Automation Arena and 1:1 appointment program to feature at Labelexpo Americas 2018

Several never before seen features will be on offer at this year’s Labelexpo Americas, the 16th edition of the show and the region’s largest trade event for the label and package printing industry. This includes an Automation Arena, a 1:1 appointment program, and the return of the TLMI Ecovillage.



Running alongside the exhibition and making its debut – not only at Labelexpo Americas 2018 but also for the first time at a show in the region – the ground-breaking Automation Arena will showcase two automated press lines for conventional (shrink sleeve) and digital (label) production, covering job creation right through to pre-press, printing, finishing and customer invoicing. There will be three 30-minute demonstrations on the first two days of the show and a further two on the last day.

This is a unique opportunity for show attendees to experience first-hand how the future of label and package printing will evolve over the next decade, and connect with some of the companies at the forefront of this.

Shrink sleeve technology and workflow automation are also among the topics in focus at three Label Academy master classes, offered as part of the comprehensive educational program at the show. This is an unmissable opportunity for attendees to deepen their knowledge of these growing parts of the industry, which they will then be able to see in action at the Automation Arena.

Also new for this year’s show – and a first for the Labelexpo Global Series – is Labelexpo Connections, an attendee/exhibitor 1:1 appointment program, which aims to fast-track connections to new business in the label and package printing industry through opt-in meetings. Registered show attendees undergo a matching process with exhibiting companies, which then leads to a series of 1:1 business meetings at Labelexpo Americas 2018. This will enable attendees to really make the most of their time at the show by connecting with the people they want to meet to enhance their business.

Tasha Ventimiglia, Labelexpo Americas event director, commented:  “Labelexpo Americas is all about the experience, and we wanted to build on that by launching several new features at this year’s show, to ensure that it remains fresh and relevant as the industry evolves. Firstly, we know that a driving factor for people choosing to visit the show is the opportunity to network and make new business connections, so we want to help them make the most of this opportunity and plan their time efficiently through the Labelexpo Connections personalized 1:1 appointment program.

“Secondly, the Automation Arena is something we introduced at Labelexpo Europe last year and it proved such a popular experience that we are bringing it to Labelexpo Americas for the very first time. It’s a unique opportunity for attendees to view the future of the industry by experiencing a fully automated workflow process, enabling them to keep one step ahead of competitors.”

Another key feature of Labelexpo Americas 2018 will be the TLMI Ecovillage, designed to raise awareness of environmental issues in the sector and returning this year for the first time since 2012. Sponsored by Convergen Energy, Channeled Resources Group and Avery Dennison, this area of the show will be displaying the latest products tackling this important issue. To further highlight this, the waste matrix collected from the live press demonstrations over the course of the show will be brought to the TLMI Ecovillage and baled. The material will then be sent to Convergen Energy who will make the waste into fuel pellets, which have a lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels.

TLMI Ecovillage will have a speaker each day to cover topics such as the new plastics economy and how it relates to labels; a global brand talking about how a label’s impact on package recyclability plays into product stewardship; and sustainable materials management – going beyond managing waste to what’s upstream of production.

Rosalyn Bandy, TLMI’s environmental director, said: “The 2018 Ecovillage is part of TLMI’s ongoing commitment to inspire and engage the industry around topics of sustainability.  We designed it to be an educational and showcase platform. Our goal is to help label suppliers and converters to be inspired by sustainability experts who are breaking new ground in making labels a key component of reduced-impact products. We are very much looking forward to Labelexpo Americas in September.”

Ventimiglia added: “We are delighted to be partnering with TLMI for the TLMI Ecovillage area of the show, designed to raise awareness of sustainability, which is becoming such an important issue in the package printing sector. We are very much looking forward to introducing visitors to all of our new show features and giving them the best experience possible.”

Labelexpo Americas takes place from 25-27 September at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois. Spread across five exhibitions halls, well over 400 exhibitors will be taking part.