Ahlstrom-Munksjö, a global leader in fiber-based materials, has been awarded EcoVadis’ highest recognition level, Platinum, for the company’s sustainability performance.  

The company’s continuous efforts have now been rewarded, placing our Group among the top 1 percent of companies assessed by Eco Vadis. The rating is an improvement from Gold level rating, which we were previously rated since 2019. Our score increased especially in Environmental performance and Labour & Human rights.

“During the past year we have made a significant step change in sustainability and put it as a key value driver for our growing business. We have a sharper sustainability strategy, an integrated operative model and a solid and holistic set of key performance indicators to help us monitor and evaluate our performance. We are thrilled and proud to move from the gold rating to platinum, as this gives us external validation that our ambition has been recognized and the concrete actions are already bearing fruit,” says Johan Lunabba, Vice President, Sustainability and Public Affairs.

EcoVadis is a globally recognized rating system that brings visibility to sustainability performance. The Corporate Social Responsibility assessment criteria include four themes: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. The EcoVadis methodology builds on international sustainability reporting principles, including the Global Reporting Initiative, United Nations Global Compact and ISO 26000, and is audited by independent sustainability experts.

With this process, Ahlstrom-Munksjö ensures that its Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance System continuously supports the Group’s sustainability ambition and strategy, and answers challenges like emission reduction and resource efficiency, responsible sourcing and transition to circular economy, equal opportunities and well-being at work place as well as positive contribution to our local communities, transparency and ethics.  

To know more about our Sustainability journey, please visit www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com

Ahlstrom-Munksjö in brief
Ahlstrom-Munksjö is a global leader in combining fibers into sustainable and technical advanced specialty materials. Our purpose is to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. Our vision is to be the Preferred Sustainable Specialty Materials Company for all our stakeholders. We serve five growing and distinctive end markets, which form the basis for our five divisions: Filtration, Food & Consumer Packaging, Healthcare, Building Materials, and Technical Materials. Our annual net sales 2021 amounted to EUR 3.1 billion and we employ some 8,000 people.

Schaumburg, IL – INX International (booth N1261) will feature a pair of premium UV Curable alternative inks at the PRINTING United Expo, October 19-21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Recent new security ink systems for the packaging market that protects brand products, as well as environmentally friendly inks and microbial barrier functional coatings, will also be prominently demonstrated and displayed.

The true benefits of the Triangle® HIP and HSI™ inks extend far beyond the outstanding performance on multi-pass, high-speed inkjet flatbed printers and affordability they are becoming known for.

Both ink sets are formulated so printers can meet GRACoL standards and G7 targets, and are supported with user-friendly service agreements. HIP and HSI has its own distinct attributes – including significant cost savings – that make them unique to different market segments. And each delivered high 7 or 8 levels in the Blue Wool Ratings when measured for lightfastness.

Triangle HIP inks are formulated to provide fast curing at a lower cost. They are optimized for curing by UV lamps and intended for jetting with high consistency on HP Scitex industrial printers, including the 9000, 10000, 11000, 15000 and 15500 series. HIP inks are designed to achieve comparable adhesion on commonly used flexible and rigid display graphic medias.

Triangle HSI inks answer the call for high volume packaging and POP runs on high-speed inkjet printers like the Inca Onset X1 flatbed. Fast curing with either UV Mercury or LED lamps, they are flexible and consistent and can match OEM adhesion on a wide range of digital graphic medias. Capable for indoor and outdoor use, HSI offers high chemical resistance and is UV and water resistant without coating or lamination.

Customers say they have experienced sharper printability, and some have realized a cost savings of 40% since switching from an OEM ink to HSI. They noted the exceptional value of their service agreement, which includes INX’s outstanding UV Ink Train warranty program. HSI is available in six colors, plus White and special order Orange.

