The Mike Fairley column - A fond farewell

It’s almost impossible to believe that I first started writing and talking about labels some 50-plus years ago while working as deputy head of training at PIRA, the world-renowned Paper, Printing and Packaging Industries Research Association. At the time, I was asked to write an education and training handbook about the fast-emerging new technology of pressure-sensitive labels.

Throughout these past year years, I’ve been witness to innovative ideas, new materials and technologies, problem-solving and opportunities, global growth and even challenges.

Today, the label industry is one of the most sophisticated of all the printing industry sectors that brings together the widest range of substrates and printing and converting processes, highly advanced computerized design and pre-press solutions, the latest in inspection technologies, workflow automation and MIS – all combining to provide world-leading branding and marketing innovations.

It’s certainly been a privilege to be part of this amazing industry, and to not only have personally known many of the early industry pioneers – Stan Avery, Chuck Miller, Ferdinand Rüesch III, Mark Andrews Jnr, Werner Jackstädt, Juhani Stromberg, Nozumo Shiwaku – but to have worked with most of their companies, and many other of the emerging pressure-sensitive industry suppliers and converters of the 1970s and 1980s, on market and technology research strategies, education, and training or editorial projects.

“I first met Mike in 2007-08, when on behalf of Domino Printing Sciences, I attended a digital label conference hosted by him held in Barcelona. At the time, I was thinking this could be an area we could invest and grow in. Mike was a friendly, clear and concise communicator, having a great depth of knowledge. I only made a last-minute decision to go to the conference thinking we were already too late to do this, but we proceeded with a new business plan. We subsequently invested 10 million GBP, employed more than 100 additional people and established what is today a substantial multi-million-pound digital label equipment and inks business. Subsequently, Mike also contributed with training, consultancy and case studies and I always enjoyed catching up with him. However, I will always remember that the business started with that conference hosted
by Mike. Thank you for your support and happy retirement.” Philip Easton, Industrial Inkjet

Now, after 50 years of writing and talking about labels, it’s time to bring my time in the industry to a close with this final Mike Fairley column, but not without a last look over these 50 incredible years.

The early beginnings

Going back to the time I first started researching and writing the PIRA label handbook in 1971 it was little more than a handful of years after Fasson, the base materials division of the Avery Adhesive Label Company in America, had expanded the division’s customer base in Europe beyond its label franchise holders to that of supplying all converters. At that time, the company had installed what was the largest pressure-sensitive coater in the world at that time (80in/2m wide) in Fasson Europe.

“I could fill several pages with souvenirs from the help and information Mike has given me over the years. Since 1995 where I appeared in the labels world with a revolutionizing digital printing at Labelexpo, Mike was interested and was there answering, suggesting, guiding, giving, but also asking, analyzing, consolidating, reporting. Mike, you did it with me, but you equally did it with many people. A market can grow only when known, when understood, when visible and you have been over the years this information hub collecting, crunching and giving back. I learned so much from Mike and so did the labels market. His professional guidance, expertise, neutrality and kindness will be missed. A huge thank you to Mike for his support during these decades. I wish you a fantastic restful next chapter of your life!” Christian Menegon, HP Indigo

During the 1970s Raf Haarla, the foundation for UPM Raflatac’s labelstock business was building and installing its first laminating machine in Europe. Jackstädt was shipping pressure-sensitive sheet products throughout Europe and establishing plants in Brazil and Australia. Ritrama was also developing and learning about the new world of pressure-sensitive products.

It was not just the availability of label materials that were evolving in the 1970s and early ‘80s.

New printing solutions were being developed to both print and die-cut pressure-sensitive labels. Converters were moving from flat-bed semi-rotary printing presses. Nilpeter was developing and introducing the first full rotary and modular in-line flexo presses. Mark Andy, too, was bringing in-line roll-label flexographic presses to the market, while Gallus was developing rotary letterpress – including the incorporation of rotary die-cutting and UV-curing and, along with innovations by Stork, the use of rotary screen. Ko-Pack was also successfully bringing rotary letterpress into Europe. DuPont also introduced the first photo‑sensitive polymer plates.

