GLOBAL NETWORKING AND EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM WILL OFFER UNIQUE INSIGHTS IN LATEST MARKET TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Increased legislation requirements, greater versioning, language changes, more tactile and eye-catching finishes – today's label market requires dedicated production solutions from specialized suppliers to maintain profitability. That is why Xeikon, together with its Aura partners, is hosting the Xeikon Café Packaging Innovations at its premises in Belgium, from March 10 to 12. During the three-day event, visitors will get first-hand updates on the latest trends and innovations in digital label production and have the opportunity to share insights, success stories and technological developments with industry peers.
"As a worldwide specialist in the field of self-adhesive label printing, Xeikon has built up an extensive network of Aura partners which are all leading suppliers in their field. These partners and Xeikon's label experts are joining forces at the Xeikon Café. That allows us to cover all aspects of digital production and offer visitors a unique expert knowledge base", says Filip Weymans, Xeikon's Director Segment Marketing Labels & Packaging. "With such an extensive range of industry expertise present at the Xeikon Café, we can help operations explore the full potential of digital label production, and deliver solutions that make a difference."
FINAT complements conference program
Xeikon is pleased to announce that FINAT, a key international association for the self-adhesive label industry, will take part in the Business Conference program at the Xeikon Café. Jules Lejeune, Managing Director of FINAT who will be sharing his latest views and insights on the label industry, comments: "The self-adhesive label industry accounts for approximately 50% of the total market as it continues to expand with new technologies, materials and external influences bringing about a diversity of exciting new innovations and formats. Self-adhesive labels are by far the most versatile, flexible and innovative labeling format available, with users able to combine a wealth of both decorative and functional attributes into a system that are applied in a productive and cost-effective way. FINAT's role is to raise awareness about the latest developments and versatility of the self-adhesive labeling technologies and as such, we are delighted to share our profound market knowledge at the Xeikon Café."
Integrated solutions dedicated to self-adhesive label production
At the event, Xeikon and its Aura partners will showcase their industry expertise through different self-adhesive applications, produced using the Xeikon Self-Adhesive Label Suite. This Suite is an integrated solution to print and convert high quality labels, powered by a highly versatile Xeikon digital press and complemented with four supporting components from Aura partners – software, print media, consumables and finishing equipment.
"Self-adhesive labels are most commonly used for decorating packaging as they offer the highest flexibility to meet market needs. They are available in a wide range of substrates, colors and adhesives, and are compatible with a variety of printing processes and finishing techniques. In addition, self-adhesive labels stick to most materials and can be applied at the very last moment, just before the products are put on the shelves. That's why they are used in many different industries, such as food, beverages, health & beauty, household and pharmaceuticals," explains Weymans.
A myriad of information on the different possibilities
Attending visitors will see that even the sky is not the limit when it comes to producing creative labels. No less than eight different applications will be produced, emphasizing that digital print is capable of meeting the market requirements while maintaining profitability. Visitors will have the opportunity to talk with leading experts and walk away with a detailed brochure containing a myriad of information on the different self-adhesive labeling technologies and configurations that are available through Xeikon and its Aura partners.
Several samples of wine labels produced and on display at the event, will highlight the specific requirements of this kind of labels. With designs changing every year, volumes depending on the harvest, and vineyards looking to diversify their product as much as possible, high quality digital printing provides the answer. The ability of Xeikon presses to print on a wide range of challenging materials, including very thin substrates, combined with the specific technical capabilities of the Xeikon QA-I and SuperBlack toners enable printers to produce winelabels of an exceptional high quality that differentiate from the competition.
A combination of evolving legislation, products with a high number of SKU's, language variations and increased demand for more space to communicate, coupled with smaller containers, is requiring label printers to be ever more creative. This is where extended content labels come in to play – with peel-and-reveal labels, booklet labels and leaflets all increasing in popularity. How digital print provides the right answer will be demonstrated with on the spot produced samples of each of these applications.
Also typical applications including Variable Data Printing used for more personal communication or to drive logistical processes will be demonstrated. What will be printed are logistical labels of products, ordered through an online shop. The challenge for these kind of labels is that quantity and design vary from day to day; first customer impression is crucial and the only solution for this challenge is high quality full color digital printing.
Finally, there will be examples from the food, health and beauty markets which are becoming very competitive and need to follow stricter legal regulations, with larger volumes driven by a greater variety of taste and products. Also here the Xeikon solutions provide the most cost-effective solution for both small and high volumes, with the highest quality print. Specifically for food labels, Xeikon's 516mm (20.3") wide label press and dry-toner technology that meets FDA regulations for food contact offer a vital advantage.
In addition to the extensive range of Self-Adhesive label applications on display, visitors to the Xeikon Café will also learn more about the dedicated solutions for Folding Carton, Heat Transfer and In-Mold Labels.
www.xeikon.com
