Nilpeter has appointed Trükimaailm as the new agent for Finland and the Baltic region – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Local market knowledge, a strong footing in flexo, and ambitious sales targets were deciding factors for the Danish manufacturer.

Highly Recommended
We’ve got a great setup with KBA in Poland, and when we expressed a desire to ramp up in the Baltic region, Trükimaailm came highly recommended. The match with Janek Zupsman and his team was evident from the start – they’re well-versed in flexo through KBA, Flint Group, and Techkon, among others, not to mention highly ambitious on behalf of Nilpeter. During our initial discussions, we learned that Trükimaailm also had a strong footing in the Finish market, so we decided to engage them there too,” says Dan Wissing, Area Sales Manager, Nilpeter A/S.

Proactive Partner
“We’re very excited to engage with Nilpeter, and we look forward to being an active partner, and making the best of an already great working relationship. We believe it’s better to be proactive, following the mantra of “if you wait, you’re always late”, and in early April we’ll be going on a customer roundtrip to meet and better familiarize ourselves with the Nilpeter customers in our markets,” Janek Zupsman, CEO, Trükimaailm, begins.

Trükimaailm is already well-versed in the Baltic and Finnish flexo markets through their partner agreements with Koenig & Bauer, Flint Group, Techkon, and Agfa, to name a few. Additionally, Trükimaailm’s technicians can assist with press service and installations, making them a great local partner for Nilpeter.

“The Nilpeter product line completes our product portfolio, from inks, plates, and anilox rollers to full-scale printing presses. And we have already set ambitious sales targets for ourselves based on market trends and movements – flexo is growing in our region, doing very well, especially within flexible packaging, an area where the Nilpeter technology is second-to-none,” Janek Zupsman concludes.

High-Quality Products
Trükimaailm, which translates to The World of Printing, was founded in the summer of 1996, and today, has offices in Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. The company’s main activity is sales and service of high-quality printing presses and spare parts for the label and flexible packaging printers in Finland and the Baltic region. Trükimaailm will market the entire Nilpeter product program, from the highly successful FA-Line, the new FA-26 and MO-Line FUSION, to value-adding units, and more.

www.nilpeter.com

Learn more at the upcoming Xeikon Café Europe April 26-28 & Xeikon Café North America, May 18

Itasca, Il – To meet industry needs for sustainable printing methods and environmentally friendly packaging production, Xeikon America, Inc. today announced TITON technology, a new toner formulation offering all the benefits of UV inks without the disadvantages.

“The flexible packaging market is moving towards more sustainable paper-based solutions in response to strong consumer demand for plastic-free alternatives,” says Frank Jacobs, Market Intel & Senior Product Manager. “With the new TITON technology, Xeikon is offering a sustainable solution for an unexplored and wider variety of applications to fully support brand owners, designers and printers wishing to increase their use of paper-based packaging for food products.”

Food-safe and odorless

TITON builds on the core value of Xeikon dry toner technology which, due to the absence of any liquid (mobile) components, is the most food-safe technology in the digital landscape, even with only paper as the main functional barrier. As it is also completely odor- and tasteless, it will not affect the customer experience when the product is consumed. These key characteristics make TITON toner suitable for a broad range of applications with indirect and direct food contact.

TITON toner also impresses by the excellent resistance to scuffing and scratching, water, sunlight, high temperatures and a large set of liquid chemicals, without any type of protective layers such as varnishing or lamination. A substantial feature is the ability to withstand heat sealing temperatures of up to 220-260°C (428-500°F), which is crucial to maintaining the pack’s integrity and protecting the product.

As brand owners continue to convert film-based packaging to paper, TITON can be employed to print many types of flexible packaging for food products. It can be used for papers that are coated on one side for bags, pouches and sachets, or on both sides for wrappers such as baked goods, confectionery, sugar, flour, herbs and spices, and coffee and tea.

Allowing brand owners to move to recyclable paper-based packaging puts TITON technology in a groundbreaking position in the digital printing landscape, and it gives printers the opportunity to expand their capabilities into applications that could not previously be addressed with digital, complementing their conventional flexo presses.

