drawing a true picture of the effects of the recession on the basis of the first quarter is difficult, because year-on-year comparisons give a false picture: The first half of 2008 was buoyant albeit decelerating, which exaggerates the double digit fall in year by year comparisons. “We cannot take these figures as indicative for the year as a whole.

“Assuming that demand for labelstock will remain the same as in the first quarter of 2009, that would give us a decrease in output of around 7 percent overall for 2009, compared with the 5.35 billion square meters consumed in 2008 all over Europe,” Lejeune said.

Only the Central European area showed a positive growth in sales in 2008 – and then only by a marginal 0.1 percent – with the UK and Ireland seeing sales fall by 8.3 percent, and Southern Europe seeing a 3.2 percent fall, Scandinavia going down by 2.7 percent and Eastern Europe receding by 2 percent. On balance, in spite of a positive first half, labelstock demand for all regions and products concerned in Europe declined by 2.8 percent in 2008.

Paper roll labels, which account for 70 percent of the market, took bigger hits than their non-paper equivalents. Declines in paper roll sales last year were 12.1 percent in the UK and Ireland, 4.7 percent in Scandinavia, 4.5 percent in Southern Europe, 1.7 percent in Central Europe, and 1 percent in Eastern Europe. Non-paper rolls sales only saw a 0.5 percent decrease in Eastern Europe, with Scandinavia seeing a 7.2 percent increase, the UK and Ireland improving by 5.2 percent, South Europe up by 2.8 percent, and Central Europe improving by 1.5 percent.

While Lejeune anticipates a seven percent fall in 2009 (based on an assumption that the three remaining quarters will show no change), he stressed that only time will tell the extent of negative growth. In the first quarter of 2009, regional variances showed Scandinavia receding by only 2.1 percent but Southern Europe taking a 16.1 percent hit. Central Europe went down by 9.3 percent, Eastern Europe saw an 8.6 percent fall, and the UK and Ireland were 5.1 percent worse off.

“The positive news is that having reached rock bottom there is no way but up,” he added. “I am convinced that the dynamic entrepreneurial and innovative spirit that has always characterized this industry will be instrumental in eliminating the present doom and gloom and that I will be able to present a significantly different outlook 12 months from now.”

Harper donates anilox rolls to Canadian institute

Steve Katz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:50:00 -0500

Anilox supplier Harper Corporation of America has donated a selection of anilox rolls to the Québec Institute of Graphic Communications (ICGQ) in Canada. Canflexographics Ltd., the Canadian distributor of Harper’s anilox roll and equipment line, presented the gift on behalf of Harper.

The ICGQ is a Québec based educational institution that offers a range of specialized services to assist companies with meeting the many technological and personnel challenges that face the printing industry today. As part of its mission, the ICGQ works to identify and troubleshoot potential challenges that the industry may face in coming years.

In addition, the institute operates a fully integrated print shop, from prepress to finishing with a range of web, sheetfed, flexographic and digital presses. Expertise and facilities include computer graphics, ink, ink-paper interaction, colorimetry and image-analysis laboratories equipped with the latest generation technology.

Mark Andy launches new website for customer support

Steve Katz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:48:00 -0500

MAX, the customer service and support team of Mark Andy, has created a new website: www.yourfriendinflexo.com. The site enables customers to maximize their productivity and profitability by taking care of their flexo needs online.

“We are thrilled to introduce the new MAX website as a part of Mark Andy’s dedication and commitment to being a full-service provider to our customers, continually focusing on new ways to increase their success,” says Adam Baer, vice president of customer support at Mark Andy.

The site includes an overview of MAX products and services, features a product of the month section, and highlights special offers, including excess inventory and discounted products. It also features a FAQ section, created and monitored by the knowledgeable MAX staff, providing information and tips on common printing concerns including registry, print quality and web turnbar issues.

APR and DFI team up to produce prepress course for designers

Steve Katz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:44:00 -0500

All Printing Resources (APR) and DiTrolio Flexographic Institute (DFI) have combined their training skills to produce an educational course titled Level II Flexo Prepress. The partnership will allow participants to design a project, then see results on press. The program will take place July 22-24 at DFI’s training facility in Broadview, IL, USA.

Level II Flexo Prepress is a training program focused on designers, production artists, and graphics managers at all skill or experience levels who need a better understanding of the fundamentals of the flexographic printing process. Participants will be using Adobe Illustrator to design a simple four-color job, which will then be separated and printed on press.

Participants will print and evaluate tonal scales using profiles throughout the process. Also covered will be the topic of near neutral calibration as it applies to both the flexo press and proofing.

For more information, email Sara Gallagher at sgallagher@flexotraining.com.

APR is an industry supplier based in Glendale Heights, IL, and has spent the last 20 years delivering training and consultive services for more than 250 companies in the flexographic package printing industry. DFI was founded to meet the flexographic industry’s need for quality, off-site training to counter the problems of on-the-job training: wasted production and equipment time, wasted raw materials, and inconsistent skill sets. The institute offers industry-specific training seminars for all skill levels – from beginning press operations to advanced printing applications.

Bunting Magnetics launches a new website

Steve Katz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:42:00 -0500

Bunting Magnetics Co., Newton, KS, USA, has announced the rollout of its redesigned corporate web site: www.buntingmagnetics.com. The site features improved navigation, better product information and a more streamlined experience for purchasing products online. Throughout the site, video and improved photography will be incorporated into all the product pages.

“This new site is part of our continued effort to provide our customers with the best service possible,” says Charles Whitt, director of marketing. “A part of this commitment is to have a website that gives constant updates on product information while at the same time being easy to use. We feel that this redesign helps accomplish that goal.”

