By: Mark Andy Inc.

St. Louis, MO, May 16, 2024 – Mark Andy Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of narrow- and mid-web printing and finishing equipment with a specialty in the narrow web label industry, is thrilled to announce that San Antonio-based Label Edge has chosen Mark Andy as its digital press partner as they enter the digital label-printing space. This installation marks Label Edge’s first venture into digital printing, complementing their existing fleet of Mark Andy 2200 flexographic presses.

“Label Edge’s decision to incorporate the Digital Pro PLUS into their production line is a testament to their commitment to embracing innovative technologies that drive business growth,” said Steve Schulte, Vice President of Sales at Mark Andy. “We are proud to support them as they adapt to the changing demands of the label printing industry.”

Sherri Proctor, co-owner of Label Edge, commented on the new addition, saying, “This press is not just a purchase; it’s an investment in our future. The hybrid capabilities and the potential for on-the-fly configuration changes with the Digital Pro PLUS make it ideal for our growth strategy, especially in high-mix, low-volume markets.”

Label Edge’s Digital Pro press is customized to meet specific production needs, featuring options for modular add-ons that enhance printing capabilities and output quality.

“We chose Mark Andy again because of our long history with their reliable technology and excellent support,” Sherri added. “This new digital solution fits perfectly with our vision of providing high-quality, flexible printing solutions to our customers.”

For more information about Mark Andy and the Digital Pro PLUS, please visit Mark Andy Digital Pro PLUS.

By: Mondi

• Mondi is investing €200 million into a high-quality recycled containerboard machine with an annual capacity of around 420,000 tonnes at its Duino mill near Trieste, acquired in January 2023. 
• Investment is part of the company’s €1.2 billion of approved investments in organic growth projects aimed at meeting the growing demand for sustainable packaging, enhancing its product offering, and reducing its environmental impact

23 May 2024 – Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, held a groundbreaking ceremony in Duino, Italy, today laying the cornerstone on its €200 million investment in the mill acquired in January 2023. The facility’s existing paper machine is being converted into a high-quality recycled containerboard machine which will create job opportunities for current and potential employees, build and evolve partnerships with local stakeholders as well as contribute to the region’s overall economic development.

The start-up of the new machine is expected in 2025. Once fully operational, it will be capable of producing 420,000 tonnes of recycled containerboard for sustainable packaging solutions and will be Mondi’s widest recycled paper machine at 8.5 metres. Where possible, the mill will source materials locally in order to contribute to the local economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions through shorter transport distances and strengthen supply chain resilience.

“We are excited about the progress of the Duino investment project and the opportunity this provides our growing packaging business,” says Andrew King, CEO of Mondi Group. “This containerboard machine will strengthen our backward integration and provide us with security of supply to better serve our customers.”

“Our investment in Duino allows us to meet the increasing demand for sustainable solutions across Central Europe, the Mediterranean area, and the local Italian market. The project team is currently preparing for the upcoming construction works, with a new recycled fibre plant, wastewater treatment plant and the associated infrastructure and warehousing,” says Markus Gärtner, CEO Mondi Corrugated Packaging. 

By: Reynders Etiketten

With eight production sites in six countries, the family-owned Reynders business has been supplying the label industry for more than 50 years and is now under third generation management.  Established in 1956, and headquartered in Boechout, Belgium with plants in France, Poland, Spain, Germany and India, the company now employs more than 700 people of which approximately half that number work in Belgium.

The company, which is managed by a team of five people representing Sales, Finance, Production and two additional family members, Sébastiaan Reynders (Buying, Planning & Logistics) and Bart Reynders (Sales Manager Pharmaceutical Labels), has been renowned for the variety and quality of its printed output and innovative techniques since it began to specialise in labels in the 1980s.  The first contact with Vetaphone came more than 30 years ago when Marc Reynders and Dirk Den Haese of Vetaphone Benelux began discussing how best to equip the company’s converting lines, mostly ABG and GM machines and in the early days Nilpeter printing presses, with reliable and efficient corona technology.

Since then, Vetaphone has installed more than 50 of its corona units at Reynders’ plants with more due for installation.  Speaking for Reynders, Operations Manager Joris Mermans said: “What we particularly appreciate with Vetaphone corona is its low maintenance requirements.  We very rarely have any issues with the easy access cartridge system and if we do, then spare parts are readily available and delivered quickly.”

Responding for Vetaphone, Dirk Den Haese commented: “Surface treatment might be only an ancillary part of the overall production process, but it’s one of the most vital links in the chain if you are dealing with film or foil materials.  Poor quality corona coverage will pose quality issues downstream and can involve costly reprints which neither converters nor customers can afford.”