“With the migration towards paper-based packaging printing, the demand on the print technology has become more stringent in terms of being food safe without a plastic functional barrier or plastic lamination to protect the print itself,” said Jacobs.

Improving OEE

Being able to print directly on paper substrates without varnishing or lamination, either inline or offline, has a significant impact on the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of the digital printing operation. Varnishing and lamination require additional setup time and create more waste in the process. Furthermore, water-based varnishes used to achieve food safety require a significant amount of maintenance, which eats into productive uptime. Lamination can also negatively affect the recyclability of the packaging. TITON toner is the only digital solution that can address this market without the time and cost implications of further surface processes, thereby improving speed to market, profitability, and productivity.

The first digital press model to run TITON technology will be the Xeikon CX500t, a new member of the CHEETAH series. Adding extra capabilities to the successful 508mm (20 inches) wide machine, with the new toner technology, allows converters to broaden their reach and enter new market segments.

“Once again, Xeikon is paving the way for converters to future-proof their business by developing solutions that help them stay ahead of the curve and respond to market needs for high quality, sustainable and cost-effective solutions. It reaffirms our dedication to the labels and packaging market and is the perfect illustration that application-tuned products are key to driving growth.”

“The ground-breaking TITON toner brings new market opportunities for digital print that no other digital technology can offer, and it will set a new standard in flexible packaging production,” concludes Jacobs.

Visitors to the Xeikon Café in Lier, Belgium, on April 26–28 can experience TITON technology in action during the live press demos. To register, please visit Xeikon Café 2022 – Label & packaging innovation | Xeikon.

Learn about TITON technology and speak with our technology experts while assessing samples at the Xeikon Cafe in Chicago, IL, on May 18th. Register here for the NA café https://go.xeikon.com/openhouse-labels

ABOUT XEIKON
Xeikon, a division of Flint Group, is a long-standing leader and innovator in digital printing technology. Grounded in the principles of quality, flexibility and sustainability, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers web-fed digital color presses for label and packaging applications, document printing, and commercial printing. These printing machines work with different imaging technologies, open workflow software and application-specific consumables.

In 2015, Xeikon joined Flint Group to create a new “Digital Printing Solutions” division for the leading global print consumables and solution provider to the packaging and print media industries. Flint Group develops and manufactures an extensive portfolio of consumables for the printing industry. These include a vast range of conventional and energy-curable inks and coatings, press room chemicals, printing plates and equipment, printing blankets and sleeves, and pigments and additives for use in inks and other colorant applications. The Flint Group is based in Luxembourg and employs around 7900 people. On a worldwide basis, the company is the number one or number two supplier in every major market segment it serves.

For more information about Xeikon, visit www.xeikon.com and for Flint Group, visit www.flintgrp.com

Follow Xeikon on:
Twitter.com/Xeikon | Linkedin.com/Xeikon | Youtube.com/Xeikon | Facebook.com/XeikonInternational

BOBST has confirmed its involvement with Converters Expo on April 26–27, 2022, in Green Bay, WI. The company will use the event to showcase its expertise in coating and laminating technology, with a special focus on new mono-material sustainable substrates.    

A new venture for BOBST, Converters Expo is an event where manufacturers for the paper, film, plastic, and nonwovens industries come to introduce the latest technologies for printing and packaging converters. The Expo, which is in its 15th edition, will kick off on Tuesday, April 26, with a welcome reception in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. The show then opens the following day at 8:00 am.

Visitors to the BOBST booth at Lambeau Field will be able to join the conversation around innovation and sustainable solutions for the flexible packaging market and learn about BOBST innovations in lamination, coating and metalizing, including the oneBARRIER product family.  

“Converters Expo is brilliantly placed in the heartland of packaging in the Green Bay to Chicago area. It will give BOBST a great opportunity to connect with converters which are interested in finding more sustainable production methods,” said Emilio Corti, Regional Market Director, Americas. 

