labelexpo americas 2012 the wide world of web printing · at labelexpo americas 2012 labelexpo...

Technology, packaging culture, company news by OMET SrlIssue I, Sep. 2012

LABELEXPO AMERICAS 2012

the wide world of web printing

The Latin Americaconverting industry

Investment in the new economy

Outline of OMETbranding strategy

a r c h i p e l a g o . o m e t . i t

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The Wide World of Web printingat Labelexpo Americas 2012

Labelexpo Americas has rightly becomeone of the major events in the labelindustry. From discussion on the labels andthe considerable possibilities of thispackaging technique, the Show now spansthe wide world of web printing andconverting while keeping a privileged eyeon innovative product decoration andpioneering packaging solutions.

OMET a hystory of successOMET case discussed in ESADE BusinessSchool (Barcelona, Spain) and SDA BocconiSchool of Management of Milan.

JetPlus, OMET Digital unitlaunched at Drupa 2012The increasing personalization of printeddocuments, the stretching of runs, theneed for specific addition to the packagingor the label are at the base of thedevelopment of digital printing.

Offset with sleeves: going larger and betterOMET embraced Offset technology back in2007. In 2011 a completely renovatedOffset group with Sleeves was presented,now available in wider widths.

The Latin American convertingindustry The market of labels and flexible packagingopens up to new development scenarios.

Etitec, Italy:a quite impressive XFlex X6installation Completed the installation of a 10-colourXFlex X6 at ETITEC, Milan, part of IMPRIMAGroup, Italy.

Outline of OMET brandingstrategy The brand is the name, the logo, thesymbol, the history, the heritage, the image,the culture, the reputation, the emotion,and many other elements which have beenmemorized in customers’ minds andthrough the years have transformed intostrong relationships.

OMET and Ferrostaal partnershipforges ahead in Asia On OMET stand at drupa 2012, the six-colour XFlex X6 press took center stage. Todate, with Ferrostaal’s distribution, threeunits have entered Asia.

7 new trends in packaging in fastmoving consumer goodsPackaging between simplicity, story-tellingand masstige.

Multi-process technology changes the approach toPackagingMulti-process printing and flexibility is thechallenge OMET has taken up to answerthe growing needs of worldwidepackaging printers.

OMET AmericasA trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan to meetJean Pierre Penohat, Vice-President ofOperations of OMET Americas, Inc.

OMET open house at Pragati India’s leading package printing companiesconverged to the scenic Ista hotel inHyderabad on April 20, 2012 for the halfday conference preceding “OMET OpenHouse” at Pragati Pack.

See more on arch ipe lago.omet . i t


The success of a product depends(ALSO) on a nice label

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inde

x

Coordinamento redazionale: OMET srl

Redazione:OMET Marketing Team

[email protected]

Labelexpo Americas 2012

Investment in the new economyby Andy Thomas

Packaging to drive the change

Digital by OMET

The Latin America converting industry

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E v e n t s

The decision of Tarsus Group,organizer of the Show, to host anAmerican edition of the PackagePrinting Zone, first seen in Brussels,speaks for itself. Daily workshopswill explore the packaging

business beyond the label and showcasethe opportunities digital pre-press andprinting can bring to folding cartonproduction, plastic bucket decorationand heat transfer high quality tubes.Roger Pellow, Managing Director ofTarsus, confirms clearly the trend: “Thesessions are a valuable addition for labelconverters looking to diversify into otherapplications, package printers interestedin seeing what digital technology canoffer, label and pack designers and brand-

owners looking to understand whatdigital can provide their business in termsof short-runs, different versions andvariations, personalization, faster time tomarket and enhanced supply chainsolutions”.

Packaging has become awide arena where thedistinction between finalproducts, ideas, materialsused has become quiteintangible.

The Wide Worldof Web printing

at LabelexpoAmericas 2012

4

LABELEXPO AMERICAS HASRIGHTLY BECOME ONE OF THEMAJOR EVENTS IN THE LABELINDUSTRY. FROM DISCUSSIONON THE LABELS AND THECONSIDERABLE POSSIBILITIESOF THIS PACKAGINGTECHNIQUE, THE SHOW NOWSPANS THE WIDE WORLD OFWEB PRINTING ANDCONVERTING WHILE KEEPINGA PRIVILEGED EYE ONINNOVATIVE PRODUCTDECORATION ANDPIONEERING PACKAGINGSOLUTIONS.


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RELATED

● ECOVILLAGEWith the help of Greenwood Fuels andChanneled Resources, this year LabelexpoAmericas will be collecting the waste matrixand finished rolls from the various livedemonstrations taking place around theshow for conversion to fuel pellets. TheEcovillage will also feature the sustainableforest and exhibitor pavilion displayingproducts and services that support a betterperforming, more environmentallyconscious label industry.

CHICAGO ATTRACTIONS● MILLENNIUM PARKDiscover a state-of-the-art collection ofarchitecture, landscape design and art thatprovide the backdrop for hundreds of freecultural programs including concerts,exhibitions, tours, and family activities. InMillennium Park, you’ll find a new kind oftown square – a lively, spectacular gatheringspot located in the heart of the city.

● NAVY PIERNavy Pier is one of Chicago's most popularattractions and features more than 50 acresof parks, promenades and attractions forvisitors and residents to enjoy. The Pier'smost visible icon, a 150-foot (about 46meters) Ferris Wheel, is modeled after theworld's first such attraction that made itsdebut at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.Other recreational activities includeminiature golf and a remote-controlled boatpond, while a free weekly fireworks showlights up the night sky all summer long.Entertainment options abound, from theNavy Pier IMAX Theater to the ChicagoChildren's Museum and live entertainmentyear-round. Furthermore, Navy Pier is thehome port for many of Chicago's mostpopular sightseeing boat tours and cruises.Shoreline Sightseeing operates daily skylineand architectural tours, as well as specialseasonal tours, that combine an engagingnarration about the city's history andfamous landmarks with stunning views ofChicago's stunning cityscape.

● SKYDECK CHICAGO (formerlySears Tower Skydeck) See breathtaking views of Chicago from theWestern Hemisphere's tallest building. Theskyscrapers, sports stadiums, sculptures,green roofs, the expanse of Lake Michiganand miles of lakeshore – that is what youwill see from the top of the Sears Tower, aview spanning over 50 miles and 4 states. Arecent addition, The Ledge, affords visitors aone-of-a-kind experience of Chicagothrough a glass floor, 1,353 feet above streetlevel! Get the insider story on the SearsTower and explore the city’s rich historythrough theater presentations andcaptivating exhibits.


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It’s increasingly more difficult tospeak of the labeling techniquewithout mentioning the immensepossibilities of flexible packagingand the chance technology offers toconverters to enlarge their product

portfolio embracing new methods andprocesses. Being less label-centric theShow has become an exclusivehappening for converters, printers,designers, brand owners and influencersabove all coming from the Americas,Australia and Asia Pacific.The Show offers the possibility to assist tolive demonstrations of the mostadvanced machinery and materials,witness market trends and technologyprogress and network with many of themost important players in the labelbusiness and packaging industry experts.

