Editorial

  • Let’s toast

    I hope you’re ready, because there’s a lot going in this final issue of the year. There is so much to discuss I don’t know where to begin, so I’ll start with how I normally end these “letters from the editor,” with…
    Steve Katz, Editor 11.16.18

  • How was the show?

    I’m asking about Labelexpo, of course, although some folks extended their visit to Chicagoland in order to attend and exhibit at Print 18.  I can only imagine how exhausted these people were after back-to-back busy trade shows. To me, L…
    Steve Katz, Editor 10.12.18

  • Common thread

    Take a look at our Industry News section and notice what the several label company M&A stories have in common. There’s a consistent thread among the acquisitions for Resource Label Group, Inovar Packaging and Fortis Solutions Group –…
    Steve Katz, Editor 09.10.18

  • Getting Smart

    Forgive the hyberbole, but it seems our industry’s press OEMs are in something of an “arms race” when it comes to digital press development and launches. In particular, I’m seeing a specific focus on the entry-level press targ…
    Steve Katz, Editor 07.13.18

  • Independence

    Often in this space I refer to the many travels and adventures I embark on in the name of labels and narrow web printing. Spring has become our busiest time of year, as there are multiple events back-to-back-to-back. It seems our Associate Editor Gre…
    Steve Katz, Editor 05.25.18

  • Something Different

    I’ve been around this industry for a good 10 years. One of the perks of my job is to get on the road and visit different types of companies in different parts of the world. During my tenure, I’ve traveled extensively, from Israel and Indo…
    04.09.18

  • Back to the future

    For this issue’s flexo-focused feature, I ran out of room for a section on the “future of flexo.” I’d asked those whom I interviewed, “What does the future hold for flexo in general?” In addition to that question,…
    Steve Katz, Editor 03.09.18

  • The Need For Speed

    Those not familiar with the ins and outs of the label converting industry don’t realize how exciting it is. I know, because I was one of those people. The reality is, it’s a great business niche to cover because things are really changing…
    01.26.18

  • Synchronicity

    This issue was a lot of fun to put together. Don’t get me wrong – it was a ton a work – but I enjoyed how everything seemed to fall into place, at just the right time, even while putting the finishing touches on it at the so-called…
    Steve Katz, Editor 11.17.17

  • Sneak Peak

    You might find it curious that this issue is light on Labelexpo Europe coverage. I agree – it sure is. But I’ll let you in on a little secret – I’m writing this issue’s editorial from the Brussels Expo. In the world of p…
    Steve Katz, Editor 10.06.17

  • Worlds Collide

    Worlds collide in this issue of L&NW. This is the month where Labelexpo takes over the industry, when suppliers and converters converge in Brussels. Of course, suppliers and converters get together daily in the course of doing business, but Label…
    Steve Katz, Editor 09.11.17

  • Getting Technical

    In this issue, we’re delighted to feature an article authored by Sean Teufler of Harper Corporation of America. He takes our readers on a deep dive into the intricate world of anilox engraving specification. While we are learning new things abo…
    Steve Katz, Editor 07.14.17

  • Age and Education

    We’re always learning. We can’t help it. Whether it’s from watching television, speaking with friends, or even eavesdropping on a stranger’s conversation, we can’t help but absorb information. Some of what we learn is…
    Steve Katz, Editor 04.07.17

  • An Industry to Watch

    I’m often asked what qualifies a label company for our annual “Companies to Watch” feature. For starters, I tell them, it’s not a ranking of any kind. A company can be worth watching even if there are only a handful of employe…
    Steve Katz, Editor 10.14.16

  • It is time

    Finally. It’s your time. I’m talking specifically to North American label converters, the group that comprises the vast majority of L&NW’s readership. And to commemorate the occasion, in partnership with our friends at Kurz, we&…
    Steve Katz, Editor 09.07.16

  • Days Between

    We’ve hit the midway point of 2016, and these are the “Days Between.” Between what, you may ask? Well, it’s summer, so July and August certainly qualify as the days between spring and autumn. But here’s where I’m g…
    Steve Katz, Editor 07.15.16

  • Touching the future

    There’s a lot going on in our industry right now – way more than usual. This is a drupa year, and with printing technology changing rapidly, the most comprehensive international printing industry event has announced the move from a four-y…
    05.20.16

  • New normal

    So the new normal in the narrow web label converting industry is discussing flexo and digital in the same breath. Take the recent FTA Forum & INFO*FLEX. Catering to the tag and label market, there were a total of 15 digital solutions exhibitors.…
    Steve Katz, Editor 04.08.16

  • On the move

    The label industry is in constant motion. From label salespeople visiting customers, suppliers meeting with converters, and the machinery itself humming along sometimes two and three shifts a day, it seems there is no rest for the weary. Then there a…
    Steve Katz, Editor 03.21.16

  • A lively start

    As the calendar turned, activity within the label printing industry picked up right where 2015 left off, with a whirlwind of M&A news. Last year closed with the news that Flint Group acquired digital press manufacturer Xeikon, a move that brings…
    Steve Katz, Editor 01.25.16