IPSi Incorporates Epson ColorWorks with Industrial Robot for One-to-One Automated Color Labeling System

Los Alamitos, CA – As more businesses see the need to increase packaging and labeling speed, Epson today announced its reseller partner, Integrated Productivity Systems (IPSi), has created an automated print-and-apply labeling solution. Leveraging the Epson ColorWorks® on-demand color label printer and the Epson VT6L 6-Axis robot, IPSi is helping businesses add efficiency and cost savings to operations with an innovative, flexible system for printing high-quality color labels and applying them next-label out. A video of the solution can be found here.

Focused on helping small- to mid-size manufacturers and distributors who do not have the expertise or resources to design, develop and quickly implement process improvements in their operations, IPSi saw an opportunity to combine the high-quality labels of the ColorWorks printer with an Epson 6-Axis robot to bring color and automation to businesses. Bringing on JM Automation Services, a full-service integrator and manufacturer of custom automated machinery, IPSi developed a state-of-the-art, robotic print-and-apply system for streamlining the process of getting products packaged and labeled as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“Businesses need to print high-quality color labels on demand – which is especially important for personalization, one-on-one marketing and serialization where every label needs to be different,” said Rick Schilling, president, IPSi. “The ability to integrate the Epson ColorWorks label printer with an Epson 6-Axis robot allows us to address the most challenging applications for printing and applying color labels to all types of containers.”

The ColorWorks CW-C6000P and CW-C6500P deliver on-demand, color labels from 1- to 4-inches and 1- to 8-inches in width, respectively, with a peel-and-present option. The industrial strength label printers come standard with Applicator I/O control ports for automated label application and the ability to integrate with other automated systems. Coupled with the 6-Axis robot’s end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), the combined solution offers businesses limitless possibilities for printing and applying color labels to flat containers, round containers and everything in between.

“An on-demand color label solution makes so much sense for businesses finding themselves in situations where they need a unique label for every container,” said Andy Scherz, senior product manager, Commercial Labels, Epson America, Inc. “IPSi created a unique solution that demonstrates the power of automation for full-color print-and-apply labeling for industrial manufacturing environments.”

The Epson VT6L robot is a full-featured, easy-to-use robot that offers value without compromise. The All-in-One design with built-in controller saves valuable factory space, while its SlimLine structure featuring a compact wrist pitch enables access to hard-to-reach areas in confined spaces.

“Epson has made robotic automation easy for organizations looking for operational simplicity and flexibility as requirements can change quickly,” said Scott Marsic, group product manager, Epson Robots. “Epson All-in-One 6-Axis robots are versatile, supporting a variety of applications in addition to label application, ranging from pick and place, to dispensing and more. With robots that are easy to program and operate and can quickly integrate onto the warehouse floor in minutes, Epson helps to relieve some of the apprehension about automation.”

Implementing a print-and-apply printer and robot solution streamlines label printing and application while simplifying label inventory to meet on-demand needs. This combined solution is a cost- and time-efficient approach to mitigate errors in label design or changes in product or process that could result in wasted inventory. The solution is currently installed and in use with IPSi customers.

About IPSi
IPSi provides custom data collection, label printing, and process improvement solutions to large and small companies. IPSi is passionate about helping customers leverage technology to develop simple, cost-effective systems that ensure operations run efficiently all day, every day. Offering expertise and experience with integrating automated data collection equipment and label printing systems, along with a straightforward, common-sense approach to problem solving, enables them to meet difficult challenges found in most manufacturing and distribution operations. For additional information, visit www.ipsiscan.com.

About Epson Robots
Epson Robots is a global leader in PC-controlled precision factory automation, with well over 150,000 units sold worldwide1 and a product line of hundreds of models of easy-to-use SCARA and 6-Axis robots based on a common PC-based platform. Building on a four-decade heritage, Epson Robots today delivers robots for precision assembly and material handling applications in the aerospace, appliance, automotive, biotechnology, consumer product, electronics, food processing, medical device, pharmaceutical, plastics, semiconductor, and telecommunication industries. For more information, visit www.epsonrobots.com or follow our Showcase Page on LinkedIn.

