LABELS INDIA TO ATTEND PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL AT BANGKOK

Creation Reprographics enhances quality, sustainability with Asahi Photoproducts AWP Flexographic Plates

Asahi Photoproducts, a pioneer in flexographic photopolymer plate development, today announced that British Daventry-based Creation Reprographics has been using the premium quality Asahi AWP flexographic plate system for the past three years with excellent results. Designed for high quality print performance, the AWP water wash plate outperforms the best digital plates currently available for flexo. For the first time, a digital photopolymer plate can hold extremely small stable dots - smaller than those of solvent processed plates – and its stability on press is superior to solvent plates, with numerous associated environmental and waste reduction benefits.

Matt Francklow, Owner of Creation Reprographics, said: “Sustainability is truly coming to the fore in print. With this high quality water wash plate, it’s the final check for retailers. At Creation Reprographics, we have positioned ourselves in the premium segment of the market, competing head on with gravure in Europe and serving those customers that demand the best in the UK. Our AWP results are simply unrivalled – consistency, slightly raised ink density and better lay down, good minimum dot, and speed to press are all achieved - making the printer’s job easy. The system works across all substrates, and we see a real demand for this level of performance in premium flexible packaging applications - a growth area in the industry. Converters looking to move away from gravure and offset are truly surprised by what AWP can achieve.”

Extensive plate trials and live commercial production jobs have proven AWP’s ability to print down to a 10 micron dot, using classic round dot screening. With the latest screening technologies, the plate is able to reproduce a vignette fade to zero. Due to this quality leap, customers are able to successfully transfer production from offset or gravure to flexographic printing.Francklow continued: “At Creation Reprographics, we pride ourselves on our approach to environmental sustainability, and AWP fits with that ethos perfectly. We’re investing in energy management solutions across our sites and even looking at whether we can collect, filter and recycle our rainwater to do the washing of these plates. Even pens get recycled here!”

Alan Coker, Creation Business Development Manager, commented: “Reducing waste in the plate making game is critical to your profitability. Throwing polymer in the bin is just not acceptable. Asahi’s supports our AWP plate technology investment with preventative maintenance and machine audit visits. And they are on hand 24 hours a day, delivering technical solutions quickly and accurately whenever needed, maximising our production efficiency.

“Our customers are delighted as well. Since the plates do not suffer from distortion due to solvent swelling or increased temperature, we are achieving better registration and consistency on press. With the start-up time absolutely minimised, we’re making plates in less than 1.5 hours. Combine that with suitability for 4-colour process set applications, and you have an extremely compelling value proposition.”

The Asahi AWP™ technology has been designed from the outset as an environmental plate solution minimizing wherever possible waste of precious resources. The system is water washable and does not rely on harsh solvents. The water is also reused in the process, being filtered and recycled through the plate processing system. The system is also free from the harmful volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions that are typically generated by solvent and thermal processes.

The entire plate manufacturing process does not generate any waste other than unexposed polymer residues, which are collected as ‘dry cake’ and safely repurposed as a combustive agent for incineration waste plants. AWP plates do not absorb much water, reducing the drying time of the plate by up to two to three times that of solvent cleaned plate systems. This results in cost and space reductions for the plate making room, as energy-demanding hot air dryers are not required.

Esko automation engine Connect receives esteemed Printing Industries of America 2015 Intertech Technology Award

Connectivity to powerful Esko workflow reaps rewards for Esko automation engine users

Esko proudly announces that Automation Engine Connect, a toolkit allowing integration from third party products to an Esko workflow, is a recipient of a 2015 Printing Industries of America InterTech Technology Award. Since 1978 the InterTech Technology Awards have honored the development of technologies predicted to have a major impact on the graphic arts and related industries. More than 80% of technologies that receive an award experience continued commercial success in the marketplace.

This is the eighth InterTech award an Esko solution has received over the past ten years. Other recipients include a wide variety of technologies: Esko WebCenter (2006), Esko DeskPack 3-dX (2007), Esko Neo (2008), Esko Studio Toolkit for Shrink Sleeves (2011), i-cut Suite (2012), Full HD Flexo (2014) and Equinox (2014).

“We are thrilled to receive an InterTech award from Printing Industries of America this year. Esko has a legacy of investing a much higher portion of our budget into R&D than the industry average. We believe in innovation as a means to help our customers conduct their jobs more easily, productively and profitably. Automation Engine Connect is certainly an example of creating software technology to help our customers design complete, more efficient workflows," remarks Udo Panenka, Esko President. "We understand that it is important for our workflow systems to communicate with third party systems. Similarly, we listen to our customers' challenges, and strive to build more effective solutions for them. That is the ultimate reward for us."

Esko Automation Engine Connect: an easy way to integrate third party systems

Even though many in the printing industry have pushed connectivity, not all systems are JDF, or even XML, compliant. And, even if they are, it does not mean that data from one system maps out correctly to another system. This means that when a print provider wishes to tie in the production workflow to outside systems – ERP, MIS, web-to-print, shipping systems, etc. – there will often be a challenge. This usually requires, for just about any other workflow, customized programming to create a way to connect systems together.

Esko has significantly reduced the cost of integration for its customer base with Automation Engine Connect, the only toolkit offered specifically by a workflow vendor expressly developed to integrate other, disparate business systems. There is no other application on the market that is deeply rooted into the workflow server itself. Automation Engine Connect provides a toolkit that allows integration from a third party product with an Esko component, such as WebCenter, Automation Engine or ArtiosCAD. This means that MIS, web stores, finance and shipping systems, and more, can all be integrated into the workflow. Automation Engine Connect is easy to install. While Esko provides the service to map and connect data, those who are knowledgeable in IT can do it themselves. With Automation Engine Connect there is no reliance on anyone who creates a customized system to continue maintaining the system. Automation Engine Connect is also scalable. If the business invests in more, or new, systems, Connect can easily make sure that these systems are integrated into Automation Engine. Among the numerous applications that have been connected to Automation Engine are packaged MIS systems such as EFI Radius, LabelTRaxx, CERM and Theurer; custom systems based on Microsoft Excel and FileMakerPro; and even one user who connects to World Weather Online to understand wind conditions when planning outdoor mounting activities for billboards.

"When we purchased our MIS system, it was taking too much time for prepress to duplicate CSR efforts, entering similar job information into the production system. We invested in Automation Engine Connect," comments Rebekah Harmon, Art Director, Best Label Company." After the system was set up, it was easy to use. Now, our artists probably can process 50 jobs per day. Before Connect, we only could produce 30 per day."

