Newlife Paints Ltd

Newlife Paints Ltd is an environmentally-friendly company based in West Sussex. The company was the brain child of Industrial Chemist, Keith Harrison, who was looking for a way to recycle the many tins of half-used paint that were accumulating in his garage. After more than two years research, Keith successfully developed a process that converted waste emulsion paint back to a premium quality, commercial grade paint and the company Newlife Paints was born in 2008.

The company now diverts approximately 100 tonnes of paint from landfill each year and this figure is rising. With 28 colours in the range and a full colour matching service, the company provides recycled emulsion paint of the highest quality.

Grand Design Live

Newlife Paints took the decision to stand at Grand Designs Live exhibition, London recently to launch their new retail range, REBORN. This was on the back of being nominated as one of Grand Design presenter, Kevin McCloud’s, 10 Green Heroes. Based on the Channel 4 TV series, the event had over 500 exhibitors, across seven different sections, covering interiors, gardens, home improvement, self-build, renovations, technology and shopping. Grand Designs Live showcased contemporary design and technology for the home and garden as well as providing an opportunity for suppliers and manufacturers, like Newlife Paints, to promote their goods and services.

Newlife Paints teams up with AJS Labels

AJS Labels were asked to help Newlife Paints with their labels for the exhibition. The company needed 3 self-adhesive labels; front, back and lid, for each of the 28 colours they were showcasing. With so many SKUs and a tight deadline of under a week, we turned to our digital facility. The digital press requires no plates and this flexible process is ideal for short run work as set up time is kept to a minimum.

Each of the 28 unique colours required careful matching to the actual paint samples and skill from the operator in combining CMYK process set. The labels were passed on press by Newlife Paints and delivered on time to meet the exhibition deadline. Newlife’s Lucy Hoy was very pleased with the AJS service they received, ‘thank you to the team for getting our labels out in such a short time, they did a great job’.

The labelled tins looked fantastic on the Newlife stand and attracted the eye of the judges who awarded Newlife Paints best exhibitor in the interior hall. Great job!

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

AJS Labels at Grand Design Live

Inks and varnishes are one of the few key raw materials used by the printer; they play a crucial role in the label printing process. 

Inks

You may think that ink is just ink and that it’s the plates, press and skill of the printer that make all the difference when it comes to print quality. Not so!

The properties of ink including colour, the strength of that colour, tack, drying characteristics and the length of the filaments that it forms when it flows, have a big influence on the final result.

Ink is comprised of 4 basic raw materials that are combined in specific proportions or formulas. These components serve different purposes.

• Pigment – the particles or substances that give printing inks their colour. They exist as an insoluble suspension and absorb and reflect light, giving the appearance of colour to the human eye
• Resins – bind the ink together into a film and also bind it to the printed surface. They contribute to such properties as gloss and resistance to heat, chemicals and water.
• Solvents– are used to keep the ink liquid from when it is applied to the printing plate or cylinder until when it has been transferred to the surface to be printed.  At this point the solvent must separate from the body of the ink to allow the image to dry and bind to the surface.
• Additives- alter the physical properties of the ink to suit different situations.

Printing ink can be broken down into two subclasses: ink for conventional label printing and ink for digital label printing.

Conventional label printing

Modern label printing processes require specific types of ink for specific jobs. There are three main types:

1. Water-based
2. Solvent
3. UV curable

1. Water-based inks

In water-based inks, the water acts as the main solvent to keep the pigment in liquid form. A co-solvent may be added for a number of reasons, most commonly, to decrease the time and heat necessary for curing. For the print to be cured, the water has to have completely evaporated, allowing the pigment particles to settle into the substrate.

Water-based inks have been used for printing on paper and paperboard for many years. Printing on these substrates with water is very successful because of the absorbent nature of the paper fibres. The inks and solvents (water included) are partially absorbed into the substrate, and partially vaporized into the surrounding air. The use of water inks on other substrates, such as films and foils, varies and they may require special treatment in order to have the inks adhere to them.

Advantages of water-based inks:

• Better for the environment – no solvents used in the ink formulation or in press/plate wash down
• Thinner printed layer
• More breathable
• Inks becomes part of the substrate instead of sitting on top

Disadvantages of water-based inks:

• Not as vibrant
• More time-consuming to work with
• Difficult to use – can dry in screens and clog them
• More expensive
• Less hard wearing and durable
• Not resistant to extreme environmental conditions
• Less effective on synthetic substrates

Ink manufacturers are working hard to overcome some of these problems and have made great steps forward in recent years. Due to the number of different machines and materials however, trials are always recommended to ensure full compatibility before production commences. The use of water-based inks, which had been declining, is now seeing an increase in popularity, especially on the Continent. They are  being used as a possible alternative to UV curable inks, where migration can be a problem in food labelling.

 2. Solvent inks

A solvent ink is any kind of ink that has a base, but the base is not made with water. There are many classifications for this type of ink; some are classified as mild or eco-friendly, while some are categorized as aggressive. Solvent inks require heat in order to dry. The mild inks take some time to dry and need a lot of heat, whilst the aggressive types are easier to dry and require less heat.

Solvent inks are toxic and require special handling and ventilation in compliance with specific regulations relating to the release of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Their greatest application is in the label printing for products that are to be used outdoors because of resilience and ability to adhere strongly to non-absorbent materials

Advantages of solvent inks:

• Fade proof, water proof and scratch resistant
• Available in a wide number of formulations
• Can reproduce brilliant colours on an extensive range of flexible and uncoated media (paper, vinyl, PVC, banners, etc)
• Outstanding adhesion
• Cost effective
• Good opacity
• Will not clog screens as it won’t dry until cured (requiring 350-degree heat)
• Easier to use than water-based inks
• Faster curing than water-based inks

Disadvantages of solvent inks:

• Environmental and health and safety issues to be considered
• Less breathable

Solvent flexo inks are used primarily in the flexible packaging industry. Solvent gravure inks are used to achieve the very highest quality of metallic printing as seen in the beverage market.

Bio solvent or eco solvent inks are being developed for use in more enclosed print settings with minimum ventilation. These environmentally friendly inks are made from renewable resources, namely corn and soybean.  They show a high durability to UV light and good adhesion to vinyl, PVC, and other uncoated substrates. Watch this space!

3. UV curable inks

UV inks are cured with a high-intensity UV light from either UV lamps or LEDs. The UV radiation acts as a catalyst and initiates a photochemical reaction where by cross links are formed, instantly turning the liquid ink into a dry and durable coating. This curing process is vital for good print quality. If insufficient UV radiation is used, the bonds are weak and ink adhesion poor. If the ink is over-cured it becomes brittle and shrinks.

UV curable inks are mainly used for indoor applications, such as shrink sleeves, packaging, posters, signage and POP displays. They are ideal for all label applications.

