Engineered for Endurance

Durability is undoubtedly the name of the game for every business, but one might say the moniker is especially apt for ImageTek Labels, a PCM Company. This Springfield, Vt.-based company is a manufacturer and distributor of custom-printed and blank label media, print ribbons, lamination supplies, thermal transfer and direct thermal printers, laminators, and finishing equipment. The 12-year-old company has carved a robust niche providing custom label services to manufacturing engineers who require pressure-sensitive, laminated informational, and instructional labels that must endure harsh settings, such as high temperatures, corrosive chemicals, and flammable environments. One flagship offering is its "Survivor Series" label lines, which are reported to withstand temperatures of 1,100 °F and beyond. Additionally, because another division of ImageTek Labels assembles printed circuit boards in high-temperature climates, the firm brings specific understanding of label requirements during the reflow and wave solder processes.

In a similar vein, ImageTek Labels has proved hardy in the challenging economic climate of recent years. Founded in 1994, the company started its printing operations in October 2002 with an Allied Gear 2-color stacked flexo press and one pressman. Today, the 100-plus-employee, ISO-certified firm provides a fuller repertoire of flexo, thermal transfer, and digital inkjet printing services via a cadre of five presses including a very recent addition—an EFI digital printing system. Other related production equipment includes ImageTek Labels' own P5 printer/laminator and MP850 laminator/rotary diecutter.

Finding the right solution

Alicia Baker, ImageTek Labels' sales and marketing coordinator, says that ImageTek Labels produces labels for markets that include industrial, durable goods, medical, and electronic applications. A wide range of substrates are used for these applications including Kapton film, high-temperature polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and acrylate, and chemical-resistant polyesters. Finished labels typically feature content ranging from parts identification, ingredient lists, directions, bar codes, and more.

Baker credits the company's success to its ability to keep up with evolving label challenges associated with the manufacturing processes across numerous application areas. One example she cites is the upcoming changes to the UL 94 Standard for plastics in devices and appliances that will now require flame retardant label materials. In the case of UL 94, Baker says most of ImageTek Labels' engineer customers have not yet addressed the standard's changes. As a result, the company has sourced and converted flame retardant material and spends time educating its customers about the new requirements.

Equally important to ImageTek Labels' solid growth, Baker contends, is the company's philosophy of treating each incoming job as an individualized application—even going so far as to incorporate label testing into the production process when new solutions are developed. "Oftentimes, our customers find us when other alternatives have failed to hold up to the demands of their application," she notes. "We differ in that we work closely with our customers, asking the questions and understanding their processes to offer materials that suit their needs. We engage them in their process, identify the hurdles in the application profile, and share our industry experience to get them to the right solution."

A new brand of engineering

In an evolutionary development that again parallels the ever-changing needs of its manufacturing customers, ImageTek Labels opted to expand its own capabilities in June 2012 with the purchase of a Jetrion 4900 UV inkjet digital printing system, a technology launched by EFI at Labelexpo Europe last year. ImageTek Labels chose the Jetrion, says Baker, because it was the one most compatible with current customers' label products. "[Other digital printing systems] could not provide a finished, durable label," she states, adding, "The inks would have run or the media simply would not work in the machine." Baker also expects the versatility and price points of the technology to attract additional work from these customers.

Bethaney Lanou, senior account manager at ImageTek Labels, emphasizes that short-run printing will be more cost-effective for current customers on the Jetrion. "Not only do we open ourselves up to lower production costs and short-run, variable capabilities, but also we can do this with the same quality products and durable UV inks."

The Jetrion 4900 provides 5-color (4-color plus white) printing, with resolutions up to 1,080 dpi, widths up to 8.3˝, and touts the accommodation of coated and uncoated paper, film, foil, tag, and specialty substrates. Additional key features include a laser diecutting system; a configurable slitting station with up to nine blades; back scoring; an integrated corona treater; unwind, rewind, splice table, and automatic web guide; and matrix stripping.

A durable strategic plan

While the compelling cost structure of digital printing for ImageTek Labels' manufacturing customers is a beneficial bridge into this new service offering, the real headline associated with the company's digital investment is its intention to enter the prime label market, including beverage, beer and wine, and food packaging applications. "We will now be competing in the prime label market where high-quality labels are desired in short runs or with variable printing," Baker announces. To support and enhance this effort, a new Web site will facilitate the acquisition of new customers with instant quoting services and custom job design capabilities.

With typical volumes on the Jetrion expected to range from 100 to 2,500 labels, Lanou explains that ImageTek Labels will leverage its digital printing technology to target prime label prospects that are just starting out. In general, she expects the capability to appeal to those firms that "don't want 5,000 labels, but want 500 instead."

Baker pushes the appeal of digital printing technology even broader, saying, "it will be easier to accommodate every sort of buyer." In turn, she notes, "[digital technology] makes it easier for customers to do business with label suppliers." Of particular universal benefit is the press's laser diecutting capability, which Baker emphasizes allows the production of labels in any size or shape with any printed information, without tooling or plate charges. In addition, she looks forward to the opportunity digital printing will afford to expand ImageTek Labels' custom work portfolio and provide "as good if not better print quality" for integrated artwork.

Looking ahead, Baker says ImageTek Labels projects "a tremendous amount of growth over the next five years," and expects the majority of that growth to be generated through the company's new digital printing capabilities. Concurrently, she anticipates both expansion and reallocation of the company's production team among its flexo and digital production lines, which will ultimately result in higher productivity that gets more work out the door.

For ImageTek Labels, the development of new durable label solutions, based primarily around chemical and high-temperature solutions for manufacturing and medical industries, will continue to be a core focus. It fits a strategic plan that goes hand-in-hand with the overarching operational durability the company expects to reap from finding a digital printing technology that is not only compatible with its long-standing marketplace niche, but also a match for its growth vision. pP