Flexokliche provides design, prepress services and plates for packaging applications. "We had purchased our MIS system purely on how it handled and worked. But, we had not thought much about future integration. We started a simple XML transfer, but it never worked," remembers Linda Ekehage, Owner, Flexokliché. "I do not know how Esko does it, but Esko Automation Engine Connect works. Once we got in touch with the right people from our MIS developer to understand the data files, it was really easy. It took Esko only about eight hours. We can now look up jobs easily in Automation Engine and keep track. Now that order information is sent directly to Automation Engine my bookkeeping time is 50% faster. And that is just a small part of the workflow chain. All of the designers and account managers save time as well."

“The judges commented that Automation Engine Connect is the start of a new and simplified approach to connecting disparate systems. The user interface makes it very user friendly to connect systems. It's simple and effective, and takes lots of extra work away from the user," notes Dr. Mark Bohan, Vice President, Technology and Research, Printing Industries of America. “The judges were also very impressed with the wide array of systems that have been connected with Esko Automation Engine Connect in real installations."

iSys Label receives GHS BS5609, Section 3 Certification for UPM Raflatac Substrate

iSys Label and iSys–The Imaging Systems Group Inc., the Canadian developers and manufacturers of short to mid run digital label printers, are pleased to announce an additional GHS BS5609 material has passed Section 3 certification for use in the EDGE 850 digital label printer. The recently approved substrate is matte white polyester from UPM Raflatac, with part number LS276R. Rolls of material can be purchased from iSys-appointed converters in the United States.

Randy Rickert, Director at iSys Label, says “we’ve developed a strong relationship with UPM Raflatac over the years and are pleased to announce the addition of their substrate to our Certified Media Library. This material will provide our users with access to more solutions when printing BS5609-compliant labels.”

In order to print fully-compliant drum and chemical labels; the facestock, adhesive and printed graphic all need to meet the requirements for sections 1, 2 and 3 of BS5609 standards and be independently tested and certified by PIRA (the Print Industry Research Association). The printed labels are exposed to artificial weathering, tape removal and abrasion resistance tests to ensure they are capable of withstanding the harshest environments and prove their durability.

The EDGE 850 “GHS Solution” is a roll to roll digital label printer and comes complete with the printer, feeder, rewinder and EDGE2Print software. With easy-to-use drag and drop software and print speed of 4.3 m/min., iSys Label makes simple work of printing full-color chemical labels on demand. Users will eliminate the need for ordering pre-printed labels, reduce inventories and wait times by being able to customize their labels with variable information and full color - all in a single pass.

iSys Label is the innovative developer and manufacturer of short to mid run digital label printers that deliver production quality labels print after print. Our focus is on developing customized product configurations to fit our customers’ needs and provide effective solutions that meet their highest expectations.

MPS Presses made Future Ready with New GEW LED UV Curing Technology

Embracing new developments and technologies, MPS prepares its printing presses for the future of LED with the integration of the new GEW hybrid LED UV system, to be exclusively unveiled at Labelexpo Europe 2015.

MPS is the first narrow web press manufacturer to show the new GEW hybrid LED UV system (ArcLED), integrated with the next generation EF Neo flexo printing press. Labelexpo Europe visitors interested in LED curing can visit the MPS stand 11C20 to see live demonstrations, where MPS will show both LED and arc UV curing in combination with low migration inks of the Flint Group for label and film applications. With this combination, the MPS press will run at high speed using less energy, for the same running capacity. Due to the high intensity of UVA illumination with LED, heavy ink layers are cured more consistently with improved adhesion.

MPS technical director Bert van den Brink comments: “The main difference and biggest advantage of this showcased GEW ArcLED curing system, compared to other LED systems, is the ability to combine and interchange conventional arc lamps with LED curing at every print station. This hybrid system also provides MPS customers the flexibility to upgrade to LED at a later stage, so they can fully utilize the advantages of both technologies without the need to re-invest or modify their press.”

What also makes this hybrid UV curing system advantageous for our customers is the opportunity to move towards LED curing without the risk of being locked into the technology on the entire press. We recognize that further LED developments are underway, and the total ink portfolio needed for certain print jobs is not yet available in LED curing. However, the industry (including MPS) recognizes the developments in the field of LED will evolve rapidly, just like the change of infrared to UV. With the GEW hybrid LED UV system, MPS offers customers the ability to prepare for LED evolvements with a practical and cost-efficient solution.”

With the new GEW ArcLED curing system, the same lamphead casing is used with interchangeable pull-out cassettes for arc and LED, including the same power supply and control. The associated RHINO-ArcLED power supply automatically recognises the type of cassette being used and adapts all parameters accordingly, including the correct power type and running parameters.

According to Marcus Greenbrook, International Sales Manager at GEW, “Our new LED UV curing system is compatible with the widest range of substrates, and it increases machine uptime because of less maintenance. It also reduces energy consumption, as with LED instant on-off switching means no energy is consumed when the printing machine is idle between jobs.

The ArcLED UV system is a future-proof technology showing considerable energy savings, optimizing processes, and maximizing ink compatibility. It increases machine productivity as well as providing the possibility to run a fully flexible hybrid curing system.”

Labelexpo Europe visitors interested in more information about the new GEW ArcLED system are invited to visit MPS in stand 11C20, or GEW in stand 6C18.

With a tagline - MPS. Operator Focused, Results Driven - MPS is a worldwide, well-known and high-quality brand of flexo and offset press solutions for label and flexible packaging printers. By providing extensive knowledge and world-class service to enhance the printing process, MPS helps customers excel.MPS has a team of experts when it comes to knowledge of the printing process and desired results in label and flexible packaging print runs. We share and apply our expertise every day, and can offer a specific solution for every customer.

Eid Mubarak to all...

Essel Propack announces the divestment of its wholly owned subsidiary Packaging India Pvt. Ltd.

Essel Propack Ltd. - a global leader in laminated plastic tubes catering to the FMCG & Pharma space, recently announced the divestment of its wholly owned subsidiary, Packaging India Pvt. Ltd. (PIPL) to Amcor Flexibles India Pvt. with immediate effect.

The agreement has been signed and the deal is completed for full cash consideration.  The divestment is part of company’s strategy to exit non-core adhesive lamination packaging business and pursue growth opportunity in its core tube packaging business which has great potential across the globe in Beauty & Cosmetics, Pharma & Health and Food categories. The Enterprise value of the divested business is Rs.165 Crore.