In its search for new solutions that are more environmentally friendly, BOBST has developed the oneBARRIER portfolio in cooperation with other leading suppliers to the flexible packaging industry. The aim is to offer highly functional alternatives to the traditional high-barrier, very complex laminated films by using mono-material films that are designed for recycling. 

“With global brand owners issuing sustainability commitments that include pledges to minimize plastic use over the next few years, the industry must move away from complex laminated structures that cannot be recycled. By leading innovation in mono-materials, BOBST can offer new high-barrier substrates that fit into the circular economy, while also being fit for purpose,” added Mr Corti.

Visitors can find BOBST at booth #101 where experts will be ready to explain the technology in more detail. 

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

Beta-Point, one of Poland’s fastest growing printing companies, has purchased an 8-colour Mark Andy Evolution E3 flexo press that will enable it to offer its customers a completely new range of high-quality products. The new E3 press also supports the sustainability trend that has become increasingly important for Beta-Point and its customers and will open new markets both inside and outside Poland.

Investment, development, and co-operation with Mark Andy
Beta-Point was established by husband-and-wife team Piotr Pohnke and Beata Hoffmann-Pohnke in 2009, having been involved with labels for the previous 20 years. “We track the market very closely to understand our customers’ requirements and expectations and have made our investments step by step to ensure we could offer new and interesting solutions.

We realised many years ago that Mark Andy presses were way ahead of the competitors who had traditionally dominated the market, and noticed the increasing number of their global installations, including among our competitors in Poland. This made Mark Andy a serious option when we began planning our latest investment in a flexo press,” he said.

Beta-Point focussed on two key targets for its new press. First, it needed to be capable of expanding the company’s product portfolio for its existing customers with special, multi-colour labels. And second, the new product mix needed to attract new business partners and allow Beta-Point to attack completely new markets in Poland and abroad.

“We started our business producing logistics labels,” said Beata Hoffmann-Pohnke, “and have built the brand with streamlined production and on-time deliveries, as well as attractive designs for our colour labels. We work hard to maintain the highest standards in terms of punctuality, co-operation, and consistent quality of labels. Our customers appreciate this approach, especially when they see the effort we put into ongoing development.”

Recent projects and investments have fitted this trend, and the new Mark Andy E3 allows the company to print large volumes of special multi-colour labels as well as introduce special products like peel-off, laminated labels, and wrappers. “We have been observing trends in different market areas for some time, so were very keen to offer multi-colour labels in a completely new, higher quality. We wanted them to be interesting and modern to represent the highest standards,” she explained. “After analysing offers from Mark Andy and its competitors, we decided that the E3 using UV inks and the new UV curing system, would be the best option for us.”

Piotr Pohnke added that they had initially planned to buy a different press, but Mark Andy offered more for the same money. “It was a case of comparing a standard press with one that had greater capability. To cut a long story short, we have ended up with a press that gives us many more opportunities than we had originally planned for!”

Significantly, it was Mark Andy’s European location in Warsaw that proved another deciding factor. “The final decision included the consideration of service support, and we had received a lot of positive comments from Mark Andy’s other Polish users.” This was an extremely important factor and was soon confirmed, with the press’ installation and staff training going very smoothly and without problem. “Mark Andy has been both supplier and advisor at the same time, and we sincerely appreciate this kind of approach,” he commented.

Beta-Point has a large portfolio of customers from many different industries, and this is reflected in the diversity of its product range. “Working with many different customers involves handling a wide range of orders in terms of volume, from small to large,” explained Beata Hoffmann-Pohnke. “The Mark Andy E3 offers us very smooth production of all jobs. Its intuitive to learn and easy to run. After training, our operators were able to produce all our orders in a shorter time. Although we’re still learning the press and its capabilities, we have already appreciated many positive aspects of having it and are keen to see more of them in future!”

Lena Chmielewska-Bontron, European Marketing Manager Mark Andy adds: “As a manufacturer, we are committed to offering presses that easy to handle. We know how ergonomics, intuitive and simple operation impact on shorter job times. So, we take all these aspects into consideration when designing a new press, alongside advanced technology, and the impact this has on production efficiency.”