About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson’s goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/

Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com.

Introducing armor-iimak.com

Amherst, NY – ARMOR-IIMAK, the worldwide leader in Thermal Transfer ribbons manufacturing, part of the ARMOR Group, announced today its new website. armor-iimak.com, brings the best of two worlds together – following the acquisition of IIMAK by ARMOR in October 2021. It’s the first joint ARMOR-IIMAK website and a major step in the implementation of its synergy plan.

The goal was to create a tool in a single platform to simplify life for its customers… its partners. The features on the new site support the needs of its customers, something both ARMOR and IIMAK have based their values on for years.

New features include:

•       Product Selector – by industry or product type

•       Product Comparator

•       Library – videos and documents

•       Blog: ink’side

•       Product Pages

This short but powerful list offers many ways to provide information not only for its customers, but to share with their customers. For example, it may be difficult to explain the slight differences between ribbons without using multiple data sheets but by using a new tool, like the product comparator – the job is made simple.

Product Comparator

Once on the product page, a customer can simply click on the compare + button under each product description to add them to the list to be compared. Compare Now button will go to a simple page with graphic representations of two or more products. They can quickly scan the graphics to see the exact differences, like printing substrates or heat resistance for example.

New Datasheet Design

A new unified design features limited text with a focus on graphics to quickly facilitate the understanding and the comparison between products. It has been designed with content review to ease the identification of each product, their family group, and their differences.

Blog: ink’side

ink’side is a new blog page – and ARMOR-IIMAK with tips, advice, as well as information on events, videos, and product updates. View the latest news and feature articles. It is also searchable by categories – ARMOR-IIMAK news, Industry updates, ribbon usage, etc.

ARMOR-IIMAK, an ARMOR Group company, designs and manufactures nearly 2.5 billion m2 of Thermal Transfer ribbons each year, dedicated to printing variable data on labels and flexible packaging for product identification and traceability. With 1,700 employees, ARMOR-IIMAK is the world leader in its sector and benefits from international industrial coverage thanks to its three coating sites (America, Asia, Europe) and some 20 slitting sites. www.armor-iimak.com

How the NOVAFOIL 106 integrates seamlessly into the production process of Offsetdruckerei in Schwarzach, Austria

Offsetdruckerei Schwarzach is an offset printing company known throughout Europe for the finest quality high-end packaging for premium chocolates, cosmetics and other products. This made it the ideal location to beta test the NOVAFOIL 106 hot foil stamping machine from BOBST.

“We use the NOVAFOIL 106 for long runs with boxes which have large surfaces that need to be embellished. The machine gives us very high productivity with impressive finished product quality,” the company’s CEO Johannes Knapp says, as he sums up the company’s experience with the new BOBST hot foil stamping machine.

He thinks the newly developed platen press is the highlight of the machine. With this, BOBST has increased the dwell time between the die with the foil and the sheets. The longer dwell time combined with an even temperature and a higher pressure perfectly enhance the high quality of the embellishment. This applies to delicate finishes as well as large-area embellishments.

Extremely stable sheet travel

“We’d been hoping that the innovative technology in the NOVAFOIL 106 would help us increase hourly output in hot foil stamping. That’s exactly what happened. Depending on the complexity of the finish, the machine easily operates at speeds of up to 8,000 sheets per hour for large runs,” says Knapp.

At all speeds, the sheets travel through the machine with absolute stability. To make that possible, BOBST adapted the gripper bar advance system of the NOVAFOIL 106 to ensure outstandingly even sheet travel with optimal sheet delay. In addition, the latest-generation feeder ensures constant sheet feeding and the highest register precision. For embossing, debossing or hot foil stamping, stable sheet travel is also a key factor in flawless quality and productivity.

Significant foil economies with cross-foil

The NOVAFOIL 106 is the first hot foil stamper from BOBST that can apply foil in both directions: inline and across the sheet running direction. The machine configuration allows hot foil stamping with up to eight reels for line and four reels for cross-foiling. This allows production of highly sophisticated packaging designs in a single machine run. The NOVAFOIL 106 at the Schwarzach facility is equipped with all 12 foil reels.

