Consumables-Substrates - Paper

SAN FRANCISCO—Kovio, Inc., a privately held Silicon Valley company, has introduced an all-printed high-performance silicon thin-film transistor (TFT), a key building block that will enable the integration of electronics into everyday things. Kovio has demonstrated low-cost all-printed silicon TFTs with mobility of 80cm2/Vs, which significantly exceeds the performance of previously reported all-printed TFTs using either organic or inorganic semiconductors. Based on nanotechnology and materials science, Kovio developed the electronic equivalents of color inks for graphics printing. These functional electronic inks include silicon, doped silicon, metals, and insulators. Combining functional electronic inks with high-resolution graphics printing technologies, Kovio has printed high-performance silicon TFTs at a

What an experience! I had the pleasure—mixed with an immense measure of pride—of watching two of my daughters compete in the ING New York City Marathon earlier this month, along with about 39,083 other runners. The runners come in all shapes and sizes from the professional men and women who run at a stunning pace, to matronly grandmothers in the wheelchair division. I even saw Zorro and SpongeBob. (I saw him twice at the same location, so I think he must have lapped everyone.) Business is often compared to sports because of the direct analogies that can be made—the competition, team work, preparation, strategies, tactics,

The Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI) has had the bright lights of the stage shining on it for these last two months. In September, the association held its 2007 Technical Conference. Following close behind (especially for the TLMI staff who perform yeomen’s work in pulling these events off), the Annual Meeting takes center stage on the beautiful Kohala Coast of Hawaii. TLMI’s Technical Conferences always provide a wealth of information on important topics impacting the industry. This year’s conference, co-chaired by Art Yerecic of Yerecic Label and Mike Buystedt of XSYS Print Solutions, again hit the mark. It included a variety of sessions

Today’s leaders in the label industry are a diverse group. Some are entrepreneurs seeking opportunities in a dynamic, yet highly competitive market. Others are second-, third-, or even fourth-generation leaders of family-run businesses. Still others have worked their way up the ladder, having started with no preconceived notion that the tag-and-label industry was where they would make their marks. John Pedroli, president, North America for CCL Label, Inc., falls into the latter category. Although he didn’t start his career in the tag-and-label industry, today he manages the North American operations for CCL Label, a company John Hickey—TLMI chairman of the board and CEO/owner

SAN DIEGO, Calif.—RSI ID Technologies (RSI), a leading manufacturer of RFID antennas, inlays and tags, announced its new channel-centric market strategy for North America. RSI will focus on expanding both current and potential channel partner relationships in North America, which furthers the development of RSI’s recently announced global channel strategy. “Over the past 7 years, we have made substantial investments in people and assets to build unique technical and operational capabilities,” said Wolf Bielas, president and CEO of RSI ID Technologies. “RSI has a tremendous amount of experience and a broad product offering that will benefit the entire RFID industry and help support our

For all its hype during the past few years, RFID is still a technology trying to get its feet firmly planted in the packaging sector. That is not to say that package printers should sit back and wait to see where RFID is going. There’s no doubt it will entrench itself in the packaging market. The question is when will it happen? According to an IDTechEx study, “RFID Forecasts, Players & Opportunities 2007-2017,” label and packaging converters continue to enter the RFID business to meet their customers’ demands. During 2007, IDTechEx expects that 1.71 billion tags will be sold, and that the total RFID

Something old, something new, something borrowed … When it comes to technology evolution, this old wedding custom has some meaning. Older technologies don’t just disappear as soon as something new shows up. Many times the old and the new coexist and complement each other for sometime. Even if and when the old guy gets put out to pasture, the new technology is usually better off because of something it “borrowed” from the wise old technology. Well, thermal printing (including direct and thermal transfer) is one of those older technology arenas that is feeling the “heat” from the new kids on the block, like inkjet

CHICAGO, Ill.—Andrews Decal Company, a converter of pressure-sensitive labels for the HBA, promotional, household, sporting, industrial and security markets, recently acquired an 11-in., eight-color Gallus EM 280 combination printing press that greatly enhances its already diverse production capabilities. The Swiss press is equipped with IST UV lamp assemblies with water chill drums at all stations that allow management of web temperature, especially when utilizing heat-sensitive substrates, such as unsupported film. The system offers precise registration and enhanced print quality for supported pressure-sensitive and other substrates as well. Company President Gary Gallas says the press’s ability to print a wider range of substrates allows the

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—SATO, a leader in the automatic identification and data collection (AIDC) industry and the barcode printing, labeling, and EPC/RFID solutions, announced the establishment of three headquarters: SATO International Asia-Pacific, SATO International Europe, and SATO International America, effective as of April 1, 2007. SATO acquired L’Etiquetage Rationnel S.A. in France in 2004, and the former METO BCS businesses from Checkpoint Systems, Inc. and Walker Datavision in New Zealand, both in 2006. Under SATO International, 17 subsidiaries do business in 22 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Three regional headquarters have been set up. The three appointed regional heads, who are directors of

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—Universal Laser Systems, Inc. (ULS), a global leader in the design and manufacture of CO2 lasers and computer-controlled CO2 laser engraving, cutting, and marking systems, has doubled the size of its U.S.-based headquarters by expanding into a second company-owned building located at 7845 E. Paradise Lane, Scottsdale, Ariz. The new facility houses laser system production, sales, marketing, engineering, and technical support staff, as well as warehousing and shipping operations. “With a strong demand for our OEM lasers, it was necessary to accommodate the increased production requirements and also optimize the current building’s space for future expansion of laser production,” said Yefim Sukhman, president