Reporter Clips
- Published: September 01, 2003, By Edward Boyle, Contributing Editor
TLMI Honors “Best Managed Companies”
NAPERVILLE, IL, USA—Four converter member companies of the Tag & Label Mfrs. Inst. (TLMI) were awarded the prestigious TLMI “Best Managed Company Award” at the institute's 2003 converter meeting, held in Scottsdale, AZ.
Those recognized included Tech Tag & Label, Perkasie, PA, honored for the first time in the “small company” category (sales of less than $6 million); Consolidated Label, Longwood, FL, another first-time winner, was honored in the “mid-range” category (sales of $6 million to $15 million); Graphic Solutions, Burr Ridge, IL, honored for the third time, this year in the “medium-sized” category (annual sales of $15 million to $35 million); and CL&D Graphics, Oconomowoc, WI, honored in the “large company” category (sales of more than $35 million).
These awards recognize excellence in business management, measured by defined business ratios calculated through the TLMI Management Ratio Study. Competing for the award encourages TLMI members to incorporate new and innovative methods of improving productivity and efficiency in order to increase financial return to the company.
Labelexpo Forms Partnership In Russia
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM—Labelexpo has formed a partnership with Etiketka, the Russian LabelShow. The first annual Etiketka Labelexpo Russia will take place in March 2004 at the Sokolniki Culture & Exhibition Centre in Moscow. The partnership was launched at the 2003 Etiketka that took place at Sokolniki March 17 — 21. Labelexpo also holds exhibitions in Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and China.
Orange Juice Labels Shrink to Fit
FARMINGDALE, NY, USA—Seal-It is printing newly designed heat-shrink PVC labels for Mayfield Dairy that are being used to introduce the quart-size orange juice and re-launch its pint-size orange juice.
As Mayfield's shrink label supplier for its Chug line, Seal-It now will print Mayfield's new orange juice labels. A premium look for the labels is achieved by printing vibrant colors with dynamic label graphics featuring oranges growing on the vine. The labels indicate the addition of calcium, which is a new ingredient to this product.
The labels are printed in eight colors on heat-shrink PVC and shrink to the contours of the bottle, providing a 360-deg image area with room for glossy graphics, bar code, nutrition facts, and ingredient listings.
Xaar Acquires Vivid Print Innovations
CAMBRIDGE, U.K.-—-Ink jet printhead manufacturer Xaar plc has acquired Texas-based Vivid Print Innovations Inc. (VPI). Reportedly, the investment will offer Xaar customers a “one-stop shop” where they can work with the VPI team to develop custom or prototype printing systems using Xaar's printheads.
VPI will retain its name but will be called The Applications Div. of Xaar. The new division will offer customers a complete printing design, integration, and build service, providing advice throughout all phases of product development from initial concept to finished product, notes Xaar.
Market Study Highlights Self-Adhesive Graphic Arts Market
CHICAGO, IL, USA—A new market research study on the self-adhesive graphic arts market in North America is available from AWA Alexander Watson Assoc.
Providing a market overview and defining opportunities for both converters and material suppliers, “The North American Self-adhesive Graphic Arts Market — Annual Outlook 2002” documents market size and growth characteristics, contains detailed market segmentation by application type, and looks at the structure of the industry and trends in materials and markets. Included are detailed individual company profiles on self-adhesive laminators active in graphic arts materials, as well as their suppliers.
For more information, contact AWA at +31 (20) 676 20 69 or visit awa-bv.com.
Akzo Nobel Inks USA Strengthens Local Support
PLYMOUTH, MA, USA—Akzo Nobel Inks announced plans to open three new, automated UV manufacturing facilities. These Regional Service Centers in Minnesota, California, and Pennsylvania will be equipped with what the co. says are state-of-the-art processes to produce UV and water-based inks, bringing the supply chain closer to the customer. Facilities in Southern California, Texas, Ohio, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Toronto will continue to provide local service and support.
Akzo Nobel Inks' R&D staff will support all facilities in the North American region, and the newly renovated Center for Technical Excellence will continue to provide the market with testing and training opportunities.
Aquaflex Name Returns
MONTREAL, QC, CANADA—Chromas/Aquaflex reports a corporate name change from Chromas Technologies to Aquaflex Inc.
Says Aquaflex Inc. president and CEO Maher Hanna, “The Chromas Technologies name was an earlier name change from the original name of Aquaflex. Over the past year, we have returned to the baseline values that made Aquaflex a trusted and respected name in the industry. Today, our product philosophy is in harmony with the original Aquaflex line — namely, blend technology with the practical aspects of job printing to create stable printing systems that make our customers money. To underscore our commitment to this core product philosophy, we are going back to our original corporate name of Aquaflex.”
The name change became official June 1, 2003. All telephone numbers will remain the same. The Web sites Chromas.com and Chromaslean.com will continue to function under the old name as well as the new Web addresses of aquaflex.com and aquaflexlean.com.
Mounting Adhesive Is ‘Optically Clear’
STOW, OH, USA—MACtac Inc. says PermaTrans IP4000 mounting film has a thin layer of adhesive that eliminates light refraction and is optically clear to prevent image distortion.
It doesn't contain a carrier, eliminating the possibility of air pockets. This construction makes it ideal for mounting to irregular surfaces, co. adds. An example of this type of surface is lenticular lens sheets, which require excellent conformation to achieve the effect of movement within an image.
Liverpool Film Printer Buys Two Nilpeter Presses
TW Parker Ltd., Liverpool, England, has commissioned two eight-unit Nilpeter FA-3300 UV flexo presses, which will complement an existing FA-3300 installed in May 2001.
The 52-yr-old converter specializes in p-s labels for the food and dairy industries. In recent years the company has grown by producing a variety of flexible packaging in short to medium runs for food products sold by large multiples.
Parker's two new Nilpeter presses have a web width of 330 mm and speeds to 175 mpm. Both were specified with interdeck UV curing modules and water-cooled chill drums fitted to each print unit. This arrangement allows the fast conversion of thin-gauge PE and PVC packaging films, as well as paper or film p-s laminates. An open modular design is said to facilitate fast changeovers and easy operation, while the web tensioning system and helical gearing are designed to prevent gear marking.
Supplier Information
Nilpeter A/S, Slagelse, Denmark; +45 58501166; nilpeter.com
