Elegance & Speed

Published: May 01, 2008, By By Edward Boyle, Contributing Editor

Many of the industry's largest converters adhere to the principle of “thinking globally but acting locally.” But Israel-based Tadbik Group has taken that philosophy to a highly successful extreme.

Established in 1983, the once “local” group has become the valued supplier to end-users in 26 countries. Packaging products include shrink sleeves and in-mold and blow-mold labels that combine offset and gravure technologies to deliver the superior quality required by customers across all market segments. The company now operates five subsidiaries, including two in the US, a Russian manufacturing facility, and another under construction in South Africa as part of a joint venture.

Recently, the Tadbik Pack subsidiary further enhanced its capabilities and market reach with the installation of a second 28-in., nine-color Drent Goebel combination press at its 81,000-sq-ft headquarters in Teradion, Israel. It will allow the company to make further inroads in the shrink sleeve and in-mold label markets. “The Goebel press represents an outstanding opportunity for us to adhere to the standards for top-quality printing that we have established over the years,” says Eli Feder, chief technology officer.

The new Drent Goebel press includes six offset stations and three gravure stations — one at the beginning and two at the end, says Micha Noah, R&D manager. Reportedly, the offset stations allow the use of fast-drying UV offset inks and feature special sleeves that allow quick changeover between 24- and 25-in. repeats.

Tadbik Pack says it is the first company in the world to use the sleeve inserts. An older Drent Goebel press, installed in 2004, has just two gravure stations and no quick-change sleeves.

Noah says the gravure cylinders allow Tadbik Pack to add rich whites, metallic or pearlescent inks, varnishes, and matte finishes. Positioning the gravure stations at the beginning and end of the press allows Tadbik Pack to create a foundation of gravure color, add process and spot color by offset, and finish the label with metallic highlights or matte/varnish effects, says Noah.

“This press gives us the best of both worlds. We have the speed, flexibility, and low origination costs of offset, as well as the special richness and finish that can only be accomplished with gravure. We can bring the elegance of gravure to jobs that are shorter and more cost-effective because of the offset capabilities.”

Well Suited to IML

Noah reports the company's work with shrink sleeves and in-mold labels has created great opportunities for both Tadbik Pack and its customers. It can handle paper and films as thin as 20 microns and is able to work with materials that meet the different demands of markets around the world. The company also operates an array of Gallus six- to ten-color letterpress and flexographic presses with silkscreen and hot stamping stations.

“Among the most exciting advances has been our success in the in-mold label and shrink sleeve markets using our Drent Goebel combination offset/gravure presses,” adds Ephri Bloch, export sales, US & Canada. “These markets are well suited to our technical expertise and dedication to quality printing. And because we have customers in many countries and the Israeli plastic industry is very fast in adopting new technologies, we have been able to work for years with companies that were early to adopt injection and blow-mold in-mold labeling, as well as shrink sleeves. Then we carried our experience to customers in markets where those technologies are still very novel.”

“Our Drent Goebel presses put us at the lead in technology and allow us to offer speed, flexibility, and quality with lower origination costs than traditional flexo or gravure presses,” notes Eli Shelach, export manager. “With companies offering so many flavors or SKUs in their product lines, the ability to switch without high origination costs is very important.”'

Strategic Locations

Bloch says the latest Drent Goebel press is just the most visible example of Tadbik Pack's strong emphasis on technical quality. An in-house laboratory tests raw materials coming into the ISO 9001:2000 certified company, and all divisions comply with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point), ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, ISO 18001 Safety and Hygiene, and Six Sigma quality control.

“We put very strong emphasis on technical quality,” says Bloch. “Our technical product managers are involved in every aspect of a project, from planning to defining the technical specs to production. If necessary, they will even travel to a customer's facility to be present for the first use of the in-mold labels or shrink sleeves to help the customer all the way through implementation.”

Tadbik Pack serves its worldwide customer base from strategically placed facilities around the globe. In addition to the Israeli headquarters, the Tadbik Group operates two US subsidiaries based in Fairfield, NJ: Logotech, a manufacturer of pressure-sensitive labels for health and beauty aids, vitamin/nutraceutical, wine, food, beverage, and industrial markets, and CLP Packaging Solutions, the marketing office for CLP Israel, a converter of flexible packaging for food, pet food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, agriculture, hygiene, and detergents.

Anticipating Demand

Leslie Gurland, president of Logotech, says that with its multiple locations and advanced technologies, Tadbik Pack is ideally positioned to meet the anticipated demand for in-mold labels in North America. “Shrink sleeves have hit their stride here, and I think the market is ready for a surge of interest in in-mold and blow-mold labels,” she says. “People who have seen dairy products from Europe and Israel are just blown away by the look and feel of in-mold labels. Once you've seen a yogurt cup with offset quality and gravure highlights, a dry offset container just never looks good enough again. I think we're about to see the North American market start to catch up with overseas — and consumers are going to love it.”

Gurland says that prior to the installation of the Drent Goebel presses, a major turning point for the company came in the 1990s when Ilan Drori, CEO of Tadbik Group, decided to expand the market base of highly successful regional operation by establishing Logotech and purchasing a major share in CLP. Logotech, she says, established a manufacturing presence in the US, and CLP and Tadbik Pack gave the group an export focus. The combination of companies and capabilities positioned the company to serve a diverse market base, both functionally and logistically.

“Some people come to us because they hear about our unique productions, while other people come to us because other clients tell them Logotech provides the perfect mix of product and support,” explains Gurland. “In addition to our commitment to outstanding quality, I think they appreciate our approach to customer service: We don't have sales reps, we have packaging consultants. We're here to make sure that our clients make the choices that promote their brands and achieve their marketing objectives.”

Contributing editor Edward Boyle, based in Reading, PA, has covered the converting industry for more than 23 years. Contact him at EJB Communications; 610-670-4680; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

IML Awards Raise Awareness

Winners of the 2007 In-Mold Decorating Assn. awards were showcased at Pack Expo Las Vegas in October. (PFFC's associate publisher/editor Yolanda Simonsis was one of the judges of this new competition designed to raise the level of awareness and acceptance of in-mold-decorated products and packaging.)

See all the winners in our December 2007 issue on p18 or visit www.pffc-online.com.

Want to know more?

Leslie Gurland, president of Logotech, shares insights on her management style and how to retain good employees. See “Experience Speaks” on p72 of our September 2007 issue or visit our website at www.pffc-online.com.