Environmental Inks & Coatings

WEST CHESTER, Ohio—UF 3 Series flexographic inks—manufactured by Environmental Inks, a member of the Siegwerk group—have been certified for use with the Color-Logic Process Metallic Color System.

Specialty inks are the cherry on top. Just like cherries add a little something extra to a gooey hot fudge sundae, specialty inks give consumers a special treat that enhances an already attention-grabbing package. “Packaging converters in today’s marketplace are routinely looking for innovative ways to attract consumers to the shelves,” says Joe Schlinkert, technical director, Color Resolutions International. “Increasingly the converters are asking their ink suppliers to develop inks that truly stand out and grab the consumer’s attention.” He explains that some approaches being used include phosphorescent inks that glow in the dark, high luster metallic inks, pearlescent inks that change color based

Coatings are somewhat unsung heroes in the package-printing world. They provide many important functions, yet most people don’t even know they’re there. These people don’t care either—except that if the coatings weren’t there, they might not like the label or package as much, might even complain about it, or worse yet, might not buy the product. Whoa, Nellie! “Houston, We’ve got a problem.” “Iceberg dead ahead!” Now, we’ve got somebody’s heart pumpin’. Coatings to the rescue No, coatings can’t help much when it comes to world calamities, but if the heart that’s “pumpin’” happens to be a product manager, now we’re playing in

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The fourth annual Phoenix Challenge Fund Raising Luncheon, organized to support the 2007 Annual International Phoenix Challenge Flexo Skills Competition and the brand new PC College competition, took place at the Doubletree Hotel in Charlotte, N.C., and boasted a record attendance of more than 100 participants. Five speakers addressed the genial group of flexo industry professionals. “We are very grateful for a terrifically successful luncheon,” said Bettylyn Krafft, Phoenix Challenge Foundation (PCF) chairman, of the event. “We appreciate the generous benefactors who sponsored full tables at this luncheon, as well as the loyal backers who support us in smaller numbers.” Krafft opened the

With the use of shrink-sleeve labeling for product decoration growing at a double-digit rate, suppliers of shrink film inks are developing a steady stream of products to carve out a piece of the action. But in addition to the normal adhesion issues that are common with non-porous film applications, shrink inks have several other factors to contend with that make their development more challenging. Some of these issues include distortion (cracking, delamination, etc.), blocking, coefficient of friction (COF), and in food and beverage applications, low odor. Demanding applications Shrink labeling is growing in popularity because it offers brand managers at least two advantages. It