Jack Kenny11.13.09
Nilpeter's booth at Labelexpo Europe 2009
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The show organizers added a sixth exhibition hall this year for the four-day event, in which "The Digital Experience" was showcased. The hall, quite crowded for most of the show, featured a range of digital printing presses and ancillary products. Of special note was the plethora of digital UV inkjet presses; such presses are being introduced by manufacturers of conventional presses as well as those in other manufacturing sectors.
Volker Schlevoigt of Unilux reported that traffic to his company's booth resulted in solid leads far greater in number than expected. Joe Walczak of Sonic Solutions in the USA, who exhibited at Labelexpo Europe for the second time, said he had an equally positive experience this year.
One of the busiest booths at the show was that of Nilpeter, the Danish press manufacturer, which rings a bell every time a press is sold. "The show ended very successfully for us – totaling 21 bells!" said Jakob Landberg, vice president of sales and marketing. "But not only that: We all had the feeling this was a Labelexpo showing light at the end of the tunnel. We were very busy with visitors, and most came to us with live projects and the intention to restart investing after many months of cautious conservatism."
Mark Andy |
RotoMetrics
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EFI |
Dow Corning introduced a new solvent-free release coating system and showcased its Syl-Off release coatings, including additions to the Syl-Off Advantage Series. In addition, a new Syl-Off solvent-free silicone release coating system is available for polyester substrates. The system provides long-term anchorage to unprimed and primed polyester films. It is specially designed for filmic pressure sensitive laminate/labelstock, single- and double-sided industrial polyester release films, and for liners of polyester technical adhesive tapes. Showcasing its Advantage Series, an extensive line of ultralow-platinum, solventless release coating products, the company announced that recent additions to the lineup require even lower platinum levels and offer the ability to use a wider range of substrates, giving customers many choices to meet their needs.
When Rotocontrol sold an RSD 430 dual diecutting slitter rewinder with an automatic turret rewinder to Limo Labels of Denmark, the manufacturer asked if they could display the machine at Labelexpo Europe. The customer said yes, but on the condition that Rotocontrol run a real label job at the show because the customer needed the labels. The Rotocontrol RSD series of diecutting/slitter rewinders is designed for fast, accurate diecutting, slitting and rewinding of all types of labels. The fully automatic turret is offered as an accessory to the RSD and RSI line of slitter/rewinder and diecutting machines. The machine's features include glueless core attach with shaft loading and unloading options ensuring the highest production speeds and efficiency.
Eltromat
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Bluestar Silicones featured its Silcolease silicone release systems, including the latest additions to the Optima concept family that offers customized products for fast cure, low temperature or low platinum formulations. The company also exhibited its Silcolease silicone pressure sensitive adhesive range and latest Silcolease film coating formulations. "This year, we are particularly excited by the prospect of sharing our news on the latest additions to our Optima concept product family which targets solventless thermal and emulsion technologies as well as presenting our latest radiation curing products," said Sean Duffy, global market manager.
Fasson |
GEW has announced the launch of C3, a new reflector design for its range of UV curing systems. Based on its retractable cassette system, which is easily removed from the dryer housing, this third-generation reflector cartridge has been developed as a replacement to the existing XC extreme cure reflector system used on the VCP and eCP product platforms. The new reflector, the company says, is 25 to 30 percent more efficient than others. The C3's reflector material is composed of a specially developed, multi-layered dichroic coating as opposed to the polished aluminium used before. GEW also was the recipient of the new Green Award, for its efforts to reduce UV energy consumption, at this year's Label Industry Awards Banquet.
UPM Raflatac |
MPS
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Allen Datagraph Systems introduced its new tabletop inkjet printing and converting system, a digital package that includes an industrial inkjet printer, a converting unit that laminates, cuts patterns without dies, strips matrix, and rewinds, all for under €25,000 for the European market. (The US price is below $25,000.) Vice President Mark Vanover said that the system features a four-color Epson printer, and the converting unit that was designed by ADSI. The cutting function is accomplished via a digital dieless cutter. "It's a complete solution, and it fits entirely on a desktop," Vanover said. The system can print on any material that is coated for inkjet printers. ADSI sells five substrates, three papers and two films.
