Labelexpo Europe 2023 – Materials | 115“WE USE RECYCLED CONTENT AS MUCH AS WE CAN. WE ARE ALSO USING ALTERNATE COATINGS THAT ARE NOT SILICONE. IF IT IS SILICONE, THEN IT COMES FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES. AND POLYMERS ALSO COME FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES”really successful for us. We have met lots of customers and have ‘It is a real privilege for us and an honor to be with our clients supplier meetings and material provider meetings as well. It is the here at Labelexpo Europe. This is the frst time we have a big stand. place to come and be if you want to meet people working in the We are very happy to be in Brussels and being a part of Labelexpo industry. Platforms like Labelexpo Europe 2023, open a plethora yet again.’of opportunities for businesses across the globe to foster new Busitel showed new resin ribbon P314. Based on a 4-micron PET collaborations and partnerships, exchange industry knowledge, and flm, P314 allows up to 12 percent plastic reduction for each roll.gain a deeper understanding of our customer’s requirements. delfort showed its Tersil UltraLightBase glassine for self-adhesive ‘Cosmo First had a successful presence at the expo engaging with applications, claimed up to 40 percent lighter than current market customers, industry leaders, and visitors who can open the door to alternatives.new collaborations and partnerships, while also allowing businesses Jindal SMI introduced Polyolefn base Conformable PP that to gain valuable insights into customer requirements. It gave us an delivers conformability and fexibility. Available in both clear and opportunity to meet and interact with the customers and industry white fnish, it is 40 percent thinner compared to usual PE flms. leaders of the region and widen our clientele. This accentuates Another new product was PCR PP made with mechanical recycling our commitment to delivering innovative, industry-frst, and technology with the same properties as standard PP flms. PCR environmentally conscious solutions to our esteemed clientele.’ PP with 30 percent post-consumer recycled content is available in both clear and white fnish. Akash Goyal, regional business lead – Americas, SMI Coated COMPOSTABLE MATERIALSComplementing this eco-friendly drive were advancements in Products, said: ‘For us, Labelexpo Europe 2023 was a brilliant compostable materials. occasion to reconnect with our esteemed partners and customers. Bio4Life showcased its certifed compostable materials for fruit We had a busy four days. labels. The face materials are made from renewable resources and ‘Among the key trends at the show we saw an active urgency are coated with the BioTAK compostable adhesive. The product and interest across geographies scouting for sustainable solutions range includes paper from agricultural waste, FSC and PEFC as it was a part of many conversations. We also gauge this by the certifed paper and a variety of bioplastics. amazing response we got for our sustainability portfolio with PCR Premier Coating & Converters displayed its Premeco and down-gauged PP flmic facestocks. We saw a general concern biomass-based and PCR content flms. These materials are over unpredictable supply chain, especially from some key players biodegradable or compostable. in the industry. Overall, the outlook was still bullish from many Gulf Pack launched biodegradable BOPP label flm that customers in spite of some headwinds that hit the region.’biodegrades in two years after it is discarded. Sanjay Choudhary, Innovia Films presented Rayoface CPE45 and WPE45, clear director of sales and marketing, Gulf pack, says: ‘There are parts of and white-label facestock flms intended to replace PE and the world where the waste collection system is not very strong. MDO flms in health and personal care applications. These flms This product will start biodegrading in open air. It just needs are claimed to be thinner than alternative facestock flms. The sunlight and oxygen to biodegrade.’ company also showcased Rayofoat APO and APO-HS (high Speaking of Labelexpo Europe Choudhary says: ‘It is a good shrink), foatable polyolefn shrink sleeve flms designed to improve show. We got very unexpected results. Of course, we expect to the purity of recycled PET bottles. Kurz presented a new service see customers from Europe who are certainly here, but we did to produce thermal transfer ribbons not only in standard black not expect customers from Latin America and Southeast Asia to but to customer-specifc special colors and security solutions. be at the show and they are interested in our products. We are The company has reduced its transfer carrier thickness from 12 strategically located in Saudi Arabia where we have competitive microns to 6 microns for cold foil applications. Kurz also discussed advantage to service customers in the MEA region. We have had its Recosys program. It collects customers’ embossed PET carrier lots of enquiries from customers from Africa and people also visited material. us from Angola and Congo.’ Durico showed new direct thermal flms that are phenol-free and heat stable, as well as flms resistant to solvent, alcohol, hot water and tallow. Durico also displayed translucent direct THINNER AND LIGHTER MATERIALSExhibitors were also discussing lighter, thinner materials to reduce thermal flms and durable inkjet PP flms that comply with BS5609 the ecological footprint of labels. and GHS. Ricardo Lobo, CEO of Beontag says: ‘We are seeing sustainability Univacco showcased its ultra-thin transfer foils, which provide as a trend coming through in different ways ensuring local sourcing, decorative embellishments for labels.shorter supply chains. We are also seeing willingness to work with thinner materials and recycled content. Everyone is in search of BRAND PROTECTION TECHNOLOGIESsomething that is not just sustainable but also economical which is The global issue of counterfeiting was also addressed at the show. a key trend going forward and a key focus for our company. Exhibitors showcased the latest in temper-evident labels and RFID Oct - Dec 2023