Advantages of UV curable inks:

• Fast curing therefore increased label printing speeds and reduced energy consumption
• Versatile across a range of flexible and rigid substrates
• Low viscosity of ink + absence of penetration – less ink usage
• Less environmental impact than solvent based inks
• Unintentional curing/drying avoided
• Minimal dot gain and ink penetration
• Good for sharp lines and edges

Disadvantages of UV curable inks:

• Uncured UV inks can be irritating to eyes and skin
• UV inks stay wet until cured so must be thoroughly washed off skin and clothing
• UV migration issues with food contact packaging. There are global standards for migration which must be complied with for certain types of food packaging. Specialised, low migration inks are available.

UV curable ink technology is on the move. Developers have made heavy investments into its development and continue to come out with new inks and substrates optimised for UV-curing. Look out for more advances in the near future.

Digital label printing (HP Indigo)

The ink or toner that is used in a digital press is fundamentally different to that used in conventional machines; its chemistry is far more complex and it comes in a sealed canister not a pot! In the digital world the ink represents a key part of the technology and must be compatible with all elements of the press.

The ink or toner consists of small colour powder particles, suspended in imaging oil. During the label printing process, the toner is electrostatically charged to adhere to the printer drum which is charged with opposite polarity. After transferring to the paper, the toner is fused in place by a heating element forming a very thin and smooth plastic layer on the surface.

Toner formulations, particle size and melting point vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. A great deal of research has gone into trying to achieve small, uniform particle size, key to achieving accurate colour reproduction and print quality.

Varnishes

A varnish is a transparent, liquid coating applied to a printed surface to add a clear glossy, matte, satin, or neutral finish.

Varnishing can be carried out ‘online’ (the varnish is applied directly after the ink is put on the paper), or ‘offline’ by a separate machine, sometime after printing. The liquid varnish hardens after application by a variety of processes depending on its formulation.

Adding varnish to print has several advantages;

• Can reduce or accentuate particular areas on the printed page
• Increases colour absorption and speeds up the drying process
• The ink is locked in under a protective coat – increased durability

There are a number of varnishes available. Here are the major types.

Gloss varnish

A gloss varnish is often used to heighten the impact of photographs or particular design elements, as the coating reflects back the light and makes colours appear richer and more vivid. A gloss coating can add impact to your print, especially in sales or promotional material, where optimum presentation of images is paramount.

The percentage of gloss can actually be measured in accordance with DIN 67530 which is based on the reflection of light corresponding to specific angles.

Matt varnish

A matt varnish diffuses the reflection of light to give the printed surface a non-glossy, smooth look. This type of varnish can ‘soften’ the appearance of a printed image. Small text on a label is easier to read on a surface coated with matt vanish as the coating scatters the light, reducing glare.

Silk / Satin varnish

This represents the ‘middle ground’ between the two above, being neither as glossy as a true gloss, nor as subtle as a matt.

Flood varnish  

This is when a varnish is applied all over the printed surface. A gloss varnish seal is the most common type of all-over varnish, (perhaps because this finish really does give a very high gloss effect, more so than with a laminate in many cases) although silk and matt are also available.

Spot varnish

A spot varnish is applied to a chosen spot or area on the printed piece. This has the effect of drawing attention to a specific part of the design and can add interest to the label. It is particularly effective when applied as a gloss spot varnish on top of a matt flood varnish. This achieves maximum contrast between the highly reflective shiny coating and the light-absorbing matt finish.

Textured/Tactile varnish

Textured varnish is a glossy varnish that overlays a slightly rippled, tactile finish to the page. It can be used as a spot varnish to enhance the impact of particular page elements and is an interesting and eye-catching alternative to standard gloss varnishes. Tactile varnish can be applied as braille using silkscreen technology.

Other varnishes

There are other more creative varnishes on the market today. Sparkly varnishes include metallic flakes to catch the eye. Tinted varnishes add gloss and colour. Scratch-and-sniff technology takes a fragrance and encapsulates it in minute gelatin or plastic spheres which are then incorporated into a varnish – the number of fragrances available is impressive!

AJS Labels – inks and varnishes

We spend a lot of time trialling and developing the best ink technology for AJS and our customers:

• UV flexo inks for vibrant top quality print
• In-house ink mixing technology
• Working with top ink and varnish suppliers on the very latest formulations
• Skilled and experienced printers

Please get in touch on 01903 738 205 if you would like to discuss any of this blog with our technical team.

Why not print off and collect series?

Download PDF: Part 7. Inks & varnishes

What is next?

Next time we take a whistle-stop tour of the main label printing processes.

1. http://www.chimigraf.com/productos.php?&idioma=eng&id=4&gr=p&res=4&cat=f
2. http://www.flexoexchange.com/gorilla/uvink1.html
3. http://www.outputmagazine.com/tags/qotw/
4. http://www.packprintworld.com/news/features/uv-flexo-for-food-packaging
5. http://www.flintgrp.com/en/products/Packaging-and-Narrowweb/Narrowweb/North-America/Flexography/index.php
6. http://72.52.184.8/~radtecho/pdfs/PrinterGuideUVNWFlexo.pdf
7. http://www.webmartuk.com/print_brain/misc/what-do-print-finishing-companies-do-a-guide-to-varnishes-for-designers-and-marketers/
8. http://www.digitaloutput.net/content/ContentCT.asp?P=542
9. http://nzic.org.nz/ChemProcesses/polymers/10E.pdf
10. http://www.fespa.com/news/industry-news/do-you-know-your-water-based-inks-from-your-uv-inks.html LATEX INKS
11. http://printerinkcartridges.printcountry.com/printcountry-articles/wide-format-printers/a-beginners-guide-to-solvent-inks-for-large-format-printing
12. http://www.packaging-gateway.com/contractor_images/zellergmelin/1.jpg
13.  http://www.imaging.org/ist/resources/tutorials/inkjet.cfm
14.  http://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/optics_optical_components/light_sources/process_uv_lamps_systems

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

Back-to-basics. Part 7. Inks and varnishes in the label printing

Modern printing processes use printing plates or screens to create an image. These may be made of metal, plastic, rubber, or other materials. Typically, printing plates and screens are attached to a cylinder in the press. Ink is applied to the image area and transferred directly to the substrate or to an intermediary cylinder and then to the substrate.

Plates

Printing plates are made and used very differently in each of the 3 main printing methods.

1. Gravure printing is a intaglio process that uses a steel printing cylinder with an outer, engraved copper plate to produce the image.
2. Offset litho is a planographic process in which the image and non-image areas of the printing plate are on the same flat surface. The areas are differentiated chemically; the image areas are made ink receptive and water repellent, while the non-image areas are water receptive and ink repellent. Platemaking for offset litho is relatively simple
3. Flexography, or flexo printing, is the most popular method of printing used in the label industry and is replacing the traditional letterpress process. Both printing methods utilize a flexible, polymer relief plate where the image to be printed is raised away from the non-printed areas. Skilled plate making for this process is crucial and has a very big effect on the quality of print produced. We will spend some time looking at this process.