Johannes Knapp says: “With the new hot foil stamping machine, we can run different colors inline and cross-foil. Moreover, the eight inline foil reels give us flexible options for optimizing the foil advance. On certain jobs, the use of cross foiling helps us to further optimize the foil advance and reduce foil consumption even more. Depending on the job, we may have 30% to 40% lower foil consumption than before.” This is not only cost-efficient but supports the sustainability of the packaging and the process.

Offsetdruckerei Schwarzach also achieves these savings by using the OACS system (Optimal Advance Computer System) which automatically calculates the ideal foil advance. BOBST has included this system as an option on the NOVAFOIL 106. “The calculations are flawless. So far, there’s been no complaint that too much or too little foil was provided,” Knapp affirms.

The higher production speed also allows more sheets to be processed with the same energy consumption. “Calculated at 1,000 sheets, this machine uses 20% less electricity. This is another way in which it supports our sustainability strategy,” Knapp explains.

Ergonomics and user-friendliness

A specially developed lift system for heavy foil reels facilitates the work of machine operators, as they do not have to lift the reels into the machine. With this, and the high level of automation associated with the NOVAFOIL 106 – for example with the semi-automatic foil reel change – setup and changeover times have been shortened.

The operators like working with the new machine. The SPHERE human-machine interface provides easy, intuitive navigation through the functionalities. Repeat orders are up automatically. Ergonomics and user-friendliness allow easy access to all functions and settings, including the platen section. For quality control, operators can safely and easily remove samples from the machine without stopping it.

One-of-a-kind flexibility

In their meeting room, Offsetdruckerei Schwarzach displays a range of packaging they have produced for their customers. Most of them were enhanced with hot foil stamping, some prelaminated, blind and structurally embossed, and laser cut. The company embellishes a great number of packaging with two films, and some even with three films.

Knapp says: “Of course, from an economic point of view, we also need mass production business — which requires technology that allows the highest quality and efficiency. Even in that regard, the NOVAFOIL 106 fits seamlessly into our process.” The same goes for the machine’s 1,060 x 760 mm sheet format, which the packaging manufacturer also prints and cuts. They generally use the NOVAFOIL 106 to process solid cardboard in weights of 300 to 400 g/m2. That includes recycled cardboard.

“The latest technology, such as the NOVAFOIL 106, allows us to run our customers’ orders at more competitive prices,” explains Knapp, showing the investment from another angle. The fact that the new hot foil stamper already runs in two to three shifts also shows that the investment was needed.

“We will connect one of the BOBST machines to BOBST Connect to explore what additional possibilities this cloud-based platform offers for further optimizing our processes,” predicts Knapp. With its vision for the industry built around digitization, automation, connectivity and sustainability, BOBST has once again shown its orientation toward the future.

Offsetdruckerei Schwarzach

Today’s offset printer Offsetdruckerei Schwarzach GmbH started in 1913 as the Vorarlberger book printing company in Dornbirn, Austria. Now headquartered in Schwarzach, Austria, the company has more than 50,000 m2 dedicated to production and 400 employees. They export more than 75% of their production — impressive high-end packaging of solid cardboard — largely to customers within a 500 km radius. The company focuses on the confectionery and dairy industries, along with a broad range of customers in the non-food sector, such as cosmetics, healthcare and paper labels.

About BOBST
We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of substrate processing, printing and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board industries.

Founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, BOBST has a presence in more than 50 countries, runs 19 production facilities in 11 countries and employs more than 5800 people around the world. The firm recorded a consolidated turnover of CHF 1.563 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021.

www.bobst.com

UPM Raflatac has made further progress towards a more circular economy for plastics and a future beyond fossils during 2021. This is detailed in the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment 2022 Progress Report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). UPM Raflatac joined the Global Commitment as the first label materials company in October 2018.

“As a company committed to labeling a smarter future beyond fossils, we are glad to participate in the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment Progress Reporting. As a supplier in the packaging value chain, this presents an opportunity to transparently showcase the actions we have taken to provide solutions for brands and designers as they aim for more circular packaging,” says Robert Taylor, Sustainability Director, UPM Raflatac.

