Actega puts sustainability at forefront at Labelexpo Americas

Actega has shoacased its latest sustainable technologies for the labels and packaging industries at Labelexpo Americas, including the new ACTKote UV wash-off primer, developed to increase the recyclability of shrink sleeves.

The new ActKote UV wash-off primer has been formally recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for meeting the highest criteria for recyclability according to the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability.

The primer provides the quality ink adhesion needed for shrink sleeve applications, but also leads to less waste, more efficient use of natural resources and increased supply of high-quality post-consumer recycled content.

Another highlight of the Actega stand were ActExact SafeShield UV-LED low-migration inks developed for use in indirect food contact, cosmetics and nutraceutical packaging. The inks have been formulated with stringent protocols in place, meeting a comprehensive list of global and regional regulatory requirements, such as the Swiss Ordinance Annex 6 A & B listed raw materials, Nestlé 2018 Exclusion List Compliance and FDA Migration Models.

Mell Bishop, vice president of flexible packaging for North America and global market manager for labels at Actega, said: ‘With improving sustainability a priority for the industry, the products and technologies Actega showcase at this Labelexpo Americas was a highlight for anyone attending the show. We’re a company that is committed to an all-encompassing sustainable approach – from how we develop our inks, coatings and technologies and the impact these products have on the carbon footprint of labels and packaging, to our regulatory expertise that ensures our customers can enjoy full confidence in our safe, compliant solutions.’

The company also exhibited the most recent samples from its innovative Signite and Ecoleaf technologies – two platforms designed to reduce waste and improve recyclability for various label and packaging applications.

Ecoleaf offers ‘mindful metallization’, a process that enables printers, converters and brands to add sustainable metallic embellishments to labels. Using this technology, brands and converters can reduce waste associated with traditional foiling processes – for example, just 1kg of Ecoleaf replaces 3,000kg of foil and therefore eliminates 20 tons of CO2.

Harald Jasper, managing director of Actega Metal Print, said: ‘Ecoleaf is re-shaping the way environmentally responsible brands and converters around the world think about label embellishment. It is an industrial-level solution that can easily integrate into existing flexo, digital inkjet or screen-printing lines, enabling printers and converters and their customers to benefit from improved sustainability whilst delivering the high gloss and quality achievable with traditional foiling processes.’

The other Actega technology on show was Signite, which combines a low-waste printing technique with state-of-the-art application technology, enabling new creative possibilities for container decoration, while reducing the environmental impact of this process.

‘Signite is exemplary of Actega’s approach to creating a comprehensive portfolio of solutions that inspire creativity, promote customer confidence, and meet current industry challenges. Visitors to our Labelexpo booth discovered all of the advantages that Signite offers to brands and converters looking to push creative boundaries whilst meeting stringent sustainability targets,’ concluded Grant Schutte, vice president at Actega North America Technologies.