“What a journey it has been. When I took over the leadership of Nilpeter in 1981, Mike had already founded Labels & Labeling. More than 40 years have passed since then. Mike’s contribution to the label industry cannot be overrated and he has played a significant role for the industry as a whole and for Nilpeter. We have always had a tight partnership with Mike and have shared many good memories and experiences over the years. Mike’s role as an active and insightful contributor to the industry will be missed – there is no doubt about that. I wish him all the best in his next chapter.” Lars Eriksen, president & CEO, Nilpeter

Pressure-sensitive label printing and converting at this time was fast becoming an exciting new world of opportunity.

Meeting new retail demands

Developments in inks, coating and varnishes – and ink drying and UV-curing – were then becoming necessary to meet the demands of the new, higher quality and performance, rotary printing presses, and, by the mid-1970s, a new world of standardized Universal Product Coding (UPC) was rapidly changing the retail world. The demand for UCC and EAN barcodes on labels and packaging sent the growth demand for pressure-sensitive barcoded labels well into double figures.

Little wonder then that the whole label world was looking for information and help with all the many changes in label production and usage taking place.

There were new materials and suppliers, new inks, new types of rotary presses, the choice of flexo, rotary letterpress or screen, new pre-press systems, developments in flexible dies, die-cutting, and tooling, the challenges of printing barcodes that reliably scanned, advances in hot-foil label opportunities, new products for on-press inspection and monitoring – as well as demand for market trends and opportunities information.

Such was the background to the launch of Labels & Labeling magazine in January 1979. That first issue was just 20 pages and, apart from the front and back covers was printed in black only for a largely UK-based pressure-sensitive label industry. Within a couple of years, the magazine was already considered as an international journal with subscribers across Europe and in more than 20 countries, Including North America, India, Australia and New Zealand.

“The entire team at Gallus was extremely nervous when, in 1986, the ‘King’ of the label industry himself, Mike Fairley, came to St Gallen as a young man for the first time. I had the honor to get to know Mike, who was then known as a highly professional journalist who questioned everything and then some. Mike has carried himself with an independent, critical and professional manner since day one, and he deserves the greatest respect for bringing the whole industry together with his highly respected magazine. We thank Mike for all his many years of expertise and friendship, and we wish him well for the future.” Ferdinand Rüesch Sr, senior vice president, Gallus Group
& Anchor Investor Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG

In May 1980 the first-ever Labelex show was held in London. Just 44 exhibitors, most of whom were label converters showing everything from label and tag products to table-top printers, overprinters, and label application equipment. By 1985, the first Labelex show was held in Brussels with some 70 participants, including major international press manufacturers, Mark Andy, Nilpeter, Webtron, Ko-Pack, Edale and FSK and, for the first time, a seminar program sponsored by Finat.

Demand for information, education, and new solutions

By the mid-1980s I had traveled to almost all the global subscriber countries, interviewing label industry suppliers and converters, presenting in-house market and technology trends seminars and workshops, as well as attending product launches and all kinds of industry association events in Europe, North America and Australia. Such was the demand for market and trends information, even by major labelstock suppliers, that I was by now providing workshops to management, sales and production employees in Fasson, Raflatac and Jackstädt facilities in Europe and Australia, as well as Fasson in the US.

The 1980s was also an intense period in the early development of today’s sophisticated pre-press systems with the introduction of digital design technology by DISC, Barco Graphics and Purup. Technology that was to enable a designer to create and place on a computer screen all the elements for producing labels. This included positives, negatives, screened text, key lines, logo scanning, choke and spread, step-and-repeat, text rotation, barcodes and dispro, right up to making plate-ready films.

“When I started working for Labelexpo in 2004, I remember Mike introducing me to the industry and the wonderful people within it. He was so patient with me and so generous with his knowledge. He never lost any of his enthusiasm for initiatives and projects that we took on over the years. It has been such a pleasure to have worked with him, and to witness how he brought about brilliant collaborations and ideas to the industry.” Jade Grace, portfolio director, Labelexpo Global Series

This was not completely new technology to me as I had previously been at the forefront of introducing photo- and computer-typesetting and page make-up workshops to the newspaper world when I was working at PIRA in the early 1970s.

