Page 20 - Print21 Nov-Dec 2020

Labels
Label presses
broaden applications
While label printers are among the few sectors of print that have been busy during Covid, the press manufacturers continue to develop their machines for a broader range of applications – cartons, pouches, and sleeves among them. Print21 editor Wayne Robinson reports.
Demand for labels is growing. In fact, Covid has been good for the label sector. Even before that, global research
analysts such as InfoTrends and Smithers were predicting a 5 per cent per year growth rate – good figures by anyone’s measure.
And that is just for labels. Today’s label printers are able to use technology that can take them into new markets, with cartons, pouches, sleeves, and flexible packaging among them.
Multiple application
machines
Press developers today are offering machines that will print and convert multiple applications. This is because the digital printing engines use toners and inks that will adhere to multiple substrates. This is combined with improved materials handling and transport capabilities, enabling the presses to handle board and plastic, as well as film and labelstock.
The necessary converting solutions must be added to the press, of course, but these are available, either dedicated or flexible for multiple applications. Visitors to Labelexpo would have seen the different applications, as would have visitors to events such as HP Indigo in Israel and the Xeikon Café.
They are developing in almost the opposite way to the print engines, with the converting developers launching a raft of application
specific converting systems. There are converters for example specifically for pharmaceutical, for wide web, for in-mould and for others.
Developers such as Bobst, Domino, Durst, HP Indigo, Screen and Xeikon are releasing end-to-end solutions. These are all for the high-end label business, but there are plenty of systems at the other end that are appealing to printers looking to labels in the boutique food and drinks sector, for example.
Systems such as the entry-level Epson, and the Oki are low-cost but they print a quality that is good for the public and the boutique brand owner.
In the middle are new solutions from the likes of Konica Minolta. Both these latter groups enable commercial printers to get a toe in the water without breaking the bank. they enable them to get established in the market, without the need for volume from the start.
20 Print21 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020