Everywhere You Turn

Chicago was a busy place during the second week in September. The city hosted Labelexpo Americas 2006 with its 450+ exhibitiors and more than 13,000 visitors, many of whom gave the show a distinct international flare.

Along with a steady flow of traffic during the four-day event, the show featured a wealth of significant new products introduced to the label printing market. The following rundown presents a brief review of some of the highlights.

Lots to see

Avery Dennison announced the acquisition of RF IDentics, a start-up company with technologies and manufacturing assets to enhance its RFID product offerings.

UPM Raflatac reviewed its plans to build a new pressure-sensitive labelstock factory in Dixon, Ill., to strengthen its global position. The $109 million factory will serve label converters in the Midwest marketplace and feature Raflatac’s latest coating and finishing solutions. Construction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2008.

Alden & Ott showed its Multi-Shrink ink system, formulated for superior adhesion on a wide variety of corona-treated or top-coated films in shrink-sleeve applications.

Rotoflex’s “Focused Finishing” theme included the introduction of its next-generation digital web finishing system, Vericut 2. Its modular design allows spot coating, stamping, embossing, cold and hot foiling, and sheeting and stacking.

OMET introduced its Holo-Foil KING Hologram insetting and hot foil unit that can apply up to six holograms with independent pitch on the Varyflex press.

The Colorsat® Match automatic ink dispensing system from Stork Prints is designed for dispnesing production batches of UV-curing and water-based printing inks into five-liter containers.

Water Ink Technologies introduced its ­silicone-free UV Rotary Screen White, RSL900682, which provides more opacity, trapping, and a glass-like finish.

Kodak launched its KODAK PANDORA 2.9 software to further automate creating packaging layouts with sophisticated step-and-repeat functions that allow modified parameters.

DataLase’s CASEMARK™ system replaces self-adhesive, thermal transfer labels, and large-character inkjet printing applied to secondary packaging.

Lipo Technology showed its emulsions formulated for scratch and sniff applications.

Codimag showed its VIVA 340 waterless press that combines offset printing with hot stamping and screen printing. Its intermittent-feed system allows any repeat lengths without changing cylinders.

Latran’s Dalmation software provides an expanded color gamut to include 85 percent of the Pantone colors. It works with virtually any third-party workflow, including Artwork Systems and Esko Graphics.

Aquaflex demonstrated its new ELS servo press, an eight-color, 10-inch press designed to run a wide range of substrates, including thin films.

At Labelexpo Americas, FLEXcon showcased the REFLECTAmark Series reflective pressure-sensitive film, plus the optiFLEX®CONFORmax™ VBS Value Product 3-mil polyethylene films.

Hewlett-Packard announced its HP Indigo press ws4500, the Label Job Estimator software tool, and also announced an agreement with Esko Graphics to become a reseller of Esko’s Optimize Pack and Scope Pack digital front-end solutions.

IST METZ highlighted its MBS®-5 UV system, which includes URS® reflectors, ELC® electronic power supply units, and FLC® fast change lamps, which all lead to a reduction in operating costs.

Klockner Pentaplast displayed its range of shrink-label films including the Pentaprint® E749/22 polyester film with multiple shrink characteristics; the Pentaprint E749/55 high-yield PETG films for full-body shrink-sleeve applications; the Pentaprint E746/92 AS7 high-clarity polyester shrink-label films; and Pentaprint L282/41 vinyl roll-on shrink-on (ROSO) label film.

Esko’s latest version of its packaging design software, Scope 3, includes additional features such as closer interaction between CAD and graphic production and systematic adoption of PDF as the native file format throughout the workflow.

CYGNUS Tension Control, demonstrated by Maxcess International’s MAGPOWR, reduces the time ­necessary for operators during setup by allowing load cell calibration ­without weights.

Labelexpo Americas 2006 was North America’s first chance to see Nilpeter’s FA servo-controlled line of presses, and its redesigned modular FB line of presses.

Rayven unveiled its new line of durable inkjet label and tagstock compatible with Primera and VIP inkjet label printers, as well as all desktop inkjet printers.

XSYS Print Solutions unveiled new ink systems for labels, tags, folding cartons, and flexible packaging applications. New ink systems featured included Hydrokett Prime™, Flexocure Ivory™, Lithocure 3G™, and Uvoscreen OPQ™.

Yupo Corporation of America announced new capacity improvements to address increased demand for its synthetic papers. The company’s capital improvements have resulted in a 20 percent increase in production output.

GEW introduced its e-system Mini electronic UV lamp head, featuring an e-brick 3.6-KW electronic power supply suitable for use with standard single-phase power supplies.

BST Pro Mark demonstrated its Premius Digital LeX (a press print management system), Shark (for narrow-web applications), and Integrated Work Flow Management (for detection and removal of defects).

MPS displayed its new nine-color EF 16˝ UV-flexo press.

KURZ Transfer Products introduced its new seamless “Light Line Select” foil program, which is made up of diffractive, continous stamping foils with no visible seam lines in the design.

GIDUE showcased a 370-mm-wide printing unit from its new Xpannd printing press, which can be equipped with any number of combination processes including UV flexo and screen printing technology.

Dow Corning introduced eight additions to its Syl-Off Advantage Series solventless silicone release coatings, including coating, crosslinker, and release modifier choices that reduce the need for platinum catalysts and improve processing, line speeds, and release performance.

Jetrion LLC launched the Jetrion 4000 Series Inkjet System, developed for short- and medium-length narrow-web production runs and variable data imaging applications.

Schober USA unveiled its second generation dual-frequency RFID machine that can read HF and UHF tags, a new tag dispenser with web tensioning, and greater information gathering capabilities. The technology works with transponders in accordance with ISO specifications, in widths from 10 mm to 160 mm.

Gallus showcased new print-station features. The Gallus EM 280 now offers water-based and UV flexo stations with servo technology, and the Gallus EM 510 features a faster screen-printing system, anilox roll washing, a rotary embossing unit, and a hot foil unit.

DiMS! organizing print launched its new software release, DiMS! 700, which includes new and enhanced functionalities including: extended functionality of iDiMS! Today workflow page, and a new Advanced Production Tracking tool.

Mark Andy’s Comco C2 series made its global debut featuring the new I-Drive (Intelligent Drive System), which combines state-of-the-art servo technology and advanced controls focused on simplifying operations. I-Drive is the integration of a variety of advanced technology features found on the Comco C2 in-line press.

AVT introduced the new version of its PrintVision/Helios inspection system, which includes MasterRef, Reflective Support, Clear-on-Clear, and PrintFlow SQL database modules. AVT also demonstrated its PrintFlow Manager and the Workflow Link products. n