So, alongside Labels & Labeling magazine, a separate label consultancy company also was formed. This I used as a vehicle to work with emerging supplier companies, interested groups and product teams to provide research, solutions and development projects and support to further grow the industry.

Key initiatives during the 1980s included bringing materials and equipment suppliers and converters together to successfully trial and launch new thermal labelstock materials for retail weigh-price labeling; working with the main film producers to develop new, thinner, flexible, dispensable and highly printable PE, PP and PET label films; undertaking UV ink projects; and initiating some of the early inkjet label printing trials.

Spreading the word

The label consultancy was also busy researching and writing all kinds of technical and market research publications during the second half of the 1980s and much of the early 1990s.

Market reports covered Europe, with separate studies on the UK and France, as well as Japan and global trends. Technical reports included thermal labeling, label applicators, barcoding, food labeling and other label legislation, filmic label stocks, in-house coating, counterfeit deterrence and brand protection, as well as specialized studies for individual companies.

A specialized conference, teach-in and training division was formed by the now-named, Labelex/Cowise group in 1990 and was soon organizing regular label and packaging‑related conferences, as well as regular teach-ins in Amsterdam and Chicago. Labelexpo shows also were expanded from the original Europe shows in Brussels to America (Chicago) and Asia (firstly Singapore and
then China).

Other industry-related magazines were also launched by the Group, including Package Print & Design and Product & Image Security, as well as starting the very first development of a sophisticated Label Resource website – the beginnings of a one-stop resource for anything to do with labels, from books, reports, conference proceedings and papers, magazine articles,
a calendar of events, and links to supplier, association and
converter websites.

“I started working with Mike in 1998 and over the following years, Mike taught me everything there was to know about the labels industry. It was a real honor and also very exciting to be working with one of the key founders of the narrow web converting industry, not only in founding L&L and working with Clive Smith to launch Labelexpo, but also in the industry reports Mike was writing and the conferences he organized which drove the strategies of both converters and manufacturers. Mike continued to be a mentor through my 20 years editing L&L and, with both of us living a few miles from each other, I am fortunate to still benefit from Mike’s incomparable experience and knowledge.”  Andy Thomas-Emans, Strategic Director, Tarsus Labels & Packaging Group

Then, in 1998, the Labelex/Cowise Group was reverse-engineered into a shell plc company before being relaunched as Tarsus plc.

A new phase of group expansion and growth was underway.

Recording and documenting the industry

Much of the last 20 years or so with Tarsus involved me as a strategy consultant and the founder of the Label Academy, and in the writing of some nine education and training publications within the Academy series of titles, plus the world’s first labels and brand protection encyclopedias, working with Tony White on the History of Labels book, and establishing and speaking on or chairing Masterclasses at Labelexpo shows in Europe and the USA.

“Mike’s expansive knowledge and global scope was invaluable to me when I joined the industry as a novice at the start of my career at RotoMetrics. Mike always respected the industry’s history whilst firmly pointing toward the future, whether in spotting and exploring printing and packaging technology trends or fostering geographies and cultures coming together to develop the global label and packaging businesses. He was quick to share information, eager to facilitate supplier and converter networking for the betterment of the industry, and an expert in providing actionable information rather than simply facts and figures. He was a keystone!” Karen Moreland, RotoMetrics

These events were built around the chapters and specialist contributors from some of the Academy books, such as Digital Label Printing, Shrink Sleeve Technology and Flexible Packaging.

I also was provided with my own Mike Fairley column in each issue of Labels & Labeling magazine and continued to write specific feature articles. These have continued to the present day, which I have already mentioned will be my last contribution.

During these latter years, I have still undertaken some specific consultancy projects within the industry, mainly those that particularly interested me, but also established a small historical and biographical publishing company through which I could write and publish non-industry, non-technical books, of special interest.

