Ace up the sleeve

Sleeves have helped increase the sales of many major brands throughout the FMCG sector by way of a high profile promotional tool that helps products stand out on supermarket shelves. Sleeves – shrink, roll-on or stretch, and manufactured on a variety of films or paper – increase hugely the possibilities for decoration, provide additional colours and effects, and a 360-degree message.

As the market has developed the use of sleeves has expanded to include special promotional sleeves, tamper-evident sleeves and sleeves for the banding together of multi-packs, be it containers by the half dozen or special two-for-one offers. In little more than a year, new effects, such as metallics, tactile finishes featuring the feel of leather, and Braille have also been introduced.

And with shrinkage of the film by more than 70% now possible with no loss of integrity in the decoration, the trend has helped to push the development of innovative container shapes. This has captured especially the imagination of many drinks brand owners.

One of the best known examples of the use of sleeves and a pioneer is Lucozade. Christian Mueller, the divisional head of packaging development for brand owner GlaxoSmithKline, says: “Lucozade used to be a heath drink you got in hospital for a quicker recovery. Early in the 1980s it moved to an energy drink and in 1994 we had the same glass bottle with a paper sleeve, then in 2000 we used a PVC sleeve on a glass bottle, then a PVC sleeve on a PET bottle." He says annual sales soared from 150m with the introduction of the paper sleeve to the present 400m.

While sleeving began with a simple paper label rolled on to the container, the predominant method is now shrink sleeves. In this way a film is printed mostly on a gravure press, although more and more the flexo process with UV inks is being used. The film is formed into a tube, slipped over the container and applied with heat in a hot air or infrared drying tunnel or with steam to shrink the sleeve into the shape of the container.

ROSO, roll-on, shrink-on sleeves are used for aerosol cans and glass bottles and jars in which a container is rolled over a reel of film, the seam sealed by UV hot melt and the sleeve shrunk into place. This is considered a less expensive method and is used for Actimel pro-biotic products, however, ROSO has been limited by shrinkage of about 20% and therefore the complexity of containers on which it could be used. Suppliers, though, are confident the shrinkage will be increased to 45% and developments in ultrasonic and laser seal labelling could also reduce the cost.

Sleeves that are stretched on are made from film that is pre-heated, stretched then cooled, printed and formed into a tube. These sleeves are used on Perrier water bottles at 15% stretch. On the line mechanical fingers are inserted into the tube, which stretch the film, allowing the container to be inserted into the tube and the fingers then removed. This process provides 40% savings over shrink because of the elimination of glue and heat. Super stretch sleeves are becoming available at 30% deformation with high gloss and ink effects. Except for labelling large containers, experts say this method is losing ground in Europe and North America, although new equipment from Italy could halt the decline.

Shrink sleeves now represent 5% of the label market, according to the most recent figures and are set to grow by both demand from brand owners and also by the introduction of new applications. More than 1,900 million m2 of shrink sleeve labels were produced in 2005 and the best estimates according to many in the industry are for the double-digit growth of the last two years to continue in 2008 as more and more brand managers and packaging designers are won over.

Major supplier Sleever International has tripled the size of its Decosleeve specialist contract decorating and packing unit at Morangis near Paris to enhance its responsiveness to customers in the perfumes and cosmetics, wines and spirits markets.

The company has spent about £2m expanding the former 2,000m2 plant to 6,000m2, plus additional unspecified funds on new equipment. The enlarged facility offers both luxury and mass-market customers “tailor-made decorating services”, and comprises two separate manufacturing units, one devoted to liquid food goods and the other to the cosmetics and perfumery sectors.

The first, with a capacity of 300,000 necks/day, is equipped with six automatic and semi-automatic packing lines featuring Powersleeve Evolution, Powersteam and Powerskinner shrink applicators. The second, 150,000 unit/day facility, specialises in decorating and labelling products for perfumery and cosmetics manufacturers, and features Etisleeve/Etishrink and Thermosleeve equipment.

The new Decosleeve unit also offers substantial contract packing facilities, providing services including wrapping, filming, display and gift boxes, and is equipped with an ERP/SAP-managed 2,000m2 logistics area.

Chief executive officer Eric Fresnel says: “Three main axes guided us during the design of this new site: increase productivity, optimise flow management and traceability.”

Manufacturing is a key factor in being successful in the sleeves market. Niklas Olsson, global brand manager for XSYS Print Solutions, says: “Printing sleeves is like playing golf; if you know how difficult it is you probably would never try it.” He says 90% of sleeves are produced on wide web presses, but adds that if the converter has a label background, switching to sleeves on a narrow web is “quite easy” using UV flexo.

Seamus Lafferty, of machinery supplier Stanford Products, says maintaining the integrity of the seam is vital along with the need for inspection systems to check web alignment, tension and print direction to avoid poor product integrity and also to prevent distortion of the image.

The new Sleever plant has helped breathe fire into the sales of Wyborowa Polish vodka with a particularly innovative sleeve and cap. It was launched by Ricard as a new limited edition to outline the distinctive character of Polish vodka. The letter W refers both to the brand’s name and to the word, wodka, the Polish spelling of vodka. The bottle is draped in a full-length sleeve using metallic ice-blue shades to set off the deep-red W. For the first time the company’s Seelcap remains with the top after opening.