After Drupa 2012, which took place inDüsseldorf, Germany on May 3 to 16, the

trend in the printing industry is quiteclear:

UV flexo and Digitaldominate for thecapability to capture thevery essence of packagingin colors, shapes and decorating solutions,broadness of materialsused, quick time to marketand profitable short runs.

In-line multi-process systems suiting just-in-time deliveries and frequentchangeovers – devoted to time andwaste-savings - along with easy supplychain management and digital controlswill be staged here and arouse a greatdeal of attention.Labelexpo Americas will open its doorson Sept. 11 through 13 at Donald E.Stephens Convention Center, Rosemontnear Chicago O’Hare Airport. For moreinformation on the Show venue andorganization visitwww.labelexpoamericas.com ●

E v e n t s


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RELATED

● LAUNCH OF XFLEX X6 IN 20’’(530 MM) WIDTHLabelexpo Chicago will stage the launch ofthe first XFlex X6 all-in-one-pass multi-process press in 530 mm width (20’’). Theneed to go larger with the most famousamong OMET presses was a need felt onthe market. In fact, such a press can behighly competitive for packaging printers,above all label converters, needing toincrease their plant productivity withoutaffecting general costs. “XFlex X6 in 530mm is a dream come true,” informs MarcoCalcagni, OMET Sales and MarketingDirector. “We have been working hard onthis project for several months from themoment we captured the necessity amongcustomers to capitalize the high-levelproductivity and low wastage benefits ofXFlex X6 on a larger width. XFlex X6 is amiracle of flexibility (all-substrate press),reduced waste (the shortest web path onthe market), minimized set-up times andquick job changeovers (‘easy change’ systemusing light glass fiber or aluminumsleeves), plus the addition of advancedregister controls (Vision-2), top-technologywaste stripping and superb die-cutting(Monotwin Cut); all characteristics whichhave deserved the press the definition ofbenchmark printing system. On OMETbooth, the Italian and American SalesTeam of OMET (OMET Americas Inc. wasrecently founded with headquarters inGrand Rapids, Michigan, US) and the USRepresentative (Matik Inc.) will be glad towelcome all visitors on the booth for a livedemonstration of the new machine.

● OMET DEMOSOMET will display its XFlex X6press in 530 / 20’’ width in booth3123. Demonstrations timetable:10.30 am – 12.00 pm – 1.30 pm –

3.00 pm

● OMET PRESS CONFERENCEOMET Press Conference on Tuesday,11 Sept. at OMET booth 3123.Topic: Multi-process printing forlabel and packaging by Marco

Calcagni, OMET Sales andMarketing Director.

OMET Booth is 3123


5) An update on the cooperation ofOMET with Clemson University. This year has been very busy for OMETAmericas but our collaboration withClemson University is important andlasting. OMET partners with Clemson torun trials for potential customers, test newdrying technology and participate in theinception and expansion of brand newtechnology in the field of printedelectronics. ●

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N e w s f r o m t h e n e t w o r k

1) How do you judge this first year ofOMET Americas?OMET Americas has come a long wayfrom concept to reality and this first yearhas solidified OMET's presence in theAmericas. Our journey began byconcentrating on the Tissue market inNorth America and has expanded toTissue and Labels in North, Central andSouth America. Our customers reallyappreciate OMET's commitment toprovide local support and spare parts.Another part of our commitment to aftersales service is the extensive training anddevelopment of our staff. We have spenta year training an expert mechanic inNick Myaard and Electronic Technician inPaul Southwick. I, Jean-Pierre Penhoat,work as the Vice President of Operationsand have extensive training andexperience in all aspects of printing andprocess improvement.

2) Can you describe the currentsituation of the label and packagingmarket in the US?The labels and packaging industry in theUnited States is very strong. Labels andpackaging have not experienced the hittaken by newspapers and magazinesprinting. OMET Americas has recentlybeen in contact with several companiesin the market for new machines. We havenew customers of both large andmedium size that are eager to invest innew equipment. The American market iscompetitive and our customers realizethe competitive edge they gain with theefficiency of an OMET press. For instance,OMET recently sold a machine thatreplaced four of the customer's oldermachines. OMET customers want the fastand efficient make ready times and lowproduct waste that OMET provides.

3) How important is for a Europeanmanufacturer to have local customersupport in the US?Localized U.S. customer service isessential for all worldwide manufacturers.U.S. customers demand fast customerservice and spare parts. We at OMETAmericas understand the fast-paced U.S.market. We provide shorter lead times forspare parts and we have techniciansavailable to respond to customer needsright away. We are within driving distancefrom many of our customers!

4) What’s your preview about USpackaging market forecasts?The packaging market grows every day.New technology, equipment andefficiency make for an exciting future inthe US packaging market. Customersnow have the ability to create highquality intricately designed labels.

Interview to Jean-Pierre PenhoatVice-President of Operations

at OMET Americas Inc.


LABELEXPO

Hall A, Stand 329

Erhardt+Leimer GmbHAlbert-Leimer-Platz 1

86391 Stadtbergen, GermanyТеlephone ++49 (0)821 24 35-627

Fax ++49 (0)821 24 [email protected]

NYSCAN100% print inspection for labels, films, foil and packaging

Total quality control system integrated on

rewinder or press

Single and multiple high-speed line scan

cameras provide best image quality up

to 1800 mm web width

New LED-Tubelight* illumination for reflective

and embossed surfaces

Reliable detection of defects

and display on a virtual roll map

Measurement of distances like repeat

lenghts or feature gaps

Workflow integrated with PDF validation

* patent pending

ELCAMMissing Label and Matrix Detection

System easy to set up

Intuitive and self-teaching operation

Easy job set up via single push button

Suitable for any shape of labels

Missing labels and matrix leavings

are detected reliably

The web is stopped accurately at

the desired positon for defect repaire


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S t o r i e s o f e x c e l l e n c e

COMPLETED THEINSTALLATION OF A 10-COLOUR XFLEX X6 AT ETITEC,MILAN, PART OF IMPRIMAGROUP, ITALY. E

titec is an historic Italian labelmanufacturer working with awide variety of adhesivesubstrates. They recentlyexpressed the intention to widentheir product portfolio to include

shrink sleeves. They chose a XFlex X6 afterevaluating different offers, knowing itwould comply with their specialrequirements. The configurationdesigned by Leo Ingrosso, Chief Executiveof Etitec and Mr. Gandolfi, OMET SalesManager for Italy, and the inner flexibilityof XFlex X6 allow the printer to satisfyquite any request coming from differentsectors, with the inclusion of the newlyapproached shrink sleeve market.

This 430 mm, 10-colorXFlex X6 combines in-linea few additional groups –cold foil, delam/relam,print on reverse, booklet –that make it competitivein the printing of short and medium runs of difficult jobs on a largevariety of m aterials.

