Asian Packaging Excellence Awards Winners Special Issue by Print Innovation Asia

LABELS & PACKAGING

INNOVATION ASIA

6 -21

2020

WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN THIS ISSUE...

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_018 22 ASIAN PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Results In this issue

2020

COVER STORY Packaging applications are a thriving and growing segment of the industry, full article on page 32 4

Will prices go up? YES, they will! Label and packaging

printers under pressure

Malaysia’s Tung Lim invests in Bobst flatbed die-cutter

The digital packagiing evolution

Demand is increasing for films with performance features

Digital Process adds more imaging power from XSYS

Sustainability & Marketing Resiliency for CPGs

Long-term innovation: the path to customer happiness

Gallus launches Labelfire «Diamond Core Series»

P&G™ uses Tactile Labelling on Shampoo

and Conditioner

Conference Director Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com

XSYS launches new flexo plate for water-based inks

Editor

Multiflex Polybags installs new CI flexo press

Sha Jumari sha@printinnovationasia.com

Company cites quality, affordability as key decision factors

Cleaning your flexo plates, anilox rolls and print stations

People MOST forget the password for THESE

online accounts

Winners announced for the Asian Packaging Excellence Awards

Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd 65 Chulia Street #46-23 OCBC Centre Singapore 049513 Chairman Paul Callaghan paul@printinnovationasia.com

Chairman Judging Panel 2020 Packaging Excellence Awards Judges -Wim Swiggers - Phee Boon Eow Ben Kwok SHIFT_20 (AFTA) has 11 active Committee members for 2019/2020 For everything you need go to www.printinnovationasia.com

2020

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Will prices go up?

Label and packaging p Not only was it a mixed year in 2020, it will continue to be exciting. The label and packaging industry came out of 2020 with a black eye. Generally speaking, it was sometimes a good year for some, in terms of sales and order books. At least in some segments.

As soon as the year starts and it’s not even the beginning of spring, prices for substrates shoot through the roof. By substrates, we don’t just mean printing stocks, but raw materials – including those for inks. Did that come as a surprise? No, not at all. If you can put one and one together, these developments are neither surprising nor arbitrary. The overall dynamics that preceded it could only have the present state as a result. And it will be idle to debate here what the causes were, who is to blame. It is what it is.

The drivers for the price increases are, on the one hand, of course the pulp prices, which is due to a supply and demand situation. On the one hand, and on the other, a systemic environment of 2020. The pandemic has led to shifts in the paper industry’s operations. Bloated paper inventories in 2020 with unsold paper fell to historically low levels starting in 2021. Added to this are the costs of chemicals, additives and transportation. These have increased and will continue to increase in 2021.

International freight traffic is not unaffected. Logistics costs are merely a reflection of the distortions. So much for paper prices in a nutshell. POLYMER PRICES – THE SKY’S THE LIMIT And all those who work with paper as a substrate can count themselves lucky right now, because the price of polymers is skyrocketing. In a single month, PP prices rose dramatically – but with further upside potential. The basic problem is resins, which are not available in sufficient quantities. This

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

? YES, they will!

printers under pressure is due to production conditions. For example, in some countries, critical infrastructures of the petrochemical industry were in a state of emergency due to the weather caprices. Systemrelevant services were almost on the verge of collapse. And in this environment, where availability trumps price, the price rises with each delivered quantity. In other words, the next processor already pays the next higher price. But the fundamental question that arises is how do you deal with these price increases? The printer in the buffer zone between the substrate manufacturer and the end customer. And the end customer in turn as a buffer between the retailer and the consumer. Under no circumstances can it be the printer who has to compensate for the increases and reduce his margin or even work with losses just to keep the orders. But also the substrate manufacturing industry cannot sit on the systemic and not arbitrary prices, because it is an investment-intensive and therefore capital-intensive industry and faces many new challenges, for example in terms of sustainability. This then leaves the brand owner. The latter would have to pass on its prices to retailers. However, if you take a closer look at the listing discussions with retailers – and I know what I’m talking about – it’s all about the 3rd or 4th digit after the decimal point. Actually, the consumer would have to pay it and the retailer would have to pass on the price increases to the consumer. But that will be a very big hurdle for retailers. It leads nevertheless a price war of the chains,

around the favor of the consumer. And this is often where the price journey ends.

There is still potential for packaging printers to manage volatility. To become – quite simply – antifragile.

What the reality will look like will remain exciting. Because the entire supply chain has potentials that it has not yet exploited. Potentials to absorb such dislocations. And here, everyone has to do their part and the costs can’t be pinned down and compensated only on one side or the other.

This is about automation processes and the digitalization of processes. About micro-analyses and optimizations, about even more intensive dovetailing with the supply chains. This also applies to the downstream chains, which must dovetail much more closely with their supply chains. If processes are not managed properly, a lot of resources and therefore a lot of capital are lost along the way.

In general we have to say goodbye to this idea of price stability, as it no longer reflects the volatile real world and thus leads to constructs that make no sense either economically or ecologically. This volatility will increase and not decrease. Therefore, we must also say goodbye to time-honored processes and working methods that are based precisely on the calculus of relative stability and continuity. These systems are extremely fragile.

These price increases are a wholesystem result and are not confined to one industry or another. Exogenous factors will pose more and more challenges to the entire global economy. The only way to counter this phenomenon – or rather, to deal with it better – is to make a concerted effort to find solutions and to ensure that the entire supply chain does its homework.

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

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Malaysia’s Tung Lim flatbed die-cutter After adding a BOBST NOVACUT 106 E, the Malaysian packaging printing company has increased output by 35%. This is the third generation of BOBST die-cutters that has been installed at the factory in Selangor, the result of a partnership that spans over 35 years. When it was first established in 1982, Tung Lim Press Sdn. Bhd. was a small three-man operation working out of a 1,400 sq ft plant. Since then, it has grown into a well-organised large corporation that is today one of Malaysia’s leading packaging printers. Along the way, the company has always chosen die-cutting technology from BOBST for its folding carton production, to serve customers in the food and drinks, pharmaceutical and FMCG sectors with high quality products. “We started out with a BOBST SP 900 machine, which was the very first automatic die-cutter on the market, followed by an SP Evoline 102 E, and since then we have relied on BOBST for all of our die-cutting needs. Their machines are known for their excellent performance, and are always

robust, reliable and very precise,” said Managing Director, Jeffery Wong. “In order to stay competitive, we are constantly upgrading the facilities to keep up with market trends, so we need top quality machinery.” The present 83,000 sq ft Tung Lim Press factory stands on the banks of the Damansara River south-west of the capital Kuala Lumpur. The company runs a bank of three offset printing presses and three folder-gluers in addition to the three BOBST diecutters, along with other converting equipment. With a turnover of over RM 25 million (US$ 6.1 million) and 110 staff, it has the capacity to turn out six million units each week. Versatility and productivity in one machine The latest generation of BOBST die-cutters, the NOVACUT 106 E Autoplaten® offers cost-effective cutting and stripping in-line. Tung Lim

Press is already reaping the benefits of the machine’s ability to cut anything from paper, carton and solid board in thicknesses from 80 gsm up to 2,000 gsm and corrugated board of up to 4 mm, in sheet sizes from 350 x 400 mm to 760 x 1060 mm. The BOBST NOVACUT 106 E was chosen in particularly for its high production speed and output combined with automation features, fast job changeovers and attractive price-performance ratio. “We are achieving an average production speed of 7,000 sheets per hour, which increases the production output by 35%. The die-cutter is also very operator friendly, and we highly rate its safety and the easy access to maintenance, which improves the working conditions for our operators,” explained Wong.

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m invests in Bobst

With a high level of automation, the BOBST NOVACUT 106 E delivers more uptime and increased precision. Set-up is simple using the HMI SPHERE, which has a full colour 22-inch screen where all settings are displayed for convenient and intuitive navigation. This also enables repeat jobs to be loaded quickly. The integrated Quick-Lock system, automatic locking and unlocking of the upper stripping tools and CENTERLINE system for assembling, positioning and centering the tools ensure even delicate and light materials are cut and handled perfectly. “Not only can we guarantee the quality of the products we make, the new diecutter has also helped speed up our delivery times, so we can produce any job quickly and profitably, no matter whether they are small or large,” said Wong, who also highlighted the excellent service provided by BOBST’s engineers. “We know from years of

experience that we have the service backup we need to keep us operating through any crisis. This has given us peace of mind during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Die-cutting expertise and partnership key to growth The BOBST NOVACUT 106 E embodies BOBST’s industry leading technology know-how and decades of experience in flatbed die-cutting. For Tung Lim Press, the added flexibility and increase in productivity in the converting department will translate into growth in sales, according to Mr Wong, who said that their projections forecast a 10% revenue increase per year. “The most important aspect of any investment is that we maintain the quality that we have become known for and thereby keep the trust of our customers. This will contribute to the

continuous growth in market share,” he added. “Our long-standing partnership with BOBST is key and we look forward to many more years of cooperation. We are planning to expand into corrugated products, so there is an exciting and challenging future ahead.” “We are very proud of the many long-term partnerships we have all over the world. They are a testament to the longevity of BOBST and our continuous innovation,” said SEA Sales Director Folding Carton Industry, Attila Kajari. “We have seen Tung Lim Press develop from a tiny entity to one of Malaysia’s most respected packaging producers, and I’d like to think that BOBST has played an important part in the success of the company. With the BOBST NOVACUT 106 E, they have the best tools to grow further and increase sales of their high-quality cartons.”

