Identilabel unveils thermal transfer alternative

A Brazilian start-up has developed a linerless system for laser marking which it believes has the potential to replace thermal transfer printing. Identilabel is a resident start-up at CIETEC (the Center of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology), and a business incubator of IPEN (the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research) at the University of São Paulo.

The company is run by Daniel and Derick Arippol, sons of the founder of Brazilian label converter Novelprint, Jeffrey Arippol. During his five decades with Novelprint, Jeffrey Arippol became well-known for a multitude of innovative technological developments (see L&L issue 6, 2018). A study by the UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) indicated that he was the individual who held the second-greatest number of patents in Brazil from 2000 to 2020.

Before retiring from Novelprint in 2020, Jeffrey Arippol transferred some of these patents from his name to Identilabel, where they form the backbone of the new company’s developments. Identilabel’s patented variable data laser marking system is based on linerless technology.

The process converts the self-adhesive filmic material (PET or BOPP) into a linerless structure through the lamination of the liner on the front rather than the reverse side. The laser marking system burns through that front layer to create text, barcodes or QR codes, sequential or random numbering, and even security microprinting. When applied, the whole image is underneath the liner, with nothing on the surface.

A further patent covers the insertion of a booklet in between the layers to create a linerless booklet label. Another innovation, not yet granted a patent, could reduce production costs by a further 30 percent. The technology works with both blank labels and pre-printed rolls.

It is claimed to require low maintenance and can be retrofitted into existing production lines. The base material can come from any laminate producer, as long as the linerless material is transparent.

‘We are very excited about the potential for these developments, which we believe will eventually replace the already ancient thermal transfer marking process,’ says Jeffrey Arippol, who is acting as a consultant to the new venture.

The system is aimed at applications such as frozen foods, meats (of which Brazil is one of the world’s largest exporters), pharmaceuticals and fertilizers. ‘These are segments where supply chain tracking is key, and where products are potentially exposed to different environments and temperatures. Our system is especially competitive when compared to film solutions,’ explains Daniel Arippol.

‘We aren’t aiming at high-speed applicator lines such as beer labeling, for example, because this laser marking system is currently limited to speeds of thermal transfer marking.’

The use of linerless technology and the lack of ribbon application result in significant sustainability benefits. Labels produced by Identilabel’s system are claimed to have 53 percent less material than thermal transfer labels.

‘As well as the sustainability advantages of eliminating liner and ribbon waste, there are security benefits such as embedded marking under the transparent film, and performance benefits such as greater resistance to scratches and moisture,’ says Derick Arippol.

In the mid-1980s, Novelprint developed a label print-and-apply system for variable data applications, which Jeffrey Arippol describes as a forerunner to thermal transfer printing. ‘I resisted the next step – to go into barcodes and suchlike – because I considered the method to be wasteful due to the discarded ribbon,’ he recalls.

‘I thought that something else would show up. I am surprised that today thermal transfer still dominates the market. But now we have something that can replace it.’

Despite this bullishness over the potential for the technology, Identilabel remains a start-up ‘in its early stages’, emphasizes Daniel Arippol. The burgeoning company plans to license the technology to label converters, particularly those operating in the sectors previously mentioned as potential target markets.

‘The technology is ready to go,’ he continues. ‘The focus now is on getting a pilot run in a company, so we can quantify the benefits and raise interest from other potential partners, both in Brazil and abroad.’

Identilabel’s base for the past two years has been CIETEC, the University of São Paulo’s start-up complex. ‘It is the perfect place for new technologies,’ explains Derick Arippol. ‘The incubation environment lends itself to innovation. We can meet with other technology companies and share ideas. We have access to professors. We can hire students from the university to help with development – a fifth-year chemical engineering student has just joined the team.’

In December 2022, the company was named one of the 100 most promising and innovative start-ups in São Paulo by SEBRAE (the Brazilian Small Business Support Service).

‘We have always been involved in innovation,’ says Derick Arippol. ‘While running Novelprint, it was hard to bring in a new disruptive technology. So it’s great to be able to focus purely on this. It is a development that really follows industry trends towards greater sustainability and less waste.’