The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment Progress Report provides transparency on how major businesses are addressing the plastic pollution crisis. According to this year’s report, the target of 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable plastic packaging will almost certainly be missed by most organizations. Not meeting all 2025 targets reinforces the urgency for businesses to accelerate action, particularly around reuse, flexible packaging, and decoupling business growth from packaging use. Businesses need to exponentially increase the use of recycled plastics and reduce total plastic packaging use to accelerate progress on the virgin plastic reduction target.

“This year’s report clearly shows the need for the industry to accelerate the transition to the circular economy. For us, the report serves as a milepost giving guidance towards our targets set for 2025. Our role as a solutions provider is more crucial than ever, as we continue to deliver meaningful impact and concrete actions that the rest of the packaging industry can benefit from,” says Ronja Dorairaju, Sustainability Specialist, UPM Raflatac.

Turning label waste into a resource is a key component of UPM Raflatac’s approach to enabling the circular economy

As highlighted in UPM Raflatac’s 2021 reporting, the number of RafCycle™ recycling service partnerships and PET liner recycling cases continued to increase. The company strengthened the development in internal capabilities of the RafCycle service through organizational, technical, and logistic capabilities.

In addition, UPM Raflatac has continued to develop its SmartChoice™ and SmartCircle™ product ranges that enable smart, more sustainable, and innovative label material choices. In 2021 the company’s unprinted SmartCircle™ PE labels with acrylic and hotmelt adhesive technologies received recognition from RecyClass. The granted approval proves SmartCircle PE can be recycled in the HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) colored stream.

UPM Raflatac is developing label materials with more recycled content and reducing the use of unnecessary plastic packaging

During 2021, UPM Raflatac launched 30% C-PCR PP materials and new FSC Recycled paper materials. The PP material contains 30% chemically recycled post-consumer plastic (PCR). The FSC Recycled face materials contain 100% recycled fibers and are a sustainable solution for primary food applications. The FSC Recycled face materials are offered with recycled content glassine liner through the RafCycle™ recycling service – LabelLoop™ solution. The company also relaunched their Label Life LCA tool, adding a functionality to calculate the life cycle of Raflatac’s recycled content products and UPM Forest Film™ products.

In addition, UPM Raflatac was able to reduce film wrapping usage by up to 45% through their pallet optimization project in the Polinyá and Scarborough terminals. This resulted in yearly carbon emissions reductions of 94 tons. These actions are part of the company’s Biofore site program which includes a scorecard for each factory with approximately 40 performance measures mapped to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

UPM Raflatac is committed to moving beyond fossils by developing alternative bio-based labeling solutions

During 2021, UPM Raflatac introduced a new PP Food/Biobased product, which uses 30% renewable content in its face material and a resource-optimized lighter construction for both reduced environmental impact and cost efficiency.

In addition, UPM Raflatac’s RAFNXT+ range continued to grow and at the end of the year it included over 100 RAFNXT+ products. Notable additions in the RAFNXT+ range were two adhesives, RH9F and RH9L, that are made with around 50% forest-based materials that replace fossil-based materials. The company also introduced the world’s first label materials certified as CarbonNeutral® by Climate Impact Partners for selected RAFNXT+ materials.

UPM Raflatac
UPM Raflatac is leading in sustainable labeling through our innovative self-adhesive label materials and services. We offer high-quality paper and film label stock for branding and promotion, informational labels, and labels with functionality. We operate a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices. Our company employs around 3,000 people and made sales of EUR 1.7 billion (USD 1.9 billion) in 2021. UPM Raflatac is part of UPM. Find out how we are labeling a smarter future beyond fossils at www.upmraflatac.com.

Exhibit to feature expanded wine offerings, including pocket collection

Graham, NC – Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives, part of The Fedrigoni Group, a global leader in the production of premium labels and self-adhesive materials, will be attending the 10th annual North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo) December 1st.

According to Melissa Harton, Marketing Manager, North America, “We are thrilled to be participating at WIN Expo. We’ll be featuring our expanded wine portfolio which offers a wide range of premium facestocks for the wine market.”

