PrintWeekIndia - Latest Articles

DuPont Artistri increases manufacturing capacity

Rahul Kumar — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 13:10:00

Tucker Norton, general manager for Artistri digital inks at DuPont, said, “In the fast-growing world of digital printing, our customers not only expect us to deliver inks with great colours and consistency, but they’re also looking for improved productivity as well as delivery flexibility and reliability. With this capacity increase we’ll be better able to respond to customers around the world and the growing demand for pigment inkjet inks.”

John Hellige, plant manager at DuPont’s Fort Madison site in Iowa, recognised the project team’s efforts. “The team delivered inks capacity expansion on time by utilising innovative technology developed by Artistri inks business’ R&D and manufacturing teams,” said Hellige. “The project was accomplished incident free, contributing to our plant’s long-standing safety record.”

“We’re pleased to further contribute to the printer and OEM customers’ and brands’ transition to the sustainable printing processes enabled by water-based pigment inkjet inks,” said Eric Beyeler, global marketing manager, Artistri digital inks. “Artistri inks production capacity increase is another step in DuPont’s commitment to sustainable growth of digital printing in commercial, textiles and packaging.”

Siegwerk unveils next-gen sustainable water-based inks

Rahul Kumar — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 11:03:00

Siegwerk’s new sustainable water-based ink range comes along with excellent ink performance and colour strengths, offering similar levels of performance and properties as current water-based technologies. User tests have shown improved dot shape, comparable dot gain, high resolubility, and easy cleaning on press, meaning it can be easily exchanged with current products without the need to change equipment, processes or colour matches.

Furthermore, high printing speeds on presses, on both coated and uncoated papers, can be achieved with UniNature. The new inks and coatings series is applicable for many paper and board applications including corrugated board boxes, trays and displays, fast food packaging, sacks and bags, as well as cups and wraps. It supports various printing applications whilst meeting the highest market and regulatory standards.

Designed for use with Siegwerk’s Unibase colored bases, UniNature inks can be supplied as ready to use inks directly from Siegwerk. However, UniNature extenders and Unibase colorbases are more frequently supplied to customers to be mixed on demand to dispense equipment directly to the customer.

Ramakrishna Karanth, CEO, India subcontinent, Siegwerk, said, “As we’re venturing into a resource-preservative future, our vision at Siegwerk is to work towards sustainable development. Siegwerk’s consistent efforts for a better tomorrow resulted in the formulation of the Siegwerk ink series made from renewable and natural sources, for a greener future keeping in mind the 3Ss– Safety, Sustainability and Satisfaction of the consumer.”

By providing a combination of best-in-class ink performance, high product safety and extensive sustainability know-how linked with a holistic understanding of packaging, Siegwerk is always supporting its customers to address upcoming trends by meeting their individual needs with cutting-edge solutions and service. UniNature has won Packaging Europe’s Sustainability Awards 2022. The sustainable ink solution with a high bio-renewable content was selected as the winner in the categories, renewable materials, and the most sustainable innovation, among all 360 entries from across the global packaging value chain.

HB Fuller introduces new adhesive for paper straws

Rahul Kumar — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 08:25:00

HB Fuller considers food safety as of the utmost importance and key to sustaining life and promoting good health. As more consumers are adopting an “anti-single use plastic” mindset and governments are reacting with a sense of urgency, paper straws are now becoming an increasingly important alternative. As a result, its team in India has launched Swifttak PS5600-I, a food-safe adhesive for the paper straw market.

Developed by local HB Fuller scientists, the new water-based technology enables improved food-safe solutions that maintain straw integrity while the consumer is enjoying a beverage, and create durable paper straws that withstand three-hour resistance in a wide range of liquids, including water, juices, soft drinks, and milk. Straws made with Swifttak adhesives meet FDA 176.170 regulatory.

“No matter if you are starting your paper straw business, expanding your portfolio from plastic to paper, or simply upgrading your technology to be high water-resistant, choosing the right adhesive is key to creating a safe, long-lasting paper straw that maintains its integrity during use and that help reduce environmental footprint,” said Harsh Gupta, IMEA managing director. “Our new Swifttak PS5600-I is really at the forefront of innovation while being plasticiser-free, and by offering more than three-hour liquid resistance and greater operational efficiencies.”

The company has advanced its grade of adhesives for very fast-moving paper straw machines, taking manufacturing to a new level of efficiency and product quality. Swifttak supports fast-setting products that are easier and cleaner to work with and cause less wear and tear on machinery. Hence, this straw solution allows manufacturers to focus more on product quality and output and less on operational concerns. Additionally, as beverage brands, restaurants, and corporations make the transition from plastic to paper straws, it is important that they offer liquid-resistant, compliant, and food-safe straws made for a more sustainable future.