Most of the label capability at Reynders is 330mm and 550mm web width, with 2kW corona power for the oldest machines and 4kW for the most resent printing presses with higher speeds and more demanding substrates.  Reynders is using a mix of machine manufacturers’ technology including Gallus and Mark Andy presses that produce self-adhesive labels, sleeves, flexible packaging and IML for markets that include pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food & beverage, industrial, automotive, chemical and household & garden.

The company prides itself on its sustainability record, and operates under the mantra of: ‘Smart, Safe & Sustainable’ stating that a green future begins with the choices we make today.  As Joris Mermans explained: “Sustainability is in the process, not just in the materials.  Producing labels as efficiently as possible combined with care for the environment and its employees is what sustainability means to Reynders.”

Making the right choice is a key part of ‘being green’.   For instance, a paper label is not always the most environmentally friendly if, when applied to a PET bottle, it makes recycling more complex.  Likewise, cartons can often be used only once, whereas plastic packaging can have multiple lives. Reynders label printing works by responsible sourcing, reducing, and recycling.  In addition to a return on investment, the company says it strongly focusses on all possible environmental effects.

As Dirk Den Haese concluded: “Plastic packaging has an increasingly poor reputation in the eyes of the public, but this is largely undeserved because it offers significant advantages that paper-based packaging cannot.  At Vetaphone, we are constantly working with new and more ecologically friendly substrates, and value the cooperation we have long held with Reynders to meet their environmental requirements.”

By: Tiger Capital Group, LLC.

As Tiger’s intellectual property (IP)-related deal flow continues to grow, Zolot will leverage decades of experience in complex M&A transactions, business-development and consumer-brand strategy to provide creative brand monetization solutions to clients

NEW YORK – May 13, 2024 — David Zolot, a high-impact investment professional who brings nearly 25 years of experience in corporate, IP and consumer-brand strategy, has joined Tiger Capital Group as Managing Director, Brand Strategies.

A veteran of the consumer branded space, Zolot has served in senior executive roles at brand management firms Iconix Brands, Saban Brands, and most recently as a Principal at New York-based Neuberger Berman, where he focused on their Marquee Brands investment strategy. In this latter role, Zolot led a deal team that completed and integrated 10 new brand acquisitions and strategic investments, scaling Marquee from an early-stage startup to a global brand management firm generating retail equivalent sales in excess of $3 billion annually. 

At Tiger, Zolot heads a new business initiative focused on creative, value-enhancing opportunities to the growing roster of consumer-facing brands served by the company’s finance, valuation and advisory services divisions. His role also includes business development across all divisions. 

“Tiger’s IP deal flow continues to expand and evolve, and we are investing in and working with more consumer-facing brands that boast strong growth and M&A potential,” noted Tiger Capital Group Chief Operating Officer Michael McGrail. “David’s impressive professional network and mastery of brand and IP valuation, management and monetization, as well as M&A execution, will benefit every facet of our business. We’re thrilled to welcome David to the Tiger team.” 

A University of Michigan Bachelor of Business Administration graduate, Zolot started his career at New York-based Peter J. Solomon Company, where he executed M&A, financing and restructuring transactions for the former Lehman Brothers chairman’s eponymous, boutique investment banking firm. 

The New York native has closed over a hundred debt, equity and capital markets transactions approaching $5 billion in aggregate consideration over the course of his career, including highly complex deals involving bankruptcies, corporate carveouts, cross-border negotiations and transitions from public to private ownership.

As Zolot sees it, there is a meaningful opportunity for Tiger to invest in or otherwise monetize brands that come in through, or are able to utilize, Tiger’s existing platform. “I’m excited to leverage my network and experience to drive revenue across Tiger’s organization, with a focus on executing creative, value-enhancing deals for consumer brands. I look forward to working closely with the talented team at Tiger Capital Group to lead this new initiative and to help expand the services and solutions offered to our clients.”

By: Hybrid Software

(Ghent, Belgium) Hybrid Software, developer of innovative productivity tools for label & package printing, will demonstrate Version 10 of its PACKZ PDF packaging editor at the Drupa trade fair starting on May 28 in Düsseldorf, Germany. PACKZ Version 10 adds deep connectivity to EngView’s Package & Display Designer CAD software to better support existing EngView users as well as any folding carton printer who is looking for a modern, user-friendly CAD alternative. This collaborative solution adds to the already-extensive range of editing and automation tools in PACKZ 10 and marks a significant advancement in packaging production for folding cartons.