Fedrigoni’s expanded wine portfolio facestocks are FSC® approved (when applicable) and are available in elegant textures, and diverse colors and provide high-quality performance against wet, cold, ice bucket, and humid environments. This premium line of papers includes embossed, felt-marked, pearlescent, laid, uncoated, coated, and waterproof papers.

Visitors to booth #442 will also discover that Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives offers alternative fibers including materials made from renewable plants such as cotton, linen, bamboo, sugar cane and hemp or from grass fibers and mineral powder. For more information on the Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives wine portfolio, visit https://pages.fedrigoni.com/sustainablewinespirits

Visit Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives at Booth #442 to view these new products and discuss customized solutions with their Application Development Team.

About Fedrigoni
Since 1888 Fedrigoni has stood for excellence in the manufacture of specialty papers. It is one of Europe’s largest players in the production and sale of various types of high value-added paper for packaging and graphics, premium labelling products, and other self-adhesive materials. With more than 4,000 employees in Italy and abroad and 25,000 products, the Group sells and distributes in more than 130 countries and has become the third global player in the self-adhesive materials sector also thanks to recent acquisitions. The Paper business unit includes the Cordenons Group and the historic Fabriano brand, and the Self-Adhesives business unit includes Arconvert, Manter, Ritrama (since February 2020), IP Venus (since December 2020), Acucote and Ri-Mark (since June 2021), Tageos (March 2022). The American distributor GPA is also part of the Group.

For more information: www.fedrigoni.com

Impact Label was founded in 1964 by William Fogleson Sr. in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This high-quality custom label printer provides solutions for long-term durable labels and graphic overlays with a wide-array of equipment that includes high-speed narrow web digital printing, high-speed multi-function finishing equipment, wide-format digital, doming, screen printing, flexo printing, optical and mechanical die-cutting, and laminating. Key sectors that they serve include outdoor recreational, agricultural, medical, automotive, electronics, and food.

In the midst of the COVID pandemic, Impact Label installed the Domino N610i digital UV inkjet label press in October 2020.

We caught up with their team to learn more. The interview was captured in this VIDEO: Impact Label & Domino

Investing Today for the Future

Matt Berry, Vice President & General Manager of Impact Label begins. “I think the differentiator for Impact Label is that we’ve been around a long time, but we’ve made the investments not only in our infrastructure, our technology, and our people to not only support our customers today… but into the future.”

“Impact Label is a successful global business located in Galesburg, Michigan. It was founded by my grandfather in 1964. Our facility is 35,000 square feet to support our 30+ employees. We serve all industries including agricultural equipment, technology, medical devices, recreational equipment. And we’ve invested in a lot of new technology, to support our customers moving forward.”

The Commitment and Partnership

Abdullah Alyousif, Director of Engineering says, “Our customers know us as a printing company, but we really want them to think of us as a tech company where we can solve their problems. So we researched digital providers and players in the market, including HP, Durst, and a couple other more for over a year including Domino. And we chose Domino because they delivered on really three important aspects for us… which is quality, speed, and commitment. The commitment and partnership feeling for us was really, really important. And that really differentiated Domino versus the other suppliers that we were looking at.”

Doing More in Less Time

Matt Berry describes utilizing the Domino N610i as a business sales tool that provides versatility and quick turnaround time for them and their customers. “From a sales perspective, it’s way easier to sell. We know the quality that we’re going to get. We know the versatility of all the different substrates that we can put through the Domino, so it makes it really easy to pretty much attack any segment of the market. A great example of a job that we were able to transition to the Domino was for the recreation industry for kayak labels… 50,000 at a time, multiple colors. It used to take us weeks, now it can be done in a day.”

What is the Domino Difference?

When asked about their experiences with Domino, the team at Impact Label commented on a wide range of positive attributes from the service & support, to quality, to educating and building confidence, to commitment and partnership.

Lucas Adams, Digital Press Technician says, “The Domino Difference for me is the speed, the quality of the product that you get in the end, and their tech support is fantastic. If you have problems they’re resolved quickly and efficiently. It’s a nice piece of equipment.”

