Labelexpo Europe 2015 strengthens focus on package printing

Labelexpo Europe 2015 will take place September 29 to October 2 in Brussels, Belgium and is set to be the biggest ever edition of the show in its 35-year history.

More commonly perceived as a wide web press manufacturer, Soma has developed the Optima as a mid web CI flexo press optimized to run label stock paper and film packaging materials, and to bridge the gap between narrow and wide web printing for products such as shrink sleeves, retort stand-up pouches and sachets, in-mold and wraparound labels, as well as paper sacks, cups and plates.

Soma’s Optima will be running live job demonstrations throughout the show. The press being displayed will be equipped with eight printing stations and will feature fast web changeover, intelligent impression adjustment to reduce start-up waste and Soma’s new, award-winning print cartridge system for spot colors, which offers printers a means of significantly reducing ink costs on printing jobs where expensive colors, special effect and metallic ink formulations are required.

HP Indigo and partners will present their package printing solutions with the return of the Print Your Future feature area, where visitors will be able to see a wide range of applications, including flexible packaging, shrink sleeves and labels alongside new advanced color management tools and inks. Both HP Indigo 20000 and WS6800 presses will be on display.

Another package printing highlight will be the REVO team – consisting of Nuova Gidue, Flint Group, Apex International, AVT, DuPont, Esko, UPM Raflatac and packaging converter Adare Group – which is bringing new technology to Labelexpo Europe demonstrating how low migration UV flexo inks can be used to convert flexible packaging. The REVO team has developed a technology to guarantee that every meter of film within a roll has been fully cured, so overcoming the issue of migrating photoinitiators if inks are not properly cured using UV, and that ensures brand colors are consistently matched by a seven-color process ink set. Currently, most food-grade flexible packaging is printed with either solvent or water-based flexo inks or with solvent gravure. 

The returning Packprint Workshop will also give practical insight into how printers can diversify and grow their business with press demonstrations by Xeikon using its 3500 for digital folding cartons and Nilpeter showing its FA* flexo press for flexible packaging capabilities.

In addition, the Smart Packaging Lab will focus on opportunities in intelligent and active packaging, while the inaugural Packaging Design Studio will give show-goers a chance to network with some of the industry's leading creative designers.

Winning cartons from the latest Pro Carton ECMA Award program will be displayed too, as they were at Labelexpo Europe 2013.

Lisa Milburn, managing director of Labelexpo Global Series, said: ‘Package printing is now central to the label printing community and Labelexpo experience. With 53 percent of our total exhibitors showing products for flexible packaging and 32 percent featuring products for folding cartons, Labelexpo Europe offers all printers the most extensive showcase of package printing solutions available.

‘Nowhere else will print industry professionals find such a comprehensive range of suppliers and technologies which will help gear up their business, improve profitability and add value for their customers.’

Read more about package printing at Labelexpo Europe 2015 in Labels & Labeling, issue #4, 2015