“Throughout the past half century, Mike has been a well‑respected source of knowledge and inspiration, but above all the kind and interested gentleman who has become an inseparable part of the global label industry’s history.” Jules Lejeune, Finat

These books, (a total of seven at the time of publishing) cover topics as diverse as the industrial revolution, World War II, Victorian music hall, and my own biography, which I have called ‘A Catalyst for Growth.’ Available from Amazon Books.

Half a century has passed by

Looking back over 50 years of researching, writing and talking about labels – especially during the 1980s and 90s – I can probably claim to have provided some level of consultancy services, market strategy, technology and market education and training, acquisition guidance and support, investment and development information, specialist reports to a great many of the label industry’s leading national and international labelstock suppliers, paper and plastic/synthetic substrate producers, ink and chemical manufacturers, conventional and digital press manufacturers, ancillary suppliers, and existing and start-up label converters, as well as to investment banks, government bodies, national organizations, and to the EU.

“I first met Mike in the early 1980s when Labels & Labeling was in its infancy, and I was working with Edlon Machinery on the Gallus and Comco accounts. I spent many happy and informative hours in his company at the early Labelexpo shows and other industry events, along with his colleagues Barry Hunt, Tom Lewington, and a young Andy Thomas! We also had some cracking golf days at Moor Park – whatever happened to those? Most of all I’ve valued his friendship, loyalty and the endless knowledge he gives so generously. Many in the label industry have no concept of how much they owe Mike Fairley – he’s a ‘one‑off’ and I feel privileged to have known and worked with him.” Nick Coombes, The Publicity Studio

It is particularly interesting for me to look back over this time and today and see and talk with companies that have grown from a few million pounds, euros or dollars when I first worked with them, into multi-million global corporations.

It seems strange that many of the earlier pioneers and founders that I knew and worked with as a consultant or editor have retired or passed on, and that I often now have a greater knowledge of the history and evolution of a label-related business than the people who are the company’s managers today.

Being at the forefront of helping to build and grow an industry has been both challenging and exciting.

A unique combination of earlier years in publishing, education, research, training, consultancy, writing and speaking all seemed to come together at the right time for an emerging and fast-growing self-adhesive label industry that needed information, help, advice, support and encouragement.

I would like to think that I have indeed played an interesting role as a kind of catalyst in both the growth and globalization of the label industry.

A dedicated label industry magazine and exhibition, together with workshops, masterclasses, seminars, conferences, summits, the Label Academy, and the consultancy company support, have all come together over these past 50 years to help build a global label industry that is at the forefront of technological change, digital innovation and environmental evolution.

As I now come to the end of my 50 years in the world of labels, I can happily retire from the industry by being reassured that Labels & Labeling, The Label Academy, Labelexpo global shows and, of course, all aspects of label production and usage, are set to be in capable hands for the industry’s ongoing future and success.

“When I made my first baby steps into labels, Mike already had gray hair, and I looked up at him with great respect. The articles, interviews and papers he wrote were for me a great foundation to build upon. Later on, I had the opportunity to work closely with him during Labelexpo shows, setting up ‘the experience zone,’ to meet with him around the world but also to visit him at his private house. His lady made nice English sandwiches and he talked about the pheasants and foxes that roam around in his garden. The purpose of that visit was to ask his opinion about some new developments we had in mind. We went in with full confidence and left with a puzzled mind. It was not the feeling we were looking for initially, but afterward it helped us to challenge our ideas from different angles and that’s exactly what we wanted and needed. Mike has written articles that as I was reading, I asked myself ‘Mike, are you sure that’s going to happen?’ History has proven him right in most cases. Filip Weymans, Xeikon

May I, therefore, wish a fond farewell to all my many friends, colleagues, suppliers and converters in all the many countries I have visited, or have met at shows, association meetings, and through masterclasses and conferences. Indeed, wherever people who know me happen to be in the world of labels.

It has been a privilege to know and work with all of you during this historic time.