Specially formulated VerifyInk™ security inks enable various printing and converting presses to print covert and overt technology, which includes variable VeriPAS™ Serialization track and trace technology. The most recent additions to the security inks portfolio include drop-on-demand (DOD) and continuous inkjet (CIJ) solutions. Both ink technologies help to identify counterfeit products when used with proprietary and patented VerifyMe reading devices. Attendees can pick up free samples for an in-booth demo.

INXShield™ UV Flexo and GS Slip coatings are the first functional coatings for packaging applications to be formulated with BioCote® antimicrobial technology. Suitable for application over dry water-based and cured UV inks (UV Flexo) and shrinkable film labels (GS Slip), BioCote protects the coating by inhibiting odor, staining and material degradation, and microbes on the surface.

INXhrc™ natural-based inks and Genesis™ washable inks lead the roster of eco-friendly solutions that will be in the INX booth. A high performance bio-renewable ink for flexographic, offset and gravure use, INXhrc reduces the carbon footprint of packaging materials and contributes to a circular economy. Genesis washable inks make it easier to recycle plastic films, therefore contributing to the circular reuse of materials. Learn more here about the INX Printing United product showcase.

About INX International Ink Co.
INX International Ink Co. is the third largest producer of inks in North America, with full-service subsidiaries in Europe and South America and is part of Sakata INX worldwide operations. We offer a complete line of ink and coating solutions technology for commercial, packaging and digital applications. As a leading global manufacturer of inkjet inks, we provide a full palette of digital ink systems, advanced technologies and integrated services. To stay in touch with the latest developments, follow INX on Facebook and Twitter and visit www.inxinternational.com.

Already successfully running two BOBST MASTER M5 presses for film products and labels, Revere Group is accelerating its Flexpak division with more inline flexo power from BOBST. A new highly automated MASTER M6 machine with quicker setup and lower waste will allow the Seattle, WA-based company to take further advantage of the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions.

Family-owned and managed, Revere Group manufactures direct-contact food packaging, including film, bags and pouches, and labels, with most customers found in the confectionery, nutrition and gourmet food industries. Founded in 1938, the fourth-generation company is headed up by co-owners and co-presidents Mark and Sally Revere. Consistent delivery of high quality, food-safe packaging, and the ability to meet very short timelines for new or repeat products are two of the most important factors to the company success.

Over the past few years, Revere has established in-house pouch production by combining the capabilities of a BOBST MASTER M5 flexo press with an inline solventless laminator, and a Karlville pouch-making line. As the company scales up the flexible packaging side, the new top-of-the-range MASTER M6 will offer improved efficiencies, allowing Revere tomeet customers’ demands for faster delivery, reduced waste, and packaging produced with new eco-materials.

Mark Revere explained, “We recently began making pouches internally and we are seeing shorter run lengths, more versioning, faster turnaround, as well as compostable solutions being requested. Our solution allows our customers to purchase both short, medium and longer running jobs with brand consistency thanks to industry leading setup times and print speeds of up to 200m/min.”

Reducing complexities with automation

The current trio of BOBST MASTER inline flexo presses at Revere are all running UV LED low migration inks for printing food contact packaging. One MASTER M5 is a 630mm wide machine for flexible packaging, while the other is a 370mm dedicated to label production, both purchased in 2015. The recent addition, the MASTER M6, is a multi-process, multi-substrate machine which is dedicated to film printing.

“We’ve been fortunate to have an incredible amount of demand for the print that we produce on the MASTER M5,” said Mr Revere. “So, when it became time for us to buy another press, we were happy to choose the M6, which takes the M5 technology and expands it even further with job change on the fly, reduced waste and incredibly quick setups.”

Revere’s ten-color MASTER M6 features turret unwinders and rewinders and runs with inline solventless lamination. Digital automation on the press ensures productivity and process repeatability, making it very easy to run for less experienced operators as it requires only minimum and tool-free intervention. “As we ramp up production on the M6, we anticipate the main benefits to be reduced changeover times and the ability to have lesser skilled operators producing effectively, more quickly,” he said.