Abdullah comments, “We installed Domino during the pandemic. That was very challenging, but also very successful. We can deliver the best quality, and an added bonus is we can deliver always on time.

Bashir Toliver Sr., Digital Press Technician says, “I’m a graphic artist and I was given the opportunity to run the Domino. This is my first time running a press. I was sent to training in Gurnee. Now, I can run anything on this press.”

Matt reveals one of the key differentiators. “After meeting with all the different machine manufacturers, we could really tell that Domino wanted to be a strategic partner. They were ‘what can we do, how can we do it better, and we’ll be there to support you after we sell this press’ and they have definitely held up their end of that.”

Abdullah adds, “I believe the Domino Difference is the commitment…the feeling of partnership. The quality that Domino delivers. The speed, the efficiency, the capacity that it allows us to go to. That is the Domino Difference for Impact.”

Matt sums up the importance of partnership and a look to the future. “When we were evaluating the Domino, we had to make sure that the dollars and cents were there to be successful with this investment…but it’s more than that, it’s our future. We’ve really just appreciated Domino’s support throughout this whole process, and we feel it’s going to make us very successful moving forward.

Abdullah ends with, “From all of us at Impact Label…Thanks, Domino”.

About Domino
Domino is a leading manufacturer and distributor of digital printing and product identification solutions. Celebrating its 44th year in business, Domino is a global organization with world headquarters in the UK, and North America headquarters in Gurnee, IL. Domino has 25 subsidiaries, representation in over 120 countries, and over 3,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Domino digital printing, please visit dominodigitalprinting.com

Marks 5th Add-On Transaction Since Being Acquired by Sole Source Capital in August 2021

Sole Source Capital LLC, an industrial-focused private equity firm, has announced that its portfolio company, ID Images (“IDI”), a premier provider of product identification solutions, has acquired Lebanon, Tennessee-based Hickman Label. The acquisition marks the fifth add-on investment for IDI since it became a Sole Source Capital portfolio company in August 2021. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Founded in 2016, Hickman Label is a provider of highly-customized label solutions for the on-demand inkjet market. On-demand inkjet labels enable customers to print small batch, prime labels via their own desktop printers. In addition, Hickman’s robust ordering platform has the unique capability of integrating into its distribution customers’ websites utilizing a plug-in tool. The company sells to a mix of distributors and end users with more than 2,000 active customers across North America.

“We are thrilled to partner with the team at Hickman Label. Hickman’s impressive online ordering platform and expertise in the rapidly growing on-demand label market introduces a compelling new growth avenue for IDI’s platform,” said Scott Sussman, Partner and CIO of Sole Source Capital.

“IDI and Hickman Label share similar commitments to the success of their customers and employees. We look forward to working with the Hickman family and the entire Hickman Label team,” said Jeff Fielkow, President and CEO of IDI. “This acquisition will greatly increase IDI’s omnichannel presence. We look forward to providing Hickman’s products to our customer base while simultaneously extending our product line to Hickman’s customers.”

“IDI is the perfect fit to maximize Hickman Label’s potential,” said Neil and Frank Hickman of Hickman Labels. “Our unique approach to providing quick turnaround for labels will complement IDI’s resources enabling us to meet an even wider variety of customer needs. We are excited to partner with Jeff and his team.”

About Sole Source Capital
Founded in 2016 by David Fredston, Sole Source Capital is a private equity firm that thematically invests in fragmented, high-growth industrial subsectors. Sole Source seeks founder-owned businesses or corporate carve-outs that will benefit from the team’s operating and M&A capabilities. The Firm has a strong operating heritage that enables it to execute a buy-and-build strategy with significant downside protection. The Firm is headquartered in Dallas, Texas with an additional office in Santa Monica, California. For more information, please visit www.solesourcecapital.com or contact investor.relations@solesourcecapital.com.

About ID Images
ID Images, a leading manufacturer of converted label products, specializes in providing label solutions from supply chain management to brand protection. The company serves a variety of end markets including Transportation and Logistics, Food and Beverage, Consumer Durables and Healthcare and has facilities in Ohio, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Oregon, California, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Canada. For more information, please visit www.idimages.com.

