-New system designed for fast ROI in high quality digital label production

-Innovations in digital printing address growth segments in sector

-Gallus Screeny printing plates produce striking labels

-Joint trade show exhibit underscores HEIDELBERG Group’scommitment to label segment

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) and its Swiss subsidiary Gallus are showcasing solutions for the growth segment of label printing in their “Your Partner for Label Solutions” exhibit (Stand 3228) at Labelexpo Americas 2022. The fair is taking place from September 13 to 15 in Chicago. One particular highlight is the new fully digital Gallus One label printing system, which is based on the tried-and-tested Gallus Labelmaster press platform. The system is geared toward the cost-efficient and sustainable production of high-quality labels, thereby delivering a reliable return on investment (ROI) for a wide range of customers. As a reel-to-reel UV inkjet digital inline label press with a width of 340 mm, a resolution of 1,200 dpi, four colors plus white, and a print speed of up to 70 meters per minute, it is suitable for a whole host of applications and therefore makes a move into digital label production particularly cost-effective. What’s more, Gallus One can be fully integrated into the Prinect workflow from HEIDELBERG. Developed jointly by HEIDELBERG and Gallus, the system combines the digital printing and software know-how of the market leader in sheetfed offset printing with the many years of extensive expertise Gallus in label printing.

“Digital printing is and will remain a key technology for HEIDELBERG! The new Gallus One is further proof of this,” says Dr. Ludwin Monz, CEO of HEIDELBERG. “Our innovations in digital printing are targeting the growth markets in our core business, providing our customers with an attractive and futureproof solution, and thus creating the prerequisites for enhanced competitiveness,” he adds.

Besides the digital Gallus One, HEIDELBERG and Gallus are also exhibiting conventional solutions for cost-effective, high-quality label production. For example, visitors to the trade show will be able to obtain information about the surface finishing options for label converters offered by Gallus Screeny printing plates for rotary screen printing, an in-house development of Gallus. The unique microstructure, stabilized mesh fabric, and perfect structural balance of the photosensitive coating ensure maximum printing quality and consistency – for extremely fine lines, solids, and relief printing. The resulting effects are more eye-catching at the point of sale.

HEIDELBERG and Gallus will additionally be exhibiting their comprehensive range of Saphira consumables for flexographic printing, which are coordinated with the equipment solutions. In the future, customers in the USA and Canada will also be able to purchase these directly online from the HEIDELBERG eShop.

With their joint trade show exhibit, HEIDELBERG and Gallus are emphasizing how important the label market is to the HEIDELBERG Group in general and the Americas market in particular. “The trend toward creative, high-quality labels is continuing and growing too in the USA,” reveals Felix Müller, President Cluster Americas at HEIDELBERG. “The segment offers our customers excellent business options, especially when it comes to digital printing, and HEIDELBERG is showcasing its credentials as a preferred partner with an attractive portfolio at Labelexpo Americas 2022,” he concludes.

A major upgrade to the legacy FIFE-500, the FIFE-500 MAX was designed from the ground up to offer more features and more value

Oak Brook, IL – Maxcess, a global leader in innovative products and services for web handling applications, today unveiled the FIFE-500 MAX web guiding system. Ideal for nonwoven, tag and label, battery converting and numerous other narrow web applications, the FIFE-500 MAX packs in more features while improving accuracy and throughput.

“We took the FIFE-500, which has been an industry favorite for more than a decade and asked our customers what they wanted in a next-generation guiding system,” said Darren Irons, Global Product Manager for Fife and MAGPOWR. “Our biggest takeaway was that our customers want robust networking options, like Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, CC-Link and more. We were able to pack in these features at a lower price point as our previous FIFE-500, giving our customers more features and ultimately more value.”

Featuring a five-inch touchscreen interface with multiple languages, newly designed sensors for enhanced resolution and accuracy, a smoother 8-pole motor for better guiding at slow speeds and an all-new modern design, the FIFE-500 MAX ushers in the next-generation of guiding from Fife, the company who invented the first web guide back in 1939. The FIFE-500 MAX can accommodate web widths up to 600 mm, with maximum tension up to 400 N. Fife will be releasing larger sizes of the FIFE-500 MAX, up to 900 mm and 800 N, in Q4 of 2022.

See the new FIFE-500 MAX in action now: FIFE-500 MAX

Visit www.Maxcessintl.com or call 1-844-MAXCESS to learn more about our next-generation guiding solution today!

