Editor’s welcome | 11L&L looks back (L&L issue 6, 2012)LABELS&LABELING | 51| L&L 72 LABELS&LABELING | 29 41LABELS&LABELING | Etiquetas Anro growsToying with the labelINNOVATION AND INVESTMENT are the keys to ?nding long term success in the label industry. In Mexico, Etiquettas Anro believes this is the way writes Danielle JerschefskeLEADING SPANISH CONVERTER Germark has worked hard with its industry partners to help a shampoo manufacturer recapture lost market share. Carol Houghton reportsThe Silva family purchased its ?rst covert inks and ultra-?ne print fonts that the machinery as ef?ciently as possible. printing press twenty ?ve years ago, a allow for anti-counterfeit tactics and track With this system, pro?tability is effectively Mark Andy 810 that is still used today and trace methods. Many of the security measured across these marks.’ The In tough economic times, brand owners’ natural re?ex is to OPP Films for PSL enabled us to convert the bottle of shampoo into to produce two-color pricing labels as labels are produced on a 6-color Nilpeter system helps management gain a better try and cut their labeling costs. But Barcelona based label a toy.’ The mechanical strength and tear properties mean the die-cut Etiquetas Anro. Since then, the second FB water-based machine. Etiquetas Anro understanding of true cost and helps to converter Germark prefers to offer them another, more stickers can be simply and cleanly separated and reapplied many generation has taken over operations is one of the only veri?ed suppliers in ?nd areas for improvement whether it is creative route to pro?tability. Germark began to speak to times, providing hours of entertainment for children. and management to grow the business, Mexico for one of the nation’s largest operator training or capital investment. facestock suppliers four years ago, when it invested in a The construction provides the brand with a key differentiator from reinventing the ‘label’ by acquiring new retail chains. An investment was made in a core cutter production line to both manufacture and print its own pres- its competitors in a crowded market. and, importantly for its target technologies and adopting modern Security inks are used to print a black to ?nd ef?ciencies in the operation. The sure-sensitive labels. This is where its relationship with ?lm audience, is fun. Cid says, ‘With very little cost increase, there is a production techniques to remain light readable ‘Anro’ on tags and labels. business only requires a small inventory specialist ExxonMobil Chemical, began. lot of value added across the value chain.’ Denenes reported that competitive. The retailer can use the products as a and it’s easier to store large tubes and cut Coinciding with the start of the global ?nancial crisis in the PSP label application increased sales of its shampoo by a stag-Just before the global recession tracking device to verify which labels are them down to size when needed.2009, one of Germark’s biggest customers, Denenes, gering 12 percent.hit three years ago, Etiquetas Anro most suitable for deterring counterfeit A conveyer belt has been used for a reported it was struggling with its sales of health and beauty purchased and installed an 8-color sales and stolen items. In some cases number of years to help move ?nished products. It approached Germark looking for a way to reduce THE TECHNOLOGYMPS EC3300 (13 inch/330mm) multi- the converter works directly with products into the packaging department labeling costs. Iban Cid, president, Germark says, ‘this was The labels are printed in two steps; ?rstly the three layers are printed substrate press to further develop retailer’s suppliers because saleable to speed preparation for shipment. Silva not the answer.’ He believed that label price was not the is- on an MPS EP-410 UV ?exo press. The base layer is a 5-color job business into the prime label market. items need be labeled before entering explains that the company has done a lot sue and instead proposed an innovative promotional project plus release varnish, the stickers are printed with three colors and The MPS machine is fully UV with the stores.The new MPS machine allows of work to improve the ?ow of the current which would allow the company to increase its market share. the cover is printed with ?ve colors plus pattern adhesive at 40 GEW lamps and is equipped with all the converter’s press operators to plant, which has been in use for four years Cid outlines two routes for bringing innovation to the mar- meters per minute. Construction and converting of the complex the functions. Business in Mexico, like produce labels with extremely ?ne point and still has room for growth. Operations ket. Firstly, by responding to a customer’s idea – for example laminate is done of?ine on an ETI Cohesio machine. Both ETI and most every market in the world, grinded font allowing even more secure, covert choose ?exible dies 98 percent of the one customer required development of an edible pressure MPS machines have print widths up to 410mm. The label is applied to a halt, and is still working to fully label production to