Narrow Web Converting Industry News
- Published: November 01, 2006, By Edward Boyle, Contributing Editor
Covering the Full Spectrum of Narrow Web Converting Industry News, Events & Activities
Labelexpo Successes Hailed
ROSEMONT, IL—The number of visitors at Labelexpo Americas 2006 was up 6% from the 2004 show, reports Tarsus Group, organizers of the biennial event. Coming from 88 countries, 13,256 attendees viewed the exhibits of more than 450 suppliers.
A number of those suppliers report success (translation: sales) at the show, including the following: Nilpeter sold ten redesigned, servo-driven FB-Line flexo presses, among others; Drent Goebel signed deals totaling more than, 6 million in value; CCL purchased an automated label matrix waste removal system from Precision AirConvey to manage waste from 15 presses at its forthcoming facility in Tennessee; and Stanford Products sold the shrink sleeve finishing equipment displayed at its booth to Metro Label.
HP announced an agreement with Esko to become a provider of Esko digital front-end products as part of an end-to-end digital printing solution for the label, flexible packaging, and shrink sleeve industries.
A new partnership between Jetrion and Aquaflex was the subject of a press conference. The companies will co-design mounts and other critical components to optimize Jetrion’s 3025 printing system for use on Aqua-flex’s line of flexo presses, including the new ELS Servo press.
The Label Industry Global Awards were presented during an elegant dinner held on September 11. DuPont was given the Award for Continuous Innovation; Esko received the Award for New Innovation; and the first RFID/Smart Manufacturer Award was bestowed on Graphic Solutions Intl. As previously announced, Calvin Frost, CEO of Channeled Resources Group, was honored with the R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award.
New Heat Transfer Technology
CINCINNATI, OH—Multi-Color Corp. and United Silicone are partnering to provide high-speed application of flameless heat transfer decoration to blow-molded PET and HDPE containers. The combined technologies apply heat transfer labels to containers at rates to 300/min and eliminate the need for flame-treating containers before or after decorating.
Multi-Color’s patented technology, Ink-Only, is said to be replacing conventional applied ceramic labeling by offering expanded capabilities such as process color and brighter, sharper graphics.
Don Kneir, president of Multi-Color Decorating Solutions, says of the partnership, “Our combined innovations are revolutionizing the heat transfer decorating process. Now our customers can have it all—the optimum no-label look, reliable high-speed applications, and safe, flameless operation in any environment, including the filling line.”
Forming a Partnership
SUFFOLK, UK—Fix-a-Form Intl. announces a partnership with Daco Solutions, East Yorkshire, UK, to supply its range of equipment to label printing companies. Daco specializes in inspection rewinders, rotary die-cutting solutions, and slitter/rewinders. Fix-a-Form is the licensor of the original leaflet label.
Arrangement Promotes RFID
KEENE, NH—Markem Corp. announces a partnership with ThingMagic, Cambridge, MA, a developer of RFID technology. The arrangement is said to enhance the full suite of Markem’s RFID solutions, including high-speed RFID tagging in production environments, semi-automated tagging, and use of RFID portals for supply chain communication and stock control.
Markem Applied Intelligence Solutions has certified ThingMagic’s Mercry4 Serial reader fourth-generation fixed reader, which is available for use with its 800 Series high-speed applicators. The applicator applies up to 100 RFID tags/min and rejects bad tags automatically.