“I’ve known OMET a long time,” affirmsLeo Ingrosso “and I have always judged ita serious and modern company with aspecial hint for innovation. The pressrecently installed is confirming mythoughts.” Etitc and OMET believe this isjust the beginning of a close cooperationthat will certainly bring new installationsbased as it is on the common intention tofind solutions for the label and packagingmarket requirements and needs. ●

Etitec, Italy:a quite

impressiveXFlex X6

installation


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WATCH VIDEO ON

CLICK TO VISIT (PDF) or SCAN QR CODEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef4Tx_YG7I4&feature=plcp

VIDEO. SEE A XFLEX X6 LABEL PRESS IN ACTION

In front of the machine, Mr. LeoIngrosso, Chief Executive ofImprima/Etitec Group andEnrico Gandolfi, OMET SalesManager for Italy


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M a r k e t t r e n d s

LABELS & LABELING EDITORANDY THOMAS ASKS HOWLABEL CONVERTERS CANPLAN FOR SUCCESS IN ATOUGH ECONOMIC CLIMATE.

provides a long term plan for growth anda clear competitive edge.Where to start?To begin with, we need to turn round theway we normally plan investment andbusiness strategy. In the ‘old economy’ westarted from a production point of view.We asked which machine will increaseour capacity and reduce our costs andwhat tools we needed around the pressto make it as efficient as possible.But in the ‘new economy’ we should startfrom the perspective of the end user andwork backwards to productionrequirements.What are the brand owner’s key

Investment in the neweconomy

The label converter today is undergreat pressure from a number ofdifferent directions – from endusers looking for shorter runs andzero inventory; from theunstoppable increase in raw

material costs feeding through to higherink and materials prices; and fromdemands for ‘sustainability’ pushedthrough by global brands, retailers andgovernments.Although these trends might be seen asgrave threats to the future of the smalland medium sized label converter, theyshould also be seen as opportunities tore-invent our businesses in a way that


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requirements? To sell their products in aretail environment characterized byincreasingly ferocious competition forshelf space, the rise of the private labelbrand, and a ‘new consumer’ who wantsthe brand to ‘understand’ her ethical andsustainable lifestyle goals.Let’s start from the most important brandrequirement. The consumer needs torecognize the brand clearly on the shelf.This may sound obvious, but is too oftenforgotten. A consumer trained torecognize a brand color will not pick theproduct up if that brand color is notrecognized on the shelf. And the brandcolor must be the recognized on the fullrange of label substrates from PS andwraparound labels to wet glue coatedpapers and shrink and stretch sleeves.So here is the first key service the labelconverter can offer the end user: accurateand repeatable color across any printprocess or combination of printprocesses and on any substrate the labeldesigner specifies. At the same time wecannot add to supply chain costs – thegoal of the end user is to drive costs out.So control of color needs to beautomated and embedded in theconverter’s entire workflow, driven by themaster PDF approved by the client.

Converters need to re-think their businessstrategies, moving from production-centered toservice-centered to meet the demands of the modern end user.

The most advanced converters today areputting the client-approved PDF at thecenter of their workflow. All the

information required for the job iscontained in this file and its associatedmeta-data: ink densities and pantonereferences; critical image and text areasfor detailed inspection; imposition andstep & repeat information. Using JDF and JMF protocols it is nowpossible to distribute this informationfrom the graphics management softwareoutwards to all relevant departments onthe company’s MIS (managementinformation systems) network. Electronic job tickets are automaticallygenerated for platemaking, die and aniloxselection, ink mixing, job planning, andwarehouse staff. The master PDF also ties into newdevelopments in cloud-based colormanagement such as PantoneLive, whichseek to measure color on a ‘once and forall’ basis. Samples of Coca Cola Red, forexample, or Cadburys Blue, are printed ona variety of substrates, measured in thel/a/b format, then stored on Cloudservers. The same color information isthen accessible to all parts of the supplychain.The label designer will be able todownload this color data as a softwareplug-in, giving an accurate representationof how colors will print on a givensubstrate. The proofing device iscalibrated using the same colorinformation. The next stage will bespectrophotometric inspection camerason press measuring color (along withdensity and registration) to the samel/a/b co-ordinates used by the rest of thesupply chain, effectively closing the colorcontrol loop. The label printer is thenworking to a common color referenceand not trying to ‘chase’ a proof byadjusting color on press.The end user can be given a QC filedemonstrating that the print run waswithin the specified deltaE.The servo-controlled press has its place toplay in this automated workflow. Theplanning system will automaticallydownload to the press console theparameters of a new job - or instruct thepress to recall a set of parameters for arepeat job. Information on the material type is usedto set up tension control systems; theinspection camera automatically receivesdata on critical inspection parameters,l/a/b color and deltaE references; thepress then automatically moves intomakeready mode.It is only in the last year or two that all

these technology elements havedropped into place, allowing a labelconverter of any size to set up a trulyindustrialized, quality assured processwhich banishes the waste andfrustrations of artisan production anddelivers to the end user correct color, firsttime, on any substrate. ●

RELATED

● GLOSSARY OF THE TERMSUSED IN THIS ARTICLE PDF: Portable Document Format (PDF) is

a file format used to represent documents ina manner independent of applicationsoftware, hardware, and operating systems.Each PDF file encapsulates a completedescription of a fixed-layout flat document,including the text, fonts, graphics, and otherinformation needed to display it.

JDF: Job Definition Format (JDF) is a

technical standard being developed by thegraphic arts industry to facilitate cross-vendor workflow implementations of theapplication domain. It is an XML formatabout job ticket, message description, andmessage interchange. JDF is presentlymanaged by CIP4, the InternationalCooperation for the Integration ofProcesses in Prepress, Press and PostpressOrganization.

JMF: Among computer file formats, the Job

Messaging Format (JMF) is the languageused to communicate between JDF agentsand controllers. JMF is part of the JDFspecification. JMF also is built in XML andis part of the JDF schema. JMF allows acontroller to communicate to a JDF MIS(management information system) orworkflow system information, such asevents (start, stop, error), status (available,offline, stalled, etc.), results (count, waste,etc.), and other details, such as who is thecurrent operator.

l/a/b format: A Lab color space is a color-

opponent space with dimension L forlightness and a and b for the color-opponent dimensions, based on nonlinearlycompressed CIE XYZ color spacecoordinates.

Cloud server: Cloud computing is the use

of computing resources (hardware andsoftware) that are delivered as a service overa network (typically the Internet). The namecomes from the use of a cloud-shapedsymbol as an abstraction for the complexinfrastructure it contains in systemdiagrams. Cloud computing entrustsremote services with a user's data, softwareand computation.


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F a c t s & C u l t u r e

OMET CASE DISCUSSED INESADE BUSINESS SCHOOL(BARCELONA, SPAIN) ANDSDA BOCCONI SCHOOL OFMANAGEMENT OF MILAN.

