Labelexpo Americas, taking place September 13-15 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, will feature more than 400 exhibitors showcasing a full range of machinery and materials for the label and package printing industry. Celebrating its 15th year, Labelexpo Americas 2016 will host a record number of exhibitors, and the show will also feature multiple master classes in association with the Label Academy and include two brand new feature areas: the Linerless Trail and the Digital Finishing Experience.

According to Tasha Ventimiglia, Labelexpo Americas event director, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the newest technologies and processing techniques hitting the market, as well as hear about how new smart and interactive technologies are being increasingly integrated into label and packaging design and functionality. “As usual there is a strong mix of panel discussions, technical presentations and practical case studies highlighting actual experiences and lessons learned, which will give delegates the opportunity to discuss the advances and challenges facing their businesses going forward,” Ventimiglia says.

As always, ink manufacturers are a vital part of this year’s show, as tags and labels are a considerable driver for the ink market. Here, leading ink manufacturers share their plans for the show.


Actega Ink Co.
Actega North America will introduce its guests at Labelexpo Americas to a wide array of innovative ink and coating technologies that will functionally and aesthetically enhance label and packaging solutions at this year’s show. The company has announced the release of its complete ACTExact UV Ink System and ACTDigi Narrow Web In Line Primers.

At booth #335 in Hall A, ACTEGA North America will be highlighting its ACTDigi digital primers that work with in-line priming units for narrow web digital presses.  These primers are designed to extend life of printing components and are FDA Indirect and California Proposition 65 compliant.

ACTEGA North America will also showcase its special effect coating line designed to give label printers and Brand Owners eye catching shelf presence and tactile effects to enhance the consumer experience.  The showcase will feature our newest product to the line – MotionCoat.  The MotionCoat technology brings labels to life with movement.

Also on display will be the next generation UV ink system, ACTExact. This system is designed to offer a wider color gamut, improved press speeds and allow for crisper print details as compared to traditional UV ink systems.


INX International Ink Co.
At Labelexpo Americas, INX (booth 3010) will cast a wide net with new and established products for flexible packaging, folding cartons and label printers.

Front and center will be the NW210 inkjet UV digital narrow press and the new HMJ-250 medium batch automated ink dispenser. INX will display a variety of proven and successful products, ranging from ION water-based label inks and shrink sleeve label inks for exceptional film adhesion, to new and advanced UV/EB inks and coatings.

“Labelexpo is one of my favorite tradeshows. I’m glad that every two years, thousands of people who attend this event visit an area that is nearby to our corporate office and R&D facility,” remarked Rick Clendenning, President and CEO of INX International Ink Co. “We will have solutions in our booth for anyone who wants to improve their operation. For example, we will be showing advanced UV/EB products that result in exceptional print quality on a wide range of label substrates.”

The NW210 inkjet UV digital narrow web label press has attracted plenty of attention for its ability to produce best-in-class image quality performance with UV LED advance curing technology. It’s also very fast, one reason why it is appealing to label converters, direct mail and packaging printers.

Delivering single pass output up to 80 feet per minute on any label stock, the NW210 press combines printing and conversion to produce vivid color printed labels at a maximum printing width of 210mm. It comes equipped with a Spartanics laser die-cutting station and Xaar patented technology, with multiple drop sizes and color ink channels.

The HMJ-250 is a versatile, medium-sized and affordable batch ink dispenser manufactured by HMJ tech. It offers many advantages, including fully automated valve cleaning and single point dispensing into any container, from narrow-neck jugs to six-gallon pails. The system is designed to work with HMJ tech’s modular media farm, which can draw from a wide range of sources including kits, drums and bulk containers.

This ink dispenser offers custom capability for any ink room. It can be configured for up to 24 stations of water-based, UV-curable or solvent-based inks, and the solid-state industrial control system offers true, real-time dispensing – it needs only 90 seconds to produce a four-ingredient gallon of ink. No matter if it is called upon for back-to-back production or just a few batches, the HMJ-250 is designed to deliver clean, quick and precise dispensing.