The Seattle company is leveraging BOBST’s oneECG technology for seven-color expanded gamut printing with highly reliable color consistency to hit over 93% of the Pantone colors, and DigiFlexo automation technology for pressure setting, registration control and adjustments while the press is running – on all three machines.

“DigiFlexo allows the press to monitor pressure setting as well as registration control and automatically make adjustments when needed. That’s critical with oneECG, because it allows the color consistency to be monitored, measured and adjusted on-the-fly by the press itself,” stated Mr Revere. “We have been printing using oneECG for highly dependable color consistency for over four years now, and it’s our goal to use the technology 100% of the time. Our customers don’t typically request it, but once we explain the major benefits to them and they see the excellent results, they are very excited.”

Moving into greener applications

Stand-up pouches, including gusseted pouches, currently account for 6.7% of the flexible packaging market, with a predicted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% to 2025. Many brand owners are moving products from rigid formats to pouches due to the lower costs, greater sustainability and bigger shelf appeal. With less plastics used for each, pouches costs three to six times less to produce than a rigid package equivalent.

They also take up less space in transport, in storage and on shelf, and the format offers a much bigger area for branding because the entire surface can be printed.

The sustainability aspect of pouch-making is important for Revere, whose customers are keen to pursue a greener agenda in response to concerns from consumers about the impact on the environment of plastic packaging. The company offers pouches that are printed on more eco-friendly films with higher recyclability either due to the composition of the material itself or the mono-material laminated structure.

With the powerful combination of oneECG printing and DigiFlexo automation, Revere is also supporting sustainability goals by wasting less materials in production through ultra-fast setups and changeovers. Furthermore, the process uses only CMYK+OGV inks, which stay in the press between jobs, saving huge amounts of time and speeding up time to market for customers, because more jobs can be run in a shorter amount of time.

“In the USA, especially with compostable solutions, pouches offer a reduced footprint and a non-plastic alternative for packaging food products. With in-house solvent-free platemaking, inline solventless lamination and on-the-fly job changeovers, we can slit film and begin pouch-making within 24 hours after printing, reacting faster to our customers’ needs, in a sustainable way,” explained Mr Revere.

“The world is evolving fast, and everyone knows there is a problem with the amount of plastic that we’re producing, so it’s incredibly important for us to be able to provide sustainable packaging solutions, such as compostable films or recycle-ready films. BOBST’s technology is allowing us to produce those types of products on the MASTER inline flexo presses.”

New opportunities with support from BOBST

The high level of automation, digitalization, and innovation in BOBST’s inline flexo printing technology is changing the game for converters in the narrow- to mid-web space. High quality with reduced waste and downtime, and increased throughput leads to better profitability and sustainability. This brings additional opportunities for growth in a market that was previously the domain of litho printing and wide web flexo, as run lengths and lead times continue to shrink.

“The BOBST presses are definitely allowing us to bring onboard clients that otherwise might not have joined us, primarily because we can produce such high quality so repeatedly and efficiently,” stated Mr Revere. “One customer even told us that the film we had printed was the best they have ever seen and felt that it was equivalent to the offset lithography quality they were getting on their cartons. That speaks volumes about this technology.”

In addition to making quality gains from the many innovations built into the printing equipment, Revere is also supported by BOBST’s experts in packaging technology in a true knowledge-sharing partnership that enables it to operate at the highest level of productivity when printing on new eco materials.

Mr Revere concluded, “BOBST is a great partner for us because the team has an incredible depth of knowledge and expertise in all aspects of converting, obviously the printing process itself but also metallization and barrier coating. They also have direct connections with the material suppliers. All together this makes BOBST the perfect resource for us to tap into and speed up our own R&D, so we can grow together on this sustainable packaging journey.”

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

With a major investment of EUR 40 million in a now operational production asset, Ahlstrom-Munksjö cements its market position, upgrading its production platform in its well-established Beverage & Casing business.

