Jim Flynn

Judgement Day for the Excellence Awards contest is a special day at the offices of packagePRINTING. This year's contest brought in a total of 82 awards, including 28 first-place awards and the Best of Show. packagePRINTING's 2009 Best of Show honors went to All Stick Label's (ASL, www.allsticklabel.com) "Panama Jack's French Vanilla Cream" entry.

When presented with a challenge, MPI Label Systems stepped up to the plate, impressing its customer, as well as the judges of this year’s packagePRINTING Excellence Awards.

UV inks are a great addition to the world of flexographic printing, but knowing the simple do's and don'ts will keep converters' blood pressure under control. AHHH, ULTRAVIOLET (UV) flexographic printing … it's great! The use of UV materials in general, is making the printing market a bit more rewarding for some, as long as they are used correctly in particular applications. For instance, there are different rules for medical applications than for food applications. packagePRINTING spoke with some experts in the field to find out what printers need to know to incorporate UV flexographic printing in their arsenal. You are what you eat

Before worrying about funding a UV retrofit, make sure the system fits your objectives and your press. By Susan Friedman You're a prime candidate for a UV retrofit if, like most package printers making the $100,000 investment, you run narrow-web flexo or offset, or seek one press with water-based and UV ink capabilities, say experts. It helps if the press to be enhanced is equally, if not more, retrofit-friendly than your budget. Other prerequisites include concrete system objectives and a more abstract ROI timeline. "A year ROI seems early because of the learning curve," says Mark Hahn, director of sales and marketing, AAA Press

It's quick and simple to maintain UV equipment, and the effort may make system problems easier to pinpoint. By Susan Friedman "It's the inks." "No, it's the equipment." "No, it's the inks." "No, it's the equipment." Diagnosing a UV curing problem can create a heated volley of probable causes. According to Jim Flynn, product manager, UV curing, Hanovia, initial detection of the problem is the easy part. "The usual sign that there is trouble brewing is when the UV system stops curing or you have to slow down to get a proper cure," he states. Then the going can get dicey, even with the