ACTEGA, a manufacturer of specialty coatings, inks, adhesives, sealants and compounds for the print and packaging industry, is showcasing its latest sustainable solutions for the labels and packaging industries at Labelexpo Americas. Among the array of innovations designed to drive a more sustainable future for the industry, ACTEGA is launching its new ACTKote UV wash-off primer, developed to increase the recyclability of shrink sleeves.

The company’s booth also features samples that demonstrate the quality and functionality of ACTEGA’s SafeShield low migration inks and coatings range, overprint varnishes for energy efficient LED-UV printing, and the end products achievable with Signite and ECOLEAF – two ACTEGA technologies that are changing packaging decoration and metallic embellishments.

New ACTKote UV Wash Off Primer, SafeShield Inks and LED-UV Coatings have Sustainability Covered
Officially launching at the show, ACTKote UV Wash Off Primer has been formally recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for meeting the highest criteria for recyclability according to the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability. This high-quality primer not only provides the quality ink adhesion needed for shrink sleeve applications, but customers can be assured that choosing ACTKote Primer leads to less waste, more efficient use of natural resources and increased supply of high-quality post-consumer recycled content.

Another highlight of the ACTEGA stand is the ACTExact SafeShield UV-LED low migration inks. This is one of the most extensively certified ink product lines from ACTEGA, developed for use in low migration applications such as indirect food contact, cosmetics and nutraceutical packaging. Drawing on ACTEGA’s renowned regulatory expertise, the ACTExact SafeShield UV-LED inks have been formulated with stringent protocols in place, meeting a comprehensive list of global and regional regulatory requirements, such as the Swiss Ordinance Annex 6 A & B listed raw materials, Nestlé 2018 Exclusion List Compliance and FDA Migration Models.

ACTEGA’s UV-LED Coatings are also sure to draw interest. This energy-efficient and emission-free printing process can be finished with ACTEGA’s range of matte, gloss, MotionCoat or Release Coatings, creating high-value visual effects that differentiate the shrink sleeve or pressure sensitive label they are applied to.

Mell Bishop, vice president of Flexible Packaging North America & Global Market Manager Labels, ACTEGA, explains, “With improving sustainability a priority for the industry, the products and technologies ACTEGA is showcasing this Labelexpo Americas are a highlight for anyone attending the show. We’re a company that is committed to an all-encompassing sustainable approach – from how we develop our inks, coatings and technologies and the impact these products have on the carbon footprint of labels and packaging, to our regulatory expertise that ensures our customers can enjoy full confidence in our safe, compliant solutions.”

Technologies Transforming the Industry
The company is also exhibiting the most recent samples from its innovative Signite and ECOLEAF technologies – two platforms designed to reduce waste and improve recyclability for various label and packaging applications. ECOLEAF offers “mindful metallization,” an advanced process that enables printers, converters and brands to add high impact, high quality, sustainable metallic embellishments to labels. Using this revolutionary technology, brands and converters can dramatically reduce waste associated with traditional foiling processes and make significant advances towards their ESG targets – for example, just 1KG of ECOLEAF replaces 3000KG of foil and therefore eliminates 20 tonnes of CO2.

In addition to the numerous sustainable benefits associated with switching to ECOLEAF metallization, Labelexpo attendees can discover the latest technical advances made to this proven, easy-to-implement technology. The latest forward-thinking, industry leaders to install ECOLEAF technology are also being unveiled at the show and these customers are sharing their experiences of using it to decorate laminated tubes, shrink sleeves, and pressure sensitive labels.

Harald Jasper, managing director of ACTEGA Metal Print, explains, “ECOLEAF is reshaping the way environmentally responsible brands and converters around the world think about label embellishment. It is an industrial-level solution that can easily integrate into existing flexo, digital inkjet or screen-printing lines, enabling printers and converters and their customers to benefit from improved sustainability while delivering the high gloss and quality achievable with traditional foiling processes.”