E-Newsletter

Digital Magazine

Reporter Clips

Narrow Web Converting Industry News

Coming Events
June 4-6: Labelexpo Asia 2002
, Singapore Expo Ctr., Singapore (+44 020 8846 2700; labelexpo-asia.com).

June 26-28: European Labeling Technologies, Golden Tulip Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam, Netherlands (+31 20 676 2069); awa-bv.com).

Sept. 10-12: Labelexpo USA, Donald E. Stephens Convention Ctr., Rosemont, IL (262/782-1900; tarsus-group.com).

Oct. 15-16: Sweetpack 2002, Ahlstrom's LabelPack Div., Hilton Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic (+33 01-45 73 45 73; ahlstrom.com/lp).

Oct. 20-23: Tag & Label Mfrs. Inst. Annual Meeting, Hyatt Regency Lake Hotel, Las Vegas, NV (630/357-9222).


Narrow Web PEOPLE & PLACES
Avery Dennison, Painesville, OH, has appointed John Wurzburger VP and general manager, Materials South America, an Avery Dennison business headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Envelope Mfrs. Assn. (EMA), Alexandria, VA, has elected Brooks Bower chairman of the board. Bower, who is chairman and CEO of Papercone Corp., recently served as chairman of the board of trustees for the EMA Foundation for Paper-Based Communications. Four new board members have been elected to three-year terms at EMA: Rheft Riddle, Kenmore Envelope Co.; Curt Robinson, Top Flight Inc.; Alfred Vilkowski, Interstate Envelope Co.; and Robert Hart, Mail-Well Envelope Div.

Creo Products Inc., Vancouver, B.C., Canada, has invested $23.6 million in privately held Printcafe Inc., a printing software provider based in Pittsburgh, PA. The deal more than doubles Creo's stake in Printcafe to 40%.

AAA Press Intl. Inc., Arlington Hts., IL, has added Ed Klein to its sales staff.

GPA, Chicago, IL, named new sales managers: Kathy Willett on the eastern seaboard; Tom Freeman for the Midwest and East; and Adam Payne in northern California.


Mark Andy Installs Press at Training Facility
CHESTERFIELD, MO, USA—Mark Andy Inc. has installed a new Model 7000 at its training and demonstration facility in Chesterfield. The press can best be used for high-value markets, co. says, including wine and spirits, cosmetics, health and beauty, neutriceuticals and pharmaceuticals utilizing the popular “no-label look” applications. Co. says with proprietary plate and impression roll design, press's technology rivals offset and letterpress and achieves high line screens and super-fine line copy.

Tracking Technologies, Keystone Aniline Form Alliance
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA—Keystone Aniline Corp., a dye and specialty chemical supplier, has formed a strategic alliance with Tracking Technologies Inc., a chemical taggant and high-tech security product producer. The two companies will provide industrial and manufacturing companies with brand protection technology, anti-counterfeiting capabilities, and covert tracking solutions.

Xaar, Hilord Report Ink Partnership Agreement
CAMBRIDGE, U.K.—Xaar plc, an ink jet development co., and Hilord Chemical Corp., Hauppaug, NY, a solvent-based electrostatic/piezo ink jet inks OEM, have announced an ink partnership agreement. Under the agreement, Hilord and Xaar are working to develop a series of inks for XaarJet printheads. Used in diverse industrial applications, XaarJet printheads often require specially formulated inks for specific customers or substrates. Hilord's expertise in dye-sublimation inks reportedly will provide unique solutions for XaarJet customers.

Meyers Label Receives “Hormel #1 Award”
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA—Meyers Label is the 2001 recipient of the Hormel Foods Corp. “Hormel #1 Award.” Recipients of the award are chosen every five years by members of the corporation's supplier quality management committee. Selection is based on stringent quality requirements. During this five-year period, winners must have been chosen for at least four Hormel Foods “Spirit of Excellence” awards, which are given annually to eligible firms that meet specific quality standards.

Foam Tapes Resist Heat
WINDSOR, CT, USA—Scapa North America announces the Duofoam VJ Series of double-coated PE foam tapes. Double coated with a high-performance, p-s acrylic adhesive system, products are said to provide excellent holding power and good tack and to bond well to a wide variety of surfaces, including metals and engineered plastics. Mfr. reports benefits include excellent long-term aging, resistance to environmental extremes, and high performance over a range of operating temperatures.

De La Rue Combines Tapes, Holographics
HAMPSHIRE, U.K.—The Global Services Div. of De La Rue Holographics has announced that De La Rue Holographics of Stroudley Rd., Basingstoke, and De La Rue Tapes of Bolton, Lancashire, have been combined into one business, a move designed to strengthen marketing effectiveness, particularly in the currency sector.

With the global currency markets becoming increasingly demanding in terms of design, production, and product security, De La Rue expects the product development program of the new Tapes & Holographics to make impressive advances in both technology and market share. Combining the companies' R&D and sales/marketing capabilities offers De La Rue clients high quality optically variable devices and security tapes from a single source, the co. reports.

Plastic Sock Holder Marks ‘New Frontier’
CHARLOTTE, NC, USA—New Frontier Packaging, a flexographic printing subsidiary of Hammer Lithograph Corp., has created a unique plastic sock holder for Starter brand socks for Renfro Corp., a leading manufacturer and distributor of high quality textile products. The new design integrates the hang tab in the package, which has a propensity to tear with traditional folding cartons or bags. It also enables the consumer to see and feel the socks without ripping open plastic bags.

The two- and six-pack displays are backside-printed using high-definition flexography on a pliable PVC material in opaque white, reflex blue, and black screen. Sports action black halftones decorate the front, enhancing the athletic image of the product. Efficiency is gained by die-cutting and scoring in-line.

The socks are attached to the holder using swift tacks that get shot through the rugged PVC display panel, then the socks, and out the backside of the rear panel. The new package currently is being marketed in two national discount chains.

EMA Foundation Releases ‘Intelligent’ Study
ALEXANDRIA, VA, USA—The Envelope Mfrs. Assn. Foundation for Paper-Based Communications, in conjunction with the US Postal Service, has released phase two of the Intelligent Document Study — “A Review of Technologies Impacting the Future of Mail.”

The USPS and the EMA Foundation have been working for more than two years on the study, which scans for intelligent technologies that might be useful for the USPS. Recently, the task force has been focusing on the mail security uses of several of these technologies.

The report is available free to all foundation contributors; cost for noncontributors is $100. A preview of the study is available at www.emafoundation.org. Call 703/739-2200 for more information.

Sony Ribbons Compatible with Multi-Plastics' Stock
MT PLEASANT, PA, USA—Sony Chemicals Corp. of America has released test results on the compatibility of its thermal transfer ribbons with Multi-Plastics Inc.'s LCF 6OW4 TRii-X HDPE label stock.

Seven Sony ribbons were tested, all reportedly demonstrating good to excellent performance and resistance characteristics over a wide range of cost and print speed requirements. The Multi-Plastics label stock is a specially formulated HDPE said to have the strength of PE and the printability of synthetic paper. Advantages, Sony notes, include good resistance to chemicals, oils, and greases; good tear resistance and weather resistance; and good die-cutting characteristics with the ability to perforate on press without “angel hairs.” The label stock also meets relevant FDA requirements for direct food contact.


Subscribe to PFFC's EClips Newsletter