By leveraging its laboratory in Shirwal, near Pune, the HB Fuller R&D team worked closely with specialised paper and machine manufacturers to customise the formulation for high-speed paper straw production and address specific applications and equipment. Having this capability and technical knowledge based in India, allows the global company to test adhesives with manufacturers’ paper samples prior to running the adhesive on their paper straw lines — providing the confidence in product performance before halting regular production to trial a new material.

“The industry is steadily moving towards more eco-friendly processes and components. Adhesives, a small, yet central, actor in the change towards circularity and sustainability, are now helping manufacturers address major concerns with plastic and tackling the paper straw market needs to continue to grow in popularity and usage,” Gupta concluded.

Siegwerk receives EcoVadis silver medal

Rahul Kumar — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 12:34:00

EcoVadis, with over 90,000 rated companies in its network, is the most trusted independent provider of business sustainability ratings. Given its prestige and reputation among suppliers and customers, a silver rating is an achievement for Siegwerk. The EcoVadis methodology is built on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact and the ISO2600, covering 200 industries and more than 160 countries.

The EcoVadis assessment notes a particular strength in Siegwerk’s environmental performance. This is driven from the company’s strong sustainability management systems, emissions reductions targets, and circular packaging solutions developed and sold in the market.

The rating reflects the ambition Siegwerk sets in its 2025 sustainability initiative HorizonNOW. By 2025, seven ambitious targets are to be achieved, including carbon neutral scope 1 and 2 emissions, and achieving 75% of sales from products and services enabling circular packaging. HorizonNOW, with its clear targets is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Siegwerk regards the EcoVadis score as an important benchmark to continue building on.

“The Silver Medal is a testimony to the effort and focus we have put on building a leading role in the realm of sustainable business practices in the inks and coatings industry. And we are proud of what the organisation has achieved – while still striving for ever-increasing sustainability in our operations and with our up- and downstream value chain partners,” said Alina Marm, Siegwerk’s global head of sustainability and circular economy.

PrintPack 2022: Toyo launches UV flexo process inks, coatings

Noel D'Cunha — Sat, 28 May 2022 18:29:00

This series is manufactured at Toyo’s Greater Noida plant.

According to KS Murthy, deputy managing director at Toyo, the cost of the inks and coatings amounts to 2% to 3% of the label cost. However, the labels, which use inks, play a pivotal role in promoting the brand image of the end product.

“Labels need to promote the brand, notify customers of health and protection information on the product, and leave the product looking just as superior at scraping as it did when the product was first purchased,” he said.

For achieving high-quality labels, there is a need to have high pigmentation inks, runnability at high speeds and coatings to increase the production outputs.

“Taking all these into consideration Toyo Ink India has launched the Instaflex ink series and coatings for the Indian label industry,” said Murthy. “The Instaflex series has high strength and offers optimal performance at all stages of the label and varied kinds of substrates while meeting the stringent requirements of the compliance. Switching to the new ink series will improve functionality properties like high adhesion, quick makeready, vibrant colours on various substrates.”

Siegwerk opens new warehouse in Tauru, Haryana

Rahul Kumar — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 11:50:00

The new centre in Tauru, a facility spread across 36,000-sqft, will position Siegwerk for further growth in the northern market. The company builds on experience, innovative technology and the adoption of global best practices in ink manufacturing.

The warehouse and colour matching facility are strategically located on the KMP expressway, which will ensure faster deliveries to address north zone customers and also supports pan India customers through inter-region deliveries.

With an investment of Rs 40-million, the facility boasts a warehousing capacity of 1,000 tonnes and colour matching for the north zone customers. This new matching centre is equipped with an ultra-modern quality control lab in line with global standards.

Within the first three months of 2022 alone, Siegwerk Group has invested close to Rs 250-million into its Indian operations.

The facility was inaugurated by Ashish Pradhan, president, Siegwerk Asia.

Ramakrishna Karanth, CEO, Siegwerk India, said, “This expansion is in line with our strategic growth plan to sustainably expand our footprint in India. This new expanded capacity is a welcome indicator of the company’s growing demand since the launch of our 100% safe inks. The expansion presents an ideal situation allowing us to further drive value through the industry’s supply chain.”

He added, “According to reports, the global packaging ink market size is forecast to reach USD 12.91-billion by 2025, with APAC dominating the market. Considering the population and consumer demand facets, we are betting high on the Indian market and these investments are in line with our commitment to India.”

The new colour matching centre is designed to operate with all safety requirements including: a hydrant system, a smoke detection system and a water sprinkler system. The facility also boasts a CCTV surveillance system, which adds 24x7 hour security to the premises. The centre has space to expand in the future as the business requires, with the installation of additional equipment.

PrintPack 2022: HB Fuller to introduce innovative adhesives

Rahul Kumar — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 11:08:00

HB Fuller’s new food-safe solution, sold under the Swifttak brand, addresses the increasing demand for paper straws for a variety of end-use applications in the foodservice, institutional, and residential industries, which are projected to spur this market upwards, globally. Moreover, increased consumer demand for low-impact straws, upcoming government reform, and the many campaigns to ban single-use plastic are expected to contribute to the expansion of paper straws in our everyday life.

