Keeping tabs on trends

In May, UK retailer Marks & Spencer launched its Simply M&S everyday line of groceries, following in the footsteps of the major supermarkets, all of whom are investing heavily in making their value lines more attractive to cash-conscious consumers. A similar trend is emerging in the world of industrial labelling equipment, with established brands adding ‘budget’ models to their ranges.

“The major change in the print and apply market in recent years is that existing players have introduced lower cost models in their ranges,” confirms Janet Thorpe, director of Cobalt Systems. “We have an offering in this space – Cobalt Spirit,” she says. “It has the same build quality and components as the performance print and apply; it just has a more limited scope in terms of functions and adjustments, which makes it suitable for less challenging or variable applications.”

Lancashire-based Link Print and Packaging has just introduced a low cost print and apply machine for primary pack and outer case labelling applications, by converting a TEC SX5 table top printer to an on-line labeller controlled by a PC or keyboard. The system’s features include foil save and the ability to be mounted on its side or overhead.

This trend is also apparent in label applicators, where Advanced Dynamics has joined forces with a Taiwanese manufacturer to bring a lower cost option to European customers.

“Historically I’ve always been quite a machine snob until last Interpack,” says MD Malcolm Little. “I walked past a stand and had to go back – I’d never seen such a compact looking system.”

The stand was that of Pack Leader, and 18 months ago, as a result of the meeting, Advanced Dynamics struck a deal to sell the company’s machines into the UK.

Advanced Dynamics has already supplied food companies Orchard Valley Foods and Divine Deli with Pack Leader’s Elf-50 table top labelling units for round bottles. Contract cosmetics and toiletries manufacturer Nicholas James (UK), meanwhile, has purchased another model from the range, the PRO-625 automatic front and back labelling system.

While they won’t suit everyone, for companies who can’t afford an automatic wraparound labeller and don’t mind slightly slower speeds of up to 40m/m, they are half the price of a new machine from a known brand. This does not mean that the likes of Cobalt Systems and Advanced Dynamics have abandoned the top end of the market. On the contrary, Advanced Dynamics has adopted a two-pronged strategy, selling Pack Leader’s machines to enable it to compete with suppliers of inexpensive machines on more standard installations, while focusing on more complex projects.

As Little explains: “People are prepared to pay more for a bespoke or unique system than a bog-standard labeller.”

As an example, Advanced Dynamics has supplied fresh produce importer International Produce with Eurokett label applicators, which are designed to operate in conjunction with packaging equipment, and at speeds of up to 100 punnets/min.

At International Produce, the Eurokett applicators are integrated into flow wrappers and packing systems for products such as grapes, tomatoes and peppers.

Linerless lacks lustre

Linerless labelling has been another slow burning trend in recent years, and most of the major players now offer a linerless option. However, despite the technology’s apparent economic and environmental advantages, in Domino’s experience, takeup has not been exactly overwhelming.

“One or two customers have looked at it, but because it uses direct thermal printing technology to eliminate the need for ribbons, it can only be used for short shelflife products as the ink fades over time,” explains Luigi Pistilli, business development manager, print and apply labelling, at Domino UK.

He adds that the higher cost of linerless materials and the printer itself is also a deterrent to some customers.

“The materials are more expensive and the machine itself is more expensive because you’ve got extra parts such as a cutter. In addition, linerless machines require more servicing than standard print and apply machines.”

Advanced Labelling Systems (ALS) hopes that a new linerless labelling module for its ALS 204 and ALS 206/256 label applicators will allay some of the concerns companies have about linerless labelling.

The module uses the Catchpoint method of producing and applying labels without a backing liner, which does not require a cutting action to separate them.

“Each label is defined by a pattern of micro-perforations – catch points – that allow individual labels to be separated from the reel at speed but in a controlled manner, leaving a clean edge, and with no delay in the labelling process,” explains MD Phil Donaldson.

“Previous methods of linerless labelling have usually required the label to be first dispensed, then cut and then applied – a cycle time that is too slow for most primary product labelling requirements,” he continues. “This is why linerless labels have so far been confined to relatively inaccurate, low volume demands or for outer case print and apply applications.”

