Rapid Developments in Smart Technology/RFID Tackled at Labelexpo Americas

Q: How will this year’s Labelexpo compare with previous shows?
A: The show will be bigger than Labelexpo Americas 2004, with more exhibitor space and more companies showcasing their product innovations. There is a great deal of renewed optimism in the American label market with converters and suppliers experiencing good growth rates during the last six months. With the market growing annually at a rate of five to six percent, the show provides an ideal platform for converters to learn about the latest developments affecting the future of the industry. The show forms an important part of many converters’ investment plans, with many converters making long-term purchasing decisions at the show. This year we will build on the success of our previous Americas show, which attracted nearly 13,000 visitors from around the world, with large delegations from Brazil, Central America, Mexico, Japan, China, and Australia.

We will, of course, continue to deliver a high-quality show, which is a key part of the leading Labelexpo Global Series of events. The shows and summits are well recognized across the world for their quality and expertise in the label industry. Labelexpo Americas 2006 provides a unique platform for senior industry representatives and brand owners to meet under one roof, do business with leading global players, network with their peers, and learn about the latest developments and their short-term and long-term impact on the industry.

Q: What can attendees expect from this year’s various conferences?
A: We have an exciting and extensive three-day conference program, which has attracted prestigious speakers from some of the leading organizations in the industry. There will be more than 20 conference sessions with the overall theme highlighting the ever-changing nature of the label industry and the marketplace. “Managing Risk in the 21st Century” is the overarching theme of the TLMI-sponsored conference program.

The keynote speaker, Karim Rashid, a New York-based internationally renowned designer, will discuss packaging and label design for today’s consumer society on the opening day of the conference.

We know from the summits we run all over the world that we have a great conference format. For the first time at a show, we will be running several converter panels. These will be made up of leading international converters and will be highly interactive. Delegates will get to ask open questions and hear practical advice from their industry peers about how to tackle many of the challenges facing the industry.

Delegates attending this conference will get to hear about state-of-the-art technologies and their short- and long-term impact on label production. They will also get insights and tips from leading experts on how to improve their margins as well as learn ways to combat the ever-evolving and increasingly sophisticated global crime of counterfeiting.

The conference agenda includes a full range of inspiring and informative presentations from the best experts in the world that will help label businesses in almost every field to be more competitive in the global label industry.

Q: How will this year’s show prepare attendees for potential changes in the industry?
A: The show is a key platform for capturing the changes that are happening across the industry in the U.S. and the rest of the world. In particular, the show and its conference will capture the latest big issues facing the industry including pricing pressures, the consolidation of the industry, competition from overseas, and the impact of many end users relocating part or all of their manufacturing operations to emerging markets such as India and China.

The show equips converters with knowledge about the latest developments inside and outside the U.S. and also gives visitors the chance to network with their peers and set up new and long-term business partnerships. With the latest equipment, materials, and technologies on display, the industry will learn about all the solutions available to it to make businesses more cost-efficient, increase productivity, and find better ways to meet their own customers’ ever-changing needs.

Q: What special events are planned for this year’s show?
A: One event is the new converter panel session mentioned before. Another one is the prestigious Label Industry Global Awards, which will be celebrating its third anniversary at this year’s Labelexpo Americas. We’re delighted to launch a new award category this year. The new RFID Manufacturer Award will recognize achievements in this technological area. Calvin Frost, the CEO of Channeled Resources Group has been named the winner of the R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award. The other award winners will be revealed at a gala dinner on September 11, the first night of Labelexpo ^­Americas 2006.

We are also launching a new exhibition area dedicated to smart technology. The “Smart Label Zone” will be packed full of companies showcasing their smart expertise and products including, Atlantic Zeiser, KSW Microtec, Acheson, and Muehlbauer. Avery Dennison (sponsor of the Zone) will demonstrate the latest RFID inlays for supply chain, asset tracking, and item-level tag applications.

Q: What are some of the highlights of this year’s show?
A: The conference, with its high-profile speakers, will enable delegates to learn how to improve their label businesses by listening to innovative ideas and practical advice from global experts. The developments in smart/RFID label technology will be a key focus this year, with many specialists exhibiting as well as experts taking center stage at the conference. Senior RFID and smart professionals from EPC global, Avery Dennison, UPM Raflatac, George Schmitt & Co., and more, will be sharing their insights with delegates at the conference.

The converter panel is also new for this year and we’re very excited to have leading international converters from the UK, Europe, Mexico, and the U.S. participating.

There are some exciting developments and product launches from leading players in the industry. There will be a significant number of new digital presses showcased for the first time, as well as new materials companies showing their products.

We’re also very much looking forward to rewarding the industry for its hard work and achievements at the Label Industry Global Awards.

Q: What are the biggest obstacles facing the industry, and how will this show address them?
A: The show’s conference program addresses many of the biggest obstacles facing the industry, so there is no better place to hear suggestions on how to overcome them. Some of these issues include the sustained pressure on price, competition from overseas, sector globalization, and end-user organizations off-shoring their manufacturing plants to developing markets. Lean manufacturing also is a key focus area for label businesses that constantly aim to simplify processes while maintaining quality standards.

One of the biggest challenges facing the label industry and the sectors it services (e.g. the pharmaceutical, luxury goods, and high-value electronic goods sectors), is the growing problem of counterfeiting and the damage caused to goods through transportation. The conference program will focus on these issues through in-depth presentations that offer practical advice and tips for converters, including recent case studies presented by leading experts.

The rapid developments in RFID and smart technology are changing the face of label production. Awareness of these technologies and their capabilities is still relatively low. This is especially the case in some of the emerging markets. The Smart Label Zone and conference sessions focusing on these themes are examples of how the show will address these issues.

Converters also need to consider new ways of working and doing business in this increasingly sophisticated marketplace. Employing the right staff is fundamental to delivering a quality product to customers. These topics will all be covered on the conference program.

At the conference, delegates are afforded the opportunity to network with the leading global experts delivering these presentations as well as other industry peers to debate and discuss the biggest obstacles and together find ways of overcoming them. At the exhibition, the state-of-the-art machinery on display at Labelexpo Americas will help converters find the answers to most of their immediate and long-term commercial challenges. n