The deal will provide PIPL and its talent an opportunity to further grows and prosper in the flexible packaging space as part of Amcor, an Australia listed global packaging company engaged in flexible and rigid packaging.

Statement from Ashok Goel, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Essel Propack Limited: “The divestment of Packaging India Pvt. Ltd. is in line with our strategic decision to intensify focus on the core tube packaging business globally including India. We are noticing a significant growth in the demand of laminated tubes across categories. This decision will help us to further strengthen our expertise in tube packaging business & deleverage.”

Essel Propack, part of the USD 2.4 billion Essel Group, with turnover of over USD 350 million, is the largest specialty packaging global company, manufacturing laminated plastic tubes catering to the FMCG and Pharma space. Employing over 2600 people representing 25 different nationalities, Essel Propack functions through 25 state of the art facilities in eleven countries, selling more than 6 billion tubes and continuing to grow every year.

Holding Oral Care market share of 33% in volume terms globally, Essel Propack is the world’s largest manufacturer with units operating across countries such as USA, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Germany, Egypt, Russia, China, Philippines and India. These facilities cater to diverse categories that include brands in Beauty & Cosmetics, Pharma & Health, Food, Oral and Home, offering customized solutions through continuously pioneering first-in-class innovations in materials, technology and processes.

Loparex to acquire 100% Ownership of India JV Kaygee-Loparex India Pvt. Ltd.

Loparex Group will assume 100% ownership of the India joint venture company, Kaygee-Loparex India Private Ltd.

Mike Apperson, Loparex CEO comments, “We are delighted to add the world class manufacturing capabilities of Kaygee-Loparex to the global Loparex family. In addition to the assets, we also welcome an incredibly talented and dedicated group of employees to our Loparex team, which will synergize our ability to bring additional value, not only to our local India-based customers, but also to our customers throughout the world”.

Apperson adds, “The addition of Loparex-India compliments our unique and continuing investment strategy and our long term commitment to serving the diverse needs of our global customers.

Established as a joint venture in 2001, Kaygee-Loparex is India’s largest release liner manufacturer. The state-of-the-art facility, located in Silvassa (near Mumbai), produces a wide array of custom-engineered silicone coated papers and films which support the diverse release liner needs of key industries including Medical, Tapes, Hygiene, Labels, Security, Composites and other industrial markets.

In-house product development, combined with IMS Certification (ISO 9001:2008, ISO14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007), practiced GMP, and robust quality management methodology ensure the highest standards of quality, efficiency, regulatory and EHS compliance.

Loparex, the leading global supplier of release liners, also has manufacturing, product development and commercial operations in the US, Europe, China and Thailand.

Meech’s Hyperion range of static control bars to feature at Labelexpo Europe ‘15

Meech’s Hyperion range of anti-static bars will be prominent on stand 6C34, at Labelexpo Europe 2015 (Brussels Expo, 29th September - 2nd October). The company will highlight the ways in which static control technologies can help improve safety and product quality in the labelling market. Meech will also showcase its unique range of web cleaning systems.

David Rogers, Technical Director at Meech, comments: “As a well-established supplier to the international labelling industry, Meech understands the challenges that this sector faces and for this reason we look forward to demonstrating the ways in which our systems can help maintain efficient, safe and productive manufacturing environments. Versatility plays a key role in the design of Meech’s systems, and this is reflected in our Hyperion range and in the four different technologies we employ for our web cleaners.”

Visitors to the stand will be able to view first-hand the complete range of Hyperion static control systems, which comprises the popular 971IPS and 929IPS anti-static bars, as well as some exciting new additions to the range. Also on show will be the ancillary enhancements, the distance sensor and feedback system. The development and expansion of the Hyperion range has been possible thanks to Meech’s close collaboration with its customers in order to understand their needs and demands. The end result is a range of systems that provides class leading static elimination, with the bars’ default settings allowing quick and easy installation for use on label production lines.

David explains that Labelexpo Europe is the ideal event for launching its latest additions to the Hyperion series. “By updating our technologies and introducing new systems to our ranges, Meech is showing a commitment to providing the best static control solutions possible for our customers in the label market.”

Also on display at the show is Meech’s complete range of web cleaning systems, which includes the TakClean and CyClean. The TakClean, a contact web cleaner employed within the label printing sector, features specifically formulated TransTak elastomer contact cleaning rollers and perforated adhesive rolls, which make it ideal for narrower and slower presses. The CyClean is a compact non-contact system designed to remove and extract contamination. Meech have optimised the cleaning efficiency of the CyClean to remove contamination to below 1 micron. It is best suited for newer, high speed presses and can handle virtually any substrate. As a result, with new ink jet printable webs becoming available, the system provides a future proof solution.

“With a long heritage in static control and web-cleaning, our key objective for Labelexpo is to show visitors to what extent Meech solutions can benefit companies in the labelling sector and advise them on the issues caused by static if left untreated,” concludes David. “We are very much looking forward to showcasing our offering to a wide, international audience”.

Esko to demonstrate strong business impact of its prepress solutions at Labelexpo Europe 2015

Powerful, flexible production workflows for all printing technologies

Esko plans a big splash at Labelexpo Europe, the world's largest event for the label and package printing industry. On display right at the show floor entrance will be the full range of Esko solutions that help label and packaging converters build consistency and flexibility in their production workflows, no matter their size, the degree of complexity of their businesses or the printing technologies used. Esko will be located on stand 4C20. Labelexpo Europe 2015 takes place September 29th till October 2nd at the Brussels Expo in Belgium.

“Labelexpo Europe is always a great show for us,” states Armand Gougay, VP EMEA at Esko, “We will be taking advantage of this event as part of our ongoing commitment to understand what keeps printers, converters and brand owners awake at night, and advise them on best practices to address these pain points. We will share our expertise and suggest how to improve profitability by implementing smart prepress, automated workflow, best in class flexo, color management and systems integration across their entire business. Our focus at the show will be to demonstrate how smart prepress solutions help any label and packaging converter to grow their business.”

Exceptional communication and error-free production

To be successful in today’s market place, one must perform exceptionally well in all areas of label and packaging production. Brand owners create packaging designs that resonate with consumers and that are designed, approved and produced with the utmost accuracy. Converters execute these designs perfectly and as fast and efficient as possible. Everyone throughout the entire supply chain has to work together effectively to achieve these goals.

To that end, Esko will present its renowned software solutions – covering everything from design over prepress and workflow automation, proofing and color up to the printed job, and beyond. Bundled under Esko Software Suite 14, the most complete collection of preproduction software tools available on the market, Esko’s software solutions optimize cost, streamline workflows and improve the overall quality and consistency, regardless if labels are produced digitally, in offset, flexo, gravure or screen print.

