Martin Automatic celebrates project at Labelexpo 

With pressure on all converters to improve productivity in the face of rising costs and a shortage of skilled labor, Martin Automatic partnered with manufacturers of complementary technology ETI, Lemu Group and Lundberg at Labelexpo Americas 2024.   

By linking their technology across four stands and an aisle, the companies produced a finished label from a blank web and had it palletized by a robot, ready for delivery.  This expo demo was a real commercial job that was arranged with the assistance of Midwest-based Channeled Resources. 

The line consisted of two Martin Automatic MBS butt splicers to unwind the liner and pre-siliconized material. From there, the material went directly to ETI Converting’s Cohesio machine, with printing, adhesive, silicone and die-cutting modules, connected to Lundberg’s Matrix Compactor to handle and remove the waste matrix. Finally, the material crossed over the aisle to LemuGroup's booth, allowing visitors to observe the process while walking underneath. At Lemu’s booth, the material was rewound by the GTU-660 (26in) with a slitting module, automatic loader, end closure with a label and automatic roll extraction. The finished rolls were transferred via a conveyor line to the UltraCompact robotic line, where two robots formed and placed the rolls into boxes for labeling and palletizing. A fully automated label conversion process  increases productivity and efficiency in the operational processes.  

The concept of combining technology from three different manufacturers to produce an automated line is not new, but this was the first occasion it had been done at Labelexpo on a live job. 

Gavin Rittmeyer, vice president, sales and marketing at Martin Automatic, said: ‘It required all of us to lower our guard and put aside our native caution so that we could make the line work seamlessly, and I see it as a forerunner of the way things will develop in the market going forward.’ 

By allowing the end-user to focus on his or her individual business model, with the responsibility of ensuring reliable performance on the individual manufacturers, Rittmeyer believes Martin Automatic and partners have created a new investment strategy for companies needing capital equipment that simplifies the overall plan and relieves the end-user of much of the associated stress. 

With Labelexpo build-up time so short, and to avoid the risk of any last-minute hitches, all elements of the line were shipped to Martin’s headquarters in Rockford, Illinois, and assembled on the production floor for test running prior to the show.   

Rittmeyer explained: ‘We know we can link the machines and make them “speak” to each other in real-time production — it’s another matter ensuring that there are no glitches that might leave an adverse impression with the potential customer when you’re running the demo at the show.’”   

Each element was shipped to a customer direct from the show.   

Rittmeyer explained: ‘We have to understand the business model and requirements of the end users and be willing to help them get the best they can from the technology available.  I believe we showed that to perfection at the Chicago show and demonstrated that it could be done without any risk to the end user. That’s what made it a unique display.’