The campaign aims to reinforce its premium image among customers and consumers in mass-market retail and nightclubs. Ricard wanted to remain true to the cold colours, traditionally associated with white alcohols, while making the most of sleeve technology, with a pioneering combination of a sleeve and a Seelcap fixed to the top by a bespoke adhesive system. The only transparent feature is a narrow vertical window the length of the bottle that reveals the alcohol.

The sleeve was produced on SI-PET-TG/050-Z film printed gravure in nine colours, including two metal silver shades, with uniform shrinkage on a form with differences in diameter of up to 60%.

Another innovation by Sleever is the Glassleeve for the wine market to ensure the integrity of the decoration against shocks, scratches, rubbing and climatic changes. It is achieved through a combination of a new material and a new transformation technology.

The thermoplastic mono-oriented elastomer TPE-S 40 and 50 micron film was specifically designed by Sleever Technologies. It is printed gravure using a new generation of low-energy solvent-free inks that provide an alternative to lacquering, satin effects, opalisation, dyeing and glass decoration, all in one operation.

CCL Decorative Sleeves has provided shrink sleeves for the new Fanta Splash Ball bottle from Coca-Cola Ireland, with which it has a long-standing relationship, and Beverage Plastics, which applies the sleeves. They are printed UV flexo onto PET and feature the iconic blue and orange Fanta logo. Coca-Cola Ireland spokesperson Jamie Knox says: “The Fanta Splash Ball provides excellent opportunities for brand differentiation. The shrink sleeve label perfectly complements this with vibrant colours and graphics that create a high quality finish commensurate with Fanta’s reputation.”

CCL Decorative Sleeves also provided the first application of sleeves for the Danish sauces and dressings market to help create a premium image for leading brand, K-Salat, produced by Rieber & Son. The company was extending its Remoulade and Mayonnaise range to include Light variants and wanted to modernise the packaging. The sleeves are printed UV flexo on 60 micron OPS and the design features full colour photographic illustrations. To further emphasise the premium image, the sleeves are finished with an all-over surface matt lacquer that provides a soft

touch finish.

Unlike many other matt lacquers the UV flexo-printed matt lacquer is scuff resistant, ensuring that it remains undamaged throughout the supply chain. Careful predistortion of the K-Salat logo was also undertaken to ensure accurate positioning after shrinkage.

Rieber & Son brand manager Tina Quaade says: “Sleeves are not currently used a great deal in the Danish market, but we believe they provide a great visual impact that differentiates K-Salat from its competitors and enhances the brand’s positioning. CCL Decorative Sleeves has supplied us with a highly effective decorative solution.”

RPC Containers Blackburn provided striking jars for the relaunch of Sainsbury’s range of nuts for the Christmas market manufactured using 25% recycled PET. Sainsbury’s has used jars for a number of years, but decided to pack the 2007 range in a fishbowl-shaped wide mouth container. The range of seven nut mixes were packed in containers with distinctive coloured sleeves and matching caps.

Natalie McCreesh, product developer at Sainsbury’s, says: “This is a distinctive jar that, when combined with fantastic sleeve designs, expanded on the existing popularity of our Christmas nut range.”

Outside of the food and drinks sector, Sleever International broke with traditional packaging in household detergents. WC NET, manufactured by Bolton Manitoba, now appears on store shelves with a new eye-catching bottle that retains its distinctive swan neck shape, but without the traditional dual-label format.

The sleeve provides 360-degree decor from the base to the neck of the bottle to enhance the product’s appeal while remaining grip-friendly. The sleeve was printed gravure in eight colours reinforced by the shine factor of PET SI-PET-TG/040 Z film developed by Sleever Technologies. Operationally there is now a single white bottle instead of three, each with individual colours.

However, the growth of sleeves has generated a downside to their application. Christian Mueller of GSK says in the case of Lucozade: “We realised with that success we had an environmental problem.” Over the years the company has moved to steam from hot air and to polyester bottles, and last year started to use polyolefin-based film to ensure the sleeve separates from the bottle during recycling. This was introduced most recently on the sleeves produced by Fuji Seal for Ribena bottles.

One new material, the maize derivative polylactic acid (PLA), is moving from R&D to upscaling, says Bart De Keyer, general manager of Sidaplax, which produces EarthFirst TDO shrink film. The compostable material is made from fermenting dextrose from cornstarch, which is polymerised and made into polylactic acid. He says PLA is on the brink of a breakthrough now that it is becoming available commercially, and because of increased volumes and more expensive oil-based resins the price was competitive with PET.

Dr Jorge Hellmann, European sales manager for Karlville, the sleeve converting machinery suppliers, says developments in materials will also make the producers’ work easier through blends, multilayers and barriers protecting foamed materials. “When you can make blends then you can shift the curve to higher shrinkages and lower temperatures. I believe that blends will be available in the near future,” he says. With these, shrinkage will be greater than 60% at less than 90C.n

CCL Decorative Sleeves
T: +44 (0)1553 769319
www.decorativesleeves.co.uk

Fuji Seal Europe
T: +44 (0)1634 378656
www.fujiseal.com

International Sleever
T: +33 (0)1 69 74 75 60
pascal.Leroy@sleever.com

Karlville
T: +33 (0)472 812 929
www.karville.com

RPC Containers Ltd
T: +44 (0)1254 682298
www.rpc-blackburn.co.uk

Sidaplax Plastic Suppliers
T: +44 (0)1604 766699
www.sidaplax.co.uk

Stanford Products
T: +1 618 548 2600
www.stanfordproductsllc.com

XSYS Print Solutions
T: +46 410 59200
www.xsys-printsolutions.com