Top tips for the conquest of labels: Anil Sharma, Harveer Sahni, Federico D'Annunzio, Amit Sheth

Anil Sharma, Avery Dennison India
Managing director
At our stand 5A40, Avery Dennison will show four main developments. Also we will launch a number of new products.

Strategic partnerships with machine manufacturers have opened up a range of new applications for Avery Dennison. Our Curve Appeal system, featuring Fasson Curvy film, provides labels that can be applied to curved surfaces, creating unique bottles and containers to maximise shelf appeal. We will also launch a new technology with Gallus at the show that cuts liner caliper into a 12-micron / 0.48mil; half of the current market minimum limit.

Promotion through collaboration with the meat and dairy industry, a patent pending label design, shrink PS, will be presented at the show. This shrink PS label, pre-applied on a shrinkable bag, does not wrinkle during the shrinking process in heated water; the label is water resistant and allows superior graphics.

An MDO film label with a new adhesive for a no-label shelf-look and high speed manufacturing applications will be launched at the Labelexpo. This conformable film delivers a combination of clarity, conformability, rigidity, sustainability and productivity.

Avery Dennison’s booth will offer over 20 recently introduced and more than half a dozen new innovations spread over seven different industry segments. These innovations vary from blood bag labels for the pharmaceutical industry, sustainable cane fibre material for wine and spirits, to roll-fed shrink technology for beer and beverage and a new entry level food film for clear-on-clear applications.

Label and packaging is developing in some emerging markets such as Latin America, Russia, China and India, with potential growth. If we compare average label consumption in mature markets such as the U.S. and Europe with 10-12 square meters per capita per year, to only 1.5 square meters and 0.5 square meters per capita per year in China and India respectively, there are substantial opportunities for growth in these emerging countries.

These emerging countries are applying lower level packaging technologies. Improvements on label solutions, technologies, and introducing innovations will help drive development of the industry and expand size of the market.

The latest technology that is emerging as the fastest growing is the pressure sensitive label technology. With astonishing application speeds, consistency in application, reduced wastages and improvement of productivity and efficiency, manufacturers and brand owners are favouring pressure sensitive label technology over other decoration methods.

The increasing importance of the environment has also led packaging manufacturers to look at new ways to reduce packaging weight and switch to sustainably sourced materials while retaining packaging strength and integrity. Lower calliper face stocks and liners are increasing productivity and reducing packaging weight. Tamper-evidence labelling technology is also a raising trend to help increase consumer confidence on food safety.

Meanwhile, with large emerging production facilities, longer production runs and multiple changeovers due to increased SKUs, benefits of the pressure sensitive technology such as the flexibility to change quickly and efficiently, are increasingly attractive to manufacturers in India, thus becoming the preferred choice amongst most of the available decoration technologies in the country.




Harveer Sahni, Weldon Celloplast
Managing director
We have been restructuring our business in the last two years. Gradually we are moving away from producing the commodity label stocks to marketing, supplying the equipment, producing end products and specialty self adhesive products. At LabelExpo we will exhibit products from our stationery division and tamper-evident security label materials.

Since the shift in product range is gradual and the new product range will be in place and fully operational in the next financial year it is too premature a question for me to answer now. As for our marketing division, it is a call that our principals need to take.

Reducing dependence on low margin commodity label stocks where the multinational producers are extremely active, developing new and better performing end user products, develop new and effective anti-counterfeiting / brand protection solutions and offering label materials which would reduce the adverse impact of waste on the environment.

Yes definitely. Since we are indulging in new products where our market share is miniscule, we can see only one way and that is growth.

Having been engaged in the security and anti-counterfeiting industry, we are under obligation not to divulge names of customers but some of the biggest names in FMCG and pharmaceutical sector use our products. The Indian label industry continues to grow at a fast pace however pressure on margins that the industry is used to, is hampering the decision to invest in expensive high-end presses more so with a fear of a lower return on investment.

However, the growing demand in labels is bound to force expansion decisions. Demand for all products is growing but to stay profitable with a healthier bottom line one has to position oneself uniquely.