Flexo plates

A photopolymer material is a polymer that changes its properties when exposed to light, often UV light. The basic material is soft and light sensitive, and when produced will undergo a selective exposure, development and curing process. There are a number of photopolymer plate materials available and the precise material chosen will depend upon inks used, press specification, wash-out facilities available or simply operator choice.

Making flexo plates

Flexo plates were originally made by hand, carved out by skilled plate makers and of poor quality. Today it is very different, increasingly scientific, and significantly better.
There are 2 basic methods of plate development;

1. Anilog platemaking. A film negative is placed over the plate, which is exposed to ultra-violet light. The polymer hardens where uv light passes through the film. The remaining soft polymer is then washed away leaving a raised print area.
2. Computer- imaged platemaking. A laser is used to etch the image onto the black coating on the printing plate in this digital platemaking. This is then exposed to uv light for hardening before going through the wash-out process. This eliminates the use of a negative film altogether and provides a streamlined and fully digital workflow. Plate and resulting print quality is enhanced in many cases.

Plate wash-out

Flexo plates have historically been washed out by solvents and this process still dominates the label printing market. This utilizes a specific bath of solvents, which later must be carefully disposed of. After the unwanted material is scrubbed out of the plate, the finished product must dry thoroughly in air. This drying time can be several hours.

A water wash system has now been developed that uses water, plus a non-solvent detergent, to replace the solvent wash. This environmentally friendly alternative, although still in the early stages, cuts plate production time to just 45 minutes and provides a very cost effective alternative to solvent wash-out.

Plate thickness

Flexo plates are available in a wide range of thickness, hardness and surface properties.

Cross section of a plate

Plate material should be thick enough to provide a resistant ink platform but thin enough to ensure a stable print area. The ready-to-print plate is described by 3 parameters;

• plate thickness or gauge (usually expressed in microns)
• plate relief or height of the relief image
• floor height or thickness of the photopolymer base layer

The ratio between plate relief and floor height remains the same for all plates at 40:60. With thinner plates, the relative plate height is shorter and so the dots much more stable giving a better quality of print. Older presses tend to need thicker plates whilst more modern presses are designed to operate with thinner plates and can hence achieve a higher quality.

Printing plate hardness has a considerable influence on the printing result. While soft printing plates adapt well to the surface of the substrate, harder plates have a greater tendency to produce a pin-holing effect. Harder plates will, however, have lower levels of dot gain and less dot squeeze.

Dot shape is important

There has been a great deal of research into the best shape of halftone dot as this can significantly affect the density and clarity of the image. Dots can be generated in a number of shapes including square, elliptical, octagonal and both symmetrical and asymmetrical. Three main factors need to be taken into account when choosing a dot shape;

1. Midtone Jump – in the midtones, dot area grows to the point where the corners of adjacent dots join causing ink bleeding. This is particularly severe with round dots.
2. Moiré – the formation of undesirable patterns in the print. Square dots are susceptible to this.
3. Dot distortion – on high-speed web presses, the dot distorts as the paper passes between the blanket and impression roller.

The round dot remains the most popular option in the label printing industry. If you would like more information on the benefits and issues of different dot shapes Choosing Halftone Dot Shape by Mark A. Coudray (http://www.screenweb.com/node/9) provides an excellent guide.

Screens

Screen printing is a very traditional form of printing, used now mainly for the production of self-adhesive labels for the cosmetics and toiletries, pharmaceutical and industrial markets. It is frequently found in combination with UV flexo or offset printing.

The screen printing process lays down a smooth, controllable layer of ink for durable, high-quality labels. It is particularly good for printing strong opaque white images, something which other label printing processes find difficult to achieve.

The image carrier for screen printing is a no longer a silk mesh but is most often made from nylon, polyester or fine wire mesh. The mesh is coated with a photosensitive emulsion which, when exposed to light, the coating hardens in the non-image areas enabling the non-exposed areas to be washed away. Thus holes are revealed for the ink to pass through.

Mesh size

There are two basic factors in mesh geometry that affect the printed result;

• mesh count – number of threads per inch (tpi) contained in the mesh
• thread diameter – diameter of the thread before it has been woven into the mesh

Together these determine the mesh opening or the maximum space through which the ink can pass and this affects the overall detail printed, as well as the ink release characteristics. The higher the mesh count, the finer the threads and the holes are on the screen.

The lower mesh counts, 85-110 tpi, have a relatively large thread diameter and more space between the threads (called “open area”). This allows for a thicker deposit and more ink to pass through the screen. Typically, lower mesh counts are used for specialty inks (eg. glitter) and when a thick deposit is needed (such as opaque white or braille).

The high mesh counts, 305-355 tpi, have a very small thread diameter and less open area thus permitting only a small amount of ink through the holes. These are used when fine detail and high halftone lpi are needed.

General purpose screens, 200-255 tpi, are ideal for spot color, good detail and acceptable halftones.

The type of ink being used must also be taken into account when choosing the correct screen mesh. UV inks are extremely thin and when used for high detail printing, require a fine mesh. Shimmer and glitter inks have particles that will not pass through a typical mesh size, so require a lower mesh count.

AJS Labels – Plates and screens

Plates and screens are vital in producing excellent print, that’s why we are fully equipped to make very high quality plates and screens on site.

• Experienced and dedicated platemaking team
• Work together with key suppliers to achieve the highest results
• The latest digital platemaking equipment
• Advanced and innovative to stay ahead of the game
• ‘The finest label screen work in Europe’

Why not print off and collect series?

Download PDF: Part 6. plates and screens

What is next?

Next time we look at Inks and Varnishes and the special effects that can be created.
Source:

1. http://www.packageprinting.com/article/flexo-platemaking-complex-only-if-you-let-become-so-405055/1
2. http://www.gallus-group.com/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-367/533_read-1509/
3. http://www.flexoglobal.com/flexomag/08-May/flexomag-anderson.htm
4. http://printing.macdermid.com/pdf/MPS_EnvironFootprintCalc_white_paper.pdf
5. http://fenster.com.ar.webgte.alsolnet.com/leftech/fotos/Cosmolight_LT.pdf
6. http://the-print-guide.blogspot.co.uk/2009/02/am-screening-halftone-dot-shapes.html
7. http://www.fppa.net/events/2012convention/2_Round_Flat_Why_When.pdf

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

Back-to-basics. Part 6. Plates and screens

 Halftones and dots are very much part of the reprographic department however it is important to understand the role they play in the printing process.

What is halftone in printing?

In printing, the screen or plate is only capable of printing a solid area. Since photographs and images are made up of various tones ranging from black all the way to white, a method has to be used that can reproduce these continuous tones, with a solid area of ink.

Halftone is a reprographic technique that uses dots, varying either in size, in shape or in spacing, to simulate the look of a continuous tone image.

Halftone can also be used to refer specifically to the image that is produced by this process.

The halftone principle

A halftone is simply a group of large or small dots that when viewed at a distance, have the appearance of continuous shades of grey or color in an image. The frequency of dots should be fine enough so that the viewer, at a normal reading distance, is unable to distinguish the dot pattern – an optical illusion!