A top-of-the-line asset

The advanced Voith paper machine line was installed on the Chirnside site in the Scottish Borders. This investment enables an improved product portfolio, higher quality, and significantly increased manufacturing capacity in addition to upgraded supply-chain security.

The machine is now starting commercial grade production, marking a new era for the Beverage & Casing Business. To consolidate the success of the new line, the Radcliffe long fiber production facility in Scotland has also expanded to enable seamless vertical integration.

“Commissioning the new paper machine allows us to serve our existing customers faster and better whilst facilitating our growth ambitions,” says Philippe Sevoz, Vice President of Beverage & Casing business. “Thanks to our Chirnside and Radcliffe team’s extensive knowledge and capabilities in Tea, Coffee and Casing we can continue to provide best-in-class innovative and sustainable products to our customers worldwide and can cement our unique position to become our customers’ supplier of choice.”

A unique capability: Spunbond PLA

In addition to the new production line, the business boasts an exclusive capability of Spunbond PLA. The know-how in this rare technology was developed throughout several years – Ahlstrom-Munksjö was one of the pioneers working with PLA.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö has a leading position with its BioWeb® and Fiber+ offering for tea filter materials, both plastic-free and compostable and is manufactured without the use of oil based heat seal fibers. In the single-serve coffee market, Ahlstrom-Munksjö is also present with compostable options both in Europe and the USA.

As sustainable and plastic-free alternatives are driving demand and innovation in numerous consumer and non-consumer markets alike, the business also intends to develop tailored products for different applications with this unique capability.

Poised to become preferred global sustainable specialty materials supplier

With expanded capacity, Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s is one of the only producers with a truly global production imprint, allowing for optimal logistics flexibility and product availability for our North American customers. The combined assets are global leaders in heat-seal tea and coffee filters, in addition to fibrous meat casing materials.

“The investment shows our long term commitment and our ambition to grow and become global leaders in coffee, tea and casing materials,” says Mark Ushpol, Executive Vice President of the Food and Consumer Packaging Division. “The strong demand for plastic-free solutions gives us a strategic opportunity to leverage our competence and capabilities in advanced custom-made fiber based materials, enabling us to further strengthen our relationship with our customers.”

Ahlstrom-Munksjö in brief
Ahlstrom-Munksjö is a global leader in combining fibers into sustainable and technical advanced specialty materials. Our purpose is to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. Our vision is to be the Preferred Sustainable Specialty Materials Company for all our stakeholders. We serve five growing and distinctive end markets, which form the basis for our five divisions: Filtration, Food & Consumer Packaging, Healthcare, Building Materials, and Technical Materials. Our annual net sales 2021 amounted to EUR 3.1 billion and we employ some 8,000 people. Read more at www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com

Scanvaegt Labels of Odense, Denmark, has installed its second Nilpeter FB-Line, adding to a strong lineup, which also features a number of older Nilpeter FA-Lines. Scanvaegt Labels, a part of Scanvaegt Systems, supplies labels for many different industries including food, retail, and pharmeceuticals, and the new FB-Line will ensure added capacity and shortened lead times.

The FB-Line, which is scheduled for installation at Scanvaegt early 2023, is based on modular flexo technology for easy configuration and includes screen and hot foil Drop-In features to increase printing options at a very affordable price. The FB-Line is exceptionally straightforward to make-ready and operate, and with a maximum web speed of 750 feet per minute, the ideal choice for high-quality, cost-effective printing.

Investments on Several Fronts
“Since 1965, Scanvaegt Labels has used Nilpeter flexo printing presses. For many years the production was based on the FA-200 and B-200 models, but later the FB-Line in a wider version. After 10 years with the first version of the FB-3300, which is a well-functioning flexo press, we have now chosen to invest again in the FB-Line, this time the new FB-Line model FB-350, which is based on the latest flexo technology. In recent years, Scanvaegt Labels has invested in our printing company on several fronts and is geared to the ongoing development in a competitive market,” says Klaus Kokholm Pedersen, Director Retail and Label Production, Scanvaegt Systems.