Beta-Point owners underline that these aspects were very important in making the final decision. The other important factor was sustainability.

Sustainability – a common priority for Mark Andy and Beta-Point

All these mentioned features have a major impact on quick changeovers and waste reduction. With individual servo drive for each printing unit, independent inking and impression, and an advanced web tension control system, the E3 maintains a high quality of printed product. “It fits perfectly with the eco-friendly strategy of our company,” said Beata Hoffmann-Pohnke. “We’re committed to being a modern and sustainable company, and the Mark Andy press chimes with this philosophy. Short make-ready times result in a reduction in energy, ink, and waste. As our plans for the immediate future are very ambitious, Mark Andy’s eco-friendly approach means a lot to us.”

Beta-Point’s customers are increasingly raising this question, too. So, the company is happy to offer eco-friendly substrates for all labels, LM inks, and a more sustainable printing process than before. “Of course, there are still some print buyers who hesitate for budget reasons when it comes to printing on an eco-substrate, which is in usually more expensive than a regular one. However, after considering all the aspects, like the increased cost of disposing of non-eco labels, more and more customers choose eco-solutions – and that makes us very happy!” It’s a strategy that builds Beta-Point’s advantage over its competitors and differentiates it from other players in the market.

Piotr Pohnke also points out the advantage of smaller ink ducts on the E3 press. “On short-run jobs, we can reduce the volume of wasted ink because it is not possible to use it on the next job. So, it’s not just the economy, it’s the ecology that benefits. Sustainable production is not a market standard yet, but we’re convinced that it will be soon, and when it is we will be well prepared!”

Beta-Point has many international brands among its customers, including those from the automotive, chemical, construction, food, and cosmetic industries. Ecology is becoming an important trend for all of them, so the company needs to stay on track. As Piotr Pohnke acknowledges, the modularity of Mark Andy presses, which enables future upgrades, was a crucial factor in selecting the E3. “The press was perfectly configured to fit our current needs, but we are already considering an upgrade or even another press,” he said.

Lukasz Chruslinski, Sales Manager Mark Andy Europe concluded: “It’s good to know that our solutions open new opportunities for printing companies that have been operating for a long time in the market. Mark Andy presses have always been renowned for the many development options they offer. We were delighted to help Beta-Point bring its new ideas to fruition by offering the innovative and interesting solutions available with an Evolution Series E3. Most important is that in addition to seeing the clear technological advantages of the press, Beta-Point owners appreciated the total package we offered that includes advice and technical and service back-up.”

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.

Mills River, NC – UPM Raflatac’s innovative Vanish PCR plastic labeling materials for the U.S. market have again been independently certified by SCS Global Services as featuring at least 90 percent post-consumer recycled content (PCR) in both the face and liner.

The UPM Raflatac Vanish™ PCR range of clear PET films label materials enables brands to maximize eye-catching visuals with more sustainable labels that support the circular economy. Ideal for food, beverage, or personal care end-uses, these thin yet robust products use less raw material compared to other standard clear-on-clear products. Vanish PCR is the only clear-on-clear labeling solution on the market that incorporates recycled content, featuring PET face and liners made from 90 percent post-consumer recycled content. The recycled content in all of the UPM Raflatac 1.2 mil and 0.92 mil face and liner label materials have been verified in accordance with SCS Global Services’ Recycled Content Standard.

For UPM Raflatac, responsible sourcing is a cornerstone of its operations. One important measure in ensuring the responsible origin of raw material is to use external verification. SCS Recycled Content Certification, as represented by the SCS Kingfisher certification mark, is a visual expression of a proven commitment to sustainability through environmental stewardship, responsible resource management and diversion of materials from the waste stream.

“Brands looking to incorporate more recycled content in their packaging materials can be confident that when selecting materials from our Vanish PCR portfolio as well as those with PET PCR liners that they are promoting the circular economy and moving to a future beyond fossils,” says Gabrielle Whittaker, Director, Films & Specials SBU, Americas, UPM Raflatac.