Additionally, HB Fuller will introduce a metallocene range of solutions for bookbinding applications. Its metallocene-based hot melt adhesives offer several advantages in the production process and end-use applications, such as lower coat weight, increased adhesion strength and robust temperature resistance. This improved adhesion also contributes to prolong the product's life and ensure durability. Another example of this technology is that it enables the recyclability of books and reduces adhesive consumption, which are important factors for the graphic arts industry.

As more people shop online, merchants and manufacturers will need high-performing adhesives and hassle-free, sustainable packaging. Therefore, the company will showcase innovative solutions for e-commerce packaging through a complete line of pressure-sensitive adhesives under the Swiftmelt brand that enables the bonding of tough substrates for a variety of applications, including pressure-sensitive tapes or labels, container labelling, and courier bag applications.

HB Fuller’s global, one-stop provider for eCommerce packaging solutions and its team of experts can assist manufacturers in streamlining processes and creating packaging that will improve the customer experience, while keeping products safe throughout the supply chain.

In addition, the company will demonstrate how its reinforcement and opening tapes portfolio can help improve the performance of corrugated and folding carton packaging. These tape technologies can reduce damage or add functionality, creating better performing boxes and packages. The range of starch additives under the Fullrex and Cor-Weld brands, can augment water-resistance to many types of packaging products, while improving board quality, and reducing waste.

HB Fuller will be at Hall 9B, booth F22, at India Expo Center, Greater Noida, Delhi, on 26-30 May.

Sun Chemical ink earns honorable mention

Rahul Kumar — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 10:59:00

Sun Chemical’s submission, recycle-friendly washable inks for plastic packaging, highlighted the company’s work to promote sustainable solutions, including the introduction of its SunSpectro SolvaWash FL product line.

SolvaWash FL inks are used in flexographic printing processes to enable more recyclable and sustainable plastic packaging. The inks are designed to be removed and separated from recoverable plastic substrates to improve recyclability and enable designed-for-recyclability industry certifications that are especially important for brand owners.

As additional taxes and fees are imposed by extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems for plastic packaging, the award committee recognised the ability of SolvaWash inks to reduce waste and improve plastics recycling worldwide, in turn reducing operational costs for plastic packaging producers.

“Sun Chemical is deeply committed to fulfilling its leadership role and responsibility, delivering sustainable ink, coating and adhesive technologies to enable sustainable packaging,” said Nikola Juhasz, global technical director of sustainability, Sun Chemical. “This FTA award is a testament to the work being done to improve sustainability across all aspects of our business. We appreciate the recognition, and we remain even more focused on developing the next innovation.”

Doreen M Monteleone, sustainability consultant for the FTA, said, “There is no doubt that the need to be more sustainable is constantly growing, which makes the FTA Sustainability Excellence Award programme more competitive every year. Sun Chemical’s entry was a perfect example of how sustainability is now a primary consideration in developing new products for the benefit of the printing industry.”

Siegwerk wins two IFCA Star Awards for innovation

Rahul Kumar — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 11:34:00

The flagship award ceremony is a prestigious industry recognition event, where hundreds of new technologies and products are nominated across numerous award categories, with participation from the best of the flexible packaging industry.

Siegwerk India was awarded for two of its best-in-class products — the food-safe, glow in the dark inks for product differentiation, and the NC-free inks for pharmaceutical packaging applications.

The nominations from across the value chain in flexible packaging were evaluated by the panel of experts and these two were chosen as the best in raw materials under the innovation/creativity category.

Ramakrishna Karanth, CEO, Siegwerk India, said, “It is a distinct honour to be recognised by IFCA and the flexible packaging industry for our new products. With IFCA 2021 observing an intense competition, this is a welcome recognition of our efforts and a delightful way to end 2021. We are looking forward to delivering more innovation-backed disruptive solutions to the national and global packaging industries in 2022.”

XSYS announces price hike

Rahul Kumar — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 13:12:00

However, in 2021, the cost inflation being absorbed by XSYS has increased to unequalled levels. The company said cost inflation is being passed on by suppliers and is present across a number of input costs. For example, raw material and feedstock suppliers are implementing double-digit price increases. Again, soaring gas and electricity costs have resulted in significant inflation in XSYS production costs, as well as increased costs from suppliers. Freight costs are increasing, with the World Container Index at +15% since July 2021. This is having an impact on the supply of raw materials, as well as sea and land freight within the XSYS supply chain network.

The additional inflation seen in 2021 shows no signs of retracting. As a result, XSYS will implement a price increase of between 7% and 15% across the Nyloprint product range, effective 1 February 2022.