The site now allows customers to quickly find their sales representative through the "Locate a Rep" feature, keeps visitors up-to-date on recent news releases, and gives industry-specific examples of how Bunting products are used in different applications. The company’s new Flexible Die Division is more prominently featured on the new site.

Bunting Magnetics manufactures magnetic separation equipment, and magnetic and non-magnetic conveyors for use in food, plastics, chemical, manufacturing, and recycling industries. The flexible die facility produces 100 percent chemically hardened flexible dies for use in the printing and tag and label industries. The Newton facility also manufactures magnetic diecutting and printing cylinders for use in flexographic printing presses.

Flexo Wash donates anilox cleaner to flexo school

Steve Katz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:22:00 -0500

Flexo Wash LLC of Louisville, KY, USA, has donated an anilox roll cleaning unit and technical support to the Harper National Flexographic Center at North Carolina’s Central Piedmont Community College.

The FW991XL Anilox Roll Cleaning Unit is a fully automated, advanced system that deep cleans and restores all types and sizes of anilox and gravure rolls in 10 to 20 minutes, completely recovering the cell volume.

With this donation, Potter said, “Students can now gain experience not just in producing the highest quality possible, but also in the care and maintenance of flexographic equipment, making them even more valuable as employees to any printing company,” says Mike Potter, CEO of Flexo Wash.

CPCC's Harper Center offers certification, associate degrees, industry training and continuing education in flexography and graphic imaging. Students graduating from the program are the front line in one of the printing industries fast-growing areas of specialization.

Report: Demand for labels to grow 4.3 percent per year through 2013

Steve Katz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:18:00 -0500

World demand for labels is projected to expand 4.3 percent per year through 2013 to 49 billion square meters. Value demand is expected to grow 5.3 percent per year to $105 billion. The pressure sensitive segment (which overtook the wet glue segment in importance at the global level in the late 1990s) will continue to see above-average gains, accounting for almost 55 percent of global label demand by 2013. These and other trends are presented in World Labels, a new study from The Freedonia Group Inc., an industry research firm based in Cleveland, OH, USA.

More trends: Wet glued products will not fare as well as PS labels, with demand even declining in many developed food and beverage markets where plastic containers continue to replace traditional steel cans and glass bottles and jars that utilize wet glued products. Other less significant technologies with favorable outlooks include shrink sleeve, wraparound film and in-mold labels. Through 2013, plastic labels will continue to register much faster gains than paper labels, which are largely used in wet glued applications.

The Asia/Pacific region will expand its share of the world label market from 32 percent in 2008 to 36 percent in 2013. China and India will account for much of this increase, while Japan will see weak growth. The US will see below-average gains through 2013, but remain strong relative to other developed markets.Western Europe will see a noticeable deceleration in its label market growth, with some highly intensive (relative to population) users of labels in the region such as Ireland, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom expected to see outright declines. Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Africa/Mideast region, which combined accounted for less than 20 percent of global label demand in 2008, will all see above-average gains through 2013.

Among the various market segments, the smaller pharmaceutical sector will register particularly strong gains, aided by improving health care in the developing world and an aging population in the developed world. The food and beverage sectors will see weaker gains as a result of market maturity and stagnant population growth in the developed world, combined with the increasing penetration of cans, pouches and other packaging media that utilize printed product descriptions rather than labels. Label products with strong growth will include counterfeit deterrence labels, retail sector RFID tags that allow labels to assume inventory control and management as well as convey information, and tamper-evident labels.

World Labels is available for $5,800. Details are available at www.freedoniagroup.com.

INX Digital develops product for UV curable ink print head cleaning

Steve Katz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:14:00 -0500

INX Digital International Co. has announced the global availability of its UV HeadCure print head cleaning service. Employing a patent-pending technology, it has shown to provide 100 percent recovery of UV print heads with obstructed nozzles and restricted flow, according to the company.

“This is a major advance in print head cleaning that can pay huge dividends for digital print operations everywhere,” says Peter Padan, the INX Digital Technical Services supervisor who developed the new process. Padan says that solvent ink-related environmental issues along with the flexibility of UV and UV print quality have all contributed to a rapid increase in digital UV print applications. However, “the growing use of UV curable ink requires a new approach in print head maintenance.”

Shops spend time and thousands of dollars on print head maintenance, yet print head nozzles and delivery passages become clogged with UV ink and current print head cleaning and flushing options typically achieve 50 percent effectiveness, at best.Following traditional solvent-ink maintenance routines or using incompatible cleaners can make matters worse.

“Our Print Head Cleaning Program has been in place for years, serving primarily solvent-ink customers,” Padan adds. “Achieving and perfecting this breakthrough in UV print head cleaning technology enables us to offer a vital service with huge financial advantages for digital printing operations. It’s a service not available anywhere else.”

INX Digital International, based in San Leandro, CA, USA, is the digital arm of INX International Ink Co.

Tekra Corporation is certified to ISO 9001:2008

Steve Katz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:12:00 -0500

Tekra Corporation, a plastic film manufacturer and distributor based in New Berlin, WI, USA, has recently been certified to the quality management system standard ISO 9001:2008.

“Tekra provides products and services to quality critical medical and durable goods manufacturing markets where a commitment to ongoing quality management is an absolute necessity,” says Mark Mawer, vice president of sales and marketing. “We are pleased to have met the 9001:2008 standard and will continue to focus on customer satisfaction, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement as the standard mandates.”

Tekra Corporation is a manufacturer of coated plastic films for the industrial graphics marketplace and distributes Dupont Teijin polyester, Sabic Innovative Plastics polycarbonate films and 3M adhesives and tapes throughout North America.