Hybrid Software President Patrick Coussement states, “PACKZ has long supported connectivity with structural design software via open interfaces, but the direct connection to EngView is much more streamlined and productive for folding carton designers and printers. EngView has an excellent reputation and offers both Mac and PC versions of their software, just as we do with PACKZ. We’re looking forward to a long and successful partnership and continued innovation on behalf of our mutual customers.”

Boriana Stoimenova, Head of the Packaging Division at EngView Systems, comments on the integration between EngView Package & Display Designer and Hybrid’s PACKZ:

“As two leading companies, committed to providing high-quality innovative solutions for the packaging industry, sharing the same customer-oriented values, it’s the natural progression for EngView and Hybrid to form an alliance. This collaboration aims to empower our customers by automating the packaging design and production processes. It will significantly improve their efficiency and reduce the time-to-market. Given the smooth and effective cooperation between our teams so far, I am genuinely excited about this venture and believe we can discover even more ways to integrate EngView’s and Hybrid’s products. “

Discover all innovative productivity tools of the only all-in-one PDF editors for label and packaging graphics at www.hybridsoftware.com, or visit Hall 7a, Stand D03 at drupa for a personalized demonstration.

By: UPM Raflatac

UPM Raflatac has announced the launch of its innovative New Wave paper label material compatible with recycling. It is the first RecyClass certified paper label material to obtain a Letter of Compatibility for use on rigid high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) containers. The test results confirm the compatibility even for natural and white material streams, which require the highest purity of recyclate from the recycling processes. This groundbreaking new label material represents a major step forward in the recycling of rigid plastic packaging, helping brand owners continue to make the shift towards enhanced circularity. At the moment, New Wave is the only RecyClass-recognized label solution for rigid natural and white HDPE and PP material streams.

The New Wave label material is designed to provide functionality for the full life cycle of products, primarily home and personal care products such as soap bottles or washing detergent containers. It supports the purity of recycled materials by washing off cleanly at just 40°C using plain water with no chemicals required. Available now to customers in EMEIA, followed by the Asian market, the New Wave label material is tested to perform without fiberloss in the recycling process, helping to prevent contamination in material streams. This ensures the resulting recyclate can be used again in new packaging without compromising on quality and gives producers more choice when it comes to using label materials from a renewable source.

Until now, obtaining RecyClass approval for natural and white HDPE and PP rigid packaging has been difficult due to the lack of any RecyClass approved label. However, with the introduction of the New Wave paper label material, brands can now achieve certification for the final packaging with New Wave label material certified by RecyClass. This Letter of Compatibility confirms that the label material is compatible with recycling technologies used at an industrial scale.

“When brands choose the New Wave Label material for their rigid HDPE or PP packaging, they can make the full package eligible for RecyClass certification. Brand owners will not have to test the packaging further if all packaging components have either a letter of compatibility, a technology approval letter, or the material choice meets RecyClass Design for Recycling Guidelines,” states Robert Taylor, Director Sustainability, UPM Raflatac.

“This launch marks a significant breakthrough in our efforts to enhance the circularity of plastic packaging,” says Sylwia Jurys, Vice President, Paper Laminates, UPM Raflatac. “As regulations such as the European Packaging and Packaging Wate Regulation (PPWR) continue to evolve, we have worked with RecyClass to provide a solution that not only meets strict recycling criteria but also sets a new standard for sustainable packaging. We are proud to lead the way in recyclable packaging solutions, helping brand owners meet their sustainability targets and close the loop to support a circular packaging economy.”

UPM Raflatac’s ongoing commitment to sustainability is delivered through the company’s Beyond Fossils ambition. The New Wave label is a testament to the company’s innovative spirit and its dedication to the principles of circular economy.

By: DALIM SOFTWARE

A new generation of software for a new generation of print to be demonstrated at Hall 16/A40 and Hall 7a/D01

DALIM SOFTWARE (www.dalim.com), a leading provider of software solutions for creating, producing, and managing print and digital content, will be showcasing its next-generation platform, comprising the renowned DALIM ES and DALIM TWIST products, at drupa 2024, stands Hall 16/A40 and Hall 7a/D01, demonstrating how businesses can streamline their production operations for enhanced efficiency and scalability.

As the demand for content continues to skyrocket across various formats and channels, businesses are facing unprecedented challenges in scaling their operations to meet these growing needs. Many organizations are finding that their existing in-house developed solutions and legacy systems are limiting their ability to expand their offerings and scale production effectively. This realization has led to a critical evaluation of their technology investments, with a focus on finding versatile, scalable solutions that can be easily integrated and built upon.