Gallus |
EskoArtwork's new Studio Toolkit for labels includes software that offers a 3D view of a wide range of containers, upon which converters and their customers can design the labels of their choosing, right onto the virtual bottle. "One of the main challenges among converters is inspiration – new ideas for packaging products. This program gives them a new opportunity to explore package designs," said De Roeck. The shopping area on the Studio website features new CAD files of bottles and cans, produced by designers in partnership with EskoArtwork. Also in the Studio Toolkit will be a new CAD application for shrink sleeves, which emulates what happens in the shrink tunnel to each label. The application will be available in the first quarter of 2010. EskoArtwork was the winner of this year's Label Industry Award for Continuous Innovation.
AB Graphic
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Codimag has partnered with EskoArtwork, Agfa, Toray and 5/7 Etiquettes to demonstrate how its Aniflo technology integrates into a digital workflow resulting in better control over the printing results, higher efficiency and cost effectiveness. With the Aniflo process, an anilox roller provides a controlled and constant ink flow to the form roller. Once the press calibration is done, it cannot be jeopardized by press variables and it can be easily integrated into a digital flow. The technology dramatically reduces the number of rollers utilized in the traditional offset ink train to just a few.
Stork Prints has launched a new digital label printer, the DSI 4330L. The printer achieves speeds up to 35 meters per minute, and also allows customized print lines with options like screen, flexo, hot foil, converting, slitting and inspection. The features include UV inkjet, a 13" print width, tonal values down to 1 percent. Modular design offering easy integration of customized printing lines, and no special coating or surface treatment required.
UK anilox roll manufacturer Sandon Global Engraving launched HOC, the latest addition to its range of products. HOC anilox roll technology enables label printers to use high opaque color UV flexo printing as an alternative to rotary screen. The HOC technology joins the company's high opacity white HOW anilox brand for printing screen quality whites using UV flexo, also showing for the first time in Europe. Also making its debut was HVP high volume process and Ipro high process print anilox roll technology, the latter designed for high print speeds and high line count applications in process printing.
Label Traxx – the print business management software for narrow web label printers and converters – is linked with Esko Backstage and an HP Indigo press on the HP stand at Labelexpo Europe. Using this feature, available in Label Traxx Version 5.5, orders entered by users via the Label Traxx E-Traxx module are automatically transmitted directly to Esko Backstage, where they are formatted for the particular HP Indigo press in production. The software enables two-way communications, creating a return reporting path for monitoring equipment performance and recording production data.
Press manufacturer Nilpeter took the wraps off of a technology that it has been working on for the past few years with the Danish Technical University – a method of printing holograms, called HoloPrint. The system employs a glass cylinder that holds a special polymer plate containing the hologram. As the cylinder rotates, the hologram is impressed into a wet varnish on a substrate. When the varnish is cured, the hologram image becomes part of the substrate, at a resolution of 50,000 dpi. Nilpeter displayed the third generation of its Caslon digital inkjet system, featuring proprietary inks, installed into a flexographic press. Jakob Landberg explained that the company considers the digital press as a value added system. Also on display was the latest version of the US-built FB flexo press, now a shaftless press with direct servo drives, offering advantages in register and setup time.
HP announced new products and media partner initiatives that take digital label converting even further into mainstream production environments. Both HP booths at Labelexpo showcase the value HP Indigo presses offer in mainstream label converting scenarios, including jobs requiring multiple stock keeping units (SKUs) and medium-run prime label production. The company presented its HP Indigo WS6000 in a "Tower of Production" demonstration, highlighting the longer cost-effective run lengths, volumes and number of jobs that can be printed in an eight hour shift as compared to conventional flexography. Working in production conditions to an eight-hour schedule, the WS6000, operating at a four-color printing speed of 30 m/min. (98 fpm), is printing a variety of labels on various substrates, recreating the environment at a typical label converter.
Kocher + Beck
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Arjobex, a manufacturer of synthetic papers, launched Polyart Wet Glue at Labelexpo. A cavitated HDPE film with a water-absorbing coating, it is designed for cold glue cut-and-stack labeling on glass or plastic bottles. The new Polyart product prints on traditional offset presses and UV machines. It has a fast dispensing and drying time on bottling lines, making wet glue application practical. The company also has introduced Polyart Digital for HP Indigo, a substrate with a high quality finish. The media is certified for HP for use on its Indigo ws4500 and WS600 series machines.
Primera Technology presented its CX1200e digital color label press. The press is designed to deliver all of the most important benefits of high-end digital color label presses but at a fraction of the cost. According to the company, the CX1200e utilizes one of the fastest and highest resolution color laser engines available. With its 2400 dpi print resolution, colors are bright and vibrant, text is sharp, bar codes and graphics are of the highest quality. For precise color control, Pantone-approved color support is included. Additional profiles for various substrates are also available.
