EFI

Labelexpo Asia confirmed its status as the leading label event in Asia when the show welcomed a record 16,601 visitors in early December—compared to 14,004 in 2007, an increase of 18.5 percent.

KENNESAW, Ga.—Heidelberg USA will host a one-day event at its state-of-the-art Print Media Demonstration Center (PMDC) in Kennesaw, Ga. on Dec. 3.

Labelexpo Europe 2009 defied the recent economic downturn. Not only was there an increase in exhibitor numbers and exhibition space, but visitor numbers were almost the same as the previous show, resulting in a large number of machinery sales.

KENNESAW, Ga.—Print shops that use Heidelberg’s Prinect Pressroom Manager to control production and manage production data now have the ability to connect with the Pace and Monarch print production and management solutions from EFI.

Many package printers are looking for ways to expand their businesses and provide increased products and services for their customers. In today's business climate, it's more important than ever to become an indispensable provider of value-added products and services to solidify the customer base.

RESTON, Va.—For the third year in a row, the GRAPH EXPO MUST SEE ‘EMS Committee has named management information systems (MIS) as the most critical technology for printers to employ for success in this changing print market. MIS topped a list of the six technologies deemed most important for printer survival in 2009 and beyond. The announcement offers a preview of the MUST SEE ‘EMS—a list of the most compelling emerging and evolving technologies to be found at GRAPH EXPO—and the many cutting-edge graphic communications technologies attendees will find at the show. The MUST SEE ‘EMS are a highlight of the 13th Edition EXECUTIVE

ROSEMONT, Ill.—Despite the current unstable economic situation, Labelexpo Americas—which took place in Rosemont, Ill., Sept. 9-11—still saw a good turnout, with numbers exceeding 12,000. By the end of the show, more than 80 percent of the exhibition space had already been rebooked for Labelexpo Americas 2010. The show saw 420 national and international suppliers bringing their latest developments in technology and materials to demonstrate to the North American market. There were many new presses launched by market leaders: Nilpeter introduced its new FG-line of UV flexo presses; Mark Andy unveiled the Comco C1 ProGlide and demonstrated its updated XP5000 shaftless press. EFI Jetrion

Labelexpo Americas 2008 should have left little doubt in attendees’ minds that digital printing has made major inroads in the package-printing market. This influx is not necessarily representative of other print processes losing market share. Rather, digital printing’s emergence can be attributed to changes in brand owner preferences for shorter runs and the recent surge in regional packaging. Ken Stack, vice president/general manager of EFI Jetrion, stated in his presentation at Labelexpo that four factors are driving label printers toward digital printing: targeted marketing, localization, time to market, and the supply chain. All four factors cause brand owners to migrate toward shorter print runs.

ROSEMONT, Ill.—Hundreds of global suppliers, converters, trade associations and media gathered to celebrate and reward excellence in the label industry at the Label Industry Global Awards gala dinner, Sept. 9 at Labelexpo Americas. Votes were collated from across the world, and winners were announced in four categories: • CONTINUOUS INNOVATION AWARD - sponsored by Labels & Labeling, Label & Narrow Web, NarroWebTech This award is for a long-established supplier or converter company within the label industry that has shown innovation and creativity over the years. Winner 2008: ExxonMobil Chemical The judges commented: “ExxonMobil puts a lot back into the industry through its own excellence

More than 20 years before “sustainability” became the buzz word it is today, Flower City Printing (FCP) was already rethinking the inks it was using in its pressroom. In 1985, Executive Vice President Bill Oliveri began replacing petroleum-based inks with vegetable-based inks, as well as eliminating alcohol in press fountain solutions. “Inks made from renewable resources were already in existence, but mainly used for newspaper production,” Oliveri reflects. “FCP was one of the first printers to experiment with vegetable-based inks for the offset sheetfed industry. Switching to vegetable-based inks [resulted in] a reduction in VOCs (volatile organic compounds), less ink [required] in the