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2020 was a transformative year for labels and packaging. Much of that had to do with the pandemic driven shift in consumer behavior, which in combination with new digital press introductions has affected packaging procurement models. This has accelerated the existing trends and now bodes well for the digital packaging evolution. Some Background In the 1990’s digital print was introduced, with a flurry of excitement and lots of projections about how this would lead to the explosion of variable data printing, one to one marketing and the ultimate demise of offset printing. The reality is that it took digital print almost 15 years to reach the level of offset print volume. If digital print was introduced in the early 1990’s, and it has taken so long for it to reach its predetermined goals, in the case of digital packaging production, are we in for the same long ride or can we learn from history? Digital Packaging the Next Wave Early adoption of digital packaging production was relegated to prototypes, short run and variable data applications that supported marketing campaigns. It is now gaining mainstream acceptance as a result of the successful implementation of digital label printing, which now represents in excess of 25% of total label production globally. However, now there has also been an expansion of available digital packaging

solutions that can be used to support other packaging applications including flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated. These digital solutions are being used in place of flexo and offset as they are increasingly available to satisfy the requirements of shorter “on-demand” runs. Granted, the digital solutions

currently available may be a bit slower and the output even a little more costly than some of the flexo solutions. However, digital production allows you to create focused and more optimized processes based on specific requirements instead of trying to fit work with different requirements into the same production processes.

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Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

12 Designed well, that could provide more cost-effective and timely solutions with fewer setups and less handling. The compact nature of OEM solutions like those Powered by Memjet inkjet technology combined with the low cost and high-performance capabilities enables customers to streamline processes to reduce cost. Preprint and postprint corrugated applications are already gaining market traction and the digital production of folding cartons is about to see increased growth with the introduction of many new cut sheet digital press solutions. The continued growth of flexible packaging replacing rigid containers in the form of stand-up pouches is another of the growth applications for digital print. Pouches, which are easier and less costly to ship actually use anywhere from 40-70% less plastic than rigid-container-and label combinations and are increasingly attractive to brands and sustainability-conscious consumers alike. The Best of Both Analog and Digital Hybrid, or ‘multiple connected printing and finishing technologies’, have been around for decades. Although not as prevalent as they are becoming today with the growth and availability of disparate inkjet components and solutions, combined with the growth of machine and process digitization. Bespoke solutions, or ‘custom designed application-based printing’ is the natural extension of the same hybrid capabilities. Memjet OEMs like Colordyne, Konica Minolta, PCMC, and others are increasingly integrating printheads into a variety of different inkjet and hybrid machine configurations to support packaging print applications. The groundbreaking MGI AlphaJET

Industrial Print Factory brings a unique approach to high quality folding carton and corrugated print applications. These types of Powered by Memjet solutions are finding their way into a variety of different machines to support a variety of stand-alone print applications, as well as print as a function of product manufacturing, including 3D. Drivers for Digital Print in Packaging Increased cost competition between digital and analog packaging production can be attributed to the explosion of inkjet press solutions as well as hybrid solutions, making digital more competitive and it is expected to continue. In the last year, there have been a significant amount of new digital press introductions a great deal of that attributed to rapid development inkjet technologies like those from Memjet. The development of package printing solutions Powered by Memjet has been increasing and include partners like Rigoli and V-Shapes who have created targeted application solutions. The increase in market segmentation, and the need to keep up with regulatory label changes, have affected packaging

procurement and has been moving from an annual or semi-annual production purchase and warehouse model to produce what is needed for current production or on-demand model. The cost of obsolescence combined with the more competitive costs now available with digital packaging production make a very compelling case for on-demand packaging procurement. On-demand packaging procurement is also being facilitated by online web-to-pack solutions that provide a way to design, proof and order packaging in quantities from one to thousands, with quick turn arounds. Ultimately, brand identity and shelf appeal are still the key attributes of packaging. Digital printing and embellishment technologies are providing the solutions needed to support the needs of on-demand package printing. Increasingly they are integrated into complete inline production solutions. Increasing the Adoption Rate So, the short story is that the rate of adoption is directly affected by the rate of adaptation. That could mean that in addition to promoting the value of the new technology or process, you

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13 Ultimately, if we are going to achieve the dream/reality of “Industry 4.0,” this type of production approach will have to become more mainstream. Obviously, if your business is not producing short runs, or if you have a mix of short and long runs, you probably need an analog (flexo), hybrid or both, depending on business requirements. Summary There are a lot of digital packaging solutions out there and more being developed. This is being facilitated by an increasing number of rapid development inkjet components like those from Memjet to support the variety of print manufacturing requirements. The whole digital evolution today is really just a part of the industry’s transformation and transition to the real end game— purpose-built or bespoke solutions. It may not be the solution for all print and also need to reduce the perceived risk to the people involved. Some printing companies started the transition slowly and created separate digital divisions or locations in the same plant. It also may mean that you need to look at the impact of the new technology on the entire process and not just the specific technology replacement and make the necessary changes.

packaging manufacturing; however, it will undoubtedly make a dent and continue to grow. Learn more about Memjet’s digital inkjet technologies. About the author: David Zwang travels around the globe helping companies increase their productivity, margins and market reach. With over 40 years of industry experience, David specializes in process analysis, and strategic development of firms in the fields of publishing, packaging, design, premedia, and printing across the globe.

The Future of Flexo Plate Making

By the way, that could also mean benefits for your clients’ and partners’ processes as well, which is also an opportunity for creating closer relationships. As an industry, the impact of digital print found its way to the transformation of many companies. It also led to a lot of industry consolidation. However, we are all learning to live with and even enjoy the new realities that digital printing has facilitated in packaging production. The industry is ready. Packaging industry trends seem to indicate a desire to run more operations inline to minimize handling and waste, and to keep turn times low for the increasingly short-run jobs. Interestingly, the packaging market is having many of the same discussions that commercial print had been having for years: inline, nearline, offline, and when does it make sense to create a complete purposebuilt production line?

Improve plate print quality and consistency

Reduce handling errors

Lower total cost of ownership

Higher productivity

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info@xsysglobal.com

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Demand is increasing for films with performance features At Meghna, W&H installed our first and most advanced rotogravure press, HELIOSTAR II - future-ready for smart factories running at 400 m/min, making it the fastest printing machine in Bangladesh. “Fresh”, “No.1”, “Actifit”, “Pure” and “Meghnacem Deluxe”. “With the HELIOSTAR installation, we have set the precedent for high capacity presses of 400 m/min and above with fast job changeovers. Our Rotogravure presses are capable of handling highly critical applications with high precise register accuracy for demanding substrates and low contrast ink and varnishes.” - Mr. Anuj Sahni (GM-Sales & Marketing, W&H India)

The press delivers unmatched performance levels with most jobs running at rated speeds with the locally available cylinder and ink. They experience maximum profitability and intelligence with fully integrated PROCONTROL/VISION – which facilitates operator friendliness and single-point operation for real-time information and performs quick changes. Our customers experience maximum profitability and intelligence with notable automated features such as DRIVEN INKING ROLLER – which helps in achieving higher print consistency. The VISION SYSTEM offers intelligent, intuitive, and fully integrated web inspection and a 100% defect detection system. The EASYSYNC/HELIOCONTROL equips Meghna for superior register setting/ control, strongest dryers in the market, with superior rinsing and wash-up system. “We admire the machine performance for its top-notch quality with unparallel speed of 400 m/min and uptime performance. The HELIOSTAR printing machine exceeds all our

expectations from world’s leading supplier W&H.” Md. Harun Or Rashid (Sr. GM, Meghna Group) The history of one of Bangladesh’s largest leading conglomerates, Meghna Group of Industries (MGI) can be traced back to 1976 when its predecessor operated under the name of Kamal Trading Company. The secret to the success and vast expansion of MGI has been diversification and the group has entered a broad array of different markets and industries. The product range of MGI today is truly impressive for its products under the recognizable brand names of

THE HELIOSTAR II is considered the most advanced press available in the market today. The new revolution in rotogravure printing HELIOSTAR II is future-ready for smart factories – simple, intuitive, and easy to operate. At W&H, we designed the HELIOSTAR II for widths between 800-1700 mm with higher outputs in the range of 400-600 m/min. Equipped for PACKAGING 4.0, the latest HELIOSTAR II is known for its operator friendliness, superior print quality with high consistency, shorter changeover times, 7C Gamut, and efficient CPP and PE printability on high speeds, with economical ink and solvent utilization.

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SPEED UP YOUR PROCESSES with optical systems for UV curing and drying

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Digital Process adds more The recent installation of a new ThermoFlexX TFxX 48 was carried out by the Pakistani platemaking pioneer’s own engineers, supported remotely by the XSYS team. Despite restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the flexo plate imager was up and running within three days of arriving at the repro house in Karachi. Digital Process (Pvt) Ltd has led the way in digital flexo platemaking in Pakistan since its inception. Founded in 2006, the company is today the top repro house in the country, supporting many of the biggest printing companies and their global brand customers with a wide range of prepress services. Flexo plates account for 65% of sales. The 24/7 operation has 50 staff and boasts turnaround times of just 24 hours from approval of artwork, all made possible by running four production lines, employing a host of highly experienced graphic designers and utilizing strong ERP software to manage the workflow. The company also operates as a distributor of other flexo consumables including sleeves, inks, anilox cylinders, tapes, cleaning chemicals and flexible dies, and exports to the Middle East, Africa and occasionally Europe. Continuous improvement with best equipment In order to expand capacity further in the flexo platemaking department, which consumes over 10,000 sqm of photopolymer plate material each year,

Digital Process has recently invested in an additional digital imager from XSYS. The choice fell for a ThermoFlexX TFxX 48 model as a complement to an existing ThermoFlexX TFxX 60, which was installed just two years ago. This means that the company can now deliver high-quality flexo plates for the broadest range of applications, from labels and flexible packaging to corrugated boxes and displays. “Our experience with the larger ThermoFlexX 60 has been great and it was very easy to integrate into our Esko workflow. Having put a few thousands laser hours on the machine already, the technology has proven itself, and with 5080dpi, we know we can make the best quality plates, which will deliver exceptional print for our customers,” says founder and CEO Zain Fazal. He continues, “We are considered the best in flexo plates in the country, so customers expect the highest quality and great service from us. That puts extra pressure on us, but I see that as a good thing, because it means that as we are continuously improving and investing in the best equipment.”

Growth through trust and partnership The partnership with Flint Group Flexographic, which is now part of the newly established XSYS division, goes right back to the beginning. “The plates that were available in Pakistan when we first set up business were simply not good enough for what we wanted to achieve,” explains Fazal. “We knew that the demand for higher quality would grow, so we approached Flint to discuss importing their plates ourselves and they agreed.” The cooperation has been beneficial to both parties. Digital Process grew exponentially in the first three years to become the largest platemaker in the country. “Our first import order with Flint was way below their standard MOQ, but Regional Business Manager Roy Schoettle took the initiative and supported us. As a result, Flint’s market share in Pakistan also multiplied in the following years.”