Federico D’annunzio, Gidue
President
Gidue will present four new press lines and several innovative technologies for the self-adhesive label market. The new Combat M1 displays a new "open" structure to simplify the access to the famous Flower flexographic print unit and performs the shortest web path in the market. Also, the converting section has been redesigned with independent servo motors as standard for each die-cutting unit, easy access to the slitting section and short web path.

On Combat M1, the new QN Coupon  device is displayed to produce in-line coupons and booklet labels with high production speeds and web handling solutions, to manufacture in-line multipage high added value specialty labels.

The new Combat M3 shows independent servo drives for print and die-cutting cylinders, driven or non driven chilled rollers per print unit to produce labels, sleeves and film packaging on the same press with extremely short web path, excellent print and register quality. Optional automatic pressure adjustment (intelligent register) is available to obtain short set up times and reduced wastes on almost every label and packaging substrate.

The new Master M5 introduces the digital flexo concept. In this the print pressure and register are fully automated and digitally controlled by digital "eyes and fingers" (HD digital cameras combined with seven servo motors per print unit). Press operators are supported to produce a digitally controlled quality, with the shortest set up times in the market. The Master M5 can produce labels, aluminum foils, sleeves, carton, laminated tubes and most difficult substrates.

The Xpannd M7 presents a interchangeable platform with easy, fast and safe change of Offset and Flexographic heads, with Lean storage and operation flow. The new Offset Cube print unit performs reduced floor space and short web path. On the Xpannd M5 also the new Mini-Cassette concept introduces a new standard for reduced costs and high printing quality in format change.

All Gidue presses are equipped with the revolutionary Snow Ball waste stripping system which increases the productivity of self adhesive label presses from 30% to up to 200%, also in case of "difficult" label shapes.

We estimate the Gidue market share in the global market to reach 6-8 % with peaks of 25-30% in key European and Asian markets.

Digital automation for digital operating costs and wastes, extracting better efficiency from "old" technologies, flexibility in every manufacturing process (choice of substrates, printing and converting technologies).

The new Gidue range of products and technologies will probably create a lot of interest. Our objective is to keep our role of press manufacturer of robust and innovative machines, with a close "family" feeling with our customers. We will pay extreme attention to keep our specific "style" of company: not the biggest, but one of the best in technology, and highly appreciated by our customers.

Gidue has success stories in India. This is due to the quality of our distributor, Reifenhauser India, who has put together an excellent team of experienced and young people to provide efficient sales and service back up. Gidue customers in India have chosen the productivity of our presses to support their growth. Most of the fast growing and leaders in India are using our equipment, with multiple press installations.

The advantage of an Italian company working in India is given by a common set of cultural and ethical values. Business in India is made by people, not by numbers. And the recent success of the LMAI Congress has shown as the "human touch" makes the difference in India. As well as in Gidue.




Amit Sheth, Label Planet
Managing director
Orthotec is launching two of its new technology at Labelexpo in Brussels and they have hybrid motion plus hybrid printing options which includes letterpress and flexographic technology. The second launch is, much awaited wet offset printing machine. Our aim is to offer the technology which the customer dreams to have two extremes in one.

Orthotec has been the world leader in letterpress technology over years and now with flexographic and offset launching, it will create its own space for the printers who will be looking for highest performance in best available economics.

As mentioned, having both letterpress and flexo in one machine with both intermittent and full rotary motion, the trend will be created from this niche industry to produce not only self adhesive labels but also the non pressure sensitive labels too. This will lead more towards the packaging segments like shrink sleeve, lamitubes, flexibles etc.

We are conservative in putting our opinion but we believe that we will have sea change in our market share.

Orthotec has been A leader and household name with all major brands globally. We do not need any introduction for the segment.

We have been leader in letterpress technology in India for more than two decades and consistent developments and innovations in this segment has made Orthotec, a preferred choice when it comes to intermittent technology. We look forward for a big change when we will introduce our hybrid motion and printing technology in one.

Our top customers are Update Prints, Any Graphics, Sel Jegat, Regal Creative, Pravesha, Universal Print Systems, JK Fine, Sicon Packs etc.