Workflow automation is a top priority for successful label manufacturers, and Esko will have no shortage of ideas and options at the show to help businesses of all sizes increase automation, productivity and profits. At the heart of this are Esko Automation Engine, a modular workflow server with dynamic workflows that sets a new standard for prepress workflow automation with rock-solid quality control, and WebCenter, Esko’s unique and powerful web-based platform that manages the entire packaging and label project life cycle, including specifications and approvals.

The latest release of Esko Software Suite adds flexibility for the user by enabling popular software editors like Studio and DeskPack to be used in subscription mode in monthly or yearly programs. The increasing demand for hosted applications is supported with the availability of WebCenter as a fully hosted solution.

Celebrating 20 years of digital flexo excellence

Also on show is Esko’s portfolio of digital flexo platemaking solutions. The flexo plate imagers integrated with software, services, know-how and industry partner connections cover the widest range of digital flexo printing applications. “High quality printing requires high quality prepress and digital flexo plates,” comments Thomas Klein, VP Hardware Business at Esko. “We are delighted to celebrate two decades of the popular Cyrel Digital Imager (CDI), which continues to be the world’s leading standard for digital flexo plate imaging. By extending the CDI with Esko HD Flexo and Full HD Flexo technology, flexo print quality has stepped up to previously unseen quality levels comparable to gravure and offset. Flexo print today delivers customers high quality results for labels, flexible packaging, corrugated boxes and more.”

Trusted advisor for label and packaging converters

“Esko experts will be on hand to act as trusted advisors, listen to visitors, understand their business needs and recommend solutions from Esko and its partners,” Gougay adds. He points out that a broad range of Esko’s press, plate and software partners will also exhibit, providing the perfect opportunity for attendees to understand the benefits of an integrated workflow. Esko’s partners at Labelexpo Europe 2015 include – amongst others – press manufacturers Gallus, Nuova Gidue, HP Indigo, Mark Andy and Nilpeter; plate vendors Dantex, DuPont, Flint, Fujifilm and MacDermid; and software partners CERM and Chili Publish.

“Labelexpo Europe 2015 is shaping up to be once again a fabulous show. We look forward to a fun and productive event guaranteed to deliver Results that Make You Smile!” Gougay concludes.

Chili Publish sets out sizzling labels and packages at Labelexpo Europe 2015

Real-World 3D view leads the list of features to transform design and production for packaging and labels 

Chili Publish will be showcasing the Chili Publisher online editor at Labelexpo Europe 2015, the world's largest event for the label and package printing industry, taking place 29 September – 2 October at the Brussels Expo. From Stand 4C65, Chili Publish will demonstrate how their technology can be integrated into any label or packaging workflow to give printers, converters, brand owners, and designers a powerful resource that transforms how labels and packaging are designed and produced.

This marks Chili Publish’s second year at Labelexpo Europe, reflecting the company’s commitment to fulfilling a critical need in this changing market. Chili Publish Chief Operating Officer Bram Verniest says, “When brand owners want to enhance sales, they often start with labels and packaging, demanding creative designs and innovative ideas that will generate maximum shelf-appeal. The features included in Chili Publisher enable everyone involved in the process to meet that demand. It gives designers an excellent resource for creating impactful designs, while offering non-designers the tools to easily create and adapt their own labels and stay within brand and output guidelines. Best of all, the 3D viewing capability in Chili Publisher gives users a real-world view on how the label will look on the shelf – a view that is critical to ensuring the type of shelf-appeal brand owners demand.”

In addition to the powerful design and editing functionality, Chili Publisher also includes features that lets users achieve cost savings on artwork creation and experience an increased speed to market. For example, the Alternate Layouts feature allows for a single set of design elements to be reused in different layouts, so designers are able to create and offer a wider number of versions and generate more specific, targeted campaigns. The 3D view gives users also the ability to see a real-world view of the impact of text changes before the label or package goes into production, resulting in shorter approval and review cycles.

At Labelexpo Europe 2015, Chili Publish will be providing demonstrations and real-world examples of how these features have enabled label and packaging producers to succeed. In addition, Chili Publish technology can also be found in the solutions offered by their partners, including Esko (Stand: 4C20), CERM (Stand: 6A42), and Xeikon (Stand: 9C50/ 9B50/ 9C60).

Chili Publish is a software company focused on the development and deployment of Chili Publisher, a powerful online editing solution. Chili Publisher can be seamlessly integrated into third-party workflows and production platforms, including Flash and HTML 5, to provide a wide range of customizable, easy-to-use browser-based editing functions. The software is sold through direct and value-added partner channels, with an expanding network of international representatives. Chili Publish was established in 2010 and has its headquarters near Brussels, Belgium.

Asahi Photoproducts appoints new UK Branch Manager

Paul Chant tasked with continued growth and expansion within the UK flexographic market 

Asahi Photoproducts, a pioneer in flexographic photopolymer plate development, today announced the appointment of Mr. Paul Chant as UK Branch Manager.

Chant joins the business at a time when Asahi Photoproducts is experiencing growth and expansion within the UK Flexographic market. He brings 28 years of experience from within the industry, having worked in the label, flexible packaging and reprographic sectors at senior manager and director levels. Chant previously worked for Asahi in a technical sales support role and now rejoins the company with responsibility for the entire UK business.

Chant comments, “I am delighted to be back with the company at such an exciting time. It is clear that recent appointments to the UK-based technical support team have really strengthened the business unit and have played a major role in recent growth and success. The A.Q.U.A. service is a clear differentiator, and combined with market leading products, places Asahi in a very strong position for future success. I am looking forward to further developing our relationships with both new and existing clients.”

The A.Q.U.A. (Asahi Quality Universal Assurance) service was launched in 2014 and is a critical element of Asahi’s market-leading technical support. Asahi’s enthusiastic team of experienced technical support staff works on site in close cooperation with printers, collecting valuable print characteristic data through quality audits ensuring optimum plate performance and stability as well as effective maintenance of equipment.

“We are delighted to have Paul back in the fold,” says Akiro Kato, Managing Director of Asahi Photoproducts Europe. “He brings with him an exceptional level of industry knowledge and expertise that will serve both us and our clients extremely well. He is a welcome addition to the team.”