“Securing the supply of our products in a timely manner to customers remains our priority. We will maintain full support of our customers with technical service and quality products during this challenging economic period,” said Friedrich von Rechteren, global commercial VP at XSYS. “Furthermore, XSYS will continue to invest in projects and efficiency drives designed to counter the inflation where possible.”

Fast & Fluid launches automatic paint dispenser

Rahul Kumar — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 10:21:00

Available in decorative and solvent variants, X-Smart M is equipped with patented piston pump technology to deliver high performance. The innovative tubeless design and click-in canisters with ergonomic shape eliminate wastage and protect against rodent damage, offering the lowest total cost of ownership in the dispenser segment. It comes with built-in power backup support allowing the machine to continue operations during power failure. Because of the low footprint with less weight, X-Smart dispensers occupy minimum space in the store area.

Balu Kuppuswamy, general manager, Fast & Fluid Management Asia, said, “The X-Smart M is ideal for businesses with low tinting volume. Its tubeless design reduces wastage, making it a cost-effective, cutting-edge dispenser with low maintenance and operational simplicity. Banking on our pioneering tinting technology and more than two decades of in-depth know-how and intensive research and development, X-Smart M emerges as a reliable compact dispenser, thus empowering the growing point-of-sale tinting segment in India. X-Smart M will drive the next phase of growth in tinting market emerging from tier-2 and tier-3 cities fuelled by the increasing participation of smaller paint manufacturers and dealers.”

Actega looks towards innovative solutions in 2022

Rahul Kumar — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 10:20:00

With innovation at the heart of the company’s approach and values, Actega, manufacturer of specialty coatings, inks, adhesives and sealing compounds for the print and packaging industry, is committed to the development of new products and solutions that push boundaries, further support its global customer base, and take the company closer to its vision for a more sustainable, effective, and innovative industry. This vision is perfectly in line with a growing trend and increasing pressure for companies to support a more sustainable future for the print and packaging industry.

Thorsten Kröller, president, Actega, said, “Despite the ongoing challenges resulting from the pandemic, solutions that enable increased sustainability and recyclability of end products continue to be in highest demand. That’s largely because sustainability is at the centre of corporate responsibility programmes for manufacturers like us, as well as our printer and converter customers, and the brands they serve.”

He added, “Also, for our industry to succeed long term, waste reduction is a key issue that must be addressed in 2022 and beyond. To achieve that, we believe that the whole industry needs to come together and act as one, with other key vendors and suppliers making packaging sustainability a key pillar of their business too.”

Thanks to continuous innovations and a clear focus on new technologies, Actega was able to further diversify and strengthen its product portfolio while working on achieving its sustainability goals.

Supply chain strains to continue: Upal Roy of Flint Group Packaging

Rahul Kumar — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 10:33:00

Upal Roy, managing director, Packaging India, Middle East, Africa at Flint Group Packaging, said, “It’s clear that the global economy is experiencing tremendous pressure with demand for products outstripping supply. Global raw material volumes and prices, along with freight availability are being heavily impacted. Compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, transportation and raw material shortages are causing a multitude of challenges for ink and coatings producers in our region.”

He added that for a wide variety of reasons, supply challenges are occurring for many critical raw materials used in the production of printing inks including vegetable oils and their derivatives, petrochemicals, pigments and titanium dioxide (TiO2). These products are all in short supply and causing significant issues in vendors’ ability to forecast and plan shipments.

He said, “Pigment prices, in particular, have surged recently due to increased demand from the architectural paints and wind turbine markets. Factory shutdowns in China, as a result of the Chinese Energy Reduction Program, have compounded the supply and pricing situation.”

With respect to petrochemicals including UV, polyurethane and acrylic resins and solvents, costs for these materials have been escalating since early 2020, with some of these having demand increases outside of normal levels.

According to Roy, the overall logistics situation also remains difficult. “The industry continues to face shortages in steel for drums and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) feedstocks used for pails and jugs. Increased eCommerce demand is driving a tight supply of corrugated boxes and inserts. Material allocation, production delays, feedstock force majeures, and labour shortages, are all contributing to packaging cost increases,” he said.

And then on top of this, the pandemic has been a catalyst for abnormal consumer purchase activity (both during and after shutdowns), causing unusual demand within multiple industries and straining both air and sea freight capacity.

Jet fuel costs, for example, have increased as high as 8-10 times the norm along with shipping container costs, further exacerbated by unusual ocean freight schedules and freight carriers being stranded or challenged to find ports to offload containers. Ultimately, increased demand and ill prepared logistics have caused a critical shortage of freight capacity.

“It is now clear that these supply chain strains are almost certain to continue well into 2022. Furthermore, we expect container prices, raw material shortages and cost increases to remain elevated into 2023. Even as some of these constraints ease and the recovery move forward, there remains global uncertainty regarding a resurgence of the coronavirus, changing consumer purchasing behaviours, and potential trade barriers,” Roy explained.