AVT |
HarperScientific, the printing and coating supplies division of anilox roll supplier Harper Corporation of America, introduced a fully portable proofing system, the Phantom QD Quick Drawdown Proofing System. "It's an extremely exciting and practical new product," said Jim Harper, VP of HarperScientific. "The Phantom QD is more than just another hand proofer, it comes with its own pressure loading system. The Phantom QD is simple to use, utility-free and no compressed air or electricity is needed, so it's not locked in the ink-room. It can be used anywhere you need to draw down an ink proof."
Bunting Magnetics launched two new coatings to be used with its flexible die products. The coatings, Diamond and Black Diamond, increase the hardness of the flexible dies to a level not measured by the Rockwell Scale for Hardness, the company says. "These coatings allow our flexible dies to run four times longer than ordinary dies," said Mike Wilks, Bunting's general manager, Flexible Die Division. "Also, this new coating process makes our dies highly resistant to cracking and chipping which helps quadruple the life of the die. This expanded product offering allows Bunting to offer our customers the best combination of magnetic printing cylinders and flexible dies available."
Flint Group
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Martin Automatic demonstrated two lines of automatic splicing systems at the show. The new MLS Automatic Splicer is making its European debut in Brussels. The MLS is a compact lap splicer that is ideal for introducing additional webs to a process, such as mid-press laminating applications. It is designed to mount above the printing units on new or existing web presses, or at a right angle to a press line. The LRD Automatic Transfer Rewind also was on display, as was the MBS Automatic Butt Splicer.
BST International has introduced the PowerScope 4000 video web inspection system, featuring a completely digital system design, and intuitive operation concept, good image quality, and a user-oriented range of functions. The 4000 has features simple operation via both touch screen and by means of a rotatable and removable keyboard. The innovation guarantees an optimal adaption to the individual production conditions and flexibility when space at the machine is limited. The unit is available with a motorized camera movement (also for wide web applications) and in a manually operated version. Both systems are PC-based, are equipped with a digital camera and offer clearly sharp image quality, various zoom options, the space-saving single monitor concept, and numerous monitoring functions.
Omet |
Durst, a manufacturer of industrial strength digital printing equipment for the wide format graphics, photographic and ceramic tile markets, announces the immediate availability of the new Tau 150 digital UV inkjet label printing press and the new Rotoworx 330 family of finishing systems. Durst's end-to-end system includes prepress workflow software, a high speed liquid UV ink label press with variable data printing capability, and a matching diecutting and lamination unit, dedicated to the special requirements of the short-run label production market. The Tau 150 covers web widths from 10 cm (4") to a maximum 16.5cm (6.5") and utilizes liquid ink technology. The system reaches a throughput speed of close to 50 m/min (160 fpm). The Xaar based inkjet system features CMYK plus an optional white.
Sistrade, an engineering and consulting company producing information systems for vertical markets such as the printing and packaging industry, presented its new version of Sistrade Print. The new release contains improved specifications handling and management of label design and production. "Since Europe is consuming more than a third of all labels produced worldwide, the presence of Sistrade in this event is extremely important, because it allows us to strengthen our brand in different markets. The participation in Labelexpo clearly shows the commitment of Sistrade with the development of its internationalization strategy, says António Sousa Ribeiro, general director.
Innovia Films introduced RayoForm, its new range of biaxially BOPP in-mold label films for injection molding.RayoForm is manufactured using the company's proprietary "bubble" production process which gives the film a balanced biaxial orientation and therefore broadly equal mechanical properties in the machine and transverse direction. RayoForm IW, a solid white film, is designed to give a gloss effect on containers after moulding. It enables downgauging from cast polypropylene and also offers a more robust performance during both the printing and molding processes, the company says. A clear version of RayoForm is also available – RayoForm IC.
Petri Tani of Finland has formed a new venture called Cycle4Green, a company with an innovative concept to produce de-siliconized market pulp. The focus of Cycle4Green will be to provide de-siliconized pulp to the virgin base paper industry, allowing it to become more sustainable. The announcement was made at Labelexpo Europe by Calvin Frost, chairman of Channeled Resources Group. Petri has joined forces with Frost to initiate a life cycle scheme in Europe that includes the collection of spent liner, repulping and removal of silicone, and then the sale of the pulp to selected base paper manufacturers.
