Record breaking attendance at Label Summit Latin America 2012

Label Summit Latin America attracted a record breaking 729 attendees and 70 exhibitors. Held in Guadalajara for the first time between 17-18 April, it was the fifth Summit to be held in Mexico. 

The Summit boasted its highest ever number of exhibitors with 70 suppliers including Arclad, Avery Dennison, Green Bay Mexico, HP, Industrial Papelera Venus, Max Daetwyler de Mexico, Sun Chemical Mexico and UPM Raflatac taking part in the table-top format exhibition.

Global markets and the changing role of the label converter dominated the first morning. Proceedings were opened with a keynote presentation from Avery Dennison’s Darrell Hughes, who touched on several key issues facing the global marketplace such as growing demand for shorter runs and brands actively targeting emerging market countries and economies. Acoban’s Edgar Martinez Villarreal discussed the effects of globalization on the Mexican label industry and urged converters to invest in Mexico’s infrastructure with new technologies and better quality control. Fabian Silva from Ametiq addressed the opportunities and challenges facing converters in the current economic climate.

Day one’s converter panel discussion examined serving foreign markets and how to differentiate from the competition. Day one closed with an overview of intelligent labels and packaging with Innovia Film’s Marco Estrada Carranza looking at the benefits of interactive printed electronic labels and Filip Weymans of Xeikon outlining security options with multi-layered programs.

Environmental concerns and the argument for sustainability programs were also high on the agenda. Labelexpo managing director Roger Pellow’s welcome address encouraged converters to champion compliance and sustainability across the supply chain; a subject which was reiterated throughout the Summit’s duration as the matter was also tackled by UPM Raflatac, Lobo Impresores and heavily debated on the materials panel discussion.

Day two’s morning sessions assessed the future of technology within the industry. HP Indigo co-presented a customer case study with Procter & Gamble on digital print technologies and meeting the rising demand for short runs. Alexander James from Harper GraphicSolutions shared recent flexo technology developments in conventional printing. The afternoon’s focus was on the power of print and the new opportunities for label and package printing with presentations on strategic packaging design and opportunities in beverage labeling.

Roger Pellow, Labelexpo managing director, said: ‘The opportunity for growth across Latin America is exceptional and this year’s Label Summit Latin America neatly underlines this as it has been our biggest and most successful Summit to date. Holding it for the first time in Guadalajara, which is very much a major manufacturing hub in Mexico, has undoubtedly been beneficial and attracted new delegates.’

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James Quirk blog: All eyes on Latin America