He added, “Importantly though, printing of all types plays an important role in producing the packaging that protects, preserves and enables the transportation of food and other essential goods to consumers worldwide. The value of printing inks and coatings is clear, and our staff is committed to working together to ensure our customers continue to receive necessary supply of inks and coatings for package printing.”

PrintWeek+DIC webinar to discuss toluene-free food packaging

Rahul Kumar — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 11:50:00

Four eminent speakers, Utsab Choudhuri, senior vice-president, head-technology, DIC India; Amit Ray, vice-chairman, Vijayneha Polymers; Debashish Dasgupta, brand manager, packaging development manager, Unilever Beverage; Rashmi Dhiman, R&D packaging manager, Unilever Ice Cream SA; and Sagar Singh, deputy director, Chemical Department, Bureau of Indian Standards will share their views and experiences on the topic.

The hour-long webinar will be hosted by Sriraam Selvam of PrintWeek and questions will be answered at the end of the webinar.

Noel D’cunha, managing editor, PrintWeek and WhatPackaging?, said, “Food packaging is growing at a rapid pace and a pandemic pushed the segment and created huge demand for packaged food due to hygiene and others. Food contamination and direct touch of food with the packaging material is a big concern in the industry. Toluene is one of the fatal chemicals used in packaging printing and removal of this is a big concern and needs awareness. The webinar will be helpful to spread the light about the concern and industry will be benefited. Audience can definitely take advantage of our speakers’ expertise.”

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have banned toluene-based printing inks in food packaging from 1 July 2021.

To attend the webinar, register here.

Water-based inks market to witness exponential growth by 2027

PrintWeek Team — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 10:08:00

The global water-based inks market is driven by the rise in demand for water-based inks in packaging and publications sectors across the globe. In terms of demand, Asia Pacific accounts for a dominant share of the global water-based inks market.

The global packaging industry is estimated to be valued at USD 1,000-bn by 2020. This, in turn, is fueling the demand for water-based inks across the globe in the next few years. Increase in environmental restrictions in developed economies across Europe and North America is boosting the need for VOC-free printing inks. UV-cured printing inks are a superior alternative to traditional inks. UV-cured inks are used in various printing processes such as gravure, inkjet, and flexography, as they offer advantages over conventional inks. UV-cured inks do not contain VOCs. Their drying process is quicker, as they are treated using UV light. This is likely to restrain the water-based inks market during the forecast period.

In terms of resin type, the water-based inks market has been divided into acrylic, polyester, maleic, and others. Acrylic was a highly attractive segment of the global water-based inks market in 2018 and the trend is estimated to continue during the forecast period due to suitability of acrylic resins in various applications.

Flexography printing technology was a highly lucrative segment of the global water-based inks market in 2018. Flexography printing technology is one of the extensively used printing processes. This technology is used to print various substrates such as paper, plastic, and paperboard. Market share of the flexography technology segment is projected to increase during the forecast period due to its ability to print a wide variety of substrates and usage of eco-friendly printing inks such as water-based printing inks. Growth of flexible packaging and tags and labels printing industries is likely to drive the segment in the next few years.

The packaging segment accounted for a major share of the global water-based inks market in 2018. Rise in the demand for flexible packaging in the food and beverages sector due to its less weight and esthetic appeal, is expected to fuel the demand for packaging in the next few years. This, in turn, is anticipated to drive the global water-based inks market in the near future. The packaging segment comprises flexible packages, corrugated containers, tags, labels, folding cartons, and metal cans.

Based on region, the global water-based inks market has been classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. In terms of volume and value, Asia Pacific was a leading region of the global market in 2018. The market in the region is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period owing to growth of packaging and newspaper industries and presence of major manufacturers of water-based inks in the region. This, in turn, fuels the demand for water-based inks in different applications such as corrugated packaging and folding cartons. Furthermore, growth of the advertisement sector and rise in investment in the marketing of food and beverages are expected to boost the market during the forecast period. Europe and North America are significant consumers of water-based inks. The water-based inks market in Latin America is projected to expand at a moderate pace during the forecast period, as demand for water-based inks in these regions is anticipated to rise in the next few years owing. Expansion of the market is attributed to the growth in the packaging industry.

For more on the subject, please visit Transparency Market Research.

HB Fuller to build new facility in Egypt

Rahul Kumar — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:01:00

“Egypt has naturally become a main gateway to the region and with the new plant, we will extend our current leadership in Egypt and Turkey and grow our competitive position across the emerging markets of Middle East and Africa,” said Harsh Gupta, HB Fuller's managing director for India, Middle East and Africa. “Our expanded presence in Cairo, with a high-tech site designed with future growth in mind allows us to double our production capacity and advance our technologies. This investment represents our commitment to better serving our customer base in close proximity to where they operate, for example in the markets for hygiene and packaging.”

The world-class production facility will fulfil industry-leading sustainability standards. With a gross area of 37,000 m2 in a two-story building, the planned site will be built at the well-equipped CPC Industrial Park, in the 6th of October industrial city in Cairo, which is considered a strategic location for manufacturing, and will commence full production in the last quarter of 2022.