Flexo Concepts names RR Print exclusive TruPoint Doctor Blade distributor in Scandinavia

Flexo Concepts announced that Danish company RR Print A/S has been named the exclusive distributor of TruPoint doctor blade products in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. RR Print first became interested in TruPoint blades at Labelexpo Europe 2013 when Flexo Concepts tweeted about its newest blade innovation, TruPoint Orange.

The terms of the agreement outline exclusive distribution rights to sell TruPoint blades in the narrow web, wide web, envelope, offset and coating & laminating markets. The company will also sell into the corrugated market in the region.

RR Print is a privately-owned company that represents a range of consumer goods and technical equipment manufacturers in the Scandinavian graphic industry. Products include paints, detergents and dampening solution for track cleaning systems, static control and complete post-press solutions. The company recently diversified into the narrow web sector, adding doctor blades, inks, varnishes and washes for the label market.

New brand Identity Underscores Heidelberg’s Strategic Reorientation

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is associated with the printing industry like no other company in the sector. For generations, the company has shaped the industry to make a success of printed communication in all its different forms. To maintain its position as the most reliable partner in the printing industry, Heidelberg has undergone extensive strategic development and systematically adapted its portfolio to today’s and tomorrow’s customer needs and requirements.  The company is underlining this reorientation with the launch of a new brand identity.

This development at Heidelberg will help customers remain successful in a changing market environment – to ensure lasting profitability, customers need a comprehensive and tailored package of services geared toward effective and reliable production processes, the right equipment for cost-effective investment, and exceptionally easy access to all tried and tested consumables.

The new brand identity reinforces the customer benefits that Heidelberg is offering through its all-inclusive portfolio of digital and offset printing, workflows, consumables, and services. The focus is no longer simply on equipment, but on the integrated overall process and all the requisite components. 

New brand identity reinforces integrated end-to-end processes

The Heidelberg portfolio is based on three pillars – Services, Equipment, and Consumables. Each of these three areas of customer contact is being given its own color-coded identity – yellow for services, blue for equipment, and green for consumables. These colors are also used in the initial letter of the redesigned company logo. The new colors maintain a connection with the traditional Heidelberg blue, a symbol of the company’s competence, its unique global network, and all its staff. The first letter of Heidelberg will also be used as a brand icon alongside the new logo.

Another level of design – thematic icons 

As another new design element, Heidelberg will be using thematic icons to highlight the specific benefits for customers. As a result, communication will no longer focus on technical features and functions. Instead, Heidelberg will put customer benefits center stage in all its communication to make it easier for customers to find what they need in complex scenarios. It’s all about making things simpler, quicker, and less complicated.

Image 6: An example for thematic icons. In future, Heidelberg will be using this icon to represent the following customer benefit: Ensuring maximum availability for a print shop’s production equipment is crucial to its success in business. By delivering quick access to services, expert knowledge, original parts, and consumables at all times, Heidelberg helps its customers achieve significant improvements in planning their own production and portfolio.

How? With more than 3,000 specialists in 170 countries, Heidelberg boasts the largest service network in the entire industry. An intelligent knowledge management system is in place so that the right know-how is always available wherever it is needed. What’s more, with four logistics centers around the world, the logistics system is equipped to dispatch almost all service parts within 24 hours.

In line with this new principle, these icons will be used to provide new levels of structure in the company’s communication and thus help customers orient themselves. 

Brand identity unveiled at opening for new demo center

Visitors got a sneak preview of the new Heidelberg brand identity during the inauguration of the Print Media Center Commercial (PMC Commercial) at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site at the beginning of June. Over 500 customers came from all over the world to mark the opening of the PMC Commercial, which covers an area totaling over 4,700 square meters. The visitors were treated to practical demonstrations of integrated print production with a constant focus on customer benefits. The centerpiece of the PMC Commercial is an innovative presentation platform that uses interactive media to illustrate the aspects of workflow, consumables, and services and highlight their role in the overall process from the customer’s perspective when it comes to delivering high-quality, stable production.

Together with the Print Media Center Packaging, Wiesloch-Walldorf can now lay claim to the world’s largest demonstration center for commercial and packaging printing in the industry.

Run-up to drupa 2016 begins

Launching the new Heidelberg brand identity at the inauguration of the PMC Commercial also marked the start of its global roll-out. By the time the drupa trade show is held from May 31 to June 10, 2016, in Düsseldorf, the new branding will have been introduced and implemented worldwide. Particular emphasis will be placed on any international adaptations required for the realignment, as market and customer focus are key here. In the past, innovative technologies may have been enough to ensure future success, but now this depends much more on solutions designed to meet specific customer requirements.

Appleton Coated announces sales partnership with New Leaf Paper for Reincarnation Coated Paper Line

Appleton Coated has entered into an agreement with New Leaf Paper to market and sell Reincarnation, a coated paper line made from 100% post-consumer recovered fiber (PCRF).

Darin Dodd, Appleton Coated’s vice president commercial sales, explains, “Appleton Coated has been manufacturing Reincarnation for our customer New Leaf Paper (NLP) for over three years. Our two companies felt that the combined strength of our sales teams and merchant relationships made for a natural fit.” Dodd continues, “Reincarnation is the industry-leading sustainable coated paper. The fact that we can sell it in addition to making it really adds value and choice to our offering of sustainable papers.” 

New Leaf Paper CEO Joe Fanelli comments, “We are very pleased. We have a great relationship with Appleton Coated that now extends into a sales partnership on our Reincarnation brand – this will benefit all brand-owners, printers, and creatives looking for the most sustainable choice in coated papers.” 

Made in the USA at Appleton Coated’s mill, New Leaf Reincarnation is the paper of choice for some of North America’s leading environmentally-aware brands. It is 100% PCRF coated paper with all fiber sourced within 100 miles of our mill, further reducing its environmental impact. It offers Forest Stewardship Council certification. It is process chlorine free, pH neutral and archival. It is Lacey Act compliant, and 100% of the electricity used to manufacture it is offset with Green-e certified renewable energy certificates (RECS). With 93 (GE) brightness and state-of-the-art coating technology it is the perfect combination of high quality, consistency, and sustainability. Reincarnation is offered in Matte, Dull, and Gloss finishes in a wide range of text and cover basis weights.

Converflex 2015: positive feedback on the trade fair appearance of BST eltromat

Considerable interest in the product portfolio of BST eltromat at the Converflex 2015 in Milan: the provider of all-embracing quality assurance and product optimisation draws a very positive conclusion on their appearance at the international trade fair for processing, packaging printing and labelling that was held at Milan from 19 to 23 May 2015. The newly developed and further advanced appliance generations of BST eltromat catered for great interest at the fair stand. In particular, the live demonstration of the print monitoring and 100% inspection systems attracted the visitors’ attention.

