According to show organizers at the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), the list of exhibitors for this year’s INFO*FLEX is climbing on a daily basis. Commitments for nearly 90 percent of all floor space are in, and all forecasts point to heavy traffic when the show opens on March 19-20 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, TX, USA.

“It’s a special year for INFO*FLEX, as the FTA marks a milestone in 2012 by celebrating the 30th anniversary of the exhibition. With three months to go, the event is destined to live up to its billing as the year’s most comprehensive packaging, printing and converting event in North America,” says FTA Director of Business Development Jay Kaible. “Plus, our attendees and exhibitors have voiced their excitement about the San Antonio location. It’s an ideal destination – a past favorite. It’s affordable and easy to get to from anywhere in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Kaible says that INFO*FLEX, along with its sister event, the FTA Annual Forum, both share a unique feature in that they will “take on the competition.” All printing processes – flexo, offset, gravure and digital – are represented on the show floor, as well as in the Forum’s technical sessions.

Every year for the past 30 years, suppliers from across the packaging, printing and converting industry chose INFO*FLEX as their show of prime importance. The success of the exhibition over the last few years is largely attributed to the high percentage of printer/converter attendance and the plethora of networking opportunities that occur in conjunction with the event.

Coming off a sold-out show floor for INFO*FLEX and Fall Conference 2011, exhibitors can expect an energetic atmosphere once again for 2012. The Presentation Theater features a full line-up of presentations by the industry’s leading companies. Additionally, INFO*FLEX will showcase the winners of the 2012 Excellence in Flexography Awards competition.

The FTA has also issued a call-for-entries for its Technical Innovation Award. The award recognizes those innovations of the highest technical accomplishment that are judged to be capable of significantly contributing to the overall elevation of the flexographic printing/converting industry. The competition is open to all members of the flexographic industry, regardless of FTA membership status. Joint entries are welcome if two or more organizations are involved in developing an innovative technology. All entries must be specific to the flexographic industry as required by award rules. The deadline for entries is January 27. For award rules and and application information, visit www.flexography.org.

INFO*FLEX will host a complimentary luncheon for all attendees on Monday and a Social Networking Event on Tuesday, where those printers/converters and consumer product companies in attendance are eligible for the “Suitcase Stuffed with Cash” and Apple iPad give-away, courtesy of the FTA and its Platinum Plus and Platinum level sponsors.

Sponsors include: EskoArtwork, 3M, Anderson & Vreeland, Degraf, DuPont Packaging Graphics, Luminite Products Corporation, MacDermid Printing Solutions, Sun Chemical, Pamarco Global Graphics, Actega WIT, Max Daetwyler, Siegwerk Ink, Apex, Flexo Wash, Flint Group, Harper Corporation of America and ICE USA.

UV LED Curing Association is Formed

Three companies have banded together to form to form the UV LED Curing Association. The association has been established to address what the members perceive as a growing need within the market for current and potential researchers, suppliers, integrators, and end users to gain a better understanding about UV LED technology and the benefits it can bring to numerous applications. The companies are Integration Technology Limited, Lumen Dynamics, and Phoseon Technology.

The UV LED Curing Association is focused on providing greater insight into the various UV LED systems currently in the marketplace, as well as into developing applications which are suited to the technology. One of the goals of the association is to demonstrate how system developers around the world can integrate UV LED technology into applications and, where possible, achieve efficiencies while saving costs.

Additionally, the group will work to help define and establish guidelines for UV LED curing applications. The association also will serve as a communications forum within the UV industry. While complementary to other existing and well-established associations, the UV LED Curing Association focuses only on UV LED curing technology and its applications.

“UV LED curing technology has been steadily evolving in the market for almost a decade,” says Adrian Lockwood, managing director of Integration Technology. “Its application successes continue to generate increased interest; however, industry inconsistencies in language and measurement practices as well as a general misunderstanding of the technology continue to breed confusion and delay implementation. It is the hope of the UV LED Curing Association’s founders that our collaboration will promote the successful and more rapid adoption of UV LED technology across many different markets.”

The UV LED Curing Association welcomes new members and significant contributions pertaining to UV LED Curing in early 2012. To learn more about the association and its offerings, visit www.uvledcuring.org.

Dscoop 7 Speakers to Focus on Branding

Dscoop (Digital Solutions Cooperative) has announced that the 2012 Dscoop annual conference will focus on educating members on brand strategy for their customers. Print service providers (PSPs) are in a position to speak to the creative or marketing directors at a company and meet their spectrum of marketing needs – everything from direct mail to e-commerce to signage to packaging. Dscoop7, taking place March 22-24, 2012, at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Washington, D.C., will focus on helping printers understand the range of services they can provide by either partnering or growing their business.

“As print becomes commoditized, today’s economy demands that PSPs evolve and add more value,” says Eric Hawkinson, executive director of Dscoop. “Whereas our members might have focused on one channel in the past, Dscoop7 will enable them to see the bigger picture as well as give tools and share the latest trends to take back to their customers. Featured speakers Chad Dick and Josh Linkner will share how, in today’s economic environment, branding can differentiate your customer and be the edge they need.”

Dick is a partner at eatbigfish, a specialized consultancy with a focus and expertise in challenger brands, and he will lead a session about “How Challenger Brands Succeed.” He joined eatbigfish in 2007 after a 15-year career in marketing, innovation and general management working with PepsiCo, Campbell’s Soup, Nestle and General Mills. Dick holds an MBA in marketing from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Linkner is the author of Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity. Using his background as an entrepreneur and musician, he is on a mission to make the world more creative. He will speak about “Unleashing Creativity: The New Currency of Brand Success.” Linkner is the founder and chairman of ePrize, the largest interactive promotion agency in the world.