HB Fuller has had a presence in Egypt since 2008 and this new strategic investment will allow them to grow and create new jobs opportunities in the region and offer improved quality, capacity to serve increased regional needs, excellent access to transportation and logistics advantages, and technical support to ensure a superior service that can help customers gain business value through their adhesive applications.

Recently, HB Fuller also has strengthened its adhesive business in Africa, with a robust commercial expansion in South Africa serving many of over the 30 market segments of the company’s portfolio. Across the globe, the company works with customers in more than 100 countries.

S&K Technologies invests in W&H Varex II with MDO

Rahul Kumar — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 12:34:00

Shraddha Soparkar, director, Soparkar & Kothari Technologies, explained, “While we were studying the market, we could sense a strong need for quality blown films as the Indian market is dominated by monolayer cast film suppliers while the global trend is more towards multilayered blown line. With this need identification in mind and with a mission to make the best technology available for Indian market, we began our journey to search for the best blown line suppliers in the world. Not surprisingly though, with initial research only we came to realise that W&H is the best and the most trusted name in the blown line industry. And with further discussion with the W & H team, we zeroed in on the Varex II with MDO line as it was matching all the parameters that the market has a demand for.”

She also appreciated how the W&H team has extended us full support during the machine installation and product trials phase despite the pandemic.

Vidhisha Kothari, director, Soparkar & Kothari Technologies, said as it was the company’s first project in hygiene films market and it being a greenfield project, the company was clear from day one that it wanted to have the best-in-class technology, processes and systems to meet and exceed the expectations of its customers in terms of product quality and innovative and reliable solutions. “As this vision is commonly shared by every member of our team who are involved in the project execution work, they delivered their best and made sure that the Covid pandemic which is the biggest challenge that we all are facing now, doesn’t become an obstacle in the progress of our project,” she added.

In manufacturing spanning over three decades, S&K Technologies ventured into hygiene films segment with a mission to provide quality films at an affordable price. Deval Soparkar, director, Soparkar & Kothari Technologies, said, “India ranks among the lowest in the world as far as consumption of hygiene products (sanitary pads, baby and adult diapers) is concerned but with the rise in disposable income and literacy rate, this sector is expected to have a strong growth momentum for many years to come. This is the reason behind establishing the company.”

The company has many firsts under its belt. It is the first hygiene film company in India to be established by female entrepreneurs who, being the wives, daughters and mother themselves, understand the needs of incontinence products better. It is the first company in India to offer integrated hygiene solutions under one roof, including PE perforated topsheet film, PE backsheet film, wrapping and outer pack films.

Soparkar & Kothari Technologies is also the first Indian company to have brand new European lines for hygiene film production, multilayered blown line from W&H to be used for manufacturing backsheets and wrapping films and cast line from SML for manufacturing perforated PE films.

The plant is located in Chacharvadi near the Changodar Industrial Area, about 20-kms from the centre of Ahmedabad, and employs 25 people. The total plant area is of 20,000-sqmt out of which 10,000-sqm is earmarked for future expansion.

“We conduct training programmes throughout the year which cover various aspects like quality, safety, technical knowhow, soft skills, team work, etc. Continuous evaluation and need-gap analysis of all the employees is done to design and implement the training programmes,” Shraddha Soparkar said. She added that the company wants to categorically target the health, hygiene and disposable goods industry in domestic and international markets.

The total extrusion capacity of the plant is 500 tonnes per month. Shraddha Soparkar said the complete plant is designed as per the stringent demands of the hygiene industry, including central air conditioning; epoxy flooring in production area; positive pressure at all the times inside the plant; dust-free environment; pest control; and air shower and three-layered rapid door entry/exit system.

Regarding the challenges of the hygiene film business, Vidhisha Kothari explained, “If we see the trend in developed markets, there is a strong demand for sustainable and low gsm products which helps in reducing carbon footprints. We see the same pattern in India as well although it is at an initial stage now. But we expect brand owners to be more demanding about this going ahead which will help a lot in reducing carbon emission.”

In preparation for this, the company now has the most advanced extrusion technology and it is confident that it will be able to cater to the present and future demands for many years to come.

"Going ahead, our focus is to become a one-stop solution provider for all hygiene-related products in India. Increased life expectancy, rise in literacy rates, booming middle class segment are all the factors which will drive this industry towards a strong growth trajectory. And we want to be ready to cater to this demand and make our contributions towards Atma-Nirbhar Bharat and Swachcha Bharat Abhiyaan,” Deval Soparkar concluded.