For more than 30 years, the Converflex fair has been regarded as international platform for the packaging printing, processing, labelling and tissue industry. This year, the BST eltromat group - together with its brands BST ProControl and AccuWeb - attended the Converflex fair to present the most comprehensive product range for quality assurance currently available on the market - and this was also noticed by the visitors. Many visitors to the BST eltromat fair stand took the opportunity to catch up on the most recent technologies used in the optimisation of manufacturing processes.

Thus, the final statement of Paolo Tamburrini, Managing Director of BST eltromat Italia, on the results of the trade fair is highly positive: "We are very satisfied with our presence at this year's Converflex, regarding both the quantity and the quality of the visits of our stand. Many fair visitors were impressed by the fact that - contrary to our competitors - we presented a particularly high number of systems and solutions. On this basis, the very interesting discussions at our fair stand mainly focussed on our extended product portfolio."

Amongst others, the area of surface inspection - and particularly the IPQ check surface for 100% quality control during production and for support of subsequent processes - created great interest. The visitors especially liked the print monitoring and 100% inspection systems from BST eltromat that were installed on two winders for live demonstration. The solutions from BST ProControl for surface inspection and layer thickness measurement also received exceptionally positive feedback. Finally, at the end of this year's Converflex, everybody agreed that the trade fair appearance of the BST eltromat group had been one of the most successful appearances for several years.

Erhardt+Leimer and AVT join hands to provide wider range of integrated automation solutions

AVT acquires Erhardt+Leimer’s print inspection products; E+L and AVT to offer both Helios and NyScan solutions to both companies’ customers

Erhardt+Leimer, a leader in system solutions and process control equipment to web-based industries and AVT (Advanced Vision Technology), a leader in print inspection, print process control, and quality assurance, have announced signing and closing of the Alliance agreement between the two companies that will broaden product portfolios and strengthen services for customers of both companies, including end users and OEMs, through solutions born of the two companies’ combined experience and technological skills.  

As announced by the two companies last month, in a first step AVT will acquire E+L’s automatic print inspection solutions and will assume the responsibility to develop and manage these solutions for both companies’ customers in the Label and Packaging applications, including the corrugated segment. In return E+L will be entitled to future earn outs and a cash payment as per the set terms. As part of the agreement, Dr. Michael Proeller, E+L’s CEO, will be appointed Chairman of AVT’s Advisory Board and serves as an observer on AVT’s Board of Directors. 

The agreement makes AVT the official inspection and press control provider for E+L, including both current products and ongoing product developments in the printing sector. In the label market, AVT and E+L will continue to offer both Helios and Nyscan platforms and support them. In the future, AVT intends to merge the capabilities of these two platforms and offer both Nyscan and Helios customers an upgrade path to this integrated platform for optimal protection of their initial investment.

Being an integration specialist, E+L is the ideal partner for the realization of complex automation and inspection solutions. Each company will then offer solutions from both AVT and E+L to all customers. 

Combined Technological Expertise Benefits Customers & OEMs

One major achievement of this strategic alliance will be the level of technological know-how it unites. E+L’s expertise in web, press and vision systems combined with AVT’s inspection, press control and workflow management capabilities will enable the companies to offer unsurpassed end-to-end quality control solutions.  The new joint portfolio includes comprehensive solutions such as:  

• Label & Narrow Web Inspection: E+L’s NYSCAN and AVT’s Helios platforms will be enhanced through combined support expertise and the increased potential for joint innovation.
• Vision & Viewing: The alliance leverages E+L’s view/vision technologies to enhance both view and inspection solutions and capabilities. 
• Comprehensive End-to-end: The alliance creates a one-stop-shop for total quality assurance and process control solutions, from web guides and vision systems through press control and automation.
• Corrugated: The alliance instantly becomes a leading supplier and innovator for the corrugated industry’s fast-developing quality control needs.  Existing products for corrugated printing will be further enhanced, and plans are in the works to introduce several additional offerings.

Many of the advantages to which customers will be privy also will be enjoyed by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that partner with either AVT or E+L. OEMs will benefit from the one-stop-shop created by the alliance, providing everything from web guides, measurement systems and viewers to press control solutions, workflow management set-ups and automation.

“Now that the agreement is signed we are eager to start working together, combining the skills and technological assets of both companies to bring even better solutions to our customers,” said Jaron Lotan, CEO of AVT.     

Dr. Michael Proeller, CEO of E+L: “This partnership stems from decades of mutual respect between our two companies, including each other’s products, technology and personnel.  Our combined strengths will be unparalleled in the industry, with our current and future worldwide customers enjoying a variety of benefits.” 

Headquartered in Hod-Hasharon, Israel with sales, marketing, and support offices in the United States, Europe and China, AVT is the global leader in print process control, quality assurance, and press control for the packaging, labels, and commercial print industries. Backed by state-of-the-art technology and field-proven solutions, more than 7,000 AVT systems are installed at customer sites worldwide. 

Headquartered in Augsburg, Germany with factories and subsidiaries all over Europe, the US, Canada, Brazil, India, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan, E+L is the worldwide leading company in web guiding, web viewing and web tension control. E+L sells averagely 15000 of these systems annually through its extensive international network and is the undisputed market leader in this field.

EFI celebrates 10 years of strong commitment to industrial inkjet providers

EFI is marking the 10-year anniversary of its acquisition of Vutek, a pioneering developer of superwide-format industrial inkjet technologies. The landmark deal, completed on June 3, 2005, moved EFI from focusing only on digital production and print MIS workflows into the industrial inkjet space – an industry segment that continues to be one of the best-performing parts of the global graphic arts and printing market.

When EFI first announced its plans to acquire Vutek, EFI CEO Guy Gecht praised the Meredith, New Hampshire (U.S.A.), company as “the best acquisition to enter the market,” adding that “its UV applications bring interesting advantages to our customers.”

“Ten years later, the significant success we have seen with our Vutek, Jetrion and Cretaprint products definitely validates our decision to enter the industrial inkjet market,” Gecht said today.

“I’m tremendously proud, looking at our accomplishments over the past decade, of the innovation that EFI has brought to industrial inkjet and the success of our customers across the world,” said Scott Schinlever, who joined EFI as part of the Vutek acquisition and is now SVP/GM of EFI Inkjet Solutions. “Ten years later, when I look at the team, road map and market expectations, I can only conclude that the best is yet to come.”

