Time is running out for entries and nominations for this year’s Label Industry Global Awards to be held 11 September at this year’s Labelexpo Americas in Chicago. The awards reward and recognise companies and individuals for their outstanding contribution to the label industry.

The groundbreaking Pasaban Connectivity Cloud monitoring system presented today at Drupa will provide customers with real time data, analyses and warnings on the operational state of their machines with which to increase productivity by up to 10%.

Production of high quality thin blown film is possible with a family of advanced bimodal high density polyethylenes (HDPE) from SABIC. There are currently two grades: HDPE FI0644 and HDPE FI1157 - a higher density grade with higher flow. Both have high molecular weight and a broad molecular weight distribution. These characteristics translate into a good processability that will  minimise disruptions during film production combined with good mechanical properties in the blown film. The low gel levels lead to consistent film production and a smooth film surface. Film makers can achieve acceptable gauge tolerances at very low thicknesses. Both grades can be processed at temperatures around 10% lower than a typically common HDPE grade.

Shelf ready packaging specialist East Lancashire Box has placed an order with BOBST for a new VISION-160 die-cutter. The investment will help the company meet increased demand for its die-cut products including crash lock cartons and four corner trays. The company’s second 1.6 metre BOBST die-cutter will be delivered in July, joining a recently installed BOBST EXPERTFOLD speciality folder-gluer for the manufacture of crash lock and four corner boxes and trays.

Having served the Indian market for the past 20 years, SATO has opened an office in Gurgaon, India to provide better service to customers and support its market position in the country.

Furthermore, to reinforce SATO’s commitment to the India market and to further strengthen its base here, a senior person has been appointed for its South Asia operations.

From 19-21 March 2013, the 8^th ICE Europe, leading international exhibition for everybody involved in the conversion of flexible web materials, such as paper, film, foil and nonwovens, will once again take place at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Munich, Germany.

Renowned as the market place for innovation, ICE Europe is the first choice for manufacturers and suppliers in the converting industry when it comes to display their machines, materials, systems and accessories to a highly targeted visitor audience. Professionals in the converting industry value this specialised trade event as a key platform to build new business relations and to establish global networks. The full Exhibition Profile is available on the show website.

From 19-21 March 2013, CCE International, the only specialised exhibition in Europe for the corrugated and carton industries, will take place at the Munich Trade Fair Centre, Munich, Germany.

CCE International provides a tailor-made platform for the corrugated and carton industries. The exhibition is designed to give raw material manufacturers as well as machinery and service suppliers a unique opportunity to present their latest products and developments to corrugated and folding carton converters, as well as packaging designers.

A new 5000 square metre facility opening in Shanghai on 1 August 2012 will substantially expand EDI China’s product and service offerings to customers in China, enable local manufacture of value added extrusion die systems and provide significantly greater production capacity and additional technical staff.   

Fred Pereira has joined Davis-Standard, LLC as president of Asia. An integral part of the company’s plan to increase the company’s presence in China and throughout the region, Davis-Standard will open a facility in Suzhou, China which will be operational by the end of the year.

KPG Europe has recently installed a Euroflex Dual-Pass casing press at Excellpack Bulgaria – a leading producer of high quality printed polyamide food casings serving its domestic market and exporting to eastern and southern Europe.

Multipress believes that in order to remain competitive in the fast-growing Eastern European markets it is necessary to offer high level technology to meet increasing demands for quality.

A Gecko-inspired adhesive material has been invented by scientists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. ‘Geckskin’ was developed after analysing how geckos adhere to walls.

Cellier Activity of ABB France has successfully started up the enzymatic starch preparation unit and film press working stations supplied to Spanish Group SAICA for its new paper machine PM11 at Partington Mill, Manchester.

Operating at full capacity near Curitiba, Brazil since opening in September 2011, Apex Latin America delivered its 500th ink metering roll to the Latin American market on 29 December. 

“South and Central American flexography is at the cutting edge of printing technology and their immediate embrace of Apex GTT and UltraCell anilox rolls is proof of this,” observes managing director Valcinei Bisineli.

Since securing the UK and Ireland dealership for KAMA Friedheim International has added two key suppliers to its converting division.

Lasercomb is a specialist manufacturer of die-making equipment including laser cutters, auto rule benders, counter matrix and sample making tables. The company’s high-tech products are able to offer complete solutions for the day-to-day tasks facing customers in the fields of packaging as well as display production and die making.

Since its inception in 2008 Colorgen has enjoyed double digit growth year on year. To support the expansion of its UK-based manufacturing site in 2010, further increase sales and to properly support the company’s growth plans for the future, ColorGen has announced what it believes is a first for the ink industry – simultaneous accreditation in the following standards:

-       ISO9001:2008 Quality Standard

-       ISO14001:2004 Environmental Standard;

-       OHSAS18001:2007 Health & Safety Standard.

Comexi Group attended the trade fair Plastindia in February. There was plenty of business activity as the fair was attended by hundreds of customers. Comexi’s stand was visited by some 50 suppliers and more than 200 customers, resulting in interest for at least 12 projects each for flexo and laminating equipment along with another five projects for slitting.

Neschen is closing its UK production plant in Basildon, UK in mid-2012. Around 30 employees produce self-adhesive products mainly for inter-company deliveries to Neschen and its US subsidiary.

The plant closure should lead to an improvement in the group's EBITDA of 1.3 million euros from 2013 onward.

Instead of representing a threat to print, the advance of digital media has brought the unique qualities of paper into sharper focus. Sappi is reaping the benefits with its speciality products

To further enhance its reputation as leading UK and Ireland provider of solutions for conventional and digital print finishing/packaging processes, Friedheim International has set up of a new converting division for an important range of new products. Supplied by its newest agency KAMA – a specialist manufacturer of die-cutting and creasing machines, hot foil stamping machines and folder gluers - all products are designed as efficient finishing solutions for short-run applications across all market sectors: commercial print, digital print, converting and packaging.

Against the background of growing worldwide demand for corrugated and folding carton, Mack Brooks Exhibitions has announced the launch of CCE International - the only specialised exhibition in Europe for the corrugated and carton industries. The show will take place from 19-21 March 2013 at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany, co-located with the 8th ICE Europe, the world’s leading trade exhibition for paper, film and foil converting.

Slitter.org is a new jobs website dedicated to helping find slitter rewinder operators vacancies in the converting, printing and packaging jobs market.

Delta Industrial, a designer and manufacturer of specialty web converting and packaging equipment, will be running a live demonstration of a specialty medical converting and packaging system. This system will showcase a variety of processes such as island placement, tight tolerance die cutting, vision inspection and heat seal pouching. Delta is dedicated to providing precise, flexible and innovative solutions worldwide.

Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials (LPM) has announced the business’s 2011 worldwide recordable incident rate of 0.46 injuries or illnesses for every 100 employees.

The packaging industry in Russia is increasingly relying on control and inspection technology supplied by Erhardt+Leimer. This trend became very obvious during UPAKOVKA, the biggest Russian packaging show which is held in Moscow. Visitors were particularly attracted by the new graphical interface ELPAD and double-flash camera OM 4120.