Siegwerk strengthens its process management and consulting teams

Rahul Kumar — Fri, 07 May 2021 10:52:00

With its customer service solutions, Siegwerk’s offering goes beyond ink – aiming to support customers to untap process improvements and cost savings to advance sustainable company developments. “Over the last years, we have seen an increasing demand for our service solutions in SEA and India, especially in regard to ink room optimisation and colour management,” said Ralf Thümler, global head of process management and consulting at Siegwerk. “By expanding our local expertise, we now become able to serve local customers even better and further strengthen our footprint in the growth markets across Asia.”

Siegwerk’s process management and consulting teams act in all relevant focus areas along its customers’ value chain – from prepress stage to further processing – and across all printing applications. Therefore, they also support colour and ink management, as well as the print set-up and finishing processes. There are three pillars of customer service solutions offered — on-site consulting to improve processes in the value chain; in-house on-site ink room management and Colorwerk, Siegwerk’s colour management programme.

All related service solutions offered under these three pillars are aligned with the goal of increasing customer efficiency and productivity with improved and simplified processes. Therefore, the mutual exchange with customers’ experts is key for Siegwerk to successfully realise any kind of improvement project. Together, they analyse and optimise the production process, determine potential savings and motivate and train staff in all workflow changes afterwards.

“Untapped potential for efficiency improvement often lies in the daily operation and in almost every ink room,” said Ralf Thümler. Here, the company’s on-site consulting experts can offer an outside and objective view, helping customers to identify valuable improvement potentials to increase efficiency. Alternatively, its in-house experts can support and assist in ink room management to ensure the most effective organisation.

“The strength of our process management and consulting department is that it consists of a dedicated network of highly skilled local and global experts combining diverse technical and hands-on experience,” he added. “We offer tailormade services from one single source to concretely support the individual needs of each customer, whether it is about optimising the processes in a print shop, identifying possible savings, or assisting in ink preparation and ink room management, our experts are on hand to add value across the packaging supply chain.”

Print runs are getting shorter, complexity of packaging is getting higher, and more marketing initiatives are asking for shorter lead times. The improvement of set up times and downtimes have already been key efficiency drivers for years and will become more relevant in the future, making process improvements an essential enabler for long-term and sustainable company success.

The making of Holostik’s UV embossed film

Rahul Kumar — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 12:14:00

It is not only one of the best global manufacturers of these products using the best global technologies, but also a CMMI- Level 3 certified developer of supply chain software. With the responsibility of solving the customers’ counterfeiting issues, the company believes in providing a complete ‘phygital’(physical+digital) solution.

Also, with a clear belief in innovation and technology the company spends about 5% of its annual budget on such R&D and technologies. Holostik has catered to more than 10,000 clients in 90+ countries around the world. Some of the prestigious clients in its portfolio include renowned names like Unilever, Coca-Cola, ITC, Konica Minolta, Dupont, Timex, Hero, Johnson & Johnson, Bridgestone, Diageo, Novartis, Abbott, and many others. As a testimony to its excellence, the company has received certifications like ISO, Drug Master File, Agmark, HSSMS and many others.

Standing firmly on the pillars of innovation, technology, values, and sustainability the company has successfully secured businesses, supply chains and consumers worldwide, which is true to its mission of ‘Authenticating supply chains, securing lives’.

UV embossed films

Among a wide range of Holostik’s products and solutions, UV embossed films have garnered massive demand and popularity due to their supreme aesthetic and strong visual appeal which makes the client’s product highly saleable. UV embossed films are mainly polyester films coated with UV curable resin, which are later cured by high power UV light at the time of embossing. UV embossing technology helps to produce higher quality lens/3D effects compared to hard and soft embossing processes.

UV embossing is a roll-to-roll manufacturing process consisting of 4 steps:

The coating process: A flexible substrate film such as polyester is unwound from a reel and then a liquid UV curable resin is coated on the bottom side of the film. The film is dried to remove the solvent from the resin.

Curing process: When the film is being embossed a high source UV light cures the resin.

Rewound: In this stage the completely cured embossed film is rewound on the reel.

Metallising: In this process, the UV layer is sandwiched between the metallising and film layers to form the final product.

The UV embossed film provides strong brand appeal to the product and makes it look unique on the shelf. The film is highly durable and thus, the effects on it remain unchanged until the end of product’s life span. It can include wide variety of effects like CRI (crystal relief image), PRI (platinum relief image), lens etc which gives it a distinct look. In addition, the film also includes anti-counterfeiting features embedded in the customised artwork.

The UV embossed film comes with thickness of 12- and 23-microns PET for carton and 50- and 36-micron PET for labels. UV coating comes from 3- to 7-gsm and available as metallised/ transparent. The film can incorporate any customised effects and more than 20 generic effects, texture, lens, images, and pillar of light.

Applications

The UV embossed films can be used to make 3D UV embossed labels and 3D UV embossed folding cartons. While UV embossed labels can be made with or without laminating the film with paper, UV embossed cartons are made by laminating the film with paper board.

The UV embossed films and its applications have changed the world of packaging forever. The films have become popular among FMCG, pharma, nutraceutical, personal care, and many other industries. This is due to the incorporation of various aesthetic and visually appealing effects and designs, which adds value to the final product.

