According to Autobar Packaging and PDC Europe, a two year collaboration between two companies has resulted in a sleeve price reduction of around 25% over the traditional PVC, PET and OPS shrink sleeves.
The Cold Sleeve is a highly elastic stretch sleeve – 40% elasticity ratio – which enables full-body sleeve to decorate shaped bottles, jars, tubs ranging from 150ml up to 5 litres. The LDPE sleeves are printed in high quality flexo in up to eight colours and are applied without the need for either heat or glue.
Autobar says a range of printing inks enable the stretch sleeves to meet "the most demanding conditions", including high humidity, corrosive liquids, UV and freezer conditions.
Short run photo quality labels
Primera's LX800 colour label inkjet printer is said to produce "photo quality" full colour labels. Print resolution is 4,800dpi and the printed labels are highly water and scratch resistant, it is stated. The LX800 is designed to print short runs, and can be used for proofing, primary and secondary labels. It is equipped with printer drivers for Windows 2000/XP, and with label design software.
GRE to focus on RFID/EAS
GRE Engineering will place heavy emphasis on RFID/EAS technology during the launch of its new GRE 200 multi-purpose converting system. The GRE 200 accepts printed webs up to 220mm and can be supplied with a variety of options to provide added value decoration and incorporate security features such as RFID and EAS.
The system will be demonstrated producing RFID labels with UV inkjet variable printing, embossing and foil/hologram stamping with foil saver.
Of significance in the production operation is the way that GRE handles the application of the RFID antenna chip. It is placed on the substrate and subsequently laminated in-line, and die cut to the finished RFID label.
Also being demonstrated will be the GRE Digital Press, a complete tag and label, short run system incorporating a VP2020 4-colour print engine from VIPColor Technologies powered by HP inkjet technology, and foil stamping for the production of high quality wine labels.
Adhesives for "no label" look
Visitors to the Henkel stand will see a complete portfolio of pressure sensitive adhesives for "no-label" look applications.
One is the new Adhesin J1639 dispersion adhesive for "completely transparent" clear-on-clear labels. This water and UV resistant adhesive is said to be distinguished by its extremely strong adhesion and high ageing resistance.
The highly transparent Technomelt PS 8799, developed specifically for users who only have hotmelt machines, is said to "open up totally new market opportunities". The adhesive is crystal clear, extremely ageing resistant and is repositionable for several minutes, the company states.
At the same time, it is said to give a "bubble-free" label even under some of the most demanding labelling applications. The new hotmelt is also said to make labelling possible on freshly blown plastics packages without the risk of later wrinkling. The adhesive and label adapt to package shrinkage until ultimate solidity is achieved, states Henkel.
The company's portfolio of clear-on-clear products also extends to high performance UV acrylates from Technocure. Technocure PS 4105 is a permanent UV curing hotmelt said to be ideal not only for "no-label" look labels, but also for a whole range of other applications that demand high standards of UV and ageing resistance, heat resistance and performance.
New fim from Avery
Avery Dennison Roll Materials Europe will be unveiling a "next generation" clear self adhesive film said to "deliver a single labelling solution for a complex market". The company calls it an "industry first that has been achieved through painstaking research and design work, undertaken in partnership with converters and end users.
Formulated to give outstanding performance in label applications where 'traditional' film labelstocks like PP and PE have been used, the new film is said to offer clarity and conformability (especially over curved surfaces) coupled with high speed converting and first class press stability. This will be a truly global product, available to meet the requirements of major international brand owners for the same high quality and consistency in their product packaging in every country and every continent.
Drent Goebel to focus on its VSOP
Drent Goebel will focus on its VSOP patented offset rotary press concept for printing labels, flexible packaging and shrinksleeve film. Since its introduction at Ipex 2002, the VSOP family has grown considerably. Web widths now available are 520, 850, 1,120, and 1,250mm.
The company also offers 'hybrid' printing solutions combining offset with other technologies such as flexo, gravure, screen printing, and hotfoil stamping in one press. This concept is claimed to offer major advantages with "lowest start-up costs, best adaptability for all sorts of substrates and perfect printing quality".
Visitors will also have the chance to watch a VSOP 520 in action at a Belgian label and flexible packaging printer.
"All-in-one" code verifier
US-based Label Vision Systems will introduce its barcode verification station, the Integra 9500, to the European market through StarTrack LVS of The Netherlands. The unit is claimed to be the only "all-in-one" barcode verifier for linear and 2-D codes and multi combinations of different symbologies can be verified at one time.
The company says just placing the label with the code on the viewing platform is enough to have the code automatically discriminated and fully ISO-graded. The unit also indicates if, and in which area of the code, it has found irregularities to help the operator/printer to adjust their equipment.
The camera-based verifier is also said to be the only one on the market that has been certified by the EAN/UCC Authorities as 100% compliant for all EAN/UCC System users.
Additionally, this PC-based verifier is in full compliance with the data storage regulations for the pharmaceutical industry, as defined in 21.CFR.Part 11.