On the 25th of February 2012 fourgroups of managers who wereattending the final phase of theExecutive Master in Marketing &Sales (EMMS) where challengedon OMET. The project was

started in September 2011, when theDirection of OMET presented thechallenge to all the candidates: todevelop a communications plan forOMET and its brands for the years 2012-2014.The 32 managers attending EMMS,average age 34 and strong internationalprofiles, have decided to invest in theirfuture careers by participating in anExecutive Master, which offers theopportunity to work and study at thesame time. To earn the title of master thecandidates are obliged to choose aproject among those offered; four groupsof five chose OMET. The company basedin Lecco, Italy, was chosen by thecandidates mainly because:- The company has managed to combinea family governance with an importantdimension. Thanks to a careful andintelligent management, the companyhas been able to create a balanced mix ofentrepreneurial and managerial approachresult of the integration between thecharisma and the great capacity of visionof the entrepreneur and the inclination toreflection and deliberation typical ofmanagers. Today OMET has a turnoverthat places it in the segment of medium-large companies;

- OMET has grown as both turnover andprofitability in difficult years like 2010 and2011, years when many companiessuffered declines in their financialperformance. In just two years, the salesof OMET machinery increased from 30 toalmost 50 million euros. OMET istherefore a serious and solid companywhose base is a great care for productquality and a strong focus on innovation;- OMET works in B2B business,notoriously less accustomed to applytheories and concepts of marketing andbranding and less sensitive tocommunication than the markets ofconsumer goods;- OMET is a company with a dynamic andyoung spirit, constantly looking for newhorizons and new challenges. This spirit isthe same footprint and the legacy of theentrepreneur who has always ruled thecompany, whose death at the end ofNovember 2011 has stimulated evenmore the next generation to pursue thepath set.In September 2011, at the headquartersof ESADE in Madrid were presented theprojects among which candidates couldchoose. The four groups that had optedfor OMET had begun to become familiarwith the company, products, markets,competition and customers. Since thecandidates reside in different countriesand continue to work as managers, theyhave spent the evenings, nights,

weekends to collect information, analyzeand interpret, to confront through Skype,e-mail, by phone, via teleconference.Antonio Bartesaghi and Marco Calcagni,the second generation of entrepreneurswho governs OMET with the support ofan excellent group of managers, haveshown continued interest andinvolvement: the success of the workowes much to their personalinvolvement, which has stimulated thecandidates master to give their best andspare no energy to do well. Even theknowledge that it was a challengebetween four groups was a nice incentiveto do well.The final mandate was clear: develop athree-year communication plan based onone or two fundamental ideas andproviding for the use of innovativemethods of communication and alignedto new times. Deadline: February 22,2012. Meeting in Barcelona in preparationfor the climax, the groups have spent thelast two days of master together to refinethe presentation in detail and above all todefine the mode of public presentation,coordinated by prof. Nick Flynn of ESADEand prof. Chiara Mauri of SDA Bocconi.In front of a jury composed by AntonioBartesaghi, Marco Calcagni, Eduard Pont,Chiara Mauri and Lluís Martínez Ribes, onthe 25th of February the four groups tookturns with their presentations, having 30minutes for presentation and 30 fordiscussion. For OMET it was an immersiveand exciting experience full of stimuli andideas to make real. Not just an exercise tobe carried out as a task in class, then!The company had already begun adetermined path towards promotion ofits brand equity, but the ideas of thegroups have opened new paths toexplore. ●

OMET a hystory of success


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THE BRAND IS THE NAME, THELOGO, THE SYMBOL, THEHISTORY, THE HERITAGE, THEIMAGE, THE CULTURE, THEREPUTATION, THE EMOTION,AND MANY OTHER ELEMENTSWHICH HAVE BEENMEMORIZED IN CUSTOMERS’MINDS AND THROUGH THEYEARS HAVE TRANSFORMEDINTO STRONGRELATIONSHIPS.

In the 2011 annual Agents Meeting,OMET sales representativesoperating in many differentcountries were involved in a team-work to analyze OMET competitiveperformance in its industry. Each

group had to present their opinions, ideasand suggestions in front of OMET topmanagement and some stakeholderswho were invited to the convention:consultants, opinion leaders, andsuppliers. All groups, with no exception,listed among OMET points of strength:innovation, high quality of the machines,wide variety of machines, advanced R&D,solidity, worldwide presence; on theother side, OMET main weaknesses

mainly focused on the brand. One of theslide shown by a group said “Increase thebrand”, another “Too defensive marketing”,another “OMET should work on the brandand be cooler.”The newborn OMET MarketingDepartment had to collect these stimuli,understand them, and define thecompany steps to develop a lessdefensive marketing and the work on thebrand to increase its attractiveness. Whilenot forgetting its strong brandassociations, OMET had to be perceivedby customers also as a cool, smart, even sexy brand.

Outline ofOMET

branding strategy


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In spite of its intangibility,the brand is one of the most precious andvaluable assets of acompany, because the

brand is the summary ofwhat customers haveheard, learnt and felt of a company.

Some years ago, at a world industrymeeting the CEO of one of the largestworldwide corporation said: «If some

terrorists invented a magic eraser whichcould delete our name and our logo fromour customers’ mind, how long could wetake to rebuild the awareness we havegot? And how much money should weinvest? And how many resources andenergies should we put?» Dozens ofyears, huge investments, large resourcesand efforts.To work on OMET brand, MarketingManagers had to start from OMET pointsof strength – innovation, advancedtechnology and R&D, high quality ofmachines – all very concrete andtangible, and gradually transform theminto abstractions to increase theresonance of OMET brand. Hence,without forgetting the DNA that hasbeen the true soul of OMET for 50 years,OMET Marketing had to reinterpret itscompetitive advantage in marketingterms.The journey from concreteness toabstraction, from products to concepts,from brand awareness to brandpositioning and brand resonance startedwith the list of all the points of contactbetween OMET and its primary andsecondary stakeholders: OMET’s logo andthe different logos of OMET machines,payoff “Innovation with passion” whichgoes with the corporate logo, website,brochure and company literature,advertising and marketingcommunications, tradeshow stand,business card, even e-mails. Each point ofcontact had to be a moment of truth, anopportunity for the customer to accessnew knowledge and for OMET toreinforce its brand image and developbrand feelings and brand resonance. Thesum of all these pieces creates OMETbrand equity: the more pieces arecoherent and integrated, the higher theopportunity for the brand to find a strongplace in customers’ mind and to stay forlong.Building brand equity is a strategicprocess which requires an obsessive carefor details, fixed in rules. OMET should bealways written in capital letters, with aspecific font and definite colors; playoff“Innovation with passion” should alwaysbe written below the logo, never rightnor left; OMET Power Point presentationshould be one, maybe prepared in two-three versions of different length, andshould be designed according to achosen creativity and layout; productcatalogs should be of a given length andmust be designed with a graphic and

editorial style chosen to communicateOMET points of strength and brandimage. Internet website should be lesswordy: it has to describe parsimoniouslybut effectively products technical detailswithout forgetting that it is accessedmore by novices than by experts, and inany case customers do not know thetechnical language of the machines.

