Label Publishing

Labels in Motion calls what it does “label publishing,” producing labels that resonate with customers’ markets. This can start with artwork design and submission, move to substrate selection, then printing and diecutting, and ensuring labels are delivered when expected. The company business philosophy is that people come first, and that meaningful business relationships can help companies have a greater impact on their industries.

While Orlando-based Labels in Motion works with a wide range of companies in several industries, it is really the in-house label production arm of Xymogen, a leading producer of nutraceutical products. Labels in Motion prints labels for all of Xymogen’s and other customers’ products using a Xeikon 3500 press in conjunction with nearline coating, laminating and diecutting on a GM finishing system that also incorporates inspection capabilities. The Xeikon and GM machines—which are placed end-to-end in the immaculate shop—can be connected when needed, but having each as a standalone device offers greater flexibility for constantly changing jobs from internal and external customers. Beyond Xymogen, clients include food and beverage firms, cosmetics, and other personal care product companies.

According to Steve Kirchoff, vice president of sales for Labels in Motion, the company’s Xeikon 3500 is ideal for the visually compelling labels Xymogen and other customers require, and also because it can easily print lot numbers, expiration dates, QR codes, bar codes, and other data-driven information that are required to be on every nutraceutical container. And, with run lengths often tied to varying demand and product production schedules, the agility of the digital press makes it the best fit for a constantly changing mix of jobs. For example, within the company’s minimum run length of 100 labels it’s not unusual for a job to consist of multiple versions of the same size label, with varying quantities of each, all requiring different graphics and copy.

Another appeal of the Xeikon for nutraceutical applications is that the toner is 100 percent food-safe. This has additional appeal for nutraceutical users, even though the labels reside on the outside of containers that already meet all food safety and barrier requirements. Operationally, Labels in Motion appreciates that substrate waste from the Xeikon is far less than the company would have with a flexographic press.

Visting Labels in Motion was the final part of a briefing hosted by Xeikon to update industry editors and analysts on its activities in the market. As it turns out, label production has come to account for more than half of all of Xeikon’s 2014 press placements. According to Xeikon CEO Wim Maes, the growing number of placements is split pretty evenly between existing and entirely new customers. Perhaps more telling, though, is that the majority of Xeikon presses being bought for label and packaging applications are landing in companies that are adding digital production to an existing operation. It is further evidence that while flexographic presses aren’t going anywhere, the shorter run capabilities of digital presses, especially for data-driven applications, are making digital presses an attractive choice.