Reporter Clips

Published: February 29, 2004, By Edward Boyle, Contributing Editor

Narrow Web Converting Industry News

Shrink Bands Are the Topping on Ice Cream Tubs
FARMINGDALE, NY, USA—In an effort to offer its customers the security that comes with using a tamper-evident shrink band, Smith Dairy Products chose Seal-It as the manufacturer of its shrink bands.

As Smith Dairy's shrink label supplier for all milk products, Seal-It is printing a one-color PVC shrink band for the Ruggles brand scrounge cartons. The shrink band is printed with the word “Premium” in white to indicate this is an upscale ice cream.

Brand recognition and additional POP appeal are achieved by coordinating the shrink band with the carton graphics. The printed band adds another level of security: Once the seal is broken, the band cannot be re-applied, and the consumer will know tampering has occurred.

ROI Buys American Label
BALTIMORE, MD, USA—ROI Technologies has acquired selected assets of American Label Co. of East Hanover, NJ. The acquisition by ROI, listed in the top 50 largest label converters in the country, was completed last fall. Production will be centralized in ROI's facility in Baltimore.

Shrink Label Film Expansion
GORDONSVILLE, VA, USA—Klöckner Pentaplast of America will more than double its North American production capacity for shrink label films.

The new film tentering line will be located at the company's Rural Retreat, VA, manufacturing facility. Startup is targeted for March 2004.

President Michael Tubridy explains, “The added capacity will allow us to meet future global market demand and further enhance new product development capabilities in vinyl, PETG, BAREX, and polystyrene films.”

FLEXcon Honors P-S Innovation
SPENCER, MA, USA—FLEXcon has announced the winners of its 2003 Awards Innovation Contest, celebrating the best and most innovative uses of p-s film and recognizing applications that expand the markets for these products. (FLEXcon removes the names of the entrants from the applications to ensure impartiality.)

Judges included Jennifer Kwok, managing editor of Cosmetic/Personal Care Packaging magazine; Bruce Ridge, director of product and process application training at Nazdar; Bill Pope, technology manager for the printing applications lab at RIT; and Duane Polkinghorne, president of Propheteer International. Following are the winners:

• Graphic Films: Screenprint/Dow — digitally printed lenticular graphic
• Most Innovative: Smyth/Interactive Packaging Group — metallized primary label for Coors beer
• Packaging: Chicago Decal — temperature indicator label for a wine bottle
• Performance Products: Extended Resources — WatchPAD wheelchair sensor
• Product Identification: Brook & Whittle — Stanley hammer label, featuring an EAS security component.