Packaging

Labelexpo Americas highlights package printing opportunities

Tuesday 31. July 2012 - This year's Labelexpo Americas sees the debut of the Package Printing Workshops. A brand new feature area, the daily workshops will showcase the opportunities digital pre-press and printing can bring to folding carton production, plastic bucket decoration and high quality tubes.

Xeikon (digital printing and converting), Esko (design, pre-press, and workflow), RotoMetrics (die cutting technology) and cartonboard, film and heat transfer materials suppliers have in conjunction with Labelexpo and Package Print Worldwide magazine developed three comprehensive workshop sessions. The sessions are a valuable addition for label converters looking to diversify into other applications, package printers interested in seeing what digital technology can offer, label and pack designers and for brand-owners looking to understand what digital can provide their business in terms of short-runs, different versions and variations, personalization, faster to market and enhanced supply chain solutions.
The carton application encompasses a carton wrapper to go around 2-jars of a ‘My Moments’ food product, with the carton wrapper printed digitally on the Xeikon 3000 Series press, converted in-line with a Xeikon DCoat including RotoMetrics’ carton cutting dies and roll-fed through to the finished cartons.
The heat transfer tube decoration workshop will use a ‘Beaute’ product design. The product design incorporates a carton box, seamless plastic tube and the required promotional material communicating the product range’s expansion. During the workshop Xeikon will digitally print, roll-to-roll on a wax-coated heat transfer material, and finish on-roll for subsequent transfer on to seamless plastic tubes.
The plastic bucket Workshop sessions will elaborate on the potential types of decoration for buckets/pails. This can involve heat transfer printing or in-mold decoration. During the workshop in-mold labels will be digitally printed by Xeikon from roll-to-roll and finished ready for in-mold labeling of the buckets.
Preceding each of the three sessions, Esko will guide workshop attendees through the pre-press stages and use 3D visualizing to show how the products have been created to final format before any printing has been agreed, including rotating through 360 degrees, visualizing the finished product on store shelves, and placing jars/bottles inside cartons.
Sample folders of all the workshop printed products will be available following each demonstration, and time will be allowed for question and answers before each session is concluded.
Roger Pellow, Labelexpo managing director, said: “We are delighted to announce the addition of the Package Printing Workshops and would like to thank Xeikon, Esko and RotoMetrics in their support and expertise in bringing this new feature to the show floor. These workshops will provide a valuable chance to see technical demonstrations that will help printers diversify into short to medium run package printing. Focused on opportunities beyond the label, the workshops deliver an insightful and unique platform for converters, printers, designers and brand owners to see some of the latest technology and processes in action.”
Taking place again at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Chicago, between 11-13 September, entry to the show costs from $55 and the entry badge is valid for all three days.