The language of all communication activitiesshould be less technicaland sophisticated to connect more effectively the technical details of themachines with the benefits customers arelooking for.

An iron discipline which, if on the one sideapparently reduces the freedom of OMETmanagement, on the other side creates acommon customer relationship platformwhere all actors involved – managers,customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders– share a common language which movesall the firm toward a unique direction.Advertising communication is beingreviewed: without forgetting that OMETmakes technically sophisticated machines,advertising should first convey customers’attention on what the machine can makefor them, and then inflame an emotion withOMET brand. It will be a long journey, yearsof dedicated efforts to create brand andcustomer value. The best reward of thisstrategy comes from an e-mail sent by anOMET customer: «I love OMET machines».Yes, machines can go to the heart andbecome love-marks. ●


RELATED ARTICLES

● OMET CORPORATE IDENTITY MANUALOMET is releasing in September the first issue of tis CorporateIdentity Manual. The guide highlights the direction taken byOMET for what concerns branding and communications. It ismeant to be a useful tool for anybody, primary and secondarystakeholders, who want to approach OMET, its history andpeople.

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PRAGATI PACK OWNED BYNARENDRA PARUCHURI IS ACELEBRATED COMPANYINVOLVED IN THEPRODUCTION OF PACKAGINGAND BASED IN HYDERABAD,INDIA.

Pragati Pack has always been at theforefront of new technologies andhas taken a historical step whenchoosing to install a Varyflex V2 in-line folding carton press by OMETin 2012. Pragati Pack is a family-

owned company where threegenerations are passionately involved inturning out state-of-the-art printedproducts, which won important awardsfor print excellence both at national andinternational level. They won the SappiElephant award in 2006, 2008 and againin 2010.

The Varyflex V2 flexo platform pressinstalled at Pragati Pack features acombination of UV flexo, rotogravure,cold foil and silk screen movable in everyposition of the press. Multi-process is themain added value along with the qualityof UV flexo printing and in-lineconverting. In such configuration thepress can perform in one pass any addedvalue job, which would otherwise requestseveral passages offline to be completed.It is therefore possible to print, reverseprint, foil, overprint, metallize, relief printand convert.

Varyflex V2for carton:

no limitstechnology


20

OMET Varyflex V2 in the special cartonconfiguration is a revolutionary packageprinting press mainly conceived for offsetprinters who aim at increasing theirmargin performance on complex shortruns jobs. Its special design suits perfectlycarton printing and converting and isideal for food, tobacco, fast movingconsumer goods, pharma and cosmeticpackaging. Hemanth Paruchuri with the entire Team

at Pragati are excited about thecapabilities of this press. He says: “We areimpressed by the wide range ofsubstrates that can be printed on thepress, from 12 micron all the way up to600! It's very important for us to measurewhat opportunities this will bring to us inthe carton business. The press is veryversatile and offers unlimited possibilitiesof expansion.” ●



21

INDIA’S LEADING PACKAGEPRINTING COMPANIESCONVERGED TO THE SCENICISTA HOTEL IN HYDERABADON APRIL 20, 2012 FOR THEHALF DAY CONFERENCEPRECEDING “OMET OPENHOUSE” AT PRAGATI PACK.

The event was organized by OMETexclusive agent in India, New Delhibased, Weldon Celloplast Limitedin partnership with Esko, Dupont,Martin Automatic and VeePeeGraphics and saw the participation

of 105 delegates, virtually the “who iswho” of the Indian package printing andlabel manufacturing companies.Harveer Sahni Managing Director ofWeldon welcomed the guests andopened the conference proceedings,expressing his gratitude to Pragati Pack

Management: “The magnanimity ofNarendra Paruchuri, his illustrious familyand team is evident. His hospitality tofellow members of the industry remainsunsurpassed. It shows the commitmentof all these people for the growth of theprinting industry. The heritage ofphilanthropy passed on to the nextgenerations by the patriarch of the familyShri Hanumantha Rao is clear.”Ganpathy Thillai, application expert ofEsko Artwork, based in Singapore, spokeon, “Recipes for High Definition Flexo-

OMET OpenHouse at Pragati,

India, a gamechanging event

From the left: Harveer Sahni of Weldon, Marco Calcagni, Sales and MarketingDirector of OMET, Antonio Bartesaghi, Executive Manager of OMET, PaoloGrasso, OMET Export Sales Manager and Pawandeep Sahni


22

Matching, Offset and Gravure Quality”. Mr.Jagdish Kumar, Regional Director ofDupont Asia Pacific area talked about theemerging trends in flexographic printing,Mr. Guruaj Kirsur, Sales Specialist ofDupont India gave a lesson on how toreduce wastage, shorten make readyperiod and explained the concept of flat-top-dots in HD flexo. Paolo Grasso, ExportSales Manager of OMET Srl, enlightenedthe audience on OMET Varyflex as analternative for the package printer. Hedescribed the capability of the press toprint and decorate, from 12 micron filmto 700 micron board in one single pass.David Ho, International Sales Manager ofMartin Automatic Inc., headquartered inRockford, Illinois, USA, a leading designerand manufacturer of web handlingequipment for the printing, packagingand converting industries spoke onMartin’s line of innovative productsincluding automatic splicers, non-stoprewinders, tension control and webguiding systems to reduce wastage.Hemant Paruchuri, Director of PragatiPack, entertained the audience on hisexperience with OMET and the othersuppliers path-breaking technologies. Hewas all praise and said “It is acomplementary technology for printerswith short runs that are repetitive innature”. The OMET team showed their

great commitment to the Indian market.Antonio Bartesaghi, General Manager ofOmet and Marco Calcagni, Sales &Marketing Director were present withtheir team of engineers.Leading printers that included ManojMehta, former president of All IndiaFederation of Master Printers, NikhilBorkar of Borkar packaging, AdityaPatwardhan of Manohar packaging,Mahendra Shah of Renault, ChandanKhanna of Ajanta Packaging, SanjeevSondhi of Zircon India, Arvind Sekhar andPriyata Raghavan of Sai Packaging,Gautam Nerkar of Unique Offset,representatives from Manipal Press,Security Printing press, Webtech,Arunodhya Packaging and many otherswere present and seen participating inthe question/answer session.The half day conference was followed bya visit to Pragati Pack. The visitors whocame to the event were in awe of thecapabilities of the OMET Varyflex V2,folding carton press. They saw the presscapability to register without humanintervention and a job changeover in just4 minutes. Along with OMET Varyflexpress, also displayed was the flying spliceby Martin Automatic at over 100 metersper minute, without the machine slowingdown or loss of registration. The printerswere really satisfied. The event ended

with a networking dinner to shareexperiences, enjoy the visit to Hyderabadand take back happy memories. ●


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24

Mr Wong of Ferrostaal Malaysia withPaolo Grasso, Sales Manager ofOMET

G l o b a l n e t w o r k i n g

OMET and Ferrostaal

partnershipforges ahead in Asia

ON OMET STAND AT DRUPA2012, THE SIX-COLOUR XFLEXX6 PRESS TOOK CENTERSTAGE. TO DATE, WITHFERROSTAAL’S DISTRIBUTION,THREE UNITS HAVE ENTEREDASIA.