Today, EFI’s robust inkjet portfolio has expanded beyond Vutek superwide-format printers to include Jetrion label and packaging printers, wide-format printers, inks and Cretaprint ceramic tile printers.

EFI is a worldwide provider of products, technology, and services leading the transformation of analogue to digital imaging. Based in Silicon Valley, with offices around the globe, the company's powerful integrated product portfolio includes digital front-end servers; superwide, wide-format, label, and ceramic inkjet presses and inks; production workflow, web to print, and business automation software; and office, enterprise, and mobile cloud solutions. These products allow users to produce, communicate, and share information in an easy and effective way, and enable businesses to increase their profits, productivity, and efficiency.

A Third MPS Press for Pragati Pack

MPS recently announced that Pragati Pack, based in Hyderabad, India, has invested in their third MPS press for printing pressure-sensitive labels. Ordered was a new 8-color MPS EB 370mm flexo press through the MPS Indian agent Genius Flexo Machinery, with installation planned for September 2015.

Pragati Pack, MPS and Genius Flexo Machinery signed the contract during an official signing ceremony held in the presence of the Dutch government delegation on June 5 in New Delhi. Present for the Pragati Pack signing ceremony was Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, accompanied by Lilianne Ploumen, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, and Sharon Dijksma, State Secretary of Economic Affairs.

The MPS EB flexo press features a modular design with self-evident high print quality, predictable and reliable productivity, and operator-friendly press operation. Available with a material width of 370mm and a configuration of up to 10 print stations, the EB press is an ideal solution for the printing and converting of self-adhesive labels in both short and long label print runs.

In 2006, Pragati Pack bought its first MPS 8-color 410mm press with a full UV-curing machine, online cold-foil, lamination and die-cutting options when it started its flexo division. The company invested in another MPS 8-color 330mm flexo press with automated print control (APC) on the print pressure settings in 2012. Running the presses in two shifts of eight hours each, six days a week, Pragati prints an average of 110 jobs on its two existing MPS presses.

Hemanth Paruchuri, Pragati Pack director, said: “We were stretching lead time with the existing machinery so we opted for another press. Advantages of MPS technology include consistent waste independent of the substrate used, consistent dot gain on the press and short changeover time, which is very critical for profitability of a business.”

Erik Blomjous, MPS regional director for the Asia-Pacific region comments: “It was an honour to have representation once again from the Dutch government during a customer signing ceremony, as in the trade mission in Japan and Korea last October and November where four MPS press contracts were signed. Genius Flexo Machinery was very instrumental in arranging the ceremony and leading Pragati Pack’s third MPS flexo press investment.”

Established in 1962, with headquarters in Hyderabad and offices across India, Pragati offers high-quality print services to customers in India and world-wide. Pragati Pack is a fully owned subsidiary of Pragati Offset. Pragati is the most highly awarded printing company in India, winning the prestigious SAPPI International Printer of the Year thrice (in 2006, 2008 & 2010) and also a multiple winner of the coveted WorldStar Packaging Awards. From coffee-table books to brochures and calendars, high-quality paperboard cartons to luxury rigid boxes, and from flexographic labels to shrink-sleeves, Pragati covers the full gamut of high-end print requirements. Pragati customers include some of the top corporates and design houses in India and abroad.

With a tag line that reads >>MPS - Operator Focused, Results Driven<< MPS is a worldwide, well-known and high-quality brand of flexo and offset press solutions for label and flexible packaging printers. By providing extensive knowledge and world-class service to enhance the printing process, MPS helps customers excel. MPS has a team of experts when it comes to knowledge of the printing process and desired results in label and flexible packaging print runs. We share and apply our expertise every day, and can offer a specific solution for every customer.

Jindal Films strengthens its innovation capabilities to accelerate growth

Jindal Films, the world’s largest BOPP & BOPET company announced its innovation capability additions in Europe (Virton, BE) and North America (La Grange, GA). The two complementary locations will house state-of- the-art testing laboratories for exhaustive film characterization, and will be uniquely equipped to simulate customer conditions on packaging, printing and labeling machines. A brand new highly flexible Orientation Pilot Line will be centrally installed in Virton to better serve their new developments globally, have quick access to new film prototypes and accelerate new films ready to market. This impressive hardware capability will be combined with a highly skilled international team of scientists, engineers, and technicians who master all fields of expertise from polymer & coating science, down to processes and field applications. 

“This is a big step and great way to celebrate more than 40 years of continuous leadership in innovation”, said Pascale Wautelet, Global Technology Director. “We have embodied innovation with new products that have changed the flexible packaging and label industry, and established the company as the innovation leader in the market place. This new global footprint will give us access to breakthrough technology and support our aggressive growth plans.”

Scott Van Winter, EVP Americas, stated: “This underscores our long standing commitment to providing customers with next generation technologies. Our focus is on leveraging our global scale to deliver local advantages for our customers”.

Paul Griffith, EVP Europe and Asia, added that “our customers expect rapid innovation and this new complementary global set up will enable us to solve more challenging packaging problems and deliver solutions in a faster time-to-market”. 

Work will commence immediately and is planned to be fully commissioned by July 2016.

Wishing all Happy Maharashtra Day..

New Kodak Prinergy Workflow 7 protects print service provider margins

In response to its customers’ most pressing challenges, which include the need to reduce inefficiencies and enhance printing quality, Kodak is delivering Prinergy Workflow 7, the latest advancement of the company’s workflow automation software. All of the enhancements to Prinergy Workflow 7 protect the profit margins of today’s print service providers, including new features that limit human error, improve time to press, and enable faster and more informed decisions that are critical for keeping margins healthy.

Prinergy Workflow  increases the level of automation in every core function of the printing process – job creation, collaboration, file processing, trapping, proofing, imposition and color management, enabling printers to better compete in today’s changing print environment. Kodak’s workflow automation software also delivers the flexibility to integrate with current, future and third-party technology, allowing customers to grow their workflow system alongside their business.

Demand driven improvements to Kodak Prinergy Workflow 7

• callas Preflight Profile Integration – Preflight+ allows the integration of callas preflight profiles for improved quality control and reduced manual touch points.
• Layered PDF Versioning Enhancements – Improved error detection and better control over multiple layers of files making versioned printing more flexible, reliable and repeatable than ever.
• Digital Printing Enhancements - Centralized control over digital and conventional presses and equipment to deliver efficient, automated production of all job sizes to a fleet of Kodak and third-party digital presses and computer-to-plate (CTP) devices. Kodak is leveraging these digital printing enhancements to enable an advanced level of automation and management of production presses. These new capabilities make it possible for Prinergy Workflow 7 to control job ticketing parameters both manually and through Rules Based Automation (RBA) of multiple devices while monitoring and reporting the status of each alongside CTP devices and proofers.