Close to Home
“Obviously it’s always a treat doing business close to home, with Scanvaegt just a quick trip across the Storebælt Bridge, but more importantly, we’re proud that they’ve chosen Nilpeter once again. We have a great working relationship, both on a managerial and a technical level, and we look forward to continuing this in the future,” says Jesper Jørgensen, Global Sales Manager, Nilpeter A/S.

About Scanvaegt Labels
Scanvaegt Labels is a versatile printing house based in Odense, Denmark. Highly-skilful employees, high-tech printing machinery, and a close cooperation with the parent company, Scanvaegt Systems, suppliers of labeling equipment, enables Scanvaegt Labels to deliver unique, dashing, and functional high-quality labels. Scanvaegt Labels prints up to 8 colours at a time, including cold foil, silver/gold, and can deliver multi-coloured, self-adhesive labels, linerless labels, labels for thermo- and thermo-transfer print, labels with backside-print, bottle labels, RFID-labels, tickets, tags and neutral/white labels. Scanvaegt supplies labels for the food industry, the retail sector, the pharmeceutical industry, and many others.

www.nilpeter.com

Highlights will include cryogenic, void and oil tolerant labels from Spinnaker and Lintec®

Troy, OH – Spinnaker Pressure Sensitive Products, LLC, will be making its debut as a Mactac® company at Labelexpo Americas 2022 with unique specialty labeling products from Spinnaker and Lintec®.

A standalone subsidiary of Mactac, which is owned by Lintec, Spinnaker is becoming a one-of-a-kind, world-class specialty labeling company. Its business model is centered on unique and customized opportunities in specialty labeling — from custom product offerings to a best-in-class, high-touch custom service model.

“Our specialty products and service model are unmatched,” said Joel Ulrich, Sr. Marketing Manager, Spinnaker. “It’s an exciting time for our organization and we can’t wait to showcase all that Spinnaker has to offer at the upcoming Labelexpo show.”

Spinnaker offers a comprehensive line of high-quality pressure sensitive roll products. Solutions are designed to help customers’ products stand out, and are used in many industries and markets, including pharmaceutical, industrial, cold/frozen food and beverage and more.

Labelexpo attendees can learn more about the company’s specialty roll products and service model, as well as Lintec specialty products available from Spinnaker, in Spinnaker booth #747. Product highlights will include:

• Cryogenic Labels: Designed for harsh environments and temperatures as low as -320°F, these labelstocks withstand exposure to liquid nitrogen, ultra-low freezers, thaw cycles, chemicals and solvents, while providing superior adhesion and reliable identification. They are used for labeling test tubes, ampules, vaccines, vials and slides in medical research, clinical laboratories, pharmaceuticals, fertility clinics and biobanks.

• Clear and Red Gloss Void Labels: Durable and functional, these labelstocks are engineered to withstand extreme environments, from cold and heat to abrasion and chemicals. They are used in durable goods, automotive, electronics, security and other applications and feature Lintec’s infamous PAT1 adhesive or specially formulated void adhesive in which void letters appear on the film yet remove cleanly.

• Oil Tolerant Labels: Created to ensure strong, firm adhesion to smooth or textured oily surfaces, these labels feature an acrylic adhesive that absorbs oil. They create an efficient application process by eliminating any surface degreasing and are ideal for steel or automotive parts inventory labeling and product labeling for cosmetics, foods, oiled woods and more.

The Spinnaker service model includes a technical consulting team with extensive knowledge, experience and passion for responsiveness. The team assists customers with product recommendations, application testing and analysis, sample identification, competitive testing, regulatory and compliance information, training and general questions.