INX low energy flexographic inks have “produced prolific results by delivering outstanding print quality.” The new INXFlex UV LED process inks are environmentally friendly and formulated to cure under Light Emitting Diode UV lamps with wavelengths between 380-400nm. They provide minimal plate swell for flexographic printing on most Tag & Label and pressure sensitive substrates, and are intended for in-mold label and shrink sleeve applications.

More advanced UV/EB inks and coatings offerings on display will include ProCure UV Coatings and INXFlex UV Low Migration inks for packaging printers, which are ITX-free and suitable for indirect food contact.

INX shrink sleeve systems possess unique capabilities that give printers more options. Etona solvent-based gravure inks for shrinkable film printing offers exceptional film adhesion and high strength with oriented polystyrene and PETG. The ShrinkPac F solvent-based flexographic ink system for shrinkable film labels is fast drying with superb printability at high speeds. It works very well on substrates such as shrinkable polyester, PVC and oriented polystyrene. INXFlex UV ITX-free Shrink 70 inks are formulated for minimal plate swell for flexographic printing. Specifically engineered for Shrink Sleeve applications with heavy ink coverage, they are designed for most Tag & Label, pressure sensitive and in-mold label applications.

AquaTech ION label inks continue to perform extremely well in the marketplace. The premium quality, water-based flexographic printing ink formulations offer many benefits and superior press stability over a wide range of speeds. The ION-T Thermal series is specifically designed for printers using higher line anilox rolls of up to 1500 lines. The ION-P series has produced outstanding results on most prime label substrates, in addition to semi-gloss, EDP and many pressure sensitive and tag liners.


Nazdar Ink Technologies
Nazdar Ink Technologies plans to present its diverse range of inks developed for narrow-web printing applications at Labelexpo Americas 2016.
 
As a supplier to the flexible packaging, folding cartons and labels markets, Nazdar will be demonstrating a variety of inks ideal for Labelexpo Americas 2016 visitors. Experts with years of experience will be on hand to explain the formulations behind its UV and LED flexo, UV offset and UV letterpress inks, durable UV coatings, water-based flexo, UV and LED rotary screen inks, and UV and LED overprint varnishes and adhesives – and how label businesses can benefit from them.

Nazdar has nearly a century of ink development expertise and experience working with key equipment manufacturers, enabling the Shawnee, KS based company to offer the highest quality products at affordable prices. In addition to narrow-web applications, Nazdar also manufactures screen printing and digital inkjet inks and coatings for speciality graphic applications.

“Labelexpo Americas is a great opportunity for businesses in the label and packaging markets – and those considering moving into them – to meet us and discover why our inks and coatings are used across the world,” said James MacDonald, Vice President of Marketing at Nazdar.


Wikoff Color Corporation
Wikoff Color Corporation will be highlighting the “outstanding level of expertise and technical service that has become synonymous with Wikoff Color,” including the Color Confidence campaign, which details how Wikoff Color experts go above and beyond to make color management simple and efficient.

In addition to exceptional services, Wikoff Color is showcasing several innovative products from the Photoflex UV Flexo line, which have exhibited success in the narrow web label market.

Photoflex III is the newest addition to the UV Flexo product lines. This BENZO-free, ITX-free and HDODA-free system provides a high-performance solution to the pharmaceutical, personal care and indirect food packaging markets. Photofllex III demonstrates excellent cure properties, resulting in outstanding print quality and great adhesion on treated substrates.

Photoflex LED is formulated to produce exceptionally sharp dots with LED units at 365 and 395nm. Even at press speeds of 700fpm, these inks remain stable on press, which mean less viscosity adjustments for press operators. The Photoflex LED series includes process and mixing colors that are water and UV coatable.

The Photoflex High Shrink system has demonstrated exceptional print quality at shrink levels in excess of 80%. This silicone-free and wax-free series has been designed for reverse print where an opaque white or UV coating provides protection. This product line also includes colors with varying degrees of lightfastness.


Catherine Diamond is associate editor of Ink World magazine, a sister publication to L&NW.