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imaging power from XSYS clear that they are keen to make better machines and capture a larger market share, but they don’t try make more money in parts and consumables as is so often the case.” Remote support key during crisis Even before the pandemic, XSYS already had a robust and comprehensive remote support system in place. Each ThermoFlexX machine comes fully equipped with remote support capabilities as standard for full diagnostics and fault-finding. No matter where in the world customers are based, they have easy access to the XSYS engineering team, who can guide them through any issues. As a result, Digital Process could go ahead with the machine installation despite the COVID-19 restrictions and add the much-needed capacity to their busy platemaking operation.

Working with reliable partners that can provide timely support has been key to the success of Digital Process. Fazal says, “Flint is the one company that we have been very happy with. Despite the instability in Pakistan until a few years ago, Flint has always stood by us and provided all out support.”

which features automatic loading and unloading of plates at the touch of a button. Exceptional productivity and clever innovations ensure waste is kept to a minimum, while the ThermoFlexX screening technology produces smooth transitions, excellent solids and fine details in line-work.

Quality build and consistent quality Since the second-generation ThermoFlexX imagers were introduced in 2015, over 300 machines have been installed worldwide. All machines are designed and built inhouse, which according to Christophe Lievens, Director of Sales & Marketing Prepress at XSYS, “puts us in a unique position so that we can immediately respond to requests from customers or to fundamental industry changes.”

“We chose the ThermoFlexX TFxX 48 first and foremost because of the quality,” says Fazal. “We compared machines from several manufacturers and found that the build quality of this machine is solid, which means you can run it at top speed without any variation in imaging quality. This is vital as it means we can rely on it to produce accurate and consistent quality around the clock.”

The imagers are known for their highquality optical system, solid build and versatility. Another highlight is the ease of use and simple design,

Speaking specifically about the ThermoFlexX team, he says, “I personally feel that there are some very dedicated people working on the hardware and software in Belgium. It is

Yves Vanryckeghem, XSYS Technical Manager APAC, says, “This installation was only possible thanks to our advanced remote tools, which enable us to set up and calibrate the machine without ever being on site. There are no special tools required to check laser focus, power and beam quality as it is all built into the machine. This saves a lot of time and money for our customers" “Yves ran all the tests and configured the machine while sitting in Singapore,” Fazal recounts. “He monitored the whole process and even supported us over the weekend, so no time was wasted. To be up and running in just three days during this global crisis is just amazing!” He concludes, “The whole experience has been incredibly smooth, and it has given us a sense of security that should anything go wrong during the pandemic, we can rely on XSYS for full support. Most importantly, our goal to provide high-quality plates and faster service has been achieved.”

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Sustainability & Marketing Resiliency for CPGs With disrupted supply chains through the current pandemic, CPG companies start to take advantage of resilient design in order to produce more sustainable and crisis-proof. Although there are still some obstacles, it is a great opportunity for the industry. Since the pandemic outbreak, meeting short-term needs and maintaining long-term priorities has been a longterm challenge for companies. The global response to COVID-19 has slowed down the day-to-day operations of many companies, but accelerated the development of changes that had already taken place before the outbreak of the pandemic. A fundamental shift in priorities may allow CPG companies to develop marketing flexibility by reaffirming their commitment to sustainable development, which is more important than ever. Supply Chain Digitisation Already in March, more than 75% of companies said they had disrupted their supply chains due to the outbreak. Some consumer goods manufacturers and food retailers were unable to keep up with peak demand, while others faced greater challenges. Although the CPG industry has always been slow to adopt digital solutions in the supply chain, this situation can generate a willingness to change, which can lead to adjustments and thus unlock the benefits of sustainability.

To digitise the supply chains, which not only saves costs but also reduces waste and improves energy monitoring is not only in times of COVID-19 a good idea. Nevertheless, this unique situation creates an environment

where supply chain transformation can almost be seen as a prerequisite for long-term success, and in this new environment there is an opportunity to activate sustainability that has not been achieved for many years.

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20 packaging, as health is a major fact right now in a pandemic. Furthermore, conventionally criticized singleuse plastic and other unsustainable packaging are used more often as they provide more security. But this in fact no turn away from sustainability, but more an spontaneous reaction to a new situation. On the contrary, consumers are experiencing a new level of solidarity and responsibility, as their health concerns affects the world around them. “This year we see consumers expressing a more direct link between their health and the health of the planet. This tells us consumers’ pro-environmental sentiments are more than idealistic assertions. When it comes to the environment, consumers mean business,” said Corey Chafin, principal at Kearney.

After participating in the Sustainability Consortium survey from 2016 to 2018, 77% of more than 1,000 consumer goods companies that had made organisational changes included suppliers – the average score increased by 30%. When external forces promote transparency and use technology to promote transparency, companies can better rethink their supply chains, select knowledgeable partners and expand their footprint. Resilient Design is Key In the coming years, resilient design will become increasingly important. This idea is at the core of ESG principles that guide companies towards sustainability. As shocking the impact of COVID-19 was, the short-term changes only give us a glimpse of what the lack of organisational preparedness for systemic risk means for the future. The current health crisis has focused more energy on building resilient organisations that can withstand unexpected failures. The same idea is at the heart of the ESG principles that guide sustainable companies. S&P for example uses the ESG rating framework to assess the company’s „ESG profile“ and „readiness“ to respond to environmental, social and

governance risks and opportunities. Currently, social factors (including safety management) are the focus of attention. The health crisis has become key to the company’s ability to prioritise and protect the health and safety of employees and care for affected communities. Consumer Want Worthiness According to a Nielsen report, consumers are currently prioritizing efficiency of home care products over factors like sustainable ingredients and

Obstacles to Take As CPGs start to optimize their supply chain resilience, they confront new challenges of course. Old data systems, less knowledge of managers and other structural obstacles appear. Successful retailers will first address these obstacles first, for example through inventory analytics to understand their own supply chains better. Supply chain managers may need coaching to bring strategic insights to the table, and leadership teams will need to incorporate new data sets and metrics. To understand strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, especially when it comes to ESG factors, will lay the groundwork for setting effective goals.

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

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Long-term innovation to customer happines Chief Technical Adviser to the CEO Zaki Ali and Senior Scientist Kevin Kidnie share what R&D means at Miraclon, why it matters, and how listening to – and even pre-empting – customers’ needs is key to staying ahead of the curve.

Zari Ali

Cutting a new course isn’t something that happens overnight. Take transforming flexo. Twelve years ago, our scientists invented a technology platform that set new standards for flexo printing. Since then they have continued to define the direction of future innovation. Unlike many technology companies, Miraclon’s R&D approach focuses on major developments rather than small, incremental gains. Why do you feel that’s a better way to work? ZAKI ALI: At Miraclon, we know true innovation lies in addressing fundamental challenges, not quick fixes. We’re not interested in making ‘me too’ products. We want to be providing the products that our customers need and our competitors can’t provide. Making lots of small improvements impacts efficiency, and often ends up causing problems which you then have to go back and fix. That’s just not an efficient way to work.

Kevin Kidnie

KEVIN KIDNIE: What we’ve found is that once a product is on the market, making constant tweaks is inefficient – not only for us, but for our customers too. We prefer to bring out finished products that we know can do the job. We work really hard to involve the customer throughout the R&D process, but we also involve other teams like marketing, manufacturing and the tech application group to determine what areas we should be working on. “We want to be providing the products that our customers need and our competitors can’t provide. Making lots of small improvements impacts efficiency, and ends up causing problems which you have to go back and fix. That’s just not an efficient way to work.” There must be many technologies and products which show promise. How do you identify which areas to focus on?

ZAKI ALI: In R&D, it starts with making sure our research is aligned with the company’s goals, which all hinge around transforming flexo. Assets and resources are valuable, so we need to focus on the ideas that have the most promise – both for the company and our customers. The next step is assessing the opportunities. There are all kinds of factors we use for that: market potential, development time, how it fits in with our other core technologies, the overall complexity of the project. Many parts of the company are involved in those decisions – not just R&D, but everyone from manufacturing to marketing. KEVIN KIDNIE: Sometimes it’s about solving a problem. Other times it’s simply because you see potential in something. I spend most of my time working in a lab at quite a small scale, and sometimes I see something that looks different or interesting, and start to wonder what could we do with that? This is actually what led to the launch of the KODAK FLEXCEL NX

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

n: the path ss

System. We’d already been working with Thermal Imaging Layer (TIL) technology for some time when we realised we could use that technology to bring much greater accuracy to the flexo process. KODAK SQUARESPOT Imaging Technology enabled us to

use TIL to translate high quality imaging onto the plate itself with 1:1 reproduction, which overcame one of the main limitations of conventional digital plate design. We already had this capability, but we found a new way to use it. Ultimately the KODAK FLEXCEL NX System came out of that. The result was a quantum leap in flexo print capability and the start of a step change in the industry. How do you incorporate market/ customer needs into the R&D process? ZAKI ALI: Thinking about customers’ needs is an integral part of product development, but sometimes we’re working on technologies that customers aren’t even aware they need yet. As Kevin says, the FLEXCEL NX plate is a great example of that: customers didn’t even know they needed a “non-LAMS”

product until they saw the FLEXCEL NX plates in action and realised their potential. It enabled us to optimize ink control for all applications. We could have developed a range of LAMS plates with different ink transfer characteristics for different applications, but we didn’t, because it would have added too much complexity for the customer. That’s a good example of how we’re always thinking about customers’ needs, and how our products will work out in a real world production environment. Fundamentally, our approach is proactive, not reactive. We have a roadmap of products and new developments we’re working on, and we work closely with other teams to bring them to market at the best time and in the most effective way.