Where a coloured image is required, a series of dots in cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) is used that fool the eye into seeing the millions of colors that make up the original image.

Black and white images contain millions of shades of grey. Lighter shades of grey consist of fewer or smaller black dots, spaced far apart. Darker shades of grey contain more or larger black dots with closer spacing.

Halftone Screens

In conventional printing, halftones are created by photographing an image through a Halftone Screen. This is not to be confused with the physical silk screen used in the print process. The image details are converted into a series of dots or “rasterized” on a RIP (raster image processor) in preparation for the platemaking process. The lines and spaces on the screen are always equal thickness and equidistant.

The screen frequency, measured in lines per inch (lpi), determines how many dots are used to make each spot of colour or grey. The higher the screen frequency (the more lines per inch), the better the quality of the image produced. Standard flexo print operates at 100, 150 and 175 lpi.
(Lines per inch should not be confused with dots per inch or pixels per inch.)

Why are dots important?

Dots are the individual element in the halftone printing process. The dots have equal density and spacing, but differ in size so as to control the photographic effect and density of printed colour. The shape of the dot can also vary and includes square, elliptical and octagonal, however, round dots are predominantly used in the label printing industry.

Dot gain – is it a problem?

The problem with printing halftone dots is that the dot will grow in size as a result of platemaking or actual printing. Flexo dots, for example, print larger on a softer paper surfaces than they do on a harder filmic material. This has the effect of darkening the colour or tone of the printed image as the ink is now spreading over a greater area than was originally intended. It can result in a muddy image with poor detail.

Dot gain is a normal part of the printing process. High quality printers are those who have learned to measure and control it. A number of factors affect dot gain, namely

• Ink absorbing into the material – coated papers and films resist adsorption
• Ink spreading out onto the paper – inks with a higher viscosity will resist spreading
• Circumferential ink “rimming”
• Compressible flexo plates
• Poorly maintained press

Compensation for dot gain can be accommodated at the repro stage taking plate, substrate and press information into account. A number of software programs are available that guarantee dot gain control, including Esko and Kodak Prinergy.

Random dots

A new form of screening has been developed that aims to eliminate or minimize some of the problems found with conventional screening. This is called Frequency Modulated screening and is sometimes referred to as stochastic screening. In this instance the dots have a fixed size but a random position. The density of colour in an image is changed by increasing the number of dots randomly printed per unit area.
Hybrid techniques, employing conventional and FM screening are a popular option, especially where smooth vignettes or blends are required.

Screen angles

When photographs or images are printed, the halftone screens are positioned at different angles in relation to one another to avoid undesirable patterns or moirés. Moirés are irregular, unwanted interference patterns of dots, caused by combining one regular halftone pattern with another similar one. These can occur either over the whole image or in certain colour combinations.

To avoid moirés, screen angles should vary by 30°. There are many sets of screen angles and these can vary according to the number of colours used and the preference of the operator. The most commonly used angles being black – 15°, cyan – 105°, magenta – 75° and yellow – 90°.
A rosette pattern is created when all four-colour halftones screens are placed at the correct angles to each other.

AJS Labels halftones and dots

Getting your head around halftones, dots and screen angles isn’t easy but we have it under control:

• Skilled and experienced repro team
• Print of 175 lpi for very high quality
• The latest software for dot gain control
• Advanced repro to ensure uniform print across the presses

Please get in touch on 01903 738205 if you would like to discuss any of this blog with our repro team.

Why not print off and collect series?

Download PDF: Part 5. Halftone printing & dots

What is next?

Next time we look at Plates and Screens and why they are so important for good print quality.

1. http://www.imaging-resource.com/TIPS/LAWLER/DOTGAIN.PDF 
2. http://www.professionalprinting.com/fm-and-am-screening-comparison/ 
3. http://en.wikipedia.org
4. Encyclopaedia of Labels and Label Technology by Michael Fairley
5. http://www.graphicfx.ws/faq_sp3.html

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

Back-to-basics. Part 5. The halftone printing process & dots

AJS Labels is ideally situated in the middle of the south coast, right at the heart of the UK wine industry. In recent years the industry has started to slowly move north, possibly reflecting underlying changes to the climate. The 420 registered vineyards currently account for approximately 1,400 hectares and this area is expanding rapidly by well over 10% per annum.

The UK trade in wine which handles the import, bottling and marketing of wines purchased, consumed and traded in this country, is by comparison a very significant part of UK business. The UK is in fact, the world’s second largest import market for wines behind Australia.

Wine labels and new technology

In 2011, AJS Labels took the decision to invest in new technology to specifically service the wine industry. We appreciate the need for:

• Short bespoke print runs
• Hot and cold foiling
• Specialised materials and adhesives
• Advanced embellishments

Our machine and skill base reflects this.

The best wine labels

Wine labels are one of the key influencing factors in consumer choice. Recent studies show that 80% of consumers that pick up a bottle of wine from the shelf are likely to buy it, because of its label shelf appeal.

We are keen to raise the profile of wine labels and partner Avery Dennison and graphic design company, Nightingale Austin, in sponsoring the Montagu Trophy. This prestigious trophy is awarded annually at the UKVA Awards for the best dressed wine. First prize includes 1,000 sq m of top wine grade material and £500 of specialised printing by AJS Labels.

Knightor vineyard is a winner

The Montagu Trophy was awarded to Cornish wine producer Knightor last year. Cornwall, the nation’s mildest county, is attracting a new wave of vineyards and two-year-old Knightor is one of the youngest. The vineyard is at the heart of china clay country near St Austell and boast 17,000 vines planted in several locations along the south coast.

We are delighted to be honouring the Montagu Trophy prize and to be working with Knightor on their latest wine labels. Winemaker, James Thomas, said the design aims to combine a traditional feel with a modern look. Printed on quality Avery Rustique Blanc material with special adhesive for ice bucket use, it also incorporates bold silver foiling to highlight the vineyards logo.

In addition Knightor is looking to make subtle changes to this design to make it easier to distinguish between its different wines. We are perfectly equipped to trial a number of design changes on our digital press, before final production decisions need to be made.

AJS Labels owners, Andrew and Jayne Scrimgeour, visited Knightor vineyard last week. ‘It was great to visit the site and to see all the hard work that Adrian Derk and his staff have put in to establishing this vineyard,’ said Andrew. ‘The new restaurant area is very impressive and will be a key destination for sampling local produce and of course the latest Knightor wines.’

We wish Knightor Vineyard every success at The UKVA Awards in 2013.

source:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/food/food-industry/wine-industry/

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

Wine labels – it’s what we love!

What is CMYK?

CMYK are abbreviations for the four colours used in process printing – cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The K comes from the traditional printing description of black, as it is the black plate that is used to ‘key’ or align all other plates.

Cyan, magenta and yellow are the primary colours that subtract light and when overlapped, produce other colours. Mixing all three theoretically results in black, but this is often weak and unsatisfactory, which is why the additional K component is needed. Black ink helps to produce deeper tones and darker colours and avoids certain registration problems, for example with fine black text.