BY CHRISTEL LEE, ASIAN FLEXO MAGAZINE, JUNE 2012

It has been two years sinceFerrostaal began representingOMET in Southeast Asia. TheItalian company that is known forits range of hybrid presses hasbeen steadily anchoring itsposition in Europe. However,although drupa is the industry ’sbiggest show, it wasn’t the rightfocal point for OMET. PaoloGrasso, Export Sales Manager forOMET Srl, commented: “Our focusis labels, therefore we will have abetter advantage if we are at labelexpos. We have solutions for bothlabels and flexible packaging aswell as folding cartons. Althoughdrupa will be assessed after twoweeks, I feel it ’s more of a showfor emerging countries. We havehad very few people from Europe,almost none from United States,on our stand.” David Wong, salesmanager from Ferrostaal, added:“OMET has been in the industry

for a long time. However for Asia,the company is just beginning toget active and the results areshowing – which is veryencouraging for both OMET andus in the region. We hope to seemore success in the area ofpackaging and labelling as theymanufacture a wide range ofspecialised presses compatible topackaging, labelling and flexiblepackaging. This places OMET in agood position as the market trendis moving towards both flexibilityand versatility.”Although the industry hassuffered from the economicdownturn over the past two years,OMET XFlex presses havesuccessfully penetrated SoutheastAsia with Ferrostaal’s distribution.Grasso notes, “ Things started withthe change of agency forSoutheast Asia. In the two yearswe have been working togetherwith Ferrostaal in Southeast Asiawe have managed to sell to twounits of XFlex X6 to Thailand in2011, and one to Vietnam. In 2012,we sold an XFlex X4 to Malaysia.”In response to the challengesfaced in selling to Asia, Wong’sreply conspicuously reflects thetraditional thinking of Asiancustomers. “Cost is a veryimportant factor yet it ’s a trickytopic in Asia. One can opt foreconomically-priced equipment


25

but I am sure that doesn’t offer alow-cost and high productivitybenefit. We have to balance thisas if the price difference is toohigh, investors would need tojustify the cost. They will only“have no choice” if it ’s a nicheproduct and there’s only onesupplier around,” he points out.

“If the variety is wide, you need tobe really competitive and I believethat applies to all Europeansuppliers. However this can beovercome especially when itinvolves a combination oftechnologies within a line,” headds.

Grasso shares that Omet’s brand isforging ahead well in westernparts of the world but for Asia,more time is needed to establishthe brand, “Our results reflect abig improvement in comparisonto the previous years, and credit isdue to Ferrostaal. We have alsobeen successful in India andChina.

Wong concludes, “ The market isstill there – especially for those intraditional packaging. Thosecompanies are looking at ways toimprove their margins and quality.Run lengths are shorter and suchsized printing presses would be a

good way to manage today ’svolume. “Additionally, inlinesolutions and the variety oftechnologies able to beincorporated, give us an edge.However, customers still need tobe convinced of the effectivenessof such add ons.” ●


27


Social Media Marketing is a recentphenomenon, and (fromWikipedia): “takes care ofgenerating visibility on socialmedia, virtual communities andaggregators 2.0. The characteristic

of these platforms is that the property isnot the same company (or person) whointends to establish such relationships.The end of social media marketing is tocreate conversations withusers/consumers. The company, throughits corporate blog or social networkingsites, is in fact entitled to a 1:1 relationshipthat brings the sender and recipient.“Eliminated the fear that Social networkscould be used to attack a company, thereremains the desire to experiment withthese new forms of communication.Fundamental to this type of marketing, isthe support of any subject whichinteracts at any title with the company.“Social media marketing programs

usually center on efforts to create contentthat attracts attention and encouragesreaders to share it with their socialnetworks. A corporate message spreadsfrom user to user and presumablyresonates because it appears to comefrom a trusted, third-party source, asopposed to the brand or company itself. “Social media has become a platform thatis easily accessible to anyone withinternet access. Increasedcommunication for organizations fostersbrand awareness and often, improvedcustomer service. Additionally, socialmedia serves as a relatively inexpensiveplatform for organizations to implementmarketing campaigns.”OMET has entered massively Social MediaMarketing and share with collaborators,customers, suppliers pages on Facebook,Twitter, Linkedin and Youtube. ●

“I Like” OMET!

www.facebook.com/OMETSrl

www.twitter.com/OMETSrl

www.linkedin.com/company/2549401

www.youtube.com/OMETCompany


28

T e c h n o l o g y & I n n o v a t i o n

MULTI-PROCESS PRINTINGAND FLEXIBILITY IS THECHALLENGE OMET HASTAKEN UP TO ANSWER THEGROWING NEEDS OFWORLDWIDE PACKAGINGPRINTERS.

OMET solution is Varyflex V2platform press, which has thecapability to print on all thesubstrates used in packaging,ranging from 12 to 700 micron,including unsupported film,

heat-shrink film, pressure sensitive labelstock, clear on clear filmic labels, IMLsubstrates, aluminium, lamitube andfolding carton.Multi-process include: water-based andUV flexo, wet offset (with sleeves), screen,rotogravure and digital printing (JetPlus)incorporating what’s best of eachtechnology. Converting and finishingsnumber: cold and hot foil, in-linelamination, hot melt glue application,cold seal, reverse printing with or withoutweb turn bar, special die-cutting withMonotwin Cut system (only flexible diesare replaced instead of costly diecylinders), just to name a few.

Varyflex V2 incorporatesthe advantages of UV curing:rapidity of process, no need for longcleaning, high quality results and “green”responsibility.Varyflex V2 presses, available in the range430/530/670 and 850 mm, from narrowweb to medium web to respond to theneeds of medium to large converters,have been designed having in mind theneeds of packaging converters, whetherlabel printers, sheet-feed or large webconverters. They are presses with avirtually infinite number of possibleconfigurations, capable of drawing jobsfrom other presses and offer excellentperformances in terms of short runsprinting and quick job changeovers.

Multi-processtechnology

changes the approach to Packaging


29

The inner flexibility of Varyflex V2 resides in the possibility to actually reconfigure the press(exclude one group, activate others, slideunits on the upper rail) with minimaldowntimes and adapt it to the next jobprobably printed on a different substratesand needing a different format of sleeves.It represents the answer also for thosereputed packaging printers who need amedium web press – to be placed nextto larger central impression machines orsheet feed carton presses – to satisfy theircustomers’ special requests of exceptionaljob turnovers.