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In your experience, what are the key ingredients in building a successful R&D team? ZAKI ALI: That’s a difficult question to answer. For a small to medium-sized company like ours, participating in a semi-mature but growing market, it’s important to have a critical mass of our R&D employees located in one place, so they can work collaboratively on the product portfolio. You need the right mix of skills and expertise: we develop fully integrated solutions, so we need a full range of disciplines; chemists, polymer chemists, physicists, engineers, software architects. Everyone needs to be dedicated to their work and have a shared desire to move the company forward. But you also need a few creative thinkers who can challenge the status quo. Importantly, you also need a leader who can guide the team by example, not just by authority. KEVIN KIDNIE: I agree with that. You need that mix of skills. For example, the manufacturing guys are engineers, so they think in really practical terms, but you really need the ideas people too. The R&D department is like a family. We work closely together, and the problems we’re working on are

often way too big for us to handle on our own. A lot of people say you should ‘tell it like it is’, but in R&D, I like to think you need to ‘tell it like it isn’t’: in other words, that you can think of things beyond the now, and imagine how things could be. That’s a key thing for the R&D group. Having that vision, imagination and exploration is what keeps us going. We have to work within the constraints that we have, but we like to push the boundaries as much as possible. “A lot of people say you should ‘tell it like it is’, but in R&D, I like to think you need to ‘tell it like it isn’t’. In other words, that you can think of things beyond the now.” Can you describe the process of getting a project from theory to reality? Kevin Kidnie: Like many R&D departments, we use what’s called a Gate System for staging all out products. Ours runs from Gate Zero to Gate Six. At Gate Zero you just have an initial idea and maybe a few preliminary experiments; by Gate Six, you’ve basically got a robust, finished product ready for launch.

The great thing about the Gate system is that it allows you to evaluate your progress at multiple stages and keep checking on where you are compared to where you expected to be. It’s a rigorous process and can be adapted for projects that take as little as six months, or for more complex, fully integrated solutions that can take two or three years. In your experience, what are the key ingredients in building a successful R&D team? ZAKI ALI: That’s a difficult question to answer. For a small to medium-sized company like ours, participating in a semi-mature but growing market, it’s important to have a critical mass of our R&D employees located in one place, so they can work collaboratively on the product portfolio. You need the right mix of skills and expertise: we develop fully integrated solutions, so we need a full range of disciplines; chemists, polymer chemists, physicists, engineers, software architects. Everyone needs to be dedicated to their work and have a shared desire to move the company forward. But you also need a few creative thinkers who can challenge the status quo. Importantly, you also need

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25 a leader who can guide the team by example, not just by authority. KEVIN KIDNIE: I agree with that. You need that mix of skills. For example, the manufacturing guys are engineers, so they think in really practical terms, but you really need the ideas people too. The R&D department is like a family. We work closely together, and the problems we’re working on are often way too big for us to handle on our own. A lot of people say you should ‘tell it like it is’, but in R&D, I like to think you need to ‘tell it like it isn’t’: in other words, that you can think of things beyond the now, and imagine how things could be. That’s a key thing for the R&D group. Having that vision, imagination and exploration is what keeps us going. We have to work within the constraints that we have, but we like to push the boundaries as much as possible.

ZAKI ALI: Yes. It’s developing unique products and solutions which solve fundamental challenges and enable our customers to work faster, more efficiently and with results that meet the ever increasing needs of their brand clients. What are the technologies that we should be looking out for in the next few years? KEVIN KIDNIE: Printing efficiency is going to be a big focus for us – products that are robust and with a wide operating latitude but don’t compromise on the quality bar we’ve set. Sustainability is another big area: It’s important to have sustainablyfocused solutions while also improving

efficiency and cost-effectiveness. There’s a lot that can be done to help printers reduce waste and improve their overall sustainability footprint. Products like the FLEXCEL NX Ultra solution for water-based platemaking are also where we’re looking to continue to innovate. ZAKI ALI: We are on an innovation journey with our customers. All our innovations build on the prior one, so customers can be confident that we won’t send them off in a different direction. It’s a strategy that ultimately enables them to get the greatest return on their investments – and that’s important to us. We’ll continue innovating to help them meet, and hopefully exceed, their goals.

“A lot of people say you should ‘tell it like it is’, but in R&D, I like to think you need to ‘tell it like it isn’t’. In other words, that you can think of things beyond the now.” What’s the best part for you about working in R&D? KEVIN KIDNIE: For me, it’s seeing an idea that goes from lab scale to manufacturing scale and ultimately a product that’s out there on the market being used by customers – to grow their own businesses and make money. That’s definitely the most rewarding part.

color your process

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Gallus launches Labelfire «Diamond Core Series»

High productivity combined with perfect quality is the USP of the Gallus Labelfire. In order to meet constantly changing customer demands Gallus is launching the «Diamond Core Series».

Green, Orange and Violet for highly challenging designs for e.g. cosmetic and body care products or whenever perfect colour matching is key. With the seven colours the D2 enables up to 94% of the simulated Pantone Plus colour scale.

From now on, four models of the Gallus Labelfire are available, concisely and clearly defined and tailored to the different market requirements. Digital white with high opacity is optionally available for all models. The Diamond Core, the heart of each Labelfire The heart of each Gallus Labelfire is the digital print unit, the so-called “diamond core”. This Digital Print Unit (DPU) enables high-quality 1200 x 1200 dpi UV inkjet printing with the proven for years Samba printheads by Fujifilm. Perfect printing results with pinning modules specially adapted for the inks and printheads as well as the outstanding simulation of the Pantone Plus colour scale enable a print quality that does not need to fear a comparison with other providers at this level. In addition, all models of the Labelfire Diamond Core series convince with their high production speed with up to 70 m/min and the ability to print a variety of substrates. This means that

these machines are ideally suited for various print applications. In four different machine configurations, the Labelfire Diamond Core models are divided up from D1 to D4 in order to acknowledge the market demands. Gallus Labelfire D1/D2: Digital production on an industrial scale The models D1 und D2 are the «working horses” of this series. They print on an industrial scale, stable, reliably and quick, direct from roll to roll. Clearly defined, with or without digital white, they are suitable for all printing companies, which have no need for inline finishing. The Labelfire D1 is the 4-colour entry level machine system into the 1200 dpi digital printing and perfectly suited for commodity labels with changing small run lengths. The Labelfire D2 is the alternative with 7 colours CMYK plus gamut extension

Hybrid Gallus Labelfire D3/D4: Unbeatable in this future-oriented segment Whether 4-colour or 7-colour, with or without Digital White: The hybrid technology offers an expanded flexibility due to integrated inline finishing- and embellishing modules. The Labelfire D3, the UV inkjet press with 4 colours, (CMYK) and the Labelfire D4 with 7 colours (CMYK GOV) are always equipped with a flexo and a die-cutting unit for easy singlepass printing – from file to finished die-cut label in just one printing pass. In addition, as required, with either a laminating/varnishing module or a cold foil unit, a cost-effective production of finished labels is thus guaranteed even for very small print runs. «With the Gallus Labelfire Diamond Core Series, we offer a suitable range for all types of printers, regardless of their level of experience and scope of requirements», explains Thomas Schweizer, Head of Business Management at Gallus. «In addition, we offer a fully comprehensive service. With buying this machine, all maintenance work is included in the price for the first year of operation and thereafter our customers can choose from three service basic packages with the option of flexible expansion, from the low-cost basic rate to the all-round carefree package.»

The Future of Flexo Plate Making

Improve plate print quality and consistency

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Lower total cost of ownership

Higher productivity

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P&G™ uses Tactile Labe and Conditioner &G’s goal is to be a leader in the area of inclusive package design for its products. Touching and improving lives is not just a slogan for P&G and its people; it’s a core belief that they all share. With this in mind, P&G is continually working to enable inclusive packaging design into its portfolios to further improve its consumers’ lives. Fast facts P&G serves nearly 5 billion people around the world, with a strong portfolio of trusted, quality, leadership brands. The P&G community is made up of 99,000 employees in approximately 70 countries worldwide. It is estimated that 10% of all adults in the US have a visual impairment, for whom simple tasks, such as differentiating between personal care products during use, can be incredibly difficult. The National Federation of the Blind reports that there is a ‘Braille literacy crisis’ in the United States. Less than 10% of those who registered legally

blind in the US are Braille readers, and just 10% of blind children are learning to read the tactile writing system. Project background As one of the world’s largest and most trusted suppliers of consumer and personal care products Procter and Gamble (P&G™) recognises the importance of making sure that products and services can be used and enjoyed by everyone. Simple tasks can be a real challenge for those living with a visual impairment, like telling the difference between personal care products, such as bottles shampoo and conditioner. Even for consumers with poor or

reduced sight, it can be difficult to identify products while in the shower or bath – where sight aids, such as glasses, contact lenses, or magnifiers, are not typically used. P&G recognised this issue and set out to find a solution. “Most shampoo and conditioner bottles are designed to look and feel the same,” says P&G’s Special Consultant for Inclusive Design, Sumaira Latif, who is registered blind herself. “We realised that we have a huge opportunity to improve the lives of those with a visual impairment by changing our products and packaging, and encouraging other businesses to do the same.” Herbal Essences Bottles P&G “It may seem like a small thing, but there are hundreds of these little things that visually impaired people like myself have to spend time checking and rechecking each day,” continues Latif. “If you want to be independent, if you want to be confident, you don’t want to be asking your brother, your mother, your sister, your husband, your children. ‘What bottle is this?’ especially in such a private location as a shower.” Using Braille may seem like a solution here, but Latif recognised that a very limited number of people who are blind or visually impaired are Braille users. “Most people with visual impairments cannot read Braille – it

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elling on Shampoo

takes months, if not years to learn, and really you have to start young to develop the sensitivity. Most people develop visual impairments in later life, and Braille is no longer an option,” says Latif. “It was important that we invent a feature which could be universally recognised and would work for people who haven’t had the opportunity to learn Braille.” By choosing a simple, more universal approach to differentiate the bottles, P&G hopes to make the bottle more accessible, not just to those with a

visual impairment, but for anyone who may struggle to tell the products apart during use. Herbal Essences™ bio:renew™ With her colleagues at P&G, Latif came up with the innovative idea of including tactile notches on the bottles to enable them to be easily differentiated by touch. P&G set out to experiment with a new tactilecoded design for the Herbal Essences bio:renew line of shampoos and conditioners.

