Printing Partnership

With the assistance of INX, the Roll Labels Division of Universal Products becomes in demand for "on-demand."

Since its inception six years ago, the Roll Labels Division of Universal Products has become the company's fastest growing business unit, converting and diecutting in-line, 4-color process labels. Things are going so well, in fact, that a 300 percent growth target has been projected for this year, and its managers are confident the goal is attainable.

Based in Goddard, KS, the Roll Labels Division prints labels for a diverse range of regional and national companies, including such high-profile companies as Intel, Coleman and Excel Corporation. Roll Labels attributes much of its success to its reliance on a stable of four 4-, 6- and 8-color Mark Andy and Webtron flexo presses and top quality UV-curable inks from INX International Ink Co. A third, and equally important component of the division's success is its operating philosophy of responsiveness and service to its customers.

UV solutions

As opposed to alternative ink types, Roll Labels finds UV inks give its labels longevity, durability and consistency of print. Patti Warry, Roll Labels' supervisor, touts UV inks' ability to hold color from start to finish. "UV inks need no adjustment for color, as do solvent- or water-based inks. A customer can pull a [label] sample six months down the road, compare it to today's run, and won't be able to tell which is which," she explains.

Warry also likes UV inks' "ease of use and minimal required cleanup, which minimizes press downtime at the end of shifts." Both factors, she says, contribute to increased productivity and overall quality. She also lauds the inks for their environmental attributes—no VOC emissions—which help create a healthy, safe work environment, alleviate spending on costly emission controls and make the task of complying with local, state and federal environmental regulations a breeze.

But all the advantages combined still only tell half the story. The responsive service and problem-solving assistance Roll Labels gets from its UV ink supplier, INX, are as much a factor as the custom-engineered inks themselves.

Scott Jacobs, Roll Labels' lead press operator, attributes INX's customer responsiveness to much of his ability to provide satisfying solutions to his customers. He says Universal and Roll Labels made the switch to INX when two former ink suppliers fell short in their ability to offer after-the-sale service, including much-needed technical assistance.

"INX and its sales representative, Rick Powell, play a big role in our ability to deliver service, turnaround and quality printed product to our customers," says Jacobs, who adds that Roll Labels' ability to meet printing and converting challenges and to deliver "solutions" is dependent, in large part, on its partnership with INX.

Finding solutions together

What used to be almost insurmountable challenges for Roll Labels have now become opportunities for new business. For example, a varied customer base requires that many substrates be offered to satisfy a variety of demanding applications. The company's customers produce a range of products, including software packaging, labels for outdoor equipment and labels for food and meat packaging, many of which require resistance to harsh environments. INX has been instrumental in offering technical assistance on these and other challenging projects. Moreover, having a ready ink inventory that matches the myriad specified substrates was, in the past, cause for production dilemmas. It also precluded the company from growing its "on-demand" business.

What Roll Labels and Jacobs really wanted was one ink compatible with multiple substrates and that would comply with specified properties, explains Jacobs.

Working with Jacobs and Greg Thornton, a sales agent for Universal, INX's Powell was able to recommend one INX UV ink that was ideal for a variety of applications and substrates, including paper, vinyl, polyester, polyethylene and polystyrene. Because of Roll Labels' demanding customer requirements, the ink formulation also has to demonstrate excellent rub resistance, steadfast color over extended periods and outstanding weatherability. And just for good measure, Jacobs threw in the challenge of "no plugging" in fine, reverse type.

Once those obstacles were overcome, Roll Labels posed another challenge to INX's team of technical engineers—precise color match on a diecut label that placed identification lettering around two knobs of a heavy plastic outdoor recreation product. That particular label job also required an ink that gave a soft matte finish look.

INX ran a color match in its laboratory with a material sample from the product, and with slight adjustments, formulated an ink to make the match. "Now the ink produces a soft matte finish that stands fast indefinitely," boasts Jacobs. "The product's quality and appearance set the customer a step ahead of its competition." It also helped position Roll Labels to meet its goal of 300 percent growth, and to set the stage for a mutually beneficial, long-term partnership with its UV ink and ink services supplier of choice, INX International.

INX opens new laboratory

The formidable customized product development and testing capabilities of INX's new $4 million West Chicago R&D center play a major part in arriving at printing and converting solutions.

Here 30 research professionals ensure the highest level of quality and performance for all INX's ink and coating products. The researchers are charged with specifying the best components used in INX's products for unique applications, solving problems that occur across a varied industry base, and for developing new products to meet customers' needs for the future.

Modern analytical equipment enables INX researchers to determine various components of an ink's chemical makeup while advanced measuring equipment such as offset, flexo and gravure press devices supports the development of new products that perform well under variable conditions and a wide range of substrates.