The Catchpoint linerless label applicator will be in action on the ALS stand at PPMA in Birmingham, where it will be applying shaped, clear pre-printed labels at rates in excess of 200 bottles/min.

Communication skills

In many respects, the labelling machines themselves are not that different to how they were a decade ago – the developments have been in the software they use and the way in which they communicate with a company’s production management systems.

“IT integration is a very relevant topic in many installations, as communication downstream to handle a single point of set up or a managed line shutdown and upwards to ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and warehouse management systems is becoming a regular requirement,” says Cobalt’s Thorpe.

“Top end systems have the communication ability built as standard and software modules to collect and pass data to SAP modules,” she says. “This turns the print and apply into a key element in line control.”

Her observation is backed up by Domino’s Pistilli, who is seeing a growing requirement for labellers to be linked into SAP or Oracle ERP systems.

“The information on labels can often be quite complex, and is repetitive to enter manually, which is why companies are increasingly linking their labellers to databases,” he says. “As a result we’re seeing a lot of software related projects where the IT department are also involved.”

Belts and braces

Pistilli also notes that more companies are taking up Domino’s barcode validation option, which checks barcodes are readable and correct and that a label is present.

Competitor Logopak is now offering I-validate software as an option with all its print and apply machines.

The software checks product, case and pallet labels back against the original works order, eliminating risk of human error, and goods with incorrect or illegible labelling entering the supply chain.

In particular, says Logopak UK sales manager Howard Jagger, the system guards against error in primary product labelling and the knock-on effect with automatic label generation.

“If product labels are wrong, or carry the wrong point-of-sale bar code, then case labels generated automatically from the product label will be wrong and so will pallet labels generated from the case labels,” Jagger points out.

“It may only be discovered when the goods are well into the supply chain, and can result in fines from retailers.”

First users of I-Validate include Greencore Foods where the system is being installed on 12 production lines handling jars of cook-in sauces, pickles and chutney at speeds up to 400/min.

Leaflet labels foil applicators

In the pharmaceutical industry, Newman Labelling Systems reports that one of the key developments is the greater use of leaflet labels.

“With more product information, often in multiple languages, now required on pharmaceutical products, multi-layer labels have become common,” says a company spokesperson. “It is not unusual to find peelable labels which appear more like mini booklets.”

Such leaflet labels can, in theory, be applied to existing products using standard automated label application technology. In practice, however, Newman says these labels can cause challenges for applicators.

“The thickness of the labels causes problems for label web drive systems as the labels can become too large to pass through. As well as this, the labels can begin to peel off the backing material and open up before the application process has even been completed.”

Newman therefore recommends selecting a labelling machine that can cope with these issues and says factors to consider include the design of the label drive, a short path through the machine and robust control throughout the application phase.

Newman wraps up labelling at Orbis

Orbis Consumer Products has purchased its fourth NV2 labelling machine from Newman Labelling Systems for a new production line at its London facility.

The NV2 labeller is Orbis’ fourth and is being used to apply labels to glass bottles of syrup products such as paracetamol and ibuprofen in suspension.

The labeller is located in-line following automatic bottle filling and capping, applying self-adhesive wraparound labels to all bottles before feeding them to downstream cartoning equipment.

Orbis currently has four lines, all of which operate at 50 cartons/min, although the NV2 is capable of operating up to 150cpm. The latest NV2 to be supplied to Orbis has been fitted by Newman with a hot foil coder.

Orbis Consumer Products has been a customer of Newman Labelling Systems for nearly 10 years. The company’s Hitesh Vaghjiani says he continues to specify Newman NV2 labelling systems as: “They are competitively priced and simple to set up and use”.

The new Catchpoint linerless label applicator in action, applying full wraparound labels to plastics pots Catchpoint Cobalt’s Spirit is said to be basic in functionality, but manufactured to the same engineering standards as more expensive models in the company’s range Cobalt Pack Leader’s PRO-625 is touted as a cost-effective system for front and back labelling Pack Leader Newman’s NV2 labeller applies wraparound labels to glass bottles at pharmaceutical manufacturer Orbis Orbis Available from Advanced Dynamics in Europe, the Taiwanese ELF-50 is an economic option for round bottle labelling ELF-50