Varyflex V2 can complement or replacemore complex operations processessince it prints and convert in one passwith no need of costly offline processingor high stock levels of prefinished units.Time is saved when starting the press orafter any format change thanks to theperfect pre-register and register controls(Multi-camera Vision-2 system), controlsoftware and servo controls; the savedtime can be more intelligently used toprepare for the next job: replace thesleeves – activity made simple thanks tothe Quick Sleeve system; apply theflexible dies; change anilox and ink pansin very little time or reposition thefinishing units.


30

T e c h n o l o g y & I n n o v a t i o n

VARYFLEX V2 850 PRESS

Varyflex V2 is a simple press to operate, no matter the configuration chosen andis the best solution to print short andmedium runs efficiently and cope withthe competition of aggressive convertersworking with larger machine types.Multi-process presses like Varyflex V2 canbe the right equipment for labelconverters who are ready to enter thepackaging arena (shrink sleeves, flexiblefilm packaging, IML) and don’t want toimpact too strongly on their company’soperations and budget (small footprint,little training needed for the operators,low pre-press costs). ●

Multi-processtechnology

changes the approach to Packaging

WATCH VIDEO ON

CLICK TO VISIT (PDF) or SCAN QR CODEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lcKY3t94vM&feature=plcp


31

RELATED

● PACKAGING TO DRIVE THECHANGEThe packaging sector is still growing intimes of recession, especially in newlydeveloped countries taking up the firstworld habits.But its production scenario has dramaticallychanged in the last decade forcingconverters to rapidly adapt. Runs havestretched remarkably, volumes arefragmented, deliveries have become just-in-time, stocks must be kept low and marginsare declining. Packaging converters need torely on high productivity machinesdelivering JIT only what can be sold andbringing general savings to cope with anunpredictable demand. Products, in fact,have a short-time-to-market and changecontinuously following trends, seasonalneeds and spot marketing campaigns. It isthe major Brands that set the strategy,usually the same all over the world, and theconverters is left little space in the decisionprocess. Nor the personal talent countsmore.Since new materials have made their wayinto packaging, the technology has evolvedrapidly and obliged big convertingcompanies to look at new equipment andwork methods to differentiate productionand stay competitive.Often, the sheet-fed converter is left thechoice between enduring on the establishedtechnology and the expansion on a differentdirection, though unknown. Do notdespair! The ease of access to informationand the expansion of the packaging marketon a global level have helped makingavailable choices known and accessible.In-line flexo presses and, in general, multi-process presses have the competitiveadvantage of being “Lean”, simplifyingproduction processes through all-in-one-pass production and requiring noadditional workforce, handling or stocklevels.Their inner flexibility and reduced set-uptimes and little waste make them extremelycompetitive when it comes to productivityon short runs.Even the conflict flexo vs. offset is notevidence anymore of the superiority of onetechnology over the other. Flexo might havehigher pre-press costs and still a slightlylower standardization level but advantagescome from a different direction: leanproduction, presence of both technologieson the same press (with widths goinglarger) and the practical possibility to printanything, taking what’s good of eachdifferent technology. Finally, multi-processpresses can be reconfigured in minutes toaccept sequences of different jobs withquick changeovers, while reduced set-uptime and low wastage levels remain themost wanted benefits.

Possible configurations of OMET Varyflex V2 press


32

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?T e c h n o l o g y & I n n o v a t i o n

JetPlus, OMETDigital unitlaunched atDrupa 2012

THE INCREASINGPERSONALIZATION OFPRINTED DOCUMENTS, THESTRETCHING OF RUNS, THENEED FOR SPECIFIC ADDITIONTO THE PACKAGING OR THELABEL ARE AT THE BASE OFTHE DEVELOPMENT OFDIGITAL PRINTING.

Habit shifts, new technologicaldevelopments, marketrecession, need “to go digital”and more, create noteworthyopportunities up for grabs.

Digital and ready-made creativity areindissolubly bond together. Digital islargely used for printed electronics,active packaging, smart labels,textile printing, multimedia. Yetdigital printing technology, whencompared to conventional printing,still encounter obstacles, whichprevent its complete development.The massive introduction of digital inlabel printing, for example, is barredmainly by the speed of execution.Even in a world where print runs get

increasingly smaller and fashion andmarketing compete to manipulatepackaging tastes and habits, keepinga high productivity rate is still anissue, which requires consideration. The availability of traditional printingtechnology with the addition ofdigital on the same press is the mostperfect answer for companiesstriving to stay competitive andcapable of processing any order, asparticular or small.

Having in mind to complete themulti-process, multi-substratesolution package, whichcharacterizes its machine offer,OMET has introduced at Drupa 2012JetPlus, top-technology ink-jet


33

digital unit combined in-line both onXFlex X6 label presses or Varyflex V2package platform presses for flexiblepackaging.

The group that made its debut inDüsseldorf is a 4-color unit,expandable, which with the additionof the in-line finishing possibilities ofOMET presses offers high-qualityprinting at an average speed of 60meters per minute. With JetPlus astandard level of productivity issecured for short runs of highlydecorated and complex artworks. The change of digital printing fromcomplementary to main printingtechnology when the job requires itis the real breakthrough and it ispossible on presses like OMET’s,configured as multi-process andplatform combination. A greatsupport is offered by the use of die-cutting unit Monotwin Cut offeringhigh speed rates and no downtimesfor die or cylinder change. Amongother advantages, JetPlus isequipped with an innovativeautomatic washing system, whichprevents the ink on the printingheads from drying even when thepress is in stand-by.

Label converters as long as flexiblepackaging producers find in JetPlusby OMET a new tool to compete inthe market today, extend theirportfolio possibilities and acceptquite any job. With XFlex X6 andVaryflex V2 there is no limit in what ispossible to print and deliver. ●

WATCH VIDEO ON

MONOTWIN CUT ON XFLEX X6

CLICK TO VISIT (PDF) or SCAN QR CODE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw1gRalVG_A&feature=plcp


34

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?S t o r i e s o f e x c e l l e n c e

The success of a product

is (ALSO) a nice label

SO READS ONE SLOGAN USEDBY ETICONT, ITALIANMANUFACTURER OF LABELSTHAT RESPONDS TO THECONSTANT EVOLUTION OFTHE PACKAGING MARKETAND THE CONTRACTION OFVOLUMES CHOOSING OMETMULTI-PROCESSTECHNOLOGY.

Eticont was founded about sixyears ago when Mr. PaoloCattaneo of Cattaneo PaoloGrafiche decided to fit internally ajob normally done outside. In thebeginning the machinery

included simple machines, thenboosted with a Flexy-S, a XFlex, and,finally, with higher-level machines ableto perform the complete in-line process

in one pass (printing, cutting, removal ofwaste, finishing). The result is evident:increased efficiency of internal logisticsthrough minimized displacement of rollsfrom one machine to the other.

Eticont is also a digital printer.

