Shelf Space: Lots to See at Labelexpo

The bump factor at Labelexpo was high, with more than 16,000 visitors to bump up against while making one’s way around the show floor. The booths were busy and there was a definite vibe of enthusiasm throughout the halls. Here’s a quick look at some of what I saw.

Nilpeter showed off its state-of-the-art FB-3 flexo press, replete with a proprietary cleaning system, quick-release anilox rollers and a quick-change die unit, all tailored to support lean printing environments.

Not to be outdone, Nuova Gidue rolled out its new M5, with features directly targeting some of the efficiencies claimed by digital press vendors. The M5 offers extensive automation, one-minute changeover times and is claimed to limit waste to as little as 33 feet of material.

Mark Andy drew converters eager to see the company’s new Digital Series which integrates an array of inkjet heads on a Performance Series press. In developing the system, Mark Andy brought in engineers whose work at other suppliers gave them intimate familiarity with the subtleties of spraying ink on a fast-moving substrate. The flexibility this system offers for flexo, digital and hybrid printing is a clear glimpse of the future. We’re sure to see more presses like this.

On the digital side, HP focused on its continuous-feed presses, rolling out the new WS6800 and the 30-inch-wide Indigo 20000. Both are capable of putting down up to seven colors, with throughput speeds varying with the number of colors required. Claiming its presses offer the most versatility of all the digital press offerings, HP showed off dozens of examples of what its machines offer, including various levels of customization for Coke and other firms, and how digitally printed labels and packaging can be entry points for customer interaction via mobile devices.

EFI drew a lot of eyeballs to its highly modular Jetrion 4950 LX, which can run a 13” web at up to 157 feet per minute and be configured as needed, both initially and in the field, with modules for white ink, UV LED curing, varnishing and lamination, and laser diecutting.

Xeikon’s new Cheetah press, based on the company’s 3500 model, runs at 98 feet per minute. It uses a new version of the company’s low fusing temperature ICE toner and is presently configured for a 13-inch web. However, as someone who has been looking at Xeikons for 20 years, one look at the frame of the machine tells me that a 20-inch version will come next, along with more speed.

Reaching out to a different market segment are the Komori NW140-E and NW210-E narrow web presses (powered by JetINX technology from INX) that print CMYK plus white on 5.5- to 8.25-inch labels at 80 feet per minute and feature inline laser diecutting and UV LED curing in a single compact system.

A visit with Avery Dennison showed off everything the company is doing, from color labels for tires, to an abundance of thin-film PS label stocks to techniques for environmentally responsible recycling of plastic containers such as water and soda bottles.

Dow Corning took me on a dive into the chemistry behind its Syl-Off coatings. I can’t even begin to explain the science, but if you need labels that reliably release from their liners, this coating may be one you want to consider.

The many conference sessions were also well attended and the show-floor Package Printing Workshop sessions presented by Delta Industrial and Xeikon were packed with label converters looking for new ways to diversify and grow their business.

This was a great show and there was much more, but those are stories for another day. pP

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