“We want to help the world see with their hands,” explains Latif. “A simple differentiator doesn’t just help people with low or no vision, it also helps people who don’t have English as a first language, or those who normally wear corrective glasses or contact lenses – you would be surprised by the number the number of able-bodied, sighted people who tell me that they mix up shampoo and conditioner in the shower.”

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30 Code on P&G Shampoo and Conditioner Bottles The key to the project’s success was in ensuring that the laser did not puncture the bottles or weaken the barrier strength of the substrate. The Laser team identified the bottom of the bottle, where the plastic is at its thickest, as the best location for the tactile labelling, where it would be easily identifiable without compromising the integrity of the packaging. Sample testing In initial sample tests, Domino’s D-Series CO2 Laser coders confirmed the initial scientific analysis and were successful in etching the required vertical line and circle markers, leaving a tactile mark without compromising the substrate.

First steps To keep design costs and production impacts to a minimum, Latif and her P&G colleagues sought a solution capable of putting tactile markers onto its existing bottles, rather than creating the bottles with the markers already in place. Using a laser coder to etch the markers during production seemed like an optimal solution, however the team knew there would be complexities involved in marking the bottles without compromising the packaging or significantly impacting production time. “While the objective is clearly worthy, we recognised that to be successful, the new approach must not impact productivity. We process hundreds of bottles a minute on each bottling line; changing a manufacturing process is complicated when you’re dealing with those kinds of quantities,” says Latif. “We needed a solution which could fit into our existing production lines without making a significant impact to production line speeds.” Partnership with Domino “We approached several different coding and marking suppliers with the brief, and Domino stood out as the only supplier dedicated to working truly collaboratively with us to find the most appropriate

design and solution for creating the markers,” says Kevin Higgins, Engineer at P&G. The decisive factor was Domino’s scientific expertise and highly collaborative and iterative design testing to uncover the best solution for the inclusive bottle design. The P&G team were invited to visit Domino’s specialist laser testing labs in Hamburg, initially to discuss the requirements for the project, and then again for a two-day working session to identify the best possible solution. “The initial brief from P&G was for coding the bottles with triangle, circle and square symbols,” says Dr. Stefan Stadler, Team Lead at the Laser Academy. “From initial testing it was ascertained that these symbols would be difficult to distinguish by touch so we presented some different options which could be more easily differentiated.” The chosen design features a row of raised lines on the bottom of the back of the shampoo bottles with two rows of raised dots in the same place on conditioner bottles.

Domino’s Laser team used a 3D microscope to analyse the etching depth across nine different coloured PET bottles (the Herbal Essences bottle substrate) with two different coding modes: moving and stationary. The absorption rate of the coloured bottles was measured using a FT-IR spectrometer to ascertain whether there was a correlation between coding depth and plastic colour. Domino Employee Holding P&G Shampoo Bottle “We discovered that laser absorption at the tested wavelengths is independent of the colour of the bottle,” says Stadler. “The same solution could be replicated using different coloured PET, which means that a wide range of product brands could adopt this, regardless of the colour of their bottles. This means that it could be an easy step for other manufacturers to follow P&G’s lead and adopt the same marking method.” To ensure that the laser solution would not compromise the product packaging Domino’s Laser team spent more than a week testing the parameters of the laser to establish the most appropriate specifications. A 3D-profiling report detailing the testing process reassured the P&G team that introducing this additional labelling requirement would not affect the integrity of the product at

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Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

32 inclusive design across all its US range of Herbal Essences bio:renew shampoos and conditioners.

any point during the supply chain. “At P&G, our goal is to delight the consumer throughout the entire purchasing process. From first seeing the bottles on the shelf through squeezing out the last drop of product from the bottle, it is important that the consumer is delighted with his or her purchase throughout the process,” says Higgins. “Bottle integrity is of the utmost importance to us because this is the first thing the consumer sees and the last thing they touch. The bottle not only has to look good, it also has to perform throughout its entire life and compromising its integrity was a concern for us. Through measurements and modelling, we were able to find parameters that not only delivered the tactile feel we wanted but also did not compromise our bottle integrity.” Code on P&G Shampoo and Conditioner Bottles Validating the solution To ensure the new stripes and circles approach would work for consumers, P&G presented the newly-coded Herbal Essences bio:renew bottles to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in the UK for consumer testing. A follow-up focus group with visually impaired consumers overwhelmingly approved of the new inclusive bottle design. Following successful consumer feedback, P&G began using Domino’s laser solution to mark Herbal Essences bio:renew shampoo

and conditioner bottles at various manufacturing plants in the US and at selected contract packers from January 2019. The inclusive bottle design was a hit, receiving many positive reviews from the those living with partial or complete sight loss, with active bloggers and spokespersons for the blind community sharing their experiences online. “I always have difficulty figuring out what I’m grabbing in the shower,” says Holly Bonner, Owner of BlindMotherhood.com. “These bottles are identical, but I don’t have to use a bump dot or a rubber band to differentiate what I’m going to be using… So, I think that this is an amazing idea.” “While [P&G] are doing this with the visually impaired community in mind, this could also be great for little kids…[and]…people who are losing their vision later on in life… this is going to be very useful for them,” she continues. “The best part about this whole thing is that a blind woman designed it. A blind woman who has worked for the company for 18 years designed it. So, it is not some sighted person that came up with this idea. This is somebody who is blind, who understands, who gets it. It’s amazing. I think that Herbal Essences has done a great job.” Based on the success of the initial trial, P&G rolled out the new

Driving industry change – P&G’s goal for the beauty industry On 4th May 2020, Latif took part in a webinar hosted by the people behind BE MY EYES, an innovate web-based application for blind or visually impaired people, which enables users to be connected to volunteers via videocall who can assist with visual tasks. As part of the webinar Latif spoke about the challenges faced by blind and visually impaired people at home, and in the workplace, and how more companies are working to make their products accessible to those with disabilities – including P&G with their new coded bottles. “I was happy to hear about the new-and-improved, tactile shampoo and conditioner bottles,” writes Blogger and BE MY EYES user Tia Wojciechowski, who sat in on the webinar. “Almost all shampoos and conditioners are in matchy-matchy twin bottles. I guess people like it better that way, because it looks cuter in their bathrooms. Now there are bottles that are cute and tactile!” she continues. “Herbal Essences…have added tactile lines on the backs of the bottles… Nothing that should inconvenience hair care product companies into spending a lot of extra money, and make them have to jack up the price.” The long-term aim of P&G’s project is to encourage more manufacturers to create inclusive packaging designs for beauty and personal care products, which are often used by visually impaired consumers at times when they are unable to rely on glasses or contact lenses. The simple icon approach applied to Herbal Essences bio:renew could provide a global way of allowing differentiation, bringing freedom and confidence to millions of blind and visually impaired consumers in the US and elsewhere.

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

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XSYS launches new flexo plate for water-based inks XSYS announced the launch of nyloflex FTM Digital flexo plate for printing with water-based inks. The new nyloflex FTM Digital plate with inherent flat top dots has been developed specifically for flexographic printing with water-based inks on different grades of paper substrates.

The new plate solution was developed due to the demand for more environmentally friendly packaging production. The nyloflex FTM Digital plate enables printers to use water-based inks on coated and uncoated paper for aseptic food packaging and corrugated preprint liner. “This latest addition to the nyloflex plate portfolio will have a broad appeal for printers serving different segments of the packaging production wishing to move to a more sustainable operation, but still retain the ability to produce the highest quality products,” said Simon Top, Product Manager at XSYS. “The nyloflex FTM Digital will help to fulfil the brand owners’ sustainability requirements by allowing printers to switch from printing on plastic film materials to printing on paper substrates with water-based inks.” The nyloflex FTM Digital is a medium hard plate with a smooth

counterpart of our well known nyloflex ACT Digital plate,” said Top. “The plate enables printers to easily tackle both coated and uncoated papers without the need to use two different plate types. In the past, a hard plate like the nyloflex ACE UP and medium hard plate like nyloflex ACT were often combined to achieve the optimum result. At one customer case, we were able to reduce this complexity for up to 60% of the print jobs by using the nyloflex FTM Digital.” surface. This enables good ink transfer and ink laydown, capable of reproducing sophisticated surface screenings. With no need for additional equipment or auxiliaries, the plate can be exposed in existing systems with standard tube lights or LED UV-A light exposure, before solvent processing. The inherent flat top dot technology ensures minimum dot wear and significantly less dot gain compared to round top dot plates, according to XSYS. This improves press uptimes to reduce costs and start-up waste in the press room. Featuring advanced dot sharpening, the nyloflex FTM Digital presents fine highlights and a high solid ink density in print, increasing the shelf appeal of the final product. “The nyloflex FTM Digital can be considered as the flat top dot

An additional benefit is the better plate filling that could be achieved and thereby reducing the plate waste and total plate cost in the plate making process. nyloflex FTM Digital plates are commercially available in 1.14 mm to 2.84 mm thicknesses and in varying plate sizes. The nyloflex FTM Digital plate material will be available for shipment as of May 31, 2021. “As the optimum choice for long high-quality print runs on more sustainable substrates, the nyloflex FTM Digital is the perfect response to the pressure from the market to find solutions that are better for the environment, but also cost efficient,” Top concluded.

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Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Multiflex Polybags installs new CI flexo press Short run food packaging produced on the new Multiflex Optima CI flexo press

with automation features for rapid changeover and low wastage with high performance. The press runs at a speed of 300 meters a minute and can print materials with a width of 820 mm.