How is an image produced with CMYK?

For an image to be printed with CMYK (four-colour process), the coloured image is initially separated into 4 different colour values by the use of filters and screens. This used to be done with photographic film, but is now done using digital software. The result is a colour separation of 4 images that, when transferred to printing plates and sequentially printed with the CMYK, reproduces the original colour image.

What is spot colour?

A spot colour is a pre-defined colour that can be reproduced at any time. The exact colour is generated by either a pure ink or a mixture of inks and unlike four-colour process, is printed using a single plate.

There are many different colour references but the industry-standard formulas are most often specified using the Pantone system. Swatch books are used to select colours, and the ‘ingredients’ for that colour of ink are shown underneath. From a palette of 14 basic colours, each of the spot colours can be mixed according to its own unique ink mixing formula.

Many of the standard colours have names , e.g. Pantone Purple, Pantone Process Blue etc., but the majority are referenced purely by numbers followed by either a C, U or M . The letter suffix refers to the paper stock on which it is printed: C for Coated paper, U for Uncoated paper and M for Matte paper.

Brand owners often require a specific, custom-made spot colour – outside of the normal CMYK process colours – to distinguish their products and give a strong brand identity, for example EasyJet orange; DynoRod fluorescent red, BodyShop green.

When to use CMYK?

• Label includes full-colour images
• Label includes multi-colour graphics that would require many colours of ink
• Needs more than two spot colours

When to use spot colours?

• Label needs a colour that cannot be accurately reproduced with CMYK inks, such as precise colour matching of a corporate or logo colour
• Label has no full-colour photographs and uses only one or two colours
• Printing over a large area, spot colour inks may provide more even coverage
• Need more vibrant colours or more exacting colour matching
• Project requires special effects such as metallic or fluorescent spot inks

When to use CMYK and spot colours together?

• Label with full-colour image + must also incorporate specific spot colours that cannot be created with CMYK inks (such as logo colour)
• Need to enhance or increase intensity of a specific process colour by adding a spot colour ink
• Portions of a full colour label is coated with a clear varnish (varnish is specified as a spot colour)

AJS Labels – CMYK and spot colours

At AJS Labels we have a unique combination of presses to satisfy any label requirement.

> MPS EC 330 press

• 12 printing stations
• CMYK + 8 spot colours
• up to 12 spot colours

> Gallus RCS 330 press

• 8 printing stations
• 2 press passes possible
• CMYK + 12 spot colours
• up to 16 spot colours

> HP WS6000 Digital Press

• CMYK
• unlimited spot colours using IndiChrome ink mix system
• 2 additional spot colours + varnish on Digicon finishing line

Please get in touch on 01903 731212 if you would like help from one of our team.

Why no print off and collect series?

Download PDF: Part 4. CMYK v spot colours

What is next?

Next time we look at an intricate subject: The halftone printing process and dots.

Source: www.pantone.co.uk

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

Back-to-basics. Part 4. Printing with CMYK or spot colours

The Body Shop hosted its 2013 Suppliers Day in London two weeks ago, focussing on the key challenges and expectations for the future.

The day, as usual, was brilliantly organised kicking off with International Values & R&D Director, Paul McGreevy. Paul reminded suppliers of the unique values that The Body Shop have developed and live by today.

‘The business is truly a force for good and its achievements in this area are outstanding,’ said AJS Labels MD, Andrew Scrimgeour. The Body Shop was one of the very first companies to establish fair trade with its suppliers, non-testing of products on animals, protecting the environment and educating its customers about these key issues.

A recent £2.8 million investment in 3,860 solar panels at The Body Shop HQ, now produces 25% of their energy. Retail shops have been re-fitted with more efficient LED lighting, further reducing energy use.

The Body Shop Foundation is a charitable trust which supports innovative projects across the world working for social & environmental change. Funded by an annual donation from the company and through various fundraising initiatives, the foundation worked with no less than 180 charities around the world last year. The Body Shop is the only cosmetics company that is classed as a leader by The Ethical Trading Initiative, a ground-breaking alliance of companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations that aim to improve the working lives of poor and vulnerable people across the globe.

‘The Body Shop is an inspiration,’ said Andrew. ‘In our own small way we have tried to do the same with the work and support AJS Labels gives to our adopted grass roots charity, FEAST India.’ 

Ann Massal, TBS Marketing Director, gave the va va voom presentation on the company’s marketing strategy followed by presentations on Supply Chain, Purchasing , NPD, Technical Development, Compliance and Quality.

For the first time at a Suppliers Day, two outside speakers were introduced. Both gave excellent presentations on Lego and The Bordeaux School of Management.

Gordon Crichton from BEM was inspiring in his presentation. He focussed on the importance of suppliers and their role in innovation and growth. He drew on his years of consultancy working with big companies in many different sectors. Crichton stressed the past focus on price and good negotiation as a key success factors, but the importance of innovation and the environment going forward. He claimed, ‘70 % of this innovation will come from suppliers.’ Crichton went on to discuss company specifications, arguing that too many companies over specify, adding cost and complexity to the business.

The Body Shop Suppliers Day was summed up by Operations Exec Philippe Reale with CEO Frederic Ennabli taking questions.

AJS Labels have been working with UK cosmetics retailer The Body Shop for more than 15 years and look forward to working with this exceptional company in the future.
‘This was a truly inspiring day!’ said AJS Labels Operations Director, Phil Smith. ‘Thank you to The Body Shop and all those involved.’

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

AJS Labels attend The Body Shop Suppliers Day 2013

It’s great to be part of something that’s extremely glamorous and something that does a huge amount of good at the same time! That’s why we were delighted to supply labels to the ethical company, Life Water.

Life Water is the brainchild of eco-entrepreneurs Simon Konecki and Lucas White, who set up the company to make a difference. The water is 100% carbon neutral, bottled at a certified source and boasts 100% sales within Britain. The company is committed to helping to keep the planet a cleaner, healthier place; ‘Drink well, be happy and please, recycle.’

The owners of Life Water have taken an extra step by founding drop4drop, a charity that strives to alleviate the global water crisis by delivering efficient and accountable clean water projects across the developing world. Every bottle of Life Water sold in Britain, gives up to 1,000 litres of clean drinking water to communities that desperately need it.

Life Water was proud to partner The BRIT Awards 2013 in association with MasterCard. The company supplied all of the water at the prestigious awards ceremony hosted by James Corden on February 20th at The O2 arena, London. The partnership will fund a sustainable bore well and provide access to clean drinking water for over 1000 people for at least 25 years.

Life Water labels

Life Water wanted to have both still and sparkling water on all of the tables at the BRITs. The 750ml clear glass bottle is part of the company’s new glass range and looked fantastic with the redesigned label. The front label featured the bright red Life logo, outlined with impactful glow-in-the-dark ink to make the product really stand out in the O2 arena. The back label has been specially designed to include a world map, symbolising the impact that consumers have on the global water crisis.
Both labels were printed on clear material so that the globe could be viewed from the front of the bottle through the water. The logo was firstly printed in silkscreen white, followed by a slightly smaller flexo red. The silkscreen, glow-in-the-dark ink was then added. Perfect registration was vital with these 3 layers for a sharp result.