“We dig in deep to every specialty application challenge, offering education, expertise and support until we determine the best solution — and we are proficient and responsive,” Ulrich says. “Our technical team works with a sense of urgency because in today’s world we know our customers, and their customers, need quick answers and solid recommendations. Anyone who stops by our booth will get a glimpse into what makes Spinnaker such a great business partner.”

For more information on Spinnaker products and services, visit www.spinps.com. To set up a meeting with Spinnaker at Labelexpo Americas 2022, call 800-543-9452.

For more information on Mactac products and services, visit www.mactac.com/rollabel, call 800-255-9733 or email mactac.americas@mactac.com.

Epson’s Mike Pruitt to Present During Label Academy Master Class: Digital Embellishment

Los Alamitos, CA – Epson today announced it will be exhibiting at Labelexpo Americas, North America’s largest event for the label, product demonstration, web printing, and converting industries. Epson will be showcasing its labeling solutions – including the new SurePress® digital label presses and ColorWorks® on-demand label printers – as well as SureColor® wide-format printers. Epson’s solutions and demonstrations will be on display from Sept. 13-15 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, Ill. in booth #5821.

During the show, Epson’s Mike Pruitt, senior product manager, Industrial Labels, will participate in the Label Academy Master Class on Digital Embellishment on Wed., Sept. 14. Organized by the Label Academy, this five-hour master class offers the necessary technical knowledge and expert guidance that label converters are likely to require when considering a move into the fast-growing field of digital embellishment. Epson’s booth is part of the Digital Embellishment Trail, which showcases the latest developments in digital decoration technology.

“Businesses are looking to optimize materials and human resources, making this an ideal time to look at solutions like the SurePress that delivers value with automation by saving substrates and reducing operator press input,” said Pruitt. “Labelexpo provides a great opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of Epson’s solutions and allow visitors to view in-person demos, see the output quality in person, and talk with product experts.”

Epson invites Labelexpo attendees to experience the following innovative solutions at its booth:

SurePress Prime Label Digital Presses: Epson will be debuting the new UV inkjet digital label press, the SurePress L-6534VW with Orange Ink, and the new L-4733AW water-based resin ink digital label press. The highly automated SurePress L-6534VW, available with Orange Ink or Digital Varnish, enables reliable and repeatable high-speed printing of up to 2 million square feet per month. The SurePress L-4733AW water-based resin ink digital label press is primed for unattended printing and delivers accurate spot colors and gradients required for brand-quality color prime labels and packaging. The new SurePress line offers high levels of print quality, expanded color gamut, consistency, flexibility, and value for label converters, specialty printers and vertical manufacturers. All SurePress models are PANTONE® certified.

ColorWorks On-Demand Color Label Printers: Designed to give flexibility of printing one or thousands of labels at a time, Epson’s ColorWorks portfolio of on-demand, high-quality color label solutions help maximize efficiency and reduce obsolete inventory costs. Epson’s newest ColorWorks C4000 compact printer, the eight-inch CW-C6500A and the C7500 for high-speed production environments will be on display in the booth.

SureColor Resin Printer: The 64-inch SureColor R5070 roll-to-roll printer with water-based resin inks consistently provide professional-quality, short-run labels, decals and traditional signage at remarkable speeds.

SureColor Solvent Printer: The 10-color 64-inch SureColor S80600 with White and Metallic Silver inks combines with GMG ColorProof and GMG OpenColor software to deliver precise, repeatable color, up to 98.2% PANTONE coverage, and exceptional productivity to the package proofing market.

SureColor Proofing Printer: The 17-inch SureColor P5000 Commercial Edition includes a Violet ink to deliver an industry-best 99% PANTONE PLUS FORMULA GUIDE solid-coated color matching,1 ideal for commercial and flexographic proofing applications.

For additional information about Epson’s professional printing solutions, visit www.epson.com/label-printers or www.epson.com/proimaging.

About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to co-creating sustainability and enriching communities by leveraging its efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies to connect people, things, and information. 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 around 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. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica).

