Labelexpo Europe 2023, which will be held September 11-14 at the Brussels Expo in Brussels, Belgium, is the major show for the label and narrow web printing market, and the ink industry will be well represented, as leading ink manufacturers will be highlighting their latest products and services. 

Numerous ink industry leaders have said they are looking forward to the show. Nicolas Betin, director of product strategy, EMEA and global sustainability business leader at Sun Chemical, says, “As the industry’s largest global label and package printing show, Labelexpo highlights the newest product and technological innovations and allows us to reach printers/converters, brand owners, and potential customers in the NWTL and flexible packaging markets.

“A significant event for Sun Chemical, Labelexpo gives us an excellent venue to promote our sustainable solutions for the labels and flexible packaging markets and to demonstrate our commitment to working towards a circular economy,” adds Betin. “Key to achieving this aim is making sustainable decisions ourselves while also making it easier for our customers and partners to do the same.”

Sun Chemical will present its range of sustainable solutions for labels and flexible packaging at Labelexpo Europe 2023. These include the SolarFlex CRCL and SolarWave CRCL deinkable UV and UV LED flexo inks; Solvawash deinking solvent-based inks; SolarWave UV LED flexo inks; SolarWave FSP UV LED food compliant inks; and UV coatings based on recycled polyester and with high bio-sourced raw material content. Sun Chemical will also highlight SunECG, its Extended Color Gamut (ECG) solution, as well as Sunjet inkjet inks and many more inks and coatings. 

Flint Group and its digital solution division Xeikon have much in store for this year’s Labelexpo. Flint Group will show its EkoCure UV LED inks and coatings with dual cure capabilities,  supporting converters seeking to transition to UV LED curing technology; EkoCure ANCORA F2 inks and coatings for food packaging and labeling; and Evolution Primers and Varnishes. Meanwhile, Xeikon will demonstrate the sustainability benefits of its new PantherCure UV LED inks and its new Cheetah 3.0 environmentally and food-safe ECO Toner technology.

“As one of the most well-attended shows of its type, Labelexpo provides the ideal opportunity for us to connect with our narrow web converter customers,” states Niklas Olsson, product manager at Flint Group. “We are making enormous strides in ink and coating technology that go beyond high-performing color to support areas such as carbon output and waste reduction. 

“We frequently highlight the benefits of our product’s performance, our unmatched expertise, and our commitment to the label industry,” adds Olsson. “However, Labelexpo provides us with a unique opportunity to not only discuss these attributes but to tangibly showcase them through our dedicated team and informative and interactive displays.”

INX will highlight its range of sustainable label and flexible packaging solutions at Labelexpo Europe 2023. These include INXFlex Contour flexo inks for shrink sleeves; Genesis washable inks; and EcoStage GB-XA Oxygen Barrier coatings. INX will also show inkjet inks, lacquers and its RUCOINX UVC screen inks.

“INX offers a complete range of high performing inks and coatings for the tag, label and flexible markets, including screen and digital ink solutions,” comments Cleo Nomikos, VP of sales for INX Europe. “INX can help because we have global-based technology platforms and local-based manufacturing that actively adapts to customer demands.”

Siegwerk will present its latest ink innovations for sustainable and efficient printing of labels and packaging at the show, including SICURA Flex Dual Cure for non-food applications, SICURA Nutriflex LEDTec for food, pharmaceutical and hygiene packaging; and some special whites for shrink sleeves.

“Following this year’s show theme ‘The modern legends of print’, we will be presenting our newest solutions for the future of packaging printing at our booth,” says Guido Lander, VP Business Unit Narrow Web EMEA at Siegwerk. “Visitors will not only be able to learn more about our latest solutions for boosting efficiency and sustainability but will also get hands-on insights into selected specialty products and inkjet solutions for label and packaging printing.” 

hubergroup Print Solutions will highlight its comprehensive service concept as well as its three series for flexo printing – the UV-based iray system, the water-based HYDRO-X system and solvent based Gecko – at Labelexpo Europe 2023. “We always concentrate on how we can simplify our customers’ work and combine this with sustainability. Personal contact with our customers is therefore very important to us, whether in water-based, solvent-based or UV printing,” notes Dirk Bienek, sales director UV flexo Europe.

Timo Kondziela, global head of marketing for ACTEGA, said that ACTEGA will be showcasing its products designed to help producers create high-quality labels and packaging with greater visual impact and improved functionality. “One of the most exciting highlights of our stand will be the live demonstrations of ECOLEAF, the sustainable alternative to traditional metallic decoration,” said Kondziela. “ECOLEAF enables printers and converters to significantly reduce the environmental impact of metallic decoration on labels and packaging, whilst maintaining the aesthetics and quality standards required for brands. In fact, our initial calculations reveal a carbon footprint reduction of more than 50% compared to cold and hot foil, making ECOLEAF a game-changer for sustainable solutions.

“In addition, we will be showcasing our haptic effect coating series, LED-UV coatings, White and Metallic Inks, and other innovative products that showcase our commitment to products that provide customers with a clear competitive advantage,” adds Kondziela. “Our goal is to help our customers create high-quality labels and packaging that are not only visually appealing but also kinder to the environment and offer improved functionality.”

Kondziela said that ACTEGA is looking forward to connecting with customers, industry peers, and partners at Labelexpo Europe.

“It’s been a while since the last one took place in Europe, so we’re especially looking forward to rekindling those connections and catching up with everyone,” says Kondziela. “The scale of the event is always so impressive, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to share and gain insights on new technologies and market trends. Labelexpo always showcases exciting and innovative solutions. 

“What’s even more exciting is that our industry is increasingly focusing on reducing its carbon footprint and promoting a greener future,” Kondziela continues. “Conversations around sustainability and environmental concerns are no longer just buzzwords; they’re high on the list of requirements within our sector. As we look ahead to the future, we’re committed to staying at the forefront of our industry with our innovative solutions and ambitious sustainability initiatives. In a highly competitive market, ACTEGA’s cutting-edge portfolio offers advanced sustainable solutions to some of the most prevalent production challenges and ensures that end products truly stand out on store shelves.” 

Nazdar Ink Technologies will be located at the Mark Andy booth, demonstrating its UV and LED flexo, UV offset and UV letterpress inks, water-based flexo, UV and LED rotary screen inks, and UV and LED overprint varnishes and adhesives. In addition, Nazdar will show its latest LED curing Nestlé Compliant inks, coatings and adhesives, as well as its new water-based flexible packaging inks.

“As a regular attendee at LabelExpo Europe, we are fully aware of how important this event is for the market in introducing visitors to the latest technologies in labeling and packaging,” states Mike Harjung – VP – narrow web inks at Nazdar. 

Pulse Roll Label Products will feature its Monolox Fixed Anilox Printing and its PureTone DC dual cure inks, in which the initiators within the ink are activated when exposed to either traditional UV lamps or UV LED light, at Labelexpo Europe 2023.

“With PureTone inks and Monolox Fixed Anilox Printing, we’re fulfilling our commitment to help printers boost their accuracy, efficiency and throughput by effectively making flexo label printing more efficient than digital, and at a fraction of the cost,” remarks Gary Seward, Pulse’s managing director. “Using PureTone inks and a bespoke mixing database, printers can use this cutting-edge technique to make any spot color, using just one anilox volume.”