Chennai-based Multiflex Polybags, a leading flexible packaging producer of labels, pouches, and polybags (before it set up two automated paper bag lines), has installed a new 8-color Soma 880 CI flexo press in its main Chennai plant. The press is the one that was sitting in Soma’s demonstration center, and partly because of that, it is a highly automated press with all the bells and whistles for makeready, registration, and cleaning purposes without wastage of materials and time. Multiflex’s Pratik Mehta told us, “The press was purchased for short runs and especially for use on easily recyclable PE-PE structures, and we were in a hurry because the pandemic made it difficult to travel. Our Soma 880 is equipped to print on flexible film from 12 microns to 150 microns in thickness and on paper substrates up to 240 gsm.” Mehta added, “In recent years, the runs have become very short for flexible packaging and this is why we bought this press. Also, because it is very compact, it could fit exactly in the space that was occupied by our first CI flexo press that we bought in 2002. ” Soma Optima 8-color CI flexo press at Multiflex Polybags in Chennai

He added that the press could print with both solvent and water-based inks, and Multiflex plans to use it to produce easily recyclable packaging on both films and paper. “The hot air curing systems are already in place for switching from one kind of process to the other, and the post-print and the interdeck hot air drying systems merely need to be cleaned and flushed out before the changeover.” Multiflex is an award-winning flexo printer and converter with numerous Asian Flexo awards to its credit. . New product mix – recyclable, short-run, food & FMCG When we visited Multiflex several years ago, we saw a leader in converting specialized flexible materials, and it had substantial clientele amongst agricultural seed and chemicals manufacturers. More recently, with the installation of a Windsor 5-layer blown film line about a year and a half ago, it has become a leading supplier of flexible pouch materials for edible oil, milk, and specialized medical laminates – all using polyolefin dedicated (POD) laminates. The Optima 880, which is 880 mm wide, is a very compact CI flexo press demonstrated at exhibitions

Highly automated CI flexo for short runs The compact Optima CI flexo installed at Multiflex has several extraordinary features and very high automation built into it. These include a Central Drum Thermal stabilization system and a PPP plate protection system that automatically lifts the rollers away and out of any possible harm or damage in the case of a sudden stoppage. In addition, it has Falcon II, an automated solution for register and impression setting in which the impression pressure is set utilizing kiss print detection between printing plate and substrate. Automatic registration of all print units is set using the drag and drop system on the web-viewer camera. With the dynamic impression system and smart registration, the total waste produced in makeready is below 100 meters (328.1 ft) and takes a few minutes to set up. Notably, the Falcon II does not use any printed marks – it uses a standard microdot for plate mounting, so no waste strips on the side are needed. The installation of the Optima at Multiflex at the end of March 2021, just before the second wave of the pandemic struck the city and country, required coping with elaborate travel permissions and safety requirements for the DKSH and Soma installation engineers. The Optima CI flexo is sold and serviced in India and most Asian markets by DKSH, the large trading conglomerate that spans several industries and geographies.

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Company cites quality, affordability as key decision factors Successful debut: German label printer Labelwerk GmbH has taken its first step into digital colour printing with a Xeikon 3030 REX. The company decided on a digital printing press from Xeikon’s REX range in order to meet the growing demand for short-run label orders and increasing quality requirements. The machine was installed at the beginning of April 2021 and is the first of its type in Germany. The Xeikon REX portfolio comprises a range of remanufactured Xeikon presses, providing an attractive and affordable option for printers and print service providers looking to expand their businesses with the addition of digital applications. Labelwerk GmbH (www.labelwerk.de) is an owner-managed business currently employing 18 staff. Its focus is on selfadhesive labels for the pharmaceutical industry, including a number of generic brands. The customer portfolio also includes companies from the automotive industry and manufacturing businesses from all over Germany, as well as in other European countries. Prior to acquiring its Xeikon 3030 REX digital print, Labelwerk’s production portfolio consisted of five offset presses primarily used for book printing and two heatset web presses, as well as a somewhat outdated monochrome laser printing press for barcodes, which was sufficient to meet customer demand at the time.

However, times have changed, as Managing Director Jens Hermann explains: “For many years, the main focus of technical pharmaceutical labels was on the accurate reproduction of medical information. These labels have now become ‘colourful’, meaning that they involve colour effects and graphical content. At the same time, there is now increasing demand for shorter runs with frequently changing images and different language

versions.” Labelwerk responded to this by making the decision to purchase a Xeikon 3030 REX, following extensive market research. A coherent overall package to tip the balance “To be honest, we resisted going down the digital colour route for a long time because of concerns about cost and quality issues. However, digital printing technologies in general have made

www.xeikon.com

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

tremendous progress. In particular, Xeikon's proposal for us to purchase a remanufactured press for the fraction of the cost of a new one tipped the balance for us. Compared to other digital printing press providers, Xeikon offered the best overall package,” Jens Hermann continues. Label orders of up to about 400 square metres can be produced more profitably on the new Xeikon 3030 REX than on a book printing offset press, as the costs associated with traditional prepress, such as plates and makeready, are not incurred – the order is simply sent to the press at the touch of a button. Another benefit, according to Hermann, is the sharpness and definition of fine black text on transparent film. “For a business on this scale, getting into digital printing can be an enormous financial effort. Xeikon introduced the REX portfolio of remanufactured presses in order to enable small and medium-sized printing businesses like us to get into the profitable and growing digital printing market, without the major investment expense previously required,” says Jürgen Zeußel, Sales Manager Label & Packaging Germany at Flint Group Digital. The Xeikon 3030 REX is a full-colour digital printing press, including opaque white ink, with a resolution of 1,200 dpi. The icing on the cake is the Xeikon X-800 digital front end, which can be integrated with an existing MIS system. This allows a fully automated order preparation process and the ability to

handle even complex projects with variable data effortlessly. REX stands for Remanufactured, Ecological, and the renowned and highly esteemed Xeikon quality. ABOUT XEIKON Xeikon, a division of Flint Group, is a long-standing leader and innovator in digital printing technology. Grounded in the principles of quality, flexibility and sustainability, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers web-fed digital colour presses for label and packaging applications, document printing, and commercial printing. These presses utilise different imaging processes, open workflow software and applicationspecific consumables. In 2015, Xeikon joined Flint Group to create a new “Digital Printing Solutions” division for the leading global print consumables and solution provider to the packaging and print media industries. Flint Group develops

and manufactures an extensive portfolio of printing consumables. These include a vast range of conventional and energy-curable inks and coatings, press room chemicals, printing plates and equipment, printing blankets and sleeves, and pigments and additives for use in inks and other colorant applications. Flint Group is based in Luxembourg and employs around 7,900 people. Globally, the company is number 1 or 2 in all market segments it serves.

2020

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Cleaning your flexo plates, anilox rolls and print stations In printing, cleaning is not just the wash-up part of the job but an essential part of keeping your flexo plates, print stations, and anilox rolls maintained and performing as intended. The use of correct solvents and wash solutions is also critical for longevity. Many cleaning methods are available. I’ll go through examples and point out which systems and wash solutions are available. It’s important to consider what inks you use and what machine may be required depending on cleaning volume. Another consideration is the proper disposal of solvents, chemicals, and waste chemicals whether in liquid form or on the rags used for washing. Can you recycle or re-claim your chemicals and what benefits does it have for your company? Proper storage of chemicals is also crucial, especially if they are flammable.

Manual cleaning When manually cleaning a flexo plate, it’s important to use the right method. This will depend on the type of plate: line, solid, text fine or large and screen. If the plate has lines or a solid image, the common method is to clean it gently with a rag. For a plate with type or a screen, a soft bristle brush and dabbing the wet areas with a lint-free cloth or rag is best. This will prevent damage to any small type or the removal of dots in your screen area. Be sure not to use solvents such as acetate. Even if it’s difficult to clean the plate, acetate can swell the text or

Author - Kane Marsh is Regional Printing Instructor Asia Pacific with MPS Systems Asia, providing training on MPS' narrow web flexo presses and specialized label applications. Automatic plate washing An automatic flexo plate washer is good for large volumes of plates to be cleaned every day. It also helps prevent plate damage and provides consistent results. The design is simple, usually with an infeed roller and nozzles to wet the plate with a plate cleaning solution. It then passes through soft bristle brushes that move from side to side cleaning the plate. The plate is then rinsed and usually hot-air dried before placed into a collection basket. Depending on how long the plate was used and how dirty it is, this process may need to be done multiple times. It’s also important to double check if the plate is dry, even with manual cleaning. Never store plates touching – they need to have a foam divider between them to prevent damage.

FlexoWash Plate Washer screen and render the plate unusable. 1. Flexo plate cleaning A number of factors are important to consider when cleaning flexo plates, as they are expensive and take time to make.

Manual plate cleaning is good during runs, or for smaller or small quantities of plates to be cleaned daily. This isn’t recommended for larger volumes.

If a damaged plate is not detected before making it to the press, the additional cost of downtime or lifting a job can decrease the job’s profit or even lose money.

The right chemical for cleaning your plate can be discussed with your plate supplier. You can use an existing plate wash that complies with any environmental requirements, or HACCP procedures your company may have in place.

NOTE* If you follow these basic steps and train your operators in manual or automatic cleaning, this can save your company thousands of dollars per year. It’s also advisable to have a monitoring program to check the plates when the job bag is returned. This must be done by an experienced person and new plates should be immediately ordered if required so they’re ready for the next run. This step will help prevent issues and ensure a smooth start up next time a job goes to press.

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

2. Anilox Cleaning The anilox roll plays an important part in flexo printing in providing exact and consistent amounts of inks to the printing plate. It’s a precise and expensive piece of equipment and needs to be maintained to keep cell volumes at their manufactured specifications.

Ultrasonic cleaning Ultrasonic cleaning is an effective method which will remove all types of inks, adhesives, and varnishes. Depending on the design, the anilox or multiple anilox rolls lie in a bath of water mixed with a special solution while the anilox slowly rotates and vibrations clean the anilox.

Cleaning and maintaining your anilox starts on day one and continues throughout the life of the anilox. To keep on top of this process, a schedule or checklist can be set up and random checking can also be done. This will ensure the cells are clean, at full cell depth, and that inking of your printing plate remains consistent.

A low frequency provides a deep clean and a higher frequency provides a faster, quick clean; the frequency used depends on the condition of the anilox. This is like a video or radio frequency: a 1.3GHz system has more penetration and range than a 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz system but, just like the anilox rolls themselves, all have their different purpose and use.