In this evolving landscape, the ‘buy vs. build’ debate has taken centre stage, with integration capabilities and platform consolidation becoming more crucial than ever. Companies are recognizing the need for highly flexible solutions that offer an intuitive user experience and powerful automation capabilities, allowing them to focus on their core business offerings while expanding their capabilities. DALIM ES and DALIM TWIST address these challenges head-on, providing a re-invented content lifecycle production platform with unlimited scalability, empowering businesses to meet the demands of the digital revolution in both print and online.

The new software is built on a unique platform embracing what DALIM SOFTWARE calls its future-proof MACH architecture: 

• Micro-services: for flexibility, and optimized up and down scalability

• API-first: enabling seamless integration of any platform component with existing systems

• Cloud native: for 24/7 access from anywhere under proven security and smart auto-scaling, without managing a complex IT infrastructure

• Headless: for advanced users who can build their own tailored applications and UX/UI

While new print applications and device types continue to emerge and legacy print systems consolidate, the world of print production is evolving rapidly. Workflow solutions must now catch up with hardware advancements, a reversal of the previous challenge. By leveraging the MACH framework, DALIM SOFTWARE’s platform can handle any volume while maintaining high-quality output, ensuring process efficiency, and optimizing resources in a faster, better, and smarter way. The platform is designed to meet the demands of the next generation of production obstacles, supporting businesses in their quest to stay ahead in an ever-changing landscape.

“Print providers, agencies, and brands face daily challenges with high volume and diverse content demands. Distributed teams and customers require solutions that enable work from anywhere. DALIM SOFTWARE’s platform focuses on solving any challenge, present or future,” states Tim D’Elia, Director of Product Strategy. “Our customizable, scalable technology automates and streamlines tasks, allowing teams to focus on their strengths while workflow ensures error-free media. DALIM ES and DALIM TWIST, working together in our next-generation platform, can be applied to any process, improving operational performance, enabling scaling, and delivering the best quality.”

DALIM ES: A complete, end-to-end solution for just about any print and online production challenges

DALIM ES provides an end-to-end solution for automating and managing the entire content lifecycle, from creation and collaboration to optimization and distribution, across various content production industries. It also has the most comprehensive browser-based review tool, with a colour-accurate viewer, detailed analysis tools, revision comparison, annotations, and approval workflow that streamlines processes, reduces costs and enhances quality. The new DALIM ES low-code application editor empowers advanced users to extend the system, creating custom solutions to address specific needs, customer experiences, or emerging market challenges. It simplifies the management of multiple brands, content types, and channels by providing an adaptive centralized platform, streamlined workflows, and automated processes. In doing so, DALIM ES saves time and reduces manual effort, for a faster time-to-market, allowing teams to focus on higher-value tasks.

DALIM TWIST: Production automation for virtually any print or online output

For decades, DALIM TWIST has helped a wide range of users automate time-consuming prepress processes from preflighting, to final file prep for output, to any print or online medium, eliminating manual errors in the process. The next-generation DALIM TWIST, with its modern architecture, will help organizations scale up their operations to meet peak performance challenges, and down to help towards sustainability goals. DALIM TWIST can be integrated with a wide range of hardware and software, including existing systems and digital print devices. In addition, TWIST DRIVE, an API-based tool that easily fits into existing production workflows, can help scale and process reliable quality checks & fixes of up to millions of PDF pages per day.

“Since introducing DALIM TWIST as the first graphical interface production workflow at drupa 1995, DALIM SOFTWARE has consistently focused on developing highly configurable software that adapts to any need or situation, empowering businesses to tailor solutions to their unique requirements. In a sense, we were enabling people to train machines to assist them with tasks long before the AI revolution we see today. We believe that we make heroes of our direct customers by providing them with the tools to easily create automated solutions for complex challenges. It’s why DALIM SOFTWARE is proud to have so many long-standing customer relationships,” explains Carol Werlé, DALIM SOFTWARE Chief Executive Officer. “DALIM SOFTWARE continues its innovative and award-winning mission of helping businesses achieve maximum productivity from their hardware and teams through scalable, automated production workflow systems. We simplify the process by offering one adaptable platform with multiple solutions to manage any digital format and generate high-quality output for both online and offline (print) channels. Present at drupa since 1990, our roots are in print. At drupa 2024, we look forward to showing our exciting new approach to building solutions for companies in search of future-proof solutions that are designed to last and sustain production constraints in an ever-changing media world.”

