August 2003 Issue
Combination Printing Opens New Markets
A state-of-the-art facility and new printing capabilities add up to expanding business opportunities for Star Label Products. STAR LABEL PRODUCTS, a label printer located in Fairless Hills, Pa., operates with a customer-focused philosophy to provide the highest quality labels at a competitive price with a faster turnaround than its competition. Shev Okumus, president of the 30-year-old company, sums this up in more simple terms: "We bend over backwards for our customers." With customers covering a range of markets including pharmaceuticals, medical device manufacturers, food, health and beauty, and electronics, customer demands for high-quality, high-end labels and superior service are the rule rather than the
Inspector Gadgets
A well-suited web inspection system can open the door to increased production and profitability for printers. IN THE LAST 10 years, web inspection systems have come a long way. They have developed into automated machines with the ability for literal 100 percent web inspection, rendering the need for manual inspection nearly obsolete. However, the highest quality inspection systems aren't necessary for every converter, and with so many options and confusing characterizations of the newest technology, knowing what system to choose can be difficult. What to look for There are three basic requirements a web inspection system should include, said John Woolley, vice president
Optimistic Outlook
Despite a decline in folding carton sales during 2002, recent statistics show an up-swing for the folding cartons market. A PERSISTENTLY SLOW economy, accompanied by higher energy and raw materials costs, put a damper on the 2002 end-of-year earnings of many folding carton converters. But, according to the results of packagePRINTING's Top Folding Carton Converters Survey for 2002, the future is showing signs of promise. Jerome Van de Water, president of the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), reported in a February press release that, at year-end, 2002 saw a 2.5 percent decline in nominal dollars of the overall sales volume for cartons. Despite this decrease,
Proofing By the Numbers
Dunwoody College of Technology proves that matching a color proof to the press isn't purely academic. LAST FALL, DUNWOODY College of Technology instructor Pete Rivard and his students set out on a mission. Armed with a new color halftone proofer, spectrophotometers, and color management (CM) software Rivard set out to prove just how close a proof can match a press—in this case a narrow-web flexo press, running UV inks on pressure-sensitive label and paper stocks. Rivard's experiment is meaningful for a number of reasons. First, he showed that yes, it is possible to define a set of conditions under which a proof can match
Scratching a Niche
No longer limited because of price and availability, holographic substrates are going mainstream. While the idea of holograms and holographic materials have been around for years, most converters—as well as suppliers—have ignored the technology for mass market applications because it was expensive and hard to get. As interest has grown however, suppliers now realize that holography has grown from niche products, seasonal promotions, and security applications to more mainstream packaging. Once reserved only for premium packaging marketers, holographics are enabling marketers of food, consumables, and more common products to boost shelf appeal and sales. Applied Extrusion Technologies (Newark, Del.) has fully committed