About Maxcess: Maxcess helps its customers maximize productivity through innovative products and services worldwide. By combining more than 400 years of global service and support across the storied product brands of RotoMetrics, Fife, Tidland, MAGPOWR, Webex, Valley Roller, Componex and Maxcess Vision Systems, Maxcess offers an unrivaled network of application experts and end-to-end web handling solutions to help you work better, faster and smarter. Visit them online at www.maxcess.com

Itasca, IL – Xeikon’s Panther Technology, introduced in 2017, is based on UV inkjet and is the most cost-effective technology to address specific end-use markets, focused on labels across industries such as chemical, durable, cosmetic and premium beer labels. All these applications benefit from certain durability such as scratch, scuff, and rub resistance and a glossy tactile look and feel. UV inks tackle all these requirements.

Today, Xeikon announces its PantherCure LED series, a new family of inks for use with Panther technology. The PantherCure LED inks come with new waveforms, software and optimized screening. These deliver a long list of benefits:

• Wider application range: LED curing generates less heat exposed to the substrate. More heat-sensitive substrates can be used with a water-based cool-down process

• A broader color gamut enabled to address more brand colors

• Increased image quality by introducing a new screening, waveform and ink, delivering consistent UV curing throughout the time

• More sustainable option – eliminates waste of mercury bulbs

• Improves the Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE):

• LED provides a 10 times longer lifetime and reduces maintenance. Lamp replacement every 2,000 hours for a mercury lamp versus 20,000 hours for LED

• Eliminating downtime related to starts-and-stops due to warming-up and cooling-down of the mercury bulb

• LED ink curing requires less energy for the same speed thereby decreasing the overall energy consumption, having a direct impact on the total operating costs

• The in-depth curing of LED light results in better ink-to-substrate adhesion.

• Combining these new elements (ink, screening, waveforms, software) reduces ink consumption by 30% on average, depending on the content of the job.

“Today we already supply LED UV-inks to the Xeikon Jetrion base, therefore adding UV-LED inks was the next logical step for our Panther technology. Just last year we introduced a new generation of presses, the successors of the Xeikon PX2000 and Xeikon PX3000, affirming our commitment to the label market and UV inkjet label business,” said Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s VP for worldwide marketing. “Xeikon is renowned for having a determined sustainability program and the PantherCure UV LED series contributes to those goals.”

The new inks are available on newly manufactured Xeikon PX3300 and Xeikon PX2200 as of October 2022. Starting in 2023, current customers of prior models of the Panther Press, Xeikon PX3000 and PX2000 will be eligible for field upgrades.

“The past couple of years have demonstrated that innovative companies with “future-proof” products are those that provide the best options to the customer for application choice and the highest OEE to safeguard their business goals,” said Weymans. “Field upgradeability of existing equipment with new innovations will protect customers’ investments. This is a perfect example of how Xeikon is market-agile and customer-focused.”

Xeikon is the only supplier, for the label printing industry, offering multiple digital printing technologies, dry-toner and UV inkjet; all with different values and benefits allowing an application-specific choice for printers and converters.

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 presses utilize different imaging processes, 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 printing consumables. These include a vast range of conventional and energy-curable inks and coatings, press room chemicals, as well as pigments and additives for use in inks and other colourant applications. The Flint Group is based in Luxembourg and employs around 7,900 people. Globally, the company is number 1 or 2 in all market segments it serves.

For more information about Xeikon, visit www.xeikon.com

Itasca, IL – Hybrid presses can be defined as label presses that incorporate two or more printing processes (digital and conventional) in-line with finishing units (varnishing, spot color printing, slitting, die-cutting and different embellishment techniques). Hybrid solutions benefit a label printer and converter with medium to long runs with either limited variation in converting (die cutting, slitting) and/or the need to add conventionally produced features, e.g spot varnish, cold foil.

Today the standalone digital presses and standalone converting line address the largest part of the market. To expand the growth potential of digital, new solutions are needed. Unavoidably, this will convert conventional printed work into digital production through cost optimization. Think of larger volumes of SKU’s with the same die-cut shape, full-color jobs which hold a static embellishing element. These can be printed more effectively with a conventional process and then enriched with digital full-color printing. Trends in the market indicate luxury brands benefit from what their print provider offers: shorter runs, more versions and variations, variable text or graphics, and personalization allowing much greater freedom of creativity. Nevertheless, they do not want to give in to brand identity which can be visualized through embellishing elements. Not unlike luxury brands, promotional brands are too looking to find better ways of connecting with consumers through the use of e-commerce.

Today, Xeikon launches a fully digital hybrid solution based on its (1) digital press (Cheetah or Panther series), the recently developed (2) Xeikon Label Converting Unit (LCU) and (3) Xeikon’s X-800 digital front-end. This solution can be configured to the need of the converter and becomes a powerful production system enabling label converters to step up their productivity whilst remaining fully flexible for all their customers’ needs.

