Page 36 - FINAT Yearbook 2012

informed and vigilant in this key area of consumer concern.
FLEXO AND DIGITAL – A VERSATILE PARTNERSHIP
The seminar agenda moved to take in a different view – that of the current developments in the partnership between flexo – the largest installed base of narrow-web presses – and digital label presses. Jeroen Van Bauwel, Director, Product Management, for Xeikon, showed how today’s brand owners’ demands for multi-versioning of their products – and even ‘personalisation’ − can be effectively and appropriately met by partnering flexo and digital print, using both, or one another, according to the length of the
Mark Dinsdale
capacity. He concluded by saying that brand owners ‘don’t want to know how their labels are printed – but if they want to have smaller print runs at prices similar to large runs, they HAVE to go digital’.
POLYESTER FACESTOCKS AND LINERS
Film manufacturers Polyplex have come a long way in a relatively short time, as Mark Dinsdale, Head of European Sales and Marketing for the company, showed. The company has grown from a single location in India in 2002 to a current manufacturing base in Europe, Asia, and the USA – and is exploring the development of film facestocks and release base – BOPET, BOPP, CPP, co- extrusions − via a ‘toolbox’ approach. He discussed the tools for the labeling market ‘that are both available today and in the pipeline’. He highlighted future projects in PET production, including PET ‘bio feedstock’ and rPET featuring post-consumer recycled content; flame- retardant films meeting the UL plastics flammability standard UL94 VTM-0; and antimony-free films.
DEVELOPMENTS IN PRE-PRESS
Pre-press, workflow technologies, and platemaking were the topic addressed by Steve Buxton, Director, York Repro-
graphic Group. His paper positioned project and artwork management at the centre of today’s expanded and changing packaging print agenda. End users’ requirements demand that – to successfully communicate and engage with consumers – packaging must now integrate new marketing media such as mobile phone ‘apps’ and QR codes. He explored hardware and software; lifecycle management systems; colour management; expanded gamut printing and efficient combination print; proofing systems; round-top versus flat- top flexo plate structure; and the benefits in print quality and consistency of the new HD flexo digital flexo platemaking process.
PRESS ROOM ECONOMICS
Lean manufacturing is a major feature of label industry philosophy today, bringing significant benefits in the elimination of waste, faster changeovers, and improved productivity. Jacob Sørensen, Area Manager and LEAN Manager, Nilpeter, showed how these processes have significantly benefited the design of Nilpeter narrow-web presses, with many illustrative examples of the ways in which, he said, label converters ‘can make major time savings and
Jacob Sørensen
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Jeroen van Bauwel
run and requirements for variable print. Mr Van Bauwel said his company was undertaking ‘missionary work’ to illustrate the undoubted future of digital print in the label arena. He illustrated a number of different possibilities for optimal use of full web-width, involving simultaneous printing of different labels and different run lengths, and said that, at a practical level, Xeikon likes to assist label converter customers with system setup to get the most from their digital
FINAT YEARBOOK 2012 |