deter counterfeit time because of the reduced cost and sensitive label (eventually abandoned because of cost). The at the brand’s packaging facilities with a regular self-adhesive label JUAN CARLOS ZAMORANO outside Flexo recover from the massive business hit. issues. improved changeover speeds found with other option is to use in-house R&D to bring new products to applicator made by Germark.Print’s factory in Cochabamba, BoliviaYet, the converter was able to sustain, the technology.the market, an excellent example is the Peel Stick and Play In terms of conversion properties, Iban Cid reports that Label-Lyte and even ?nd new clients. Fabian Silva, EFFICIENCY & FLOW Like many converters in the last couple (PSP) promotional labeling system. ‘We are pushing R&D to provides excellent printability and adhesive receptivity, stiffness and commercial director says, ‘The market Fabian Silva runs the business as years, Etiquetas Anro has increased its create new solutions in the recession to help our customers,’ ?ex resistance, very good moisture resistance and good overall really slowed here and the last few commercial director. Nidia Silva, his focus on inventory control by closely adds Cid. converting, die-cutting and dispensing properties. The high opacity years have been super tough. We were sister, works as the human resources working with material suppliers Avery In the case of Denenes, Germark worked with ExxonMobil of the ?lm allows printing on multiple layers, preserving the quality worried about the investment honestly.’ manager, and Amin Silva, his brother, Dennison, 3M, Green Bay Packaging and to develop an innovative promotional label for the HDPE of the primary label and hiding the stickers of the second layer. The Today, thirty percent of the converter’s helped develop the company into what UPM Ra?atac to improve lead times and Sustainability (high density polyethylene) bottle Denenes used for its chil- ?lm also provides good stiffness for easy dispensing, separating and Reversing the trendbusiness is prime label production on it now is the operations manager until accurate ordering. In Mexico, converters dren’s shampoo. The labels feature a three layer construc- handling of labels and stickers. Cid adds, ‘Stiffness was a key ele-the MPS EC ?exographic press. last year when he parted ways to begin have a 24 hour lead time with Avery and tion, which can all be separated during use. The ?rst layer is ment of the product which is why using OPP was so important.’ Etiquetas Anro produces mostly PS a career outside of the country. Together Ra?atac. It has also expanded its storage BOLIVIAN end users are used to importing their labels from abroad. Now, the country’s ?rst narrow web peeled off to reveal a middle layer of die-cut stickers which Sustainability is also an element of the design, as Germark con-materials for a wide variety of markets the siblings understand the importance area to hold products for customers converter is taking advantage of the gap in the market. James Quirk reportsdominates paper debatecan be removed and replaced whilst the primary brand label verts its PS material with a PET liner, which is fully recyclable and including the nation’s largest retailers. of cost control, running speeds and until they’re ready for application. Sixty remains completely intact. Cid says ‘ExxonMobil’s Label-Lyte allows 25 percent more labels to be printed per roll. The machine has helped the converter productivity and waste. employees run two shifts. Assistants help BRIGL AND BERGMEISTER hosted its ninth Label Conference in October. Carol Houghton highlights some of The foundation of Bolivia’s ?rst dedicated narrow web label imported the majority of the labels used on locally sold goods. move into PS ?lm label production Fabian Silva explains, ‘Each machine, with the set-up of the more complex presses the key discussionsconverter – and its subsequent investment in machinery from But now, companies in these countries are increasingly taking for health and beauty products, ?nishing or a press, is considered a ‘CC’ using the ‘pits’ project methodology. Silva Gallus, Nilpeter, Roto?ex and Karlville – is a story representative advantage of the gap in their local markets. but business has not moved into or Cost Center including the operator’s says, ‘We strongly believe in growing our of three major trends in some of Latin America’s lesser Bolivian brands historically import their labels from more unsupported ?lms, which is a possibility wage, facility rent, and other costs that people with the company.’ Sustainability was on everyone’s mind at Brigl and mainly pulp, so is well positioned in environmental terms.developed label markets: the creation of local label converting developed industries such as Argentina and Colombia, and for future growth. must be factored into production and The converter has created a systematic Bergmeister’s ninth annual Label conference, held in Bad David Ravnjak, F&E Papirnica Vevce, Brigl and Bergmeister, Who printed the money that is safe to spend?operations to serve brands owners accustomed to importing before just four years ago, there was no dedicated narrow web A signi?cant share of business is in sales. Each operator knows the ideal training program to ensure each individual Hofgastein, Austria. The event attracted 180 printers and looked at the development of ‘smart’ printed features on paper labels from abroad; the increasing installations of top quality converting operation in the country. security printing, producing labels with production speeds and are trained to run is provided with the proper training and industry suppliers from 27 countries. – biosensors/activators and interactive labels. machinery; and the desire to export. This changed with the foundation in 2007 of Flexo Print, a skill set to move forward. New employees In his keynote, Brigl and Bergmeister CEO Michael Sabltanig Ravnjak also emphasized the technical performance char-Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile may dominate the Cochabamba-based offshoot of offset printer Sagitario, located typically start with ?nishing and then move said it is essential to make companies more sustainable in a acteristics of paper. For example an 80gsm label paper can headlines – all four boast local label converting operations that in La Paz. In its short lifespan, the company has reaped the into a basic rewind station and so on. time of global economic instability and tumbling stock markets. withstand up to 200kpa (kilo/pascals) pressure and in terms of compare favorably in technology and quality with Europe and bene?ts of investment in advanced technology that has made it Marisella is the lead operator on the MPS But there are positives – the purchasing power of the middle stiffness, can support up to three kg weight. As wet strength, the USA’s ?nest. But the smaller markets of Bolivia and Peru – unique in its local market.EC machine, a female that has scaled classes in emerging markets is growing. In developed markets, papers can also incorporate properties such as ?ame re-even Ecuador and Paraguay – are increasingly attracting high the ranks within the facility, quickly taking meanwhile, changing consumer behaviour is presenting its own tardance and can act as a barrier for oxygen, vapor, liquids quality machinery as local companies seek to reverse the trend UNIQUE OFFERINGher skill set from less automated presses challenges – particularly as environmental awareness impacts and grease. These properties can be built in through coating of end users importing labels from abroad. ‘Bolivia is something of a virgin country when it comes to the and translating her knowledge to perform on packaging requirements. design, through base paper design – choice of ?ber type, ad-In Peru, Kuresa, the country’s leading producer of prime label industry,’ says Juan Carlos Zamorano, general manager But Sabltanig noted that sustainability must have an eco- ditives and paper recipe – and the design of processing steps extremely well on the advanced press. labels and adhesive tapes, has just invested USD $23 million of Flexo Print, which employs 29 people. It was six years ago nomic base, and this means the converting industry needs to including conditioning and coating.in a new facility. Grupo Fibra?l, a manufacturer of agricultural that Zamorano’s father and namesake, who founded Sagitario’s improve its cost base needs and its management of raw materi- It is also easy to forget how adaptable paper is in terms of SOLUCIONES INTELIGENTES For decades Stork Prints has been setting the international standard in banknote printing that discourages counterfeiting. Our netting and twine in the same country, will shortly open a in 1986, decided to move into narrow web printing, encouraged als, energy and transport costs, all of which require cooperation surface design, said Ravnjak. ‘It is ?exible and adapts to the The converter has been working away in (L-R) Kevin Frydryk, global market development throughout the supply chain. shape of the canister.’dedicated label division housing two new Nilpeter FB presses. both by the end users served by Sagitario’s offset operation, its R&D department to design labels that original screens and printing systems continue to guarantee the best quality today. Together with printers and manufacturers manager, labels, ExxonMobil Chemical OPP ?lms Sabltanig called on the industry to better communicate the Sebastian Schwarz, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, used In Bolivia, packaging supplier Industrias Ravi is on the point of and by the presence among the company’s staff of a former create differentiation and add-value, both worldwide, we offer cutting edge solutions for security printing. www.spgprints.combusiness, Michele Fiori, southern Europe manager, bene?ts of paper. ‘Oil based materials are not sustainable, with his presentation to explain how sustainable manufacturing establishing a local label converting operation in cooperation press operator from German label converter Pago. to a brand and to the consumer. In order labels, ExxonMobil Chemical Iberia S.L. OPP ?lms some experts predicting the age of oil is past its peak, and can deliver to printers operational and economic and well as with Argentine printer Artes Grá?cas Raal. You can read about Through this link, as well as the local presence of Heidelberg to promote its capabilities it has printed business and Iban Cid, managing director, Germark MARISELLA with Silva next to the MPS machinein Europe, wood-based materials volumes are growing once ecological bene?ts, while Douglas Hutt from SAB Miller, the all three of these stories in upcoming issues of L&L. in Bolivia, the company began conversations with Gallus and complex samples with odorous coatings again.’ Paper consists of 95 percent renewable raw materials, world’s second largest brewer, gave an end users’ perspective These smaller Latin American markets have traditionally purchased an 8-color EM 280 press with hot stamping and two and multiple layers to show clients what its The origin of successJANUARY 2012 L&L |LABELS&LABELINGJANUARY 2012 L&L |JANUARY 2012 L&L |L&L6_NEW20.indd 41 05/12/2011 13:16L&L6_NEW20.indd 72 05/12/2011 13:18L&L6_NEW20.indd 51 05/12/2011 13:17SPG L&L Pig A4.indd 1 24-10-11 19:46P29 L&L visited Etiquetas P43 Sustainability was on P51 L&L reported on leading P72 James Quirk visited Anro, a Mexican label converter everyone’s mind at Brigl and Spanish converter Germark Cochabamba-based Flexo Print, run by the Silva family. The Bergmeister’s ninth annual which worked with industry the frst narrow web converter company purchased its frst Label Conference, which partners to help a shampoo in Bolivia, which was taking printing press 25 years earlier attracted 180 printers and manufacturer recapture lost advantage of a gap in the – a Mark Andy 810 that was industry suppliers from 27 market share. The labels market as local end users were still producing 2-color pricing countries. CEO Michael featured three layers. The frst used to importing their labels labels. The second generation Sabltanig highlighted the need was peeled off to reveal a from abroad. had taken over and reinvented to make companies more middle layer of die-cut stickers the business by acquiring new sustainable in a time of global which can be removed and See our online archive at technologies and adopting economic instability and replaced whilst the primary labelsandlabeling.com/magazine/archivesmodern production techniques. tumbling stock markets. brand label remained intact.The next phase of digitalizationEditor’s notene of my early Richards, managing director of “How this new generation of digital assignments as a UK converter Amberley Labels, Ojunior reporter for a digital pioneer now part of presses reframes the relationship Labels & Labeling magazine, Coveris Group, is well-placed some sixteen or seventeen to have a view on the future of between digital and fexo technology years ago, was covering an digital and fexo technology. The will be fascinating to watch”event in London which featured majority of Amberley’s output representatives from HP Indigo might be digital, and Richards and Gallus debating whether each technology has spurred As his coverage of recent admits to always assuming the future of label printing lay the other to even greater press launches from HP Indigo, the company would one day with digital or conventional heights. As digital presses Durst and Bobst shows, these become a fully digital operation, printing technology. gained market share thanks to machines ‘can reach new yet he is no longer convinced At that time, this discussion quick changeovers and adept levels of productivity broadly by his own prediction and is was often framed as a handling of shorter runs, fexo comparable with narrow effusive in his praise for fexo’s debate – ‘digital versus fexo’ fought back by incorporating web fexography’. They do ability to handle high-speed, – and positions adopted by digital technology to automate so by leaning on advanced long-run work.technology suppliers and job set-up, increase productivity and automated conventional How this new generation industry commentators alike and reduce waste. technology to convert the of digital presses reframes the were frequently absolutist: Now it is digital’s turn to lean digitally printed label. ‘There relationship between digital one would ultimately triumph on conventional technology. remains a close synergy and fexo technology will be over the other. Since then, One of the key topics covered between digital and fexo/ fascinating to watch. the technologies have settled in this issue of Labels & conventional technology, with amicably alongside each other, Labeling, my last as editor, advances in conventional each with its own advantages is the emergence of a new technology automation and niches, to the extent that it generation of digital presses refected directly in the is rare to fnd a label converting which, as Andy Thomas-Emans productivity of the digital press,’ operation that cannot call upon writes in his column, are closing he writes. Interviewed for our Q&A the speed and productivity gap both of them. James Quirkfeature in this issue, David with fexo. Indeed, like all great rivals, Group managing editor Apr - Jun 2022