36 | Regulars / The Mike Fairley columnMike Fairley with his wife Pat, who also played a key role in the early days of Labels & LabelingThe Mike Fairley column A fond farewellLabel industry stalwart and Labels & Labeling founder Mike Fairley is retiring after an industry-defning career that spanned more than 50 years. This is his fnal column. It is our honor to print it.t’s almost impossible to believe that I frst started writing and “I can happily retire from the talking about labels some 50-plus years ago while working as deputy head of training at PIRA, the world-renowned Paper, Iindustry by being reassured that Printing and Packaging Industries Research Association. At the time, I was asked to write an education and training handbook about the Labels & Labeling, The Label fast-emerging new technology of pressure-sensitive labels.Throughout these past year years, I’ve been witness to innovative Academy, Labelexpo global shows ideas, new materials and technologies, problem-solving and and all aspects of label production opportunities, global growth and even challenges. Today, the label industry is one of the most sophisticated of and usage, look set to be in all the printing industry sectors that brings together the widest range of substrates and printing and converting processes, highly capable hands for the industry’s advanced computerized design and pre-press solutions, the latest in inspection technologies, workfow automation and MIS – all ongoing future and success”combining to provide world-leading branding and marketing innovations. It’s certainly been a privilege to be part of this amazing industry, “What a journey it has been. When I took and to not only have personally known many of the early industry over the leadership of Nilpeter in 1981, Mike pioneers – Stan Avery, Chuck Miller, Ferdinand Rüesch III, Mark had already founded Labels & Labeling. Andrews Jnr, Werner Jackstädt, Juhani Stromberg, Nozumo Shiwaku More than 40 years have passed since then. – but to have worked with most of their companies, and many Mike’s contribution to the label industry other of the emerging pressure-sensitive industry suppliers and converters of the 1970s and 1980s, on market and technology cannot be overrated and he has played a research strategies, education, and training or editorial projects.signifcant role for the industry as a whole Now, after 50 years of writing and talking about labels, it’s and for Nilpeter. We have always had a tight time to bring my time in the industry to a close with this fnal partnership with Mike and have shared Mike Fairley column, but not without a last look over these 50 many good memories and experiences over the incredible years. years. Mike’s role as an active and insightful contributor to the industry will be missed – The early beginningsthere is no doubt about that. I wish him all Going back to the time I frst started researching and writing the the best in his next chapter.”PIRA label handbook in 1971 it was little more than a handful of years after Fasson, the base materials division of the Avery Lars Eriksen, president & CEO, NilpeterAdhesive Label Company in America, had expanded the division’s labelsandlabeling.com