1 99% coverage of PANTONE PLUS FORMULA GUIDE solid-coated palette based on Epson Proofing Paper White Semimatte printed with the Epson Driver at 2880 x 1440 dpi. PANTONE coverage may vary when printed under other conditions.

EPSON, ColorWorks, SureColor, and SurePress are registered trademarks and EPSON Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2022 Epson America, Inc.

In a move that it describes as ‘ground-breaking’, Mark Andy, the leading American manufacturer of narrow and mid web print technology, has announced the launch of sMArt link, a new real-time on-press monitoring system designed to optimize press utilization for label and package print converters.

Due to be demonstrated on Mark Andy booth 319 at the upcoming Labelexpo Americas in Chicago (13th – 15th SEPTEMBER 2022) , sMArt link gives production managers a real-time look at what is happening on the pressroom floor, and based on this information, make better decisions on how to reduce waste and boost efficiency to improve the bottom line.

The rationale behind sMArt link

sMArt link, which can be accessed via a cloud-based platform, can be used with new and existing Mark Andy presses, both flexo and digital, as well as other manufacturers’ press technology. Importantly, it ties all equipment together in one robust analytical tool that is accessible from anywhere with an internet hook-up.

Speaking for Mark Andy, Product Manager Gretchen Tobol states: “sMArt link uses our in-house expertise that is built from the ground up. Nobody understands narrow web technology like Mark Andy, and this knowledge and experience has been developed over many years of working closely with customers who use Mark Andy technology in everyday commercial environments. sMArt link is a converter’s tool, plain and simple, and it will allow them to maximize the effectiveness of their existing plant.”

sMArt link is part of Mark Andy’s overall sMArt platform that includes automated set-up, ease of operation and software integration. Extremely user-friendly, it’s been designed to assist operators and management in their everyday business. According to Greg Palm, Executive VP Sales & Marketing at Mark Andy: “sMArt link is the result of numerous consultations with our customers. We uncovered real pain points when it came to understanding how productive each piece of equipment, operator, or facility truly was.”

sMArt link in action

Overall equipment effectiveness at a typical label converting plant is estimated to run at between 35% and 45%, there is leaving significant room for improvement. With hundreds of sensors and advanced integration, sMArt link collects accurate data on run speeds, up time, down time, waste, and more. This data allows converters to compare jobs, presses, operators, or facilities, and take action to improve overall effectiveness.

Data is collected 24/7and can be viewed in real time as dashboards on phones, tablets, computers or monitors in the plant. The cloud-based data can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection providing visibility to any gaps in the production process so adjustments can be made to reduce waste, increase uptime, run speeds and profits.

With the most diverse portfolio of narrow web technology of any manufacturer, Mark Andy is best suited to launch a production monitoring platform like sMArt link. More than 75 years of service to the label sector is the guarantee that converters need to be assured of reliability and support. With targets of waste reduction averaging 3% – 5%, a capacity increase of 10% – 20%, and an overall improvement in productivity of 5% – 30%, Mark Andy is predicting that smart converters will quickly sign up to the benefits of sMArt link.

About Mark Andy Inc.
Mark Andy is a pioneer of the graphic arts and printing industry. As the world’s leading manufacturer of narrow- and mid-web printing and finishing equipment, it supplies leading global brands, including Mark Andy and Presstek printing presses, Rotoflex finishing solutions, as well as a complete line of Mark Andy Print Products consumables and pressroom supplies. All products are backed by the largest customer support team in the industry, minimizing downtime and helping customers be profitable, efficient and at the forefront of innovation. Mark Andy does what it takes to understand each customer’s unique business, the challenges they face and the pressures they feel. It strives to provide products and services that help customers solve their problems and solutions that go a step further, allowing them to excel in their day-to-day operations, ultimately increasing productivity and reaching their full potential. For more information, visit www.markandy.com