These products and companies were the most sought-after in 2002 by packagePRINTING readers. Top 10: Prepress Equipment 1. Creo—PDF-based packaging workflow Prinergy Powerpack, copydot scanning systems, film imagers, and CtP devices 2. Agfa—Workflow and color management systems including the AgfaScan XY-15 Plus, Sherpa 43 Inkjet system, and Lithostar plates 3. Kodak Polychrome Graphics—Offers Digital and conventional plates, film, and proofing and color technologies including the Kodak Approval XP unit 4. BASF—Offers Nyloflex® and Nyloprint® equipment combinations for processing photopolymer flexo and letterpress plates and sleeves 5. MacDermid—Broad range of sheet, liquid, digital, and water-wash photopolymer plates, platemaking equipment, sleeves,
Sun Chemical Corp.
Package printers are looking for as many different ink options as possible, according to this year's ink usage survey. by Sean Riley, Associate Editor If package printers decided one thing last year in terms of ink use, it is that there is no such thing as too many options. More so than in any other year, converters who responded to packagePrinting's annual ink usage survey are looking for more ink options and ink suppliers in an allout effort to create unique applications that jump out at consumers. Last year, 60 percent of respondents said they use a single supplier for all of
WITH WINTER WEATHER firmly in place, warmth is something that is on everyone's mind. Here's something that is sure to add some heat to 2004. packagePrinting has put together a collection of the hot products of 2004. In categories including prepress, presses, press accessories, substrates, and inks/adhesives, converters can get a glimpse of the latest package-printing products. Prepress Creo Creo's HyperFlex™ screening is new technology aiding in the formation of smaller dots on a photopolymer flexo plate. It provides a thicker foundation of photopolymer material that allows a smaller minimum dot size to be formed and held throughout the print process. DuPont
Numbers show that the usage of EB inks and equipment are on the rise. Now suppliers are working to get them in the spotlight. "POINTING TO THE significant operations and 'enabling' benefits of the process, suppliers of ultraviolet (UV) and electron beam (EB) technology are bullish on near-term growth prospects," says the RadTech biennial survey North American Market Update. "Survey respondents, including over 80 industry suppliers and end users, project market growth of six to nine percent each year over the next three years ... and report growth of UV- and EB-formulated product usage up over eight percent during the two-year period 2000
What products and companies were most sought-after in 2001 by packagePRINTING readers? Here's the scoop on the year's most-wanted technologies, ranked below based on responses to both editorial features and display advertising.*** TOP 10: Prepress Equipment 1. Anderson & Vreeland—Photopolymer plate processing systems, rubber plate molding presses, flexo platemaking materials, digital imaging systems and software 2. DuPont Cyrel—Photopolymer plate and prepress systems, including Cyrel FAST thermal technology 3. BASF—Nyloflex® and nyloprint® equipment combinations for processing flexo and letterpress plates and sleeves 4. MacDermid—Sheet, liquid, digital, and water-wash photopolymer plates, platemaking equipment, sleeves, and plate mounting systems for flexo printing 5. CreoScitex—PDF-based packaging
packagePRINTING went straight to its readers to explore trends in specialty, application-specific, and hybrid ink usage. by Kate Tomlinson, Assistant Editor THIS YEAR, packagePRINTING's annual ink survey spread its wings to cover more emerging usage trends. Among the findings: hybrid ink systems, while fairly new to the scene, are beginning to carve a niche for themselves. And, as printers expand their substrate capabilities, the use of application-specific inks is becoming commonplace. In addition, the tried-and-true specialty ink market continues to grow and release new products. Despite online purchasing's growth in many segments, the numbers show package printers are still fairly hesitant about this buying
Industry experts weigh in on the who, what, when, where, and why of the post-cure process. by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor THE APPARENT "chemistry mystery" occurring after a UV ink is cured significantly impacts the appearance of a finished printed product. Supplier sleuthing has led to these conclusions: WHAT is (and what isn't) post-cure? Though used throughout the industry, the term "post-cure," in many cases, is technically a misnomer. Rob Stendahl, corporate technical support supervisor for Akzo Nobel, clarifies: "Post cure only takes place with cationic UV-curable inks. The more common type of UV inks is cured through a UV-induced free radical polymerization
McCoy Packaging's "Kuleto Villa" wine label poured on enough printing charm to ace two categories and capture Best of Show honors in packagePRINTING's 15th annual Excellence Awards. by Susan Friedman, Editor If McCoy Packaging's Best of Show-winning strategy was to forge an indelible impression in the judge's minds, it succeeded, hands down. McCoy's "Kuleto Villa" wine label repeatedly stood up to its competitors in packagePRINTING's 2001 Excellence Awards, initially nabbing first place in the Labels—Flexo (Process) category, where judges singled it out as a difficult printing, diecutting, and embossing job well executed. "[This label] holds beautiful register at 175 line screen," commented judge Roy
packagePRINTING congratulates the winners of the 2000 TLMI Awards Competition, offering a special toast to Adams Label & Tag for its Best of Show-winning wine label. By Susan Friedman, Editor The 267 North American and International entries in the 2000 TLMI Awards Competition bested last year's entry draw by 33 percent—making victory even sweeter for this year's honorees. "We were glad to see the increased amount of entries," says RotoMetrics' Steve Lee, chair of the Awards Competition Committee. Quantity was up, but so was overall quality, illustrated in part by the definitive rise in multi-process label entries. "There was lots of good competition," states
Labels—Flexo (Line) First Place LSK Label Co. El Dorado Hills, CA M.G. Vallejo 750 ml Press: Gallus/Arsoma EM-280 Plates: DuPont Cyrel Anilox Rolls: Harper Dies: CompuDie Substrate: Technicote Ink: Akzo Nobel Judges' Comments: Nice combination of flexo printing with foil stamping/embossing. The sharpness of this entry's line work stood out. Second Place MPI Label Systems Stockton, CA Island Essentials Sunblock Press: Mark Andy 2200 Plates: DuPont Anilox Rolls: Harper Dies: Avis RotoDie Substrate: Fasson Ink: INX International Third Place Tape & Label Engineering St. Petersburg, FL Spring Valley Brewer's Yeast Press: Mark Andy 4150 Plates: DuPont Cyrel Dies: RotoMetrics Substrate: Green Bay Ink: Water