For the Italian company the role of digital technology in label printing is complementaryto flexo,

in fact the two technologies areconceived as interdependent andintegrated. The digital proves good forprinting short runs of labels that require ahigh level of flexibility in order to keeppace with ever-changing promotionaldecisions and aggressive product policies,where the label plays a decisive role forthe sale.


35

Digital technology promotes a short timeto market respecting sales margins forlow volumes of printed labels. The investment in the new XFlex X6 withdigital unit JetPlus by OMET, as seen atDrupa 2012, will allow Eticont to respondbetter to the market demands as in manysectors the need of the label arises whenthe product is already marketable. Thismeans that the reply and consequentdelivery must be quick and a minimumavailability ensured. Eticont multi-process solution flexo +digital CMYK, which makes use of digitalprinting in combination with finishingprocesses in a single step including die-cutting (no longer performed offline)

offers them the possibilityto satisfy their productionneeds and, at the same time, serve the customer just-in-time.

The XFlex X6 of Eticont is a wiseinvestment and promotes the matchbetween digital and flexo. If Eticont hadinvested in a purely flexo printingmachine or a digital-only he could notsolve his problems so magnificently. ●

RELATED

● ETICONT HISTORYEticont was founded in 2006 as a LabelDivision of Cattaneo Paolo Grafiche, acompany active since 1920 in the field ofpublishing, printing books, posters, cards,continuous forms, after the purchase of thefirst Flexy by OMET. Since then thecompany has continued to grow and boughthigher level machines like Flexy-S, XFlexand now a brand new XFlex X6 withJetPlus, inkjet printing module. In July of2011 Eticont moved to a brand newwarehouse near Cattaneo Paolo Grafiche inAnnone Brianza (LC). Eticont is certifiedfor printing labels for the food industry.


36

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?T e c h n o l o g y & I n n o v a t i o n

OMET EMBRACED OFFSETTECHNOLOGY BACK IN 2007.IN 2011 A COMPLETELYRENOVATED OFFSET GROUPWITH SLEEVES WASPRESENTED, NOW AVAILABLEIN WIDER WIDTHS.

Offset can be combined in-line on the whole rangeof OMET multi-process and platform presses and is currently available in widths 430, 530 on XFlex X6 presses (530 mm XFlex X6 being the great innovation debuting at Labelexpo Americas 2012!)and up to 670 and 850 mmon Varyflex V2 machinesto meet different productivity requirements.

The introduction of sleeves has changedquite thoroughly OMET approach tocustomers. Sleeves, in fact, have permittedthe extension of the format range with1/48 inch incremental steps making ofOffset a true variable format. The jobchange becomes easier (sleeves can be ofplastic, extremely light material, or inaluminum with a 60% weight increase),low-cost (sleeves are less expensive, lessbulky and more easily storable thancassettes) and increasingly rapid toperform. The new group by OMET featuresthe following novelties: anti-ghostingsystem, extra rigidness and absence ofsliding parts to avoid unnecessaryvibrations, print regulations performedoutside the group, maximum printingspeed up to 200 meters per minute,format range from 14’’ to 25’’, pneumaticblocking of the sleeves directly on themachine (like in flexo), integratedautomatic register control and pre-register(both longitudinal and transversal),

remotely motorized ink trays andautomatic dampening system, enhancedautomatic pressure, temperature andtension controls. The group featuresfurther advantages, typical of OMETprinting units: Vision-1 or 2 (multi-camera)register controls, favored ergonomics ofoperation, accessibility of the unit fromboth sides, user-friendliness and availabilityof a HMI interface on each group, inaddition to the main control pulpit.

Offset is widely used in theproduction of added-valuelabels for the wine and spirit market, for the cosmetic and healthcare sector and massively in thehousehold segment. OMET choice to add Offset to its catalogwas dictated by the need to respond tocustomers’ requirements, including labelconverters, often tempted by theportfolio of products Offset can handle orobliged by major brands to print underprecise standards. The addition of sleevesis the natural consequence of theattention OMET pays to the requests ofcustomers and to the increasingly morestringent needs they have to savemargins by speeding up procedures andreduce wastage. ●

Offset withsleeves:

going larger and better

Offset is the most reliable printingtechnology when it comes toconsistency and uniformity ofprint including fine details and 0to 100% vignettes. There is awidespread knowledge of

Offset, which helps to abate the costs ofpre-press, available all over the world andsharing the same international standards.The introduction of servo-motors andelectronic controls helped solve some ofthe remaining challenges of Offset: start-up speed (decreased at 10 meters perminute during the ink/water balancephase) and general wastage reduction.


P r i n t i n g I n k s

UV printing ink for packaging and labels

High quality UV printing ink and lacquer

Zeller+Gmelin GmbH & Co. [email protected]

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Zeller+Gmelin UK LtdGreat [email protected]

food packaging

packaging

labels

shrink sleeves

fl exible packaging

in mould labelling

plastic containers

Zeller+Gmelin, the specialist in high quality

UV curing inks and varnishes will present a

special program of printing inks for

UV offset

UV letterpress

UV fl exo

UV screen

UV waterless

Visit us at stand 1217


38

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?M a r k e t t r e n d s

PACKAGING BETWEENSIMPLICITY, STORY-TELLINGAND MASSTIGE. W

hy in consumer goodssome products go un-noticed, while others leavethe mark, and packagingcan make the difference.Packaging, the silent

salesman, adds value to the relationshipand dialogue between brands andconsumers: originally conceived as amedium to contain and preserveproducts, it has broadened more andmore its functions, which have come toinclude protecting, identifying,differentiating, displaying, saving space,and most of all communicating.Packaging is a key element of themarketing of a brand, and has to bedesigned keeping in mind market trendson one side, and brand essence on theother side.

Each brand has its own essence which translates into the choice of a specificpackaging, but market trends impact on allpackaging, being it designed for luxurybrands or value brands, industrial brandsor private labels, global brands or localbrands, national brands or niche brands. Ifwe observe the packs of new consumerproducts that have been launched in thelast 3 years, we identify seven maintrends:

1. SIMPLICITY2. AUTHENTICITY3. REDUCING4. STORY TELLING5. HIGH-TECH6. VINTAGE7. MASSTIGESince they are not rules, not all packsobey to all trends; rather, newpackaging decisions should be takenconsidering which are the trendsmost coherent with the brand.New packs are simple, clean, easy toread, because their mission is tosimplify consumer choice in points ofsales crowded by monumentalassortments.Packaging must convey the authenticsoul of the brand; whatever the brand,its pack has to communicate to targetcustomers a sense of warmth,genuineness, even human identity.The pack should tell the story of aslow world, of the human beings whohave made the products.Environmental su stainability hasbecome a must-have in packaging:many products have stronglymodified their packaging philosophy,going from abundant packs toreduced packs, from over-packagingto under-packaging, but withoutgiving up communicationeffectiveness. The use of greenmaterials is a component of this trend