Unilux
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Sun Chemical, the world's largest ink manufacturer, has launched SolarFlex Nova, a new generation of ink designed to meet evolving narrow web flexo market demands. SolarFlex Nova joins the Solaris system of products for the narrow web sector. The new line offers such benefits as quick makeready, efficient printing, easy print finishing, optimized cure, and enhanced hold-out and adhesion. An advanced ink management system works with associated color tools and the Solaris ColorSat dispenser to provide the exact amount of ink for a job.
Spartanics |
Nipson presented its new DigiFlex black and white digital press at Labelexpo, showing the machine printing in combination with a Kern unwinder and a Spedo utter. The configuration also featured a camera control system from 2J Printing Services. Designed for flexibility, the DigiFlex can be easily integrated with existing pre- and post-processing equipment. It can be used in multiple configurations – simplex, single engine duplex or twin engine duplex, and roll-to-roll, roll-to-cut or roll-to-stack. At Labelexpo, the press was demonstrated in simplex configuration.
Graymills is offering converters faster press turnaround with its Quick Change Dual Head peristaltic ink pumps. The pumps allow operators to change out pump heads and hoses in seconds, off-line prior to a runs end, without tools. The company said changing ink pumps is as simple as pulling a quick release pin, and swapping the used head with the clean preloaded head. The dual head model combines two removable heads powered by a single motor. Converters can pump two colors to two different decks, pump the same color to two different decks, or pump ink up and pull back down from a single deck.
Teaming with Datacon, Melzer presented its turnkey systems for the manufacturing of RFID inlays, tags and related products at Labelexpo. The products shown by Datacon and Melzer are devised by the TTT(Total Tag Technology) partnership of seven technology providers in RFID tag manufacturing. Each TTT product is based on a specific antenna design according to a specific RFID chip. For efficient manufacturing of RFID tags on a reel-to-reel basis also a web design has to be determined.
Rheintacho presented the RT Strobe pocket LED, introducing it as currently the world's brightest portable LED strobe. Features of the strobe include 1500 Lux brightness, 30-300 flashes per minute, splash proof and dustproof to IP65, and11 hours continuous operation time with three standard AA rechargeable batteries. The core technology of this strobe is its LEDs combined with a smart electronics. With a continuous use time of up to 11 hours, the instrument provides the user with an extensive operation time.
Sonic Solutions first brought its ultrasonic anilox cleaning systems to Labelexpo two years ago, and had record sales at the event. This year, the momentum continued, says President Joe Walczak. "The response from Labelexpo Europe attendees this year has been strong, better than we expected," Walczak said. "We thought that attendance might be quite a bit down, but we have had a busy show." He added that he has had discussions with several distributors who are interested in representing Sonic Solutions' products in other geographic markets.
Mühlbauer, a manufacturer of RFID converting systems and a wide range of products for the converting and security markets, introduced the CL 60000, an RFID label production system that can be used for wet inlays, self adhesive labels, tickets, fanfolding, hang tags, and baggage tags. The system offers flexible and modular converting for a variety of products, 100 percent output control, throughput of up to 90 m/min, and an optional variable input spooler for two-row application in parallel to double the throughput or handle four layers.
Digital press manufacturer Xeikon is intent on finding new niches for digitally printed labels, company officials said, and these include the transfer of inks to containers large and small. Using film-based labels printed on the Xeikon 3300 roll-to-roll digital press, the company utilized a Diamond Photofoil machine to heat the inks and transfer them to small vials. The process is also used to apply decorations to larger containers, such as buckets. According to Michael Ring, VP of sales, the Xeikon toner-based press is capable of printing on thin corrugated material, as well as folding carton stock up to 18-point thickness.
Mondi presented its portfolio of silicone coated release liners for the label industry, along with an extended range of its Sustainex products, a family of biodegradable and compostable polymerized release liners – according to EN 13432. "Market oriented and innovative industries, requiring special functionalities for their end products and applications, are always looking for new opportunities. With our functional coating products, we are able to offer custom tailored solutions," said Thorsten Rötter, international key account director and segment marketing director.
Kelva, a Swedish, manufacture of web cleaning systems, announced at Labelexpo the acquisition of Emcebee Industrial Technologies, a Dutch web cleaning and filter system company. "The purchase will give customers easier access to Emcebee special applications by using Kelva's global network for sales and service," said a Kelva spokesman. "In addition, the Emcebee product line of non-contact web cl