The AJS team used a sandwich printing technique to achieve the desired look on the back label. A blue image of the globe was laid down. This was followed by a slightly larger silkscreen white image to form a shield between the 2 blue layers. Finally a deeper flexo blue globe with reversed out text was printed. This technique is perfect for ensuring that the text doesn’t show through from the front of the label. It demands a high level of reprographic and printing skill.

Life Water’s Marketing Manager, Will Chidlow, visited AJS Labels to pass the labels on press.
The Life Water was very evident on the tables at The BRIT Awards, thanks in part to the fantastic labels!

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

AJS Labels at The BRIT Awards 2013!

A bit of history!

Self-adhesive labels were invented in 1935 by Stan Avery who, after extensive trial and error, created an unusual device using an old washing machine motor and a spare sewing machine clutch and it stamped out labels. Since then the self-adhesive labels market has grown enormously and this success is down to adhesive technology.

When creating labels, the performance of the adhesive is critical and only carefully specified adhesives will help you to create the precise label properties you need.

There is a huge range of adhesives available, but the simplest method of categorizing them is to class them according to whether they are permanent, semi-permanent or removable. Within these three categories there are a range of different adhesive types – natural rubber, synthetic rubber and acrylic polymers – and these in turn may be solvent-based adhesives, hot melts or emulsion. Complicated isn’t it?

What type of labels do you require?

The type of labels that you require dictates the adhesive that you choose. Do you want your labels to stick quickly and permanently to a surface or do you need them to be easily removed? Do you perhaps, want time to readjust the labels before they stick permanently?

Permanent adhesives have a high ultimate adhesion which makes the labels very difficult to remove intact. Examples of permanent applications include safety labels for power equipment, security labelling, homecare, industrial, chemical and agro-chemical products.

Removable adhesives are designed to form a temporary bond, and ideally can be removed after months or years without leaving residue. Removable adhesives are used in applications such as price marking labels, retail gift labelling, surface protection, window stickers. Some removable adhesives are designed to repeatedly stick and unstick.

Semi-permanent or repositionable adhesives come somewhere in between. The adhesive behaves like a removable adhesive, initially allowing you time to place and replace your labels at will. After a few days, the adhesive changes composition and permanently affixes itself to the surface. If you are looking for solid labels but fear making occasional application errors, you may want to consider using semi-permanent adhesive.

What are the different types of adhesives?

The adhesives used for most self-adhesive labels are based on synthetic resins and rubber and these differ in terms of versatility and performance. Synthetics can be produced with more consistent, uniform properties and can be modified to obtain the best characteristics.

Rubber-based Adhesives

Although traditionally made from pure rubber, virtually all rubber-based adhesives are now synthetic. Rubber adhesives give a faster, higher adhesion when compared to acrylic adhesives, however, their aging and UV resistance is not as good. Rubber adhesives have a superior bond to plastics.

Acrylic Adhesives

Acrylics are a type of synthetic polymer and provide strong, durable adhesion. They will not give you the aggressive adhesion as soon as rubber would, but the bond of acrylic is more sustainable over time. They can withstand higher and lower temperatures and perform better than rubber adhesives when exposed to chemicals. Acrylics have good aging and UV resistance and can be easily modified for a particular application. This type of label adhesive is suitable for long-lasting products that need labels to withstand time and frequent handling, for example; wood, metal, outdoor materials, glass and waterproof items.

What is the adhesive carrier for?

Many adhesives use a carrier in their formulation. The carrier is the medium in which the active components of the adhesive are either dissolved or dispersed. If there is no carrier at all, the adhesive is in 100% solid form.

Water-based adhesives (dispersions, emulsions)

There are a variety of compositions in the water-based system but the carrier is water. Adhesives based on this technology are gaining in popularity for a number of reasons. Good for:

• more environmentally-friendly
• excellent adhesion
• non-flammable
• wide variety of applications
• good resistance to high temperatures

Hot-melt adhesives

Hot-melts are 100% solids that are heated to temperatures above their melting point and applied to substrates in the molten state to form an adhesive layer. They are ideal for:

• adhesion to moist substrates
• low temperature applications
• very high, fast tack on difficult applications

Solvent-based adhesives

In solvent-based systems the carrier is a solvent that is evaporated during drying, and is re-used. Solvent adhesives are more expensive, but they are the only adhesives that can cope with many demanding applications. There are some high performance UV Acrylic adhesives on the market, but in general their performance is not as good as solvent technology. The range of applications for solvent adhesives is expanding. Solvent-based adhesives have:

• better heat resistance than emulsion or hot-melt adhesives
• some low temperature and humidity tolerance
• versatile adhesion to a wide range of substrates

Curable adhesives (UV cross-linkable acrylics)

UV cross-linkable acrylics are a relatively new technological development. Like hot-melt adhesives they are 100% solid that are melted then pumped to the coating station and cross-linked with uv radiation. Curable adhesives have some excellent properties:

• increased chemical resistance – vs. emulsion and hot-melt adhesives
• increased heat resistance
• resistance to water and uv light

That’s the theory – so what do you need to consider?

It is very important to consider a number of factors when choosing a suitable adhesive:

1. Substrate

Roughness affects the contact area. If the surface is very rough then adhesion can only take place on the raised area resulting in a small contact area and low adhesion. For permanent adhesives, a high coat weight is required. For removable adhesives the challenge is greater, so do test the application before commercial application.

Humidity and moisture can be a real challenge for the adhesive. Water-based adhesives can tolerate a certain amount of water however for more extreme conditions, hot-melt and solvent-based adhesives are preferable.

Shape can sometimes place limitations on the choice of adhesive. Test tubes and small bottles – where the surface is convex and the radius tight- are the most common example. Similarly box corners can be difficult. A suitable facestock together with an adhesive with high cohesion is required to avoid edge-lift.

Pretreated surfaces need special consideration.

2. Temperature

The properties of an adhesive are affected by temperature. At very low temperatures they become hard and less ‘sticky’. At high temperatures, adhesives soften and can weaken or bleed at the label edges.

Labelling temperature If labelling takes place below 0 degree Celsius or on a cold package (-20….0) then a deep freeze adhesive should be chosen.

Service temperature is also critical. If a product is labelled at near room temperature and the adhesive has time to bond, it will resist higher and lower temperatures during storage. Hot-melt and deep freeze adhesives are not suitable for high temperatures. Adhesives with very high cohesive strength are recommended.

3. Resistance to aging and uv light

All adhesives will start to yellow, loose their properties of adhesion and become hard over time and hence shelf-life recommendations are vital. Acrylic adhesives are resistant to aging and have a better shelf life than rubber-based adhesives.
UV light can also adversely affect adhesives especially when combined with clear filmic material. Again acrylic based adhesives are more resistant that rubber based ones.

