Supplier News - August 2011

ACTEGA Dedicates New Laboratory
DELRAN, N.J.—ACTEGA Kelstar and ACTEGA WIT inaugurated a joint NAFTA Innovation Laboratory. In addition to housing ACTEGA Kelstar's R&D and technical service labs for the aqueous, UV, and fountain solution product lines, the new facility will also be the home of the newly formed Innovation Team.

"Our brand new, state-of-the-art lab facility emphasizes our continued commitment to superior products and services for the printing industry," says Jim Wittig, vice president of innovation, who will lead this team. "Due to the continuous flow of innovative products, as well as improved quality control, the ACTEGA graphic arts customers will significantly benefit."

Wittig will be joined by Dr. John Arnold, who has extensive knowledge and experience in the formulation of UV-curable coatings and adhesives. Together, they bring a total of 60 years of experience to the newly formed organization. The Innovation Team will focus on the development of cutting-edge technologies for both ACETGA WIT and ACTEGA Kelstar customers.

For the official ribbon cutting ceremony, Wittig and Arnold were joined by executives from the corporate headquarters of parent company ALTANA, located in Wesel, Germany. Dr. Matthias L. Wolfgruber, CEO of ALTANA; Dr. Guido Forstbach, president of the ACTEGA Division; Dr. Peter K. Jenkner, chief technology officer for ACTEGA; and Heinz-Ulrich Stolte, president of ACTEGA Kelstar toured the new lab facilities with ACTEGA employees from the local division offices and manufacturing facility.

The new lab represents an investment of close to $1 million. It is scheduled to accommodate up to 14 chemists and technicians.

OEC Graphics Combines ITR and HD Flexo

MIAMISBURG, Ohio—Flexographic prepress supplier OEC Graphics says it is using its EskoArtwork CDI Advance 1750, together with EskoArtwork HD Flexo version 2.0 and inline UV capability, to divert business from gravure and offset. In addition, OEC has combined the EskoArtwork HD Flexo with in-the-round (ITR) sleeve production to provide high-definition flexo imaging and screening of sleeves. Said to be the first solution of its kind in North America, the use of HD Flexo and ITR is the result of combing two leading-edge technologies: EskoArtwork's HD Flexo version 2.0 and Seamex®, OEC's proprietary seamless photopolymer sleeve solution.

"We were the first to have digital in-the-round and the first to use it with HD Flexo," says Brad Vette, corporate managing director, OEC Graphics. "We installed the CDI 1750 with HD Flexo version 2.0 because we were looking to meet our customers' demands for higher line screens and increased gamut. Our goal is to create ITR solutions that are equal or better than flat plates."

EskoArtwork HD Flexo and ITR are helping to promote flexography to traditional gravure and offset users, allowing flexographers to print continuous images on a broad range of substrates. "Flexo did not have an answer to the quality demands of our customers, who often went rotogravure or offset … until now," says Vette. "The quality of the dot created by HD Flexo 2 is exceptional. It lets us hold less than a one percent dot—something we can't do with a traditional digital process."

With EskoArtwork HD Flexo and ITR, OEC says it is expanding its business, taking on jobs previously done in offset or gravure. "There is a large opportunity in the beverage carton industry, for example, to replace rotogravure," asserts Vette. "In fact, we have also taken business from roto, penetrating traditional gravure printing in folding carton, flexible packaging, and labels."

Accurate Plastic Printers Expands Into Lenticular

DALLAS, Texas—KBA North America reports that its customer, Accurate Plastic Printers LLC, a custom plastic printer located in Clifton, N.J., has expanded its usage of its KBA Genius 52 UV press to include new premium markets in high-end lenticular and plastic printing.

"Since we installed our KBA Genius 52 UV press in June 2008, it's been running non-stop," says Carlos Agudelo, founder and president of Accurate Plastic Printers. "We produce a variety of plastic business cards, promotional items, shelf talkers and danglers, signs, tags, door hangers, rulers, and circular calculators. Our customers require very high quality and fast turnaround times. In the past two years we've learned that we can develop new premium markets and applications with the KBA Genius by adding new profitable techniques such as lenticular and other motion-type marketing tools."