About Hickman Label
Hickman Label is a provider of short-run, highly customized label solutions specializing in high quality label media for on-demand inkjet printers, servicing the blank variable prime market. The Company is headquartered in Lebanon, TN. For more information, please visit www.hickmanlabel.com.

On what would have been their Father’s centenary, Nick Coombes speaks with Frank and Jan Eisby about the man who invented corona treatment

NC: Take me back to the very beginning

JE: Verner had always had an interest in things electrical.  At school he and his friend Tage were building amplifiers and speakers to take to teenage parties, and this subsequently developed into ‘ship to shore’ two-way communication technology, which was a hot topic at the time.  In fact, that’s where the company name comes from: ‘Ve’ from Verner, ‘Ta’ from Tage and ‘phone’ from phonics – hence Vetaphone!

NC: How did that have a relevance to the packaging industry?

FE: The years after the Second World War saw the advent of plastic materials in packaging, and brand owners were keen to have their products displayed in bright colours on this new material.  This was especially true in the food industry, where the extra shelf-life that plastic packaging offered was a significant advantage.  It was, I suppose, the early days of ‘best before’ and ‘sell by’ labelling that is common on food packaging today.

NC: How did Verner become involved?

JE: It was a chance meeting with a printer who was having difficulty getting the ink to adhere securely to this new plastic material without smudging on contact.  He asked Verner for help, and after testing the ink and material in his small home workshop, he found that it all related to incompatible surface energy between the liquid and the solid.

NC: And this went on to become corona treatment?

FE: To cut a long story short, yes it did!  Verner found that by passing an electric discharge over the plastic at close range he could change the molecular structure of the surface and improve adhesion.  There is much more to that story than we can go into here, but fundamentally what he was doing back in 1951 is what we, and all other corona manufacturers, are doing today.  And it all started on his work bench!

NC: What were the early days like?

JE: Chaotic!  Dad was an inventor and Mum tried to manage the finances as well as bring up two boys.  They worked all hours, and we travelled extensively trying to explain and convince a sceptical market that the technology really worked, even if it was difficult to explain how.  Family holidays were based around a tour of potential customers and Verner spent many years visiting universities and institutes discussing his newly developed process.  Frank and I saw a lot of Europe in those days, and it was a great educational experience for two youngsters.

NC: What was he like as a person?

FE: He was passionate about most things scientific – always keen to know how things worked and find ways to improve them.  His interests included designing sophisticated communication systems for the Danish fishing fleet, to developing automated watering systems for greenhouses – he was a boffin!  His background was electrical engineering and the transmission of power.  This is what gave him the knowledge to develop a system that applied an electric discharge at close range to a potentially flammable substance – heat and plastic don’t mix well!  What Verner did was learn how to control the power generation via the transformer, and 70 years on it’s what we do today but with 21st century electronics.

NC: How did he get into manufacturing?

JE: He was already manufacturing radios and two-way radios for the local fire department, so after coming up with corona treatment invention he produced them side by side.  But demand for treatment systems was overwhelming, so the production of radios soon stopped.  In the mid 60’s he moved the business to our current location, initially renting part of a factory but soon taking it over completely.  Vetaphone was still a small company but was beginning to make its mark in the world and by careful recruitment of sales and production personnel Verner could continue to focus on R&D, which in a market that was changing rapidly with improved living standards and improved transportation, was an essential for company growth.

NC: How did the company grow?

FE: When I re-joined in the mid 1980s, I could see huge potential for growing the business in various markets but only by improving the organisation of production and sales.  I also have an electronics background so could help to improve efficiency and act as a technical salesman for the company.  It was the period when technology moved from valves to transistors, and Vetaphone was the first company to supply solid-state power generators, and later high-power units that were modular to allow different functionality and improved reliability.

NC: What was driving this growth?