Adhesives and End-use

Food Labelling
Food labelling remains the biggest end-user of self-adhesive labels. Main considerations:

• labels applied and stored in a variety of conditions (temperature & humidity)
• glass packaging – easy to bond to unless surface treated
• flexible packaging – greater adhesion challenges with PP. Be aware of special surface treatments (anti-fogging, slip agents)
• cardboard packaging is inherently rough and may contain waxes- aggressive adhesive required
• recycled materials can vary from batch to batch
• coated cardboard easier to adhere to
• adhesive selection critical with direct food labelling and must be in accordance with EU Commission Regulation No 10/2011

Beverage Labelling
Beverage labelling can be demanding because of storage and bottling conditions. Main considerations:

• white wines, champagne and beer bottles must endure refrigeration, water and ice
• long-term storage may be necessary in cold, damp conditions
• strong adhesives required to withstand temperature and humidity changes
• avoid irregularities in the bottle as this can lead to bubbles or wrinkles
• labelling wet (not moist) bottles is impossible for any adhesive
• adhesive must remain clear with filmic substrates and be suitable for pasteurization if necessary
• recyclable bottles require a special adhesive that can be washed-off during the recycling process
• bottles treated with scratch-resistant surface treatments need special consideration
• ideal labelling temperature should be >15 degrees Celsius and relative humidity <55%

Cosmetic and Toiletry Labelling
A quality look and feel is vital with Cosmetic and Toiletry Labelling. Main considerations:

• water, oil and product resistance
• good clarity and wet-out of adhesive
• acrylic adhesives good for glass and PET containers
• PP and High Density PE containers demanding for acrylic adhesives
• squeezable and complex-shaped containers require aggressive adhesives
• tubes require high adhesion for flexibility
• wet wipes need good open-close properties and resistance to water and product
• label testing with the product is advised (sun creams are very demanding)

Home Care Labelling
Robust labelling is crucial in this fast moving market. Main considerations:

• squeezable and complex-shaped containers require high adhesion
• water, chemical and product resistance (tensides, soap, oil, solvents, etc)
• label testing with product is advised
• special attention needed if labels applied to freshly blow-moulded containers

Pharmaceutical and Health Care Labelling
Pharmaceutical labelling is critical and demands the very highest attention. Main considerations:

• small diameter of syringes, test tubes and medicine packs requires a strong adhesive and flexible substrate
• cold storage – warm water bath service conditions
• blood bags and infusion bags
• sterilization techniques include steam, gamma radiation, gas and electron beams. Suitable adhesives will vary accordingly
• adhesive migration risk with non-glass, synthetic packaging

Oil and Industrial Chemical Labelling
There are a wide range of adhesive challenges in this sector. Each needs careful thought. Main considerations:

• white materials most commonly used so clarity of adhesive not an issue
• some container surfaces very rough
• flexible packaging
• if labelling immediately after the blow-moulding process, allow for rapid shrinkage
• water and chemical resistance essential
• label application of industrial chemicals often by hand due to large size

Durable Labelling
Durable labels often contain important safety and warning information that must be available throughout the lifetime of the product. Main considerations:

• adhesive must be long-lasting and hard-wearing – usually solvent acrylic
• uv resistance may be important
• heat and chemical resistance may be necessary
• high-tack adhesives necessary on rough surfaces (eg.cast metals, textured plastics)
• independent testing of materials and adhesives may be demanded by certain end-users

Tyre Labelling
Tyre labelling presents quite a challenge for self-adhesive labelling due to surface roughness and the chemical composition of the tyre. Main considerations:

• uneven surface requires a very aggressive, fast acting adhesive
• tyre storage conditions vary from outside to warehouse conditions and the adhesive must reflect this
• wax and silicone-based mould release agents need consideration
• migration of certain chemicals from the rubber may cause yellowing of labels

AJS Labels – Adhesives

Adhesives are a sticky subject and with so many on offer, it’s vital that you choose the one that is perfect for you. At AJS Labels, we:

• Have expertise and technical knowledge of a range of adhesives
• Work in partnership with top international suppliers
• Can source any adhesive for any product in any situation
• Enjoy working with you to find the best labelling solution

Please get in touch on 01903 731212 if you would like help from one of our team.

Why not print off and collect series?

Download PDF: Part 3. Adhesives

What is next?

Next time we look at CMYK and spot colours – now that’s a lively subject!

source:

1. “Adhesives”, Fasson, Training Materials
2. “The Adhesive Book”, UPM Raflatac
3. www.lincocare.com
4. Encyclopaedia of Labels and Label Technology by Michael Fairley

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

Back-to-basics. Part 3. Adhesives & labels – it’s a sticky subject

The market for self-adhesive labels is growing every year and greatly exceeds that of any other labelling method. This growth is being achieved for good reason – it is by far the most versatile, flexible and innovative labelling format, not least in terms of the variety of substrates on offer.

Understanding what substrates are on offer is key to helping you make the right choice for your self-adhesive labels.

It’s really a Laminate

A self-adhesive substrate is primarily a four-layered laminate. This comprises of a facestock (1), an adhesive (2), a silicone release coating (3) and a release liner (4), subtly engineered for the specific characteristics required.

The facestock, or top layer, affects shelf impact, performance on small/squeezy containers, performance in challenging environments and far more. Adhesive performance is critical, to ensure ongoing adhesion or easy label removal. The silicone release coating is applied to the upper side of the release liner and guarantees easy release from the adhesive. Even the choice of release liner can make the difference between a trouble-free conversion and operational problems.

This blog deals with facestocks and release liners. We will be looking at adhesives in more detail in our next ‘Back-to-basics’.

Facestocks

A Facestock is a paper, film, foil or other material which is bonded to the adhesive layer and which forms the functional part of the label. Creating the right self-adhesive labels for a particular applications demands the right facestock, partnered with the right adhesive. The range of facestocks is extensive from simple papers through to highly specialised papers and films.

The thickness of facestock is measured in microns (µ); a unit measure in the metric system. One micron is a millionth of a metre

Papers:

1. Uncoated Paper (Vellum)

This is the simplest, most cost-effective facestock available. It is a tough, calendered, woodfree paper, with a high quality appearance.

Ideal for:

• Wide range of general purpose applications
• High volume industrial, price, and box end labels
• Single or multi-colour line work
• Non-gloss finish
• Porous so good for water-soluble adhesives

2. Coated Papers

Some papers have a thin layer of specialised coating applied to the surface to improve both aesthetic and performance properties, such as adhesion and wettability. The amount of coating is controlled, with the resulting weight affecting performance. The heavier the coat, the smoother, glossier the finish and the more rigid the paper becomes.
Coated papers are ideal for:

• Quality line and process work
• Multi-coloured labels
• Semi-gloss to high-gloss finishes
• Self-adhesive labels used in a dry environment
• Wide range of general purpose applications

There are a number of coated papers available. Here are the more commonly used ones.