Although lenticular takes a little bit more time and diligence, Agudelo emphasizes that the end result is phenomenal. His first application was a 14˝ x 20˝ 3D image of tropical fish swimming.

"We succeeded right away and couldn't believe how well it turned out," he says. "That had us hooked. We knew our customers would want lenticular, and we were correct. There's been a growing interest in lenticular and our customers want to see samples of morphing and motion. They are intrigued with what it can do for them."

Since then, Agudelo and his press operators have been producing many different types of lenticular. "Customers are very interested in the process and how it can set their product apart," says Agudelo.

Sun Chemical Expands Ink Dispenser Program

TORONTO, Canada—Sun Chemical is expanding its Sun Chemical Dispenser Program to serve customers in the narrow-web tag and label market. Originally designed for commercial and folding carton printers, the program was established to help customers decrease their overall ink costs by as much as 45 percent.

The Sun Chemical Dispenser Program allows printers to mix only the inks they need, reduce their inventory and waste, improve color-matching consistency, and significantly decrease total operating costs.

Sun Chemical showcased the dispenser program to brand owners and potential label and narrow-web customers during an open house hosted in July by ASL Print FX, a customer and leading printer in the narrow-web tag and label market in Canada.

Scott Hughes, an engineer and project coordinator at ASL Print FX, said that ASL recently signed a 10-year contract with Sun Chemical using the new dispenser program for the narrow-web market thanks primarily to a cost savings of approximately 30 percent in ink costs using the commercial dispenser program.

"The Sun Chemical Dispenser Program has worked very well for us," Hughes says. "We're not wasting ink and have reduced our ink inventory by half. The program has reduced overtime costs, improved productivity, and has provided the color consistency that our customers—who are major brands—demand to stay on the forefront in our industry."

ITW Acquires Teknek

GLENVIEW, Ill.—Illinois Tool Works announced it has acquired Teknek, a supplier of contact sheet cleaning and web cleaning solutions for the electronic and industrial markets. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Teknek will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works and will become a part of the company's existing electrostatics business platform within the electronics group.

"Teknek's strong reputation, product development, and worldwide footprint compliment ITW's existing electronic and industrial businesses within the Electrostatics platform, which are marketed under the Simco-Ion, Eltex, and Electrostatic Technology brands," says Michael Oldt, general manager of Illinois Tool Works's electrostatics group.

PEOPLE

GLENDALE HEIGHTS, Ill.—All Printing Resources welcomed Catherine Whitaker-Green to its Technical Solutions team. She brings several years of industry experience in helping flexo printers troubleshoot issues throughout the entire flexo process, from prepress to on-press.

NEWTON, Kan.—Bunting® Magnetics Co. announced the addition of Jana L. Davis as the company's new chief financial officer. She will be responsible for all the financial operations for both Bunting Magnetics and its' wholly owned subsidiary Magnet Applications Group Ltd.

TUEBINGEN, Germany—GMG announced that Ian Scott has been appointed as managing director, GMG Worldwide. In this role, he will work closely with GMG's owners and managing directors, Joerg and Robert Weihing, to continute the company's on-going growth plan and product development strategy.

IRVINE, Calif.—Roland DGA announced several additions to its product management and marketing teams. David Hawkes is the group product manager for sign and textile printing; Eric Zimmerman is the product manager for color products, including Roland's line of inkjet printers and printer/cutters; Brian Brooks is the product manager for 3D milling and scanning products; and Patti Juric has joined Roland as copywriter/PR supervisor.

TORRINGTON, Conn.—DYMAX Corp. announced the appointment of Tony Ieraci as Marketing Communications Manager. He will be responsible for creation and implementation of the company's global communications programs. pP