To schedule a specific drupa visit or demo to see how the DALIM platform handles online assets, collaboration and content production automation for printers, packaging companies, publishers, multichannel brands, marketing agencies, and much more, visit drupa.dalim.com.

By: Mark Andy Inc.

Mark Andy continues to organise special events for print-oriented students, which this year saw two groups of young people attend a workshop at its Warsaw-based Technology Centre.  More than 120 students from Polish technical universities and high schools participated in an Open House that consisted of theoretical and practical tutorials and demonstrations.  The workshops included presentations of the three printing presses installed in the Warsaw demo room, covering flexo and hybrid technologies.

“These meetings are aimed at our future printers, and the event has become a Mark Andy Europe tradition for the universities and high schools,” says Lena Chmielewska-Bontron, European Marketing Manager Mark Andy.  “This year we decided to split the students into two groups to match the sessions to their knowledge and qualifications.  So, we focused mainly on theory with the high school students, while the technical universities’ students took part in a practical workshop that included setting up presses and printing jobs.”

All the guests were able to see three Mark Andy presses in action, including the newest flexo line, the Pro Series.  “The feedback was very positive, and it was clear that our agenda really tapped into the students’ interest.  We were delighted to see their involvement as we’re all very conscious of the global shortage of highly skilled and qualified people in the printing industry.” 

Mark Andy has several goals in organising these events. “First, we leverage and create knowledge and provide a technical background for future print industry employees.  And second, we show and promote printing as a very interesting and future-proof industry, with label production being core to the Mark Andy business.”

Opening the event, Lena Chmielewska-Bontron warmly welcomed the students before handing over to Lukasz Chruslinski, European Sales Manager, who gave a keynote speech covering different aspects of label printing.  He started with a short presentation of Mark Andy as a manufacturer and pioneer of narrow-web presses, with its 77 years of history and market presence. “Our company was a kind of cradle for narrow-web printing, because it started and developed with Mark Andrews, the founder of Mark Andy,” he underlined.

Today, Mark Andy is acknowledged as a global leader in narrow-web flexo presses, as well as a pioneer of flexo/digital hybrid technology, covering both inkjet- and toner-based techniques.  “We’re observing a significant and rapid growth in the sales of Mark Andy hybrids worldwide, right now,” he explained,

Lukasz Chruslinski went on to present current trends in the narrow-web print sector, focusing especially on the label industry.  He pointed out that geopolitical and economic uncertainty are key factors currently influencing the activities of many entrepreneurs and consumers.  “To be honest, in today’s market conditions it is very hard to predict the future, even within a very short time perspective,” he said.  “We have experienced very stormy years recently and there are no clear indications that the situation will get better any time soon.”

Taking these conditions into account, it is crucial for companies to be flexible and agile, so they can respond quickly.  Mark Andy meets these market trends by offering presses and manufacturing lines that allow label converters to cope with the many challenges they face with changing market trends.  These include decreasing run lengths and smaller orders, shorter delivery times, the growing importance of e-commerce, VDP and versioning, as well as technology aspects like the growing interest in linerless, peel-off, and RFID labels.  “We’re watching all these trends very closely and analysing the situation with our customers.  This allows us to prepare and develop the new technology for investment projects.”

Mark Andy’s student guests saw working demonstrations on three printing presses installed at the company’s Technology Centre.  These included the newly introduced Pro Series, and Evolution Series E5 flexo lines, as well as the hybrid Digital Series HD.  The same label designs were printed on each press, allowing for comparisons of the finished labels produced by different processes.  The university students were invited to set up the presses by themselves including make-ready and press start-up.  They were supervised and supported by print specialists and service technicians from Mark Andy Europe.

“We were very impressed with the interest shown by all the students who took part, especially their involvement in workshop.  They were very active, asking many detailed questions and were keen to set up presses and start new print jobs.  For both events we prepared and printed occasional labels that showed all the participants, which proved a fun and much appreciated souvenir.  We hope they all have good memories of their visit to Mark Andy and that meeting our specialists and seeing and using our technology will provide them with a solid background to their learning process.  We believe that meetings like these provide encouragement and make them keen to spend their future in printing industry,” Lena Chmielewska-Bontron concludes.

By: Dynamic Systems Inc

Zebra Technologies has announced a new label purchase requirement.  They will no longer be accepting orders for individual rolls stock labels but will be selling labels by the case only.  (The policy for custom labels remains the same.)

The number of rolls per case varies by the size of the label, so check with Jaime to determine a minimum quantity for your specific label.

The new policy will take effect June 28th.