* Primecoat

This is a basic 69 micron paper with a thin coating making it a very reasonably priced option. This excellent smooth semi-gloss paper is ideal for general purpose work. Primecoat is frequently over-varnished to increase the gloss finish.

* High Gloss paper

This is a heavier 80 micron paper and has a thicker, glossier coating. The result is a more rigid, water resistant material with a very smooth surface, ideal for top multicolour print.

* Light weight paper

At just 52 microns, this semi-gloss paper is more flexible and perfect for labelling smaller packages, cylindrical or curved surfaces. It is used extensively in the pharmaceutical industry, for fruit self-adhesive labels and tamper-evident seals due to its moderate tear strength.

3. Thermal Papers

Direct thermal paper is widely used for supermarket food labelling, industrial bar codes, point-of-sale receipts, ticketing and more. The paper has been coated with a heat-sensitive chemical and requires a thermal printer to create an image by applying heat directly to the label material. No ribbon is needed in the printer. It offers ease and reliability of use for short-life applications, and delivers relatively low-cost quality barcodes at reasonable print speeds.

There are two basic qualities available:

• The first is an economical, uncoated thermal paper used for well-controlled, short-term labelling where there is very little chance of the image being contaminated. It is ideal for fresh produce.
• The second is top coated thermal paper which may also be reverse coated for added protection. The coatings are designed to prevent contamination of the thermally-printed image from condensation, fats, grease and solvents that the labelled product might come into contact with. This paper is principally used for frozen products, pre-packed meats and cheese.

Thermal transfer paper (or pressure-sensitive paper) has been specifically designed to accept heat-activated ink from the ribbon of a thermal transfer printer. Thermal transfer is good for variable information printing of batch codes, date codes, sequential numbers and bar codes. It has indefinite longevity and superior durability and is widely preferred for industrial and warehouse use.

4. Foils and Metallised paper

There is a full range of gold, silver and bronze foil available. Foils are vellum-based with a thin layer of metal film laminate on top. This is then top coated to provide better ink receptivity, durability and resistance.

Metallised paper or film provides a cheaper alternative to foil. The film or paper is coated with a thin, 1 micron thick layer of metal, usually aluminium. Over varnishing is recommended to improve print and surface durability.

Ideal for:

• Quality product labelling including cosmetics, confectionary, spirits and beverages
• Luxury and promotional labelling
• All printing methods
• Gloss and semi-gloss finishes
• Laminated foils good product resistance

5. Special papers

We have covered some of the more widely used paper-based products, however, there is a wide range of specialised papers on offer designed to meet specific labelling requirements, for example:

• Security products
• Wine & spirits
• Multilayer construction
• Rough surfaces
• Holographic
• Fluorescent

Give us a call on 01903 731212 if you’d like to discuss any of these options.

Films:

The word film is used to describe the transparent or opaque material that has been manufactured from a diversity of plastics such as polyester, polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, vinyl or other synthetic materials. Films offer an enormous array of creative and technical choices. We will cover the main film categories, however, within each category there are a range of specialised films.

1. PE (Polyethylene film)

Polyethylene is an environmentally-friendly PVC substitute that when incinerated, merely releases carbon dioxide and water. PE film self-adhesive labels can meet diverse requirements from core applications where price is critical, through to highly specific applications such as household and personal care, industrial and chemical labelling and pharmaceutical applications. PE is available in a number of versions including transparent, white and metallic.

Advantages and benefits of PE:

• Low stiffness
• Squeezability
• Resistance to moisture, chemicals and uv light
• Environmentally friendly
• Stable up to 80 degree Celsius

2. PP (Polypropylene film)

Polypropylene films derive from petroleum. PP films allow a wide range of design and performance choices on rigid packaging and bottles. They are extensively used in beer and beverage, wine and spirits and high-end cosmetic labelling where a ‘no label’ look can increase shelf impact. PP is available in transparent, white, metallic, pearlescent and high-gloss versions for a very clear look.

Advantages and benefits of PP:

• Stronger and more rigid than PE
• High temperature resistance, over 80 degree Celsius
• Resistance to abrasion, chemicals, uv light and moisture
• Dimensional stability
• High clarity
• Conformability

3. PET (Polyester film)

Polyester has high dimensional stability, exceptional clarity and chemical resistance. It is an ideal material for labelling a wide range of niche products including, security products, automotive and aerospace parts, high and low temperature self-adhesive labels, medical appliances and much more. Although normally clear, PET films can also be pigmented white, metalised or produced in any colour.

Advantages and benefits of PET:

• Resistance to heat, up to 150 degrees Celsius
• Resistance to abrasion, solvents, chemicals and moisture
• Dimensional stability
• Range of products
• ‘No label’ look
• Very resistant to UV

Release Liners

Moving away from facestocks, we now turn our attention briefly to release liners. The release liner or backing, serves as a protective carrier for the adhesive. It is separated from the adhesive and the facestock prior to the label being applied. Good release liner performance is important – the right liner ensures that a label converts and dispenses well, and that operational costs are kept to a minimum.

Paper Release Liners

Paper release liners still dominate the market and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The papers must be very smooth and dense to provide a uniform surface and this is achieved by heavy calendaring and refined pulp.

Glassine

Glassine is a very smooth, dense, strong, translucent paper that is both air and water resistant. It is used in practically all roll label applications. The uncoated liner comes in brown, white and yellow and in a variety of weights. It is ideal for rapid automatic dispensing, photocell dispensing systems and special applications.

Kraft

A kraft liner is a long-fibred strong paper containing unbleached wood pulp. The liner is clay-coated on one side to make it more rigid and improve its lay-flat properties during conversion and end-use. Kraft liners are ideal for sticker sheets, heavy facestocks and manual dispensing.

Filmic Release Liners

The majority of liners are still paper-based, however filmic liners have shown good growth in recent years. Filmic release liners offer many unique properties that cannot be matched with conventional backing materials for example:

• A smooth adhesive layer for uniform contact with the substrate being labelled
• Excellent stability
• Transparency and gloss
• High tensile and tear strength
• Impervious to damp or v humid environments that affect paper backings
• Superior converting and dispensing
• More labels per roll
• Resistance to die-cutting issues
• Recyclability
• Wide range available from flexible to very stiff

AJS Labels – Substrates for self-adhesive labels

There are a multitude of facestock and release liners available. At AJS Labels, we:

• Work in partnership with top international suppliers
• Can offer a full range of every day and more specialised substrates
• Enjoy working with you to find the best labelling solution

Please get in touch if you would like help from one of our experts.

Why not print off and collect the series?

Download PDF:  Part 2. Substrates.

What’s next?

Next time we look at Adhesives and choosing an adhesive that is fit for purpose.

source: 

1. http://www.upm.com/EN/Pages/default.aspx
2. Avery Dennison training materials
3. http://www.herma.co.uk/en/
4. Encyclopaedia of Labels and Label Technology  by Michael Fairley

This is a post from: AJS Labels Blog.

Back-to-basics. Part2. Substrates for self-adhesive labels