The following are some of the labels and cartons made with UV embossed films:

He label

This is an aesthetic product label for an Indian deodorant brand. The label has been developed in-house by Holostik, from mastering to film making to registered printing and conversion. In this label, different effects have been transferred on MetPET film, including 3D PRI effect on the brand name HE and Magic DUO and controlled rainbow visualisation in the background. The labels have been developed in two different colours as per the requirements of the client. The labels give a unique look to the product, not found in any other competing brand.

Technical specifications: 50-micron MetPET film laminated with 62-gsm release liner, hotmelt pressure sensitive adhesive.

IFFCO edible oil label

The IFFCO edible oil label has been developed by Holostik for the ALFA range of corn oil products-sold across Middle East & Africa. The purpose of the label was to increase product sales, especially in supermarket chains, hypermarkets, etc and provide security against counterfeiting. The label has artistic drops with lens effect. The outer boundary of drops has a 3D PRI effect. The label not just enhances the brand aesthetics of the product but also provides it security against duplication. The label infuses the product with an attractive look to grab the customer’s attention in modern stores and big retail outlets.

Technical specifications: 50-micron MetPET film laminated with 62-gsm release liner, hotmelt pressure sensitive adhesive.

Agewell folding carton

This folding carton has been developed keeping in mind the high value content of a dietary supplement product - soft gelatine coconut oil capsules sold in South Africa and Nigeria. In this carton, Holostik has used the innovation of lens/3D effects on MetPET UV embossed film with registered printing. The film's unique property of showcasing different features makes the carton look appealing. Some of the unique features implemented in the product include 3D PRI effect in Agewell brand name on the front panel, dome lens effect in brand logo, complete background with pillar of light effect and 3D PRI effect in the images of coconut and leaves. With all these unique film effects, the product manufacturer has justified the high value content of the product. The effective packaging has leveraged the brand image on another level and makes it efficient against duplication.

Technical specifications: 23-micron UV embossed PET film, UV coating 5-gsm, 350-gsm FBBD.

NASO folding carton

The folding carton has been developed by Holostik for a one-of-a-kind pharma product NASO- a vitamin B 12 nasal spray. The carton developed for the product has multiple aesthetic effects on its different panels. The front and back panel have a big dome lens with a PRI outline while the background has a brush effect. The address panel has three rectangular dome lens and TROIKAA branding with 3D PRI effect. The panel background has appealing dust effect. The carton accentuates the look and feel of the product. This enhanced visual appeal has helped the manufacturers to create a unique brand identity for the unique product.

Technical specifications: 23-micron UV embossed film, UV coating 5-gsm, 300-gsm FBBD.

AIFMP condemns hike in paper prices, seeks intervention

Rahul Kumar — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 11:28:00

Prof Kamal Mohan Chopra, president, AIFMP, said, “More than 85% of Indian printing entrepreneurs are micro or tiny units, thus, are not able to sustain the major setback like this. After the lockdown due to pandemic which created a havoc, now the things have started improving, but the printers are facing loss of business due to the unprecedented hike in the prices of raw materials, such as paper, plates and ink.”

He said the prices of raw material have shot up by 30-35%, threatening to turn the printing business unviable. He added that in addition to the increase in paper prices, all other input costs, such as manpower, laminating film, freight and other overheads have also witnessed a huge increase of 60-70% in the last few years.

Chopra said, in accordance with the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (No 10 of 1955), 2 (a) (vii) paper, including newsprint, paperboard and straw board comes under ‘Essential Commodities.’ “We feel this law is not being implemented properly. We wish that government should intervene, to oversee its strict implementation. It will help in improving quality and rationalisation of rates. If there is no check in this regard, printers will be compelled to increase their cost, which will start a vicious cycle of increase in prices all over and affect the industry and the economy of the country,” he explained.

GN Visvakumar, honourary general secretary of AIFMP said, it is seen that over the past five-six months, the paper mills in the country have exponentially increased their prices. This sudden and unnatural spiralling increase in price of basic raw material has caught the printing industry unawares.

“The quantum and frequent increases in prices have knocked the wind out of our sails leaving the printing and packaging industry of India on the brink of collapse,” he said.

He added that with the survival of the industry at stake, it may not be practical for printers anymore to supply the material without an increase of at least 20%. “Already, printers are suffering a lot as they are not able to run the unit to full capacity due to Covid. This increase in the raw material prices will ruin the industry if no attention is given by the government immediately,” he said.

Visvakumar added that printing is an intermediary industry and most of the printers are operating in micro sector and are bound to abide by the contracts and tenders signed with private and various government agencies. “Thus, printers are stuck between manufacturers who increase the prices of raw material without any consideration and customers who are not willing to pay the additional costs demanded by the printers, due to the increase of raw material. This will seriously impact the publishing and packaging industry,” he explained.