The main values of our hybrid label solution are:

• From substrate to ready-label: a complete, single-pass production process flow

• Eliminates a number of production steps resulting in higher productivity

• Reduces waste and setup time

• Opens up new business opportunities

“At Xeikon we take customer input seriously. Our solutions are cloud-connected, providing us with a lot of data on how the equipment is performing. This results in the ability to provide more automation in combining production runs to increase efficiency,” said Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s VP of Marketing, ”That is why, along with the presses, we develop fully digital converting and embellishing products such as the Xeikon LCU which can be configured into hybrid print and converting solutions.”

Xeikon hybrid solutions can hold both Xeikon’s Cheetah (dry-toner) as well as Panther (UV inkjet) technologies hence all end-user applications can be addressed through this offering.

Dry-toner is the proven technology for all applications requiring adherence to high food safety standards while delivering the highest, matte-finished quality and achieving high quality on standard natural paper substrates (wine and spirits). Today, the second-generation Cheetah technology is used in Xeikon’s current dry-toner digital presses.

Xeikon’s UV inkjet Panther Technology was introduced in 2017, with a specific focus on labels across industries requiring high durability including the health and beauty markets. These applications make use of the key benefits of the unique features of UV inkjet such as scratch, scuff, and rub resistance.

“Some of our customers call a hybrid solution the best of both worlds,” said Weymans, ”All developments at Xeikon fit into our mantra of digitizing label manufacturing with the purpose of enabling label converters to develop a profitable and sustainable future-proof business.”

Come and see the new Xeikon hybrid press at Labelexpo Americas

The new hybrid printing solution, based on the Xeikon PX3300 (Panther), will be featured during Labelexpo Americas, September 13-15, Rosemont, Illinois. Join Xeikon in Hall F, Booth 5703, to see this and all the latest label print technology.

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 presses utilize different imaging processes, 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 printing consumables. These include a vast range of conventional and energy-curable inks and coatings, press room chemicals, as well as pigments and additives for use in inks and other colourant applications. The Flint Group is based in Luxembourg and employs around 7,900 people. Globally, the company is number 1 or 2 in all market segments it serves.

For more information about Xeikon, visit www.xeikon.com

All Temperature Adhesive Blank Die-Cut Labels Ideal for Freezer Applications

Chicago, IL, September 7, 2022 – Channeled Resources Group (CRG), a manufacturer of blank shipping labels, release liner, and the world’s largest supplier of value-priced laminated papers and films, announced today the introduction of their newest product offering: blank die-cut pressure sensitive labels with Frost AT, an all-temperature hot melt adhesive.

With a service temperature range from -65° F to 147° F and a minimum application temperature of -8° F, Frost AT is an ideal solution for extremely hot and cold label applications and application environments. Additionally, it offers excellent adhesion to polyolefin and paper substrates. Frost AT will stick quickly and reduce label peel in the most challenging label applications while also performing well at room temperature, making this adhesive truly all-temperature.

According to Alex Hoffman, Materials Manager, “Channeled Resources is thrilled to offer blank labels with the Frost AT all temperature hot melt adhesive. We are proud to carry an expansive blank label inventory, and adding a hot melt All Temperature option enables us to continue offering high quality and dynamic labels at competitive prices.”

CRG will be showcasing the Frost AT technology, along with their release liner products and value-priced pressure-sensitive label stock in their booth #1211 at the upcoming Labelexpo Americas trade show taking place in Rosemont, IL.

About Channeled Resources
Channeled Resources Group (CRG) was founded in 1978 in order to purchase and process secondary fibers for the paper industry. With facilities in Chicago, Wisconsin, Indianapolis, and Ontario Channeled Resources Group (CRG) manufactures release liner and blank shipping/warehouse labels and has become one of the world’s largest suppliers of value priced pressure-sensitive label stock. To learn more about CRG visit www.channeledresources.com

ITASCA, IL ― Xeikon America, Inc., a division of Flint Group and a long-standing leader and innovator in digital printing technology announced today that is has named Kent Wolford as Sales Director Labels NA.

Kent comes to Xeikon with over 25 years’ experience within the Label and Packaging Industry where he has held multiple senior level positions in Sales, Operations, and Marketing. Kent’s prior experience within the print industry, including key appointments in notable associations, helped him develop a deep understanding and knowledge of the industry.

His experience with conventional narrow web flexo presses, a broad background with digital label and packaging solutions, plus a history of high performance sales make Wolford an excellent addition to the Xeikon team.

According to Hans Gerinckx, Global VP Sales Labels & Packaging, Flint Group Digital/Xeikon, “We are very pleased to welcome Kent to Xeikon. He brings us a strong background of sales leadership and his experience within the label and packaging industry, a key reason Xeikon chose him, is going to be a great asset as he guides our sales team to deliver digital printing solutions to the market.

Kent studied business at Louisiana State University and went on to receive his B.S. degree in business/marketing at Towson University, Maryland.

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.

For more information about Xeikon, visit www.xeikon.com

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.