JE: Verner was always pushing for greater integration of Vetaphone technology.  He wanted our equipment to be viewed more as an intrinsic component of the production line rather than as an ancillary.  We have continued this ethos by developing and bringing machines to the market that have minimal negative impact on production and resources.  Our aim is single person operation of the entire production line, and you can only achieve this by integrating technology so that it improves reliability and increases output.

NC: What have been the major milestones along the way?

FE: Creating the electrical discharge reliably was key to the concept becoming a practical reality.  Verner’s lifelong quest was to understand what he called ‘E-Norm’, but we know now as the ‘watt/density’ or ‘corona dose’ required to achieve the desired result.  Once he’d mastered the technique, he had to sell it as a commercially viable process and continue to refine and develop its efficiency.  In many ways, nothing has changed – we continue to invest heavily in R&D to allow the new complex substrates to match the packaging requirements demanded by today’s brand owners.  It’s definitely a market where demand drives the technology.

NC: How do you think Verner would like to be remembered?

JE: To know that he is acknowledged as ‘the Godfather’ of surface treatment would both delight and amuse him – he was passionate about what he did, but very much a backroom scientist not an upfront salesman.  That he pioneered an industry and founded what has become a world-leading company is, we think, a very satisfactory epitaph for him.

NC: And what would he think of Vetaphone and the surface treatment market today?

FE: We hope and believe he’d be very proud of how we have continued and developed his legacy.  To be acknowledged as a world leading company is way beyond his imagination when he started back in 1951, and he’d be fascinated by how electronics and computer technology has been applied to basic science.  Today’s market is highly complex both in terms of the materials being used and the applications they are required to fulfil – without his inquisitive nature and passion for invention, the packaging market as we know it today could have been so different!

In memory of Verner Eisby – 1922-1993

www.vetaphone.com

Glendale Heights, IL (November 11, 2022): Twen Machinery is proud to announce that we have entered into a strategic partnership with All Printing Resources Inc.

All Printing Resources is a leading flexo printing solutions provider in the USA that focuses on offering solution-oriented products from respected industry leaders who prove to reduce both cost and time to their clients.

We strongly believe that combining TWEN´s most innovative and safest anilox laser cleaning solutions in the market and APRs dependable service and world-class technical support will bring unique and actual value to our clients.

Mr. David Nieman, CEO of APR, quoted: “Although laser anilox roll cleaning has now been available for a few years, the industry has still been looking for a truly safe and effective solution. After doing extensive due diligence on the TWEN technology, we are convinced it is the right solution for the market. We are very excited to be selected as TWEN’s partner to market and support in the U.S. and look forward to their continued technology advancements.”

Mrs. Julia Pedreira, Managing Director at TWEN quoted: “Twen and APR share a common goal in providing the most innovative and cost-effective solutions that enable our customers to solve their most critical issues and add value. We are looking forward to further exploring our partnership, and we’re so optimistic about the impact it will have on the daily operations of our current and future clients.”

The two biggest challenges today´s flexo businesses face are the lack of qualified operators and a growing number of printing variables. Flexo companies recognize the need to accelerate the development of automated solutions that help them eliminate variables to remain in the competitive front. As such, machine automation and standardization are increasingly critical in every aspect of their business.

The TWEN-APR partnership combines deep business and technology strategy skills and automated technology solutions, to help support clients through successful transformations.

About Twen
Twen is a privately-owned Spanish company that was created in 2017 with a clear objective in mind: “Eliminate ink transfer as a variable in the printing process.” Its team has more than 20 years´ experience in the flexographic industry and has worked over the years with the major anilox manufacturers in the market. This has enabled them to deeply understand how anilox are manufactured and closely analyze their performance to gain the required vision and “Know-how” to tackle complex problems with real solutions. The result is anilox laser cleaning solutions that tick all the boxes: Safe, efficient, profitable, and environmentally friendly.

About All Printing Resources, Inc. (APR)
All Printing Resources, Inc. (APR) is a proven resource for solutions, trusted service, and support to the flexographic printing industry. APR delivers measurable performance enhancements and total cost reductions, including the after sale attention needed to see optimal results. APR represents some of the most innovative product lines worldwide and takes a “team” approach to deliver process improvement and innovative solutions.

www.teamflexo.com