“Kodak’s strength is in research and development,” said Jeff Clarke, chief executive officer, Eastman Kodak Company. “We listened to our customers when they told us that high-quality printing is not enough in today’s printing industry, they needed to further increase their advantage over their competitors. To address those needs we leveraged our software engineering expertise to create Prinergy Workflow 7.  Workflow software is a driver of efficiency and productivity and Prinergy Workflow 7 takes those to new heights and enables our customers to better compete in a challenging marketplace.”

“Preflight+ is a great addition to Kodak Prinergy Workflow 7 for our company,” said Michael Clarke, process analyst, Dupli Envelope and Graphics, Inc. “We had been looking for a preflight solution that would highlight issue areas of problem files. We have used other vendor solutions, but none would provide the highlight function. Our team is looking forward to putting together a new preflight process to enable quick and effortless preflights of customer artwork. The fact that Rules Based Automation (RBA) can be set up to provide the reports automatically is just icing on the cake.”

“We are proud to incorporate our PDF technology into Prinergy Workflow, one of the industry’s most popular workflow products,” said Dietrich von Seggern, business development manager, callas software. "Our goal has always been to develop technology that is reliable, innovative and flexible, all key requirements for automation. We believe that the combination of a versatile client server system, Prinergy Workflow and our pdfToolbox technology will be the right answer for many customers.”

To learn more about the additional features and benefits of Kodak Prinergy Workflow 7 visit www.kodak.com/go/prinergy.

Neenah launches luxury packaging website, offers premium paper samples

Neenah Paper announces the launch of its new website, neenahpackaging.com. The site, now live, is intended as a creative and specification resource for brand managers, designers, printers and converters who are responsible for luxe packaging and label design for premium and craft brands. With the launch, Neenah offers premium paper samples for customers.

Neenah Packaging makes it easier for marketers to see and experience the difference that premium papers, boards and labels can make to help create an immediate connection with customers through their branding and packaging. The website features a photo-rich inspiration gallery with dozens of real-world brands and package design examples organized by industry - cosmetics and fragrances; wine, spirits & raft beer; consumer electronics; and retail - as well as by application.

Users are invited to experience firsthand Neenah’s hundreds of fashion-forward paper colors and unique, high-touch textures and finishes with an intuitive online preview of paper options and the ability to order paper samples on the spot for bags, box wraps, gift cards and gift card carriers, hang tags, labels, folding board and fragrance strips. With double-digit growth expected in digital packaging applications over the next 10 years, Neenah presents options for all leading on-demand equipment.

While the site may be new, Neenah is not new to the world of packaging and has partnered with many market leaders. “Leading premium and luxury brands have been using our papers to create powerful brand experiences and to deepen their customer connections with brand integrity and consistency for more than 140 years,” says Mark Sng, Director of Marketing, Neenah Packaging. “Today, their needs are more nuanced. With studies showing that a product has perhaps 4 seconds to capture a customer’s attention, they seek unique colors and high touch textures to help deliver the ultimate brand experience,” he said, “that’s where Neenah excels.”

Neenah is committed to using technology to provide users with tools that make it easier to find the right paper for the right application. “The new website is Neenah’s commitment to premium packaging made visible, and underlines our strategic mission to create value for our partners by improving the image and performance of everything we touch,” said Sng. “We are offering premium paper samples to encourage customers to experiment and to provide them with complete confidence in Neenah quality and performance.”

Michelman celebrates grand opening of Michelman India

On April 28, 2015, Michelman India celebrated the grand opening of its new Business and Technology Centre in Mumbai. As a result of its recent acquisition of long-time sales and service partner, Supack International P/L, Michelman India now offers a business center, laboratory, and an experienced team of sales, technical service and business operations personnel. The facility’s laboratory has been equipped with several industry accepted product testing capabilities for packaging, printing, and coating applications.

Michelman India is dedicated to the development of the Indian market, with an immediate focus on the growing printing and packaging sector. The company also has expansion plans to service other coatings and manufacturing industries that Michelman supports worldwide.

Broad Interest for MPS Flexo Presses at Label Summit Latin America

MPS reports a record attendance in the MPS stand during Label Summit Latin America held April 21-22 in Mexico City’s World Trade Center. Visitors were attracted to the stand to learn more about the recently launched MPS EB flexo press and features of the EF multi-substrate press, in addition to the launch of manufacturing MPS presses in the USA. The two-day conference and table-top exhibition is the largest gathering for the label and package printing industry in Latin America.

MPS has a leading and well-established presence in Mexico, and welcomed many of its successful customers in the stand. MPS director Eric Hoendervangers represented the MPS management team at the summit, and was joined by MPS Latin America Inc. and agent ProFlexo International Inc., who provide local MPS sales and service throughout Latin America. Presented was the EB press, a cost-effective alternative in flexo printing, featuring a solid machine construction with self-evident high print quality, predictable and reliable productivity, and an operator-friendly press operation. The EB press is a solution for companies starting out in label production and established printers wishing to expand their label production with a cost-effective label press.

Also featured was the MPS EF flexo press, a high-quality and highly automated multi-substrate flexo press, especially designed for label production and flexible packaging printing on a variety of substrates including thin film, paper, cartonboard, shrink sleeves, in-mold, tube laminate and flexible packaging. The EF is MPS’s flagship press, offering a choice of either plate rolls or print sleeves, providing the ultimate in flexibility and maximizing press performance, thanks to its ease of operation and reliability.

“Label Summit Latin America 2015 was very successful for MPS,” said Hoendervangers. “The number of visitors exceeded the previous summit with double digits. Printers and converters were impressed by the solutions MPS offers with both the EF and EB press lines. The new EB press is seen as a game changer for the Mexican label printing industry, because of its cost-effectiveness for short and long label print runs.”

MPS agent ProFlexo International Inc. recently joined the Mexican label association Ametiq AC. Fernando de la Cueva, area sales manager for ProFlexo Mexico, was invited to hand out a prominent award during the first edition of the Latin American Label Awards, organized by Ametiq. Jaime Dagnino, Regional Director for MPS Latin America said: “We are proud to have participated in the first edition of the Latin American Label Awards. We look forward to continued support of Ametiq and our customers in Latin America.”