Vanish PCR is part of the UPM Raflatac SmartChoice™ portfolio of products, which enables brands to make material selections using solutions that keep the materials in use for as long as possible. From plant-based materials to solvent-free adhesives and certified papers, SmartChoice label materials are designed to ensure product safety, reduce material usage, increase downgauging and promote the use of PCR and renewable materials.

Click here for more information about SCS Recycled Content-certified UPM Raflatac Vanish PCR.

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 1.6 billion (USD 1.9 billion) in 2020. UPM Raflatac is part of UPM.

Find out how we are labeling a smarter future beyond fossils at www.upmraflatac.com.

Graham, NC – Acucote, part of Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives, a global leader in the production of high value-added special papers for packaging, publishing, and graphics, as well as premium labels and self-adhesive materials, has introduced a new Recycled Polypropylene film product for Direct Thermal printing.

Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives’ vision for the future is to increase the volume of advanced Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) solutions in its product portfolio from 35% to 70% by 2030. In an effort to work toward this sustainable goal, Acucote is now providing an alternative sustainable film solution for Direct Thermal printers.

The newest offering is a BPA and BPS free 3 mil Matte White Recycled DT Polypropylene containing 30% recycled PP core. This solution is available as a custom coat at 60″ x 5,000′. It supports high definition imaging and features excellent water, alcohol and oil resistance – ideal for retail, logistics, health and food industries. The face is primer coated for exceptional adhesive anchorage for both removable and permanent adhesives.

For enhanced sustainability, converters can pair the DT Polypropylene film with .92, 1.2 and 1.5 mil PET liners created with up to 50% recycled resin or an FSC® liner.

Design for recycling is among the key strategies pursued by Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives to reach their sustainability goals. The strategy includes favoring the recycling and reuse of materials, increasing the use of recycled materials as much as possible, and reducing the quantity of raw materials used. Moreover, the Division is striving to, wherever possible, eliminate or reduce materials that are difficult to recycle.

For more information visit https://pages.fedrigoni.com/recycledDTfilm

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). The American distributor GPA is also part of the Group.

For more information: www.fedrigoni.com

UPM Raflatac has achieved sustainability certification from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Scheme ISCC Plus at its Nancy factory in France. This certification is an addition to UPM Raflatac’s already extensive ISCC Plus certification portfolio. UPM Raflatac’s ISCC PLUS products are certified via a mass-balance approach.

“Three of our factories and 14 of our distribution terminals around the world already hold the ISCC Plus certification. The new certification in Nancy is a great addition to our ISCC Plus certification portfolio. It provides a strong external proof of sustainably managed raw materials and value chains for renewable and chemically recycled products,” says Suvi Rasa, UPM Raflatac’s Sustainability Manager.

UPM Raflatac aims to be the first label material company beyond fossils. To enable the transformation from fossil-based materials to renewables or recycled content, and from a linear to a circular economy, it is important that the raw materials come from sustainable sources via a verifiable and transparent value chain. ISCC PLUS is one of the leading global sustainability certification schemes for a fully traceable supply chain to support the transition to a circular economy and bioeconomy. The certification scheme allows biobased raw materials as well as waste and residue-based feedstock for plastic labels to be certified.

“Reducing unnecessary plastic packaging is a top priority for many of our customers. We have received several formal requests from various industrial segments to actively support the transformation towards more sustainable packaging. Our factory has a key role to play within the packaging industry value chain, so I’m very proud that we have achieved the ISCC Plus certification. The certification strengthens our ability to support the market needs and promote more sustainable packaging value chain,” says François Borca, the General Manager at Nancy factory.

Nancy factory is located in North-East of France and has started operations in 1990. The factory employs around 190 people. The factory is specialised in wine and spirits product labeling, but also some other special product ranges for retail, logistic, pharmaceutical, food or industrial end-use segments are produced on the site.

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.

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