Different methods of cleaning anilox rolls are: Manual cleaning Cleaning anilox rolls by hand is good method but doesn’t always provide the deep cleaning required. Depending on the type of ink and run length, build-up occurs in the cells and they need to be cleaned. With liquid cleaning, a special anilox cleaning solution is applied by hand and left for 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the time available or how dirty the anilox is. After this, an anilox brush or high-pressure wash can also help remove ink build-up in cells, but this doesn’t always achieve a consistent, completed cleaning. Try not to use fast-drying solvents as these can promote ink build-up on the bottom of the cell by drying out the ink. The anilox may look clean to the naked eye, but an electron microscope or a special anilox camera inspection system can reveal a different picture. Once you inspect it, you will see leftover ink residue and may decide to clean it again by hand or use an automated cleaning system.

The only downfall I’ve come across using this system in a humid environment, like we have here in Asia, is evaporation. Due to the cost of the ultrasonic solution and transportation hassles, it may be something to consider. Having said this, I must admit ultrasonic cleaning has brought many old and unusable anilox rolls back to life. Ultrasonic cleaning is also widely used in the jewelry industry for its gentle cleaning capability. One costly mistake is not following the instructions on the mixing ratio of the solution: if it is too concentrated, damage can occur. Cleaning MPS EFA Flexo Print Station

Laser cleaning This is a relatively new process that cleans the anilox with the latest, stateof-the-art lasers and requires no liquids or solutions. The fact that there is no liquid waste requiring costly disposal is a benefit. With this method, multiple anilox rolls can be cleaned at the same time but requires the operator to be trained. It can recall multiple aniloxes for LPI and BCM to provide accurate cleaning for your range of aniloxes. This is done with firmware to recall and log data to keep records of the anilox cleaning for different printing presses. The laser breaks down the ink, which then evaporates, effectively extracting the ink particles from the anilox cells. This process doesn’t clean as many anilox rolls as possible by hand each day, but provides better cleaning and frees up employee resources. 3. Print station cleaning Cleaning the print station is important for the unit to work as intended. Proper care and cleaning of the print unit allows the ink tray, pan roller, chamber/doctor blade, anilox and plate to function properly. Using correct solvents or cleaning solutions is essential to preserve parts such as slides and bearings while cleaning. Don’t use harsh solvents when cleaning near rubber or plastic. If you use acetate on a plastic guard, it will turn white and ruin the guard and make it translucent as rubber parts can swell. Always oil and grease the appropriate parts. I went through this in my first snippet which you can find here; called ‘CILT’ (Clean, Inspect, Lubricate, and Tighten).

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

20210311_AP_MK_Diana Go 85_Ad_A4_rev 1.indd 2

16/3/2564 BE 15

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

People MOST forget the p online accounts With many of us now carrying out a multitude of tasks/activities online, one of the biggest problems we consistently experience is correctly remembering the password for our respective online accounts/applications such as email and social media. Interested in password management, Reboot Online Marketing utilised online analytics tool Ahrefs to establish which online accounts/applications people most forget the password for. Reboot Online Marketing found that Gmail (i.e., Google Mail) is the online account/application people most forget the password for with an astonishing average of 454,100 global online searches per month for ‘forgot Gmail password’ – the equivalent of 14,648 online searches a day! In second position is Apple ID with 308,250 global online searches each month for ‘forgot Apple ID’. Instagram is in third place as there is an average of 118,000 global online searches every month from those struggling to remember their password (‘forgot Instagram password’) for the popular photo and video sharing networking service. In fourth spot is Windows 10, which has an average 86,300 global monthly online searches from users unable to correctly recall their password (‘forgot Windows 10 password’) for the Microsoft developed operating system. Facebook (‘forgot Facebook password’ – 78,500) and Steam (‘forgot Steam password’ – 70,440) are among the

other online accounts/applications which receive more than 70,000 global online searches from those who have forgot their password for the respective social media platform and digital video game provider, respectively ranking fifth and sixth. At the other end in 10th position is Amazon, as there are an average 32,900 global online searches a month for ‘forgot Amazon password’ from consumers who cannot adequately remember their password for the e-commerce giant. Reboot Online Marketing’s Top Tips to Create Strong and Memorable Passwords 1) Think of memorable sentences/ song lyrics We are more likely to remember something that has some personal value to us and often some sentences/ song lyrics we have a strong sentiment towards. So, with that in mind, take the first letter of every word in a sentence or song lyric that is very memorable to you and add a few numbers and/ or special characters to the end of it to create a password that is complex yet unique to you. 2)Utilise your keyboard for inspiration Use your imagination to create

meaningful patterns across your keyboard to enable you to come up with a robust password. Try to make it a geometrical shape and make sure to include letters alongside numbers when

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

password for THESE

envisioning your geometrical shape on the keyboard.

companies being the most searched online under each of the three key terms/phrases.

3) Consider a reputable password manager With so many well-developed password managers now available, why not take the hassle of having to remember the login credentials of each of your online accounts/applications and entrust them to a password manager. Password managers store your login information for all your online accounts/applications in one place and help you log into them automatically. They encrypt your password database with a secure master password (the only password you will have to remember).

4) For instance: there are an average 80,800 global monthly online searches for ‘forgot Gmail password’, there are an average 335,500 global monthly online searches for ‘change Gmail password’ and there are an average 37,800 global monthly online searches for ‘reset Gmail password’ – to get an overall overview the three figures were added together so show the average global online searches for people forgetting their Gmail password each month.

Methodology for the Research 1) Reboot Online Marketing analysed online data from analytics tool Ahrefs to discover which online accounts/ applications internet users most forget the password for.

5) The process from stage four was repeated for all the other popular online account/application brands/ companies that kept recurring for each of the three key online search terms/ phrases – they included the likes of Apple ID, Facebook, Discord and many more.

2) To do so, Reboot Online Marketing identified three key online search terms/phrases internet users most use when they cannot remember a password for a certain online account/ application – they are ‘forgot password’, ‘change password’ and ‘reset password’ . 3) Thereafter, each of the three key online search terms/phrases were inserted into the Ahrefs database, which in turn presented the specific online account/application brands/

6) Once the search volumes for each of the three key terms/phrases were added together for each specific online account/application brand/company – they were ranked from highest to lowest based on the variable ‘average global monthly online searches for forgot password’ and then the online account/ application brands/companies where this was most the case were presented in the final results table as the top 10.

7) Reboot Online Marketing did take into account the variations in which people search for the same thing online but in different ways e.g. ‘Gmail’ and ‘Google Mail’ also ‘PSN’ and ‘PlayStation Network’. 8) All results were correct at the time of analysis and are subject to change based on fluctuations in global online searches. 9) NOTE: When analysing the data, each of the three key online search terms/phrases related to forgetting passwords were assessed in English as well as each country’s respective primary language (where applicable) to increase the reliability of results. https://www.rebootonline.com/

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

19 Asian Packaging E

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

2020

9th Excellence Awards

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

These companies support the gro It's natural that you s

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

our sponsors

owth of quality packaging in Asia should support them

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

What a struggle to complete this year's Asian Packaging Excellence Awards Who would have thought after the last Awards Gala dinner held in New Delhi, and what a success that was, we would find our home countries held in the grip of the terrible global pandemic? Covid-19 has spared no country and no business and has its grip held firmly on stopping travel and life in general, and to date has not let up, even as the vaccine roll out continues, at the time I write this judges report, countries are now seeing third and fourth waves of Covid-19 return after months of zero or very minimum case numbers. But we did not let up with the process of completing the judging for the Awards. After 3 attempts over several months, all having to be halted due to restrictions being imposed, but we finally did it and completed the judging process last month. Like most of you reading this, I have become an expert at Zoom, Microsoft teams and other

2020

video platforms. But we got a very much scaled down team together and over 4 days we completed the task. Boy the work load was very intense. We have awarded Gold Silver and Bronze in many of the categories and have seen some truly amazing work submitted for the scrutiny of the team. But before you read on to see which companies have won this year, some constructive criticism of errors that were on more than a few of the entries that did not win this year. 1. Please Double Check the samples before you send them for the next competition 2. We saw many doctor blades issues on samples. You can easily see these with the naked eye, again Double Check your samples 3. Some companies are not laying down the correct ink consistency on samples sent to us. It may save you some dollars,

but the work was substandard, and we were surprised the print buyer would accept this… If you think this is a good idea, your headed for trouble with brand owners and print buyers. 4. Out of register, incorrectly fitted plates, we saw a lot of this, easily avoided and it’s a basic flaw that should not happen. Again, you can see most of them just by looking at the samples without a looking glass. So, after the first round of selection, of the 816 jobs submitted 550 didn’t get past this stage, just because of some

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

of the examples listed above, all easily avoided may I add!

us getting the judging done, you will get these eventually.

Then it went to the finals and from this, we awarded Gold Silver and Bronze. Winners were from India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Philippines and Vietnam. The country that took home the most Awards this year was India, followed by Thailand. But as the Chairman of the Awards, I would like to congratulate each and every winner. As I always say you have proven beyond any doubt that you are a quality printer, and that is something to be proud about.

In closing my wish is that we can all meet next year at the SHIFT event, I can invite you on stage to receive your recognition you deserve in front of the many hundreds that gather to shout, sing, clap and be seen as the winners you are. But till this happens, congratulations again, stay safe and continue to produce the excellent quality that Asia has become known for. Oh… and get ready for the next awards soon, entry forms will be sent to you in the coming months, and I hope you can do it again.

So let all your customers know this, let your staff know this, and market this through your own social media, newsletters etc. So, the next step if to work out how to get you all your physical awards so you can put them on the wall of winners in your print hubs. But just like the challenges that faced

Paul Callaghan Chairman Asian Packaging Excellence Awards Showcasing the best in Packaging across Asia

2020

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Gold Winner

Flexo Mid Web Film (501-914mm) Reverse Print Company: TPN Flexpak Co Ltd Country: Thailand Pre-Press: Customer Job Title: Chicken Breast Fillet Strips Colours Printed: 7 Press: Windmoeller & Hoelscher Ink: DIC

2020

Silver Winner

Flexo Mid Web Film (501-914mm) Reverse Print Company: Multiflex Polybags Pvt Ltd Country: India Pre-Press: VeePee Graphic Solutions Pvt Ltd Job Title: Green Peas 500g - CREST Colours Printed: 7 Ink: Seigwerk 2020

Gold Winner

Flexo Mid Web Film (501-914mm) Surface Print Company: TPN Flexpak Co Ltd Country: Thailand Pre-Press: Customer Job Title: Chicken Breast Chunks Crispy Colours Printed: 7 Press: Windmoeller & Hoelscher Ink: DIC 2020

Silver Winner

Flexo Mid Web Film (501-914mm) Surface Print Company: Scientex Country: Malaysia Pre-Press: SCHAWK Job Title: Pampers Colours Printed: 7 Press: Miraflex Ink: DIC

Great Wall (Ipoh) SDN BHD

2020

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

Bronze Winner

Flexo Mid Web Film (501-914mm) Surface Print Company: Multiflex Polybags Pvt Ltd Country: India Pre-Press: VeePee Graphic Solutions Pvt Ltd Job Title: Boo Boo Baby Daiper Colours Printed: 6 Press: KYMC Euroflex Ink: DIC + Seigwerk 2020

Gold Winner

Flexo Post Print for Corrugated Company: Panasonic

Malaysia BHD

Manufacturing

Country: Malaysia Printer: GS Paperboard & Packaging SDN BHD Pre-Press: Tye Cine Colour Separations SDN BHD Job Title: Panasonic Vacuum Cleaner Colours Printed: 5 Press: Bobst Masterflex 203A 2020 Ink: Swan Coatings (M) SDN BHD

Gold Winner

Flexo Wide Web Flexibles (915mm or more) Reverse Print Company: Multiflex Polybags Pvt Ltd Country: India Pre-Press: VeePee Graphic Solutions Pvt Ltd Job Title: URR Pasu Vermicili Colours Printed: 7 Press: KYMC Euroflex Ink: Seigwerk 2020

Gold Winner

Flexo Narrow Web Flexibles (up to 500mm) Reverse Print Company: Multiflex Polybags Pvt Ltd Country: India Pre-Press: VeePee Graphic Solutions Pvt Ltd Job Title: Chicken Sausage CREST Colours Printed: 6 Press: KYMC Euroflex Ink: Seigwerk 2020

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Gold Winner

Flexo Wide Web Flexibles (915mm or more) Paper Company: Tetrapak (Hohhot) Country: China Pre-Press: VeIn House Job Title: QQ Star Children’s Milk Colours Printed: 6 Press: Tetrapak Made Ink: Seigwerk

Co Ltd

2020

Gold Winner

Flexo Narrow Web Flexibles (up to 500mm) Surface Print Company: SB Packagings Country: India Pre-Press: In House Job Title: Whisper Colours Printed: 6 + 2 Press: Uteco Inks: DIC

Pvt Ltd

2020

Silver Winner

Flexo Narrow Web Flexibles (up to 500mm) Surface Print Company: Multiflex Polybags Pvt Ltd Country: India Pre-Press: Vee Pee Graphic Solutions Pvt ltd Job Title: Comfy Ultra XL Colours Printed: 6 Press: KYMC Euroflex Inks: DIC 2020

Silver Winner

Flexo Narrow Web Flexibles (up to 500mm) Surface Print

Company: Letra Graphix Country: India Pre-Press: Pin Mark Pvt Ltd Job Title: Imperial Leather Colours Printed: 8 Press: Gallus EMS 340 Inks: Seigwerk

Pvt Ltd

2020

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Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

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Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Gold Winner

Flexo Wide Web Flexibles (915mm or more) Film Surface Print Company: SB Packagings Pvt Country: India Pre-Press: In House Job Title: Premium Teddy M 52 Colours Printed: 6 + 1 Press: Uteco Ink: Seigwerk

Ltd

2020

Silver Winner

Flexo Wide Web Flexibles (915mm or more) Film Surface Print Company: Scientex great Country: Malaysia Pre-Press: SCHAWK Job Title: Huggies Dry Pants Colours Printed: 7 Press: MiraFlex Ink: Seigwerk

Wall (Ipoh) SDN BHD

2020

Gold Winner

Gravure Specialty Print

Company: Print Master Co Ltd Country: Thailand Pre-Press: In House Job Title: The Story of Ramakian Colours Printed: 8 Press: Windmoeller & Hoelscher Ink: Toyo Ink Co 2020

Gold Winner

Gravure Films Surface Print

Company: SB Packagings Pvt Ltd Country: India Pre-Press: In House Job Title: Huggies Premium Soft L-52 Colours Printed: 7 +1 Press: Kohli 2020 Ink: Sakata

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Gold Winner

Gravure Paper Surface Print

Company: United Graphic Expression Country: Philippines Pre-Press: UGECORP Job Title: JTI Mighty Red 20 Cig Colours Printed: 7 Press: Bobst RS5002 Ink: Siegwerk 2020

Gold Winner

Gravure Films Reverse Print

Company: Prime Packaging Co Ltd Country: Thailand Pre-Press: In House Job Title: Sen & Boss Dog Food Colours Printed: 8 Press: Shaanxi Beiren Printing Machine Ink: Toyo 2020

Silver Winner

Gravure Films Reverse Print

Company: Print Master Co Ltd Country: Thailand Pre-Press: In House Job Title: Fruitural Banana Colours Printed: 7 Press: Windmoeller & Hoelscher Ink: Toyo Ink 2020

Silver Winner

Gravure Films Reverse Print

Company: SB Packagings Country: India Pre-Press: In House Job Title: ITC French Fries Colours Printed: 5 Press: EXPERT Ink: DIC

Pvt Ltd

2020

Corporation

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

Learn more

New solution for direct-to-substrate proofing on uncoated packaging media - now available for FLEX PACK!

www.cgs-oris.com

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Gold Winner Labels Flexo

Company: Hoang

QLM Vietnam

Ha Label Co Ltd

Country: Vietnam Pre-Press: In House Job Title: Botanika Colours Printed: 6 Press: Gallus Ink: Seigwerk 2020

Gold Winner Labels Flexo

Company: Letra Graphix Pvt Ltd Country: India Pre-Press: Pin Mark Pvt Ltd Job Title: Loreal Total Repair Colours Printed: 5 color + Gold Cold Foil + Screen White + Gloss Varnish Press: Gallus EMS 340 Ink: Seigwerk 2020

Gold Winner

Labels Combination Printing

Company: Letra Graphix Pvt Ltd Country: India Pre-Press: Pin Mark Pvt Ltd Job Title: Pears naturale Colours Printed: 7 flexo – Gloss embossed varnish – Gloss varnish Press: Gallus EMS 340 Ink: Seigwerk 2020

Gold Winner Labels Offset

Company: United

Graphic Expression Corporation

Country: Philippines Pre-Press: UGECORP Job Title: URIC IML Rocky Road 750ml Colours Printed: 4 Press: Komori UV 2020 Ink: Flint Ink

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Silver Winner Labels Offset

Company: QLM Label makers Sdn Country: Malaysia Pre-Press: N/A Job Title: Country farm coconut oil Colours Printed: 4 Press: Weigang 2020 Ink: Flint/Accel Tech

Bhd

Gold Winner Digital

Company: QLM Label Makers Country: Malaysia Pre-Press: In House Job Title: CATCHER Earl Grey Colours Printed: 5 Press: HP Indigo

SDN BHD

2020

Silver Winner Digital

Company: Hoang

QLM Vietnam

Ha Label Co Ltd

Country: Vietnam Pre-Press: In House Job Title: Lys By Jillian Colours Printed: 5 Press: HP Indigo

2020

Gold Winner

Labels Non Pressure Sensitive

Company: QLM Label makers Sdn Country: Malaysia Pre-Press: N/A Job Title: Downy Premium Parfum Colours Printed: CMYK + Silver + White

2020

Bhd

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

Gold Winner Mockup - Sample

Company: CYBERPRINT Group Country: Thailand Pre-Press: In House Job Title: BlackHawk Colours Printed: 4 Press: HP 5800 (Large Format)

Co Ltd

2020

Silver Winner Mockup - Sample

Company: United Graphic Country: Philippines Pre-Press: UGECORP Job Title: Del Monte Gold Colours Printed: 4 Press: Komori UV Ink: Flint Ink

Expression Corporation

2020

Bronze Winner Mockup - Sample

Company: Hoang

QLM Vietnam

Ha Label Co Ltd

Country: Vietnam Pre-Press: In House Job Title: GAGA Colours Printed: 5 Press: HP Indigo

2020

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

“Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.” John Ruskin

Martin intentionally designs each piece of equipment so that it is easy to use, easy to understand, and easy to maintain. We do the hard work so that you don’t have to.

High Performance Splicing, Rewinding, and Tension Control Systems

O U R E X P E R I E N C E . . . Y O U R A D VA N TA G E

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021 -

2020

Winner

Best in Show

TPN Flexpak Co Ltd

Country: Thailand Pre-Press: Customer Job Title: Chicken Breast Chunks Crispy Colours Printed: 7 Press: Windmoeller & Hoelscher Ink: DIC

Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia • 6 2021

Details of the next Asian Packaging Excellence Awards announced soon.

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Windmöller & Hölscher KG Lengerich / Germany Phone + 49 5481 14 - 0 · info@wuh-group.com www.wuh-group.com Local Contact: Dr. Mathew John +234 8028025787

Asian Packaging Excellence Awards Winners Special Issue

Articles inside

Cleaning your flexo plates, anilox rolls and print stations

People MOST forget the password for THESE

Multiflex Polybags installs new CI flexo press

Company cites quality, affordability as key decision factors

XSYS launches new flexo plate for water-based inks

growing segment of the industry, full article on

P&G™ uses Tactile Labelling on Shampoo

Long-term innovation: the path to customer happiness

Malaysia’s Tung Lim invests in Bobst flatbed die-cutter

Sustainability & Marketing Resiliency for CPGs

Demand is increasing for films with performance features

Gallus launches Labelfire «Diamond Core Series»

Digital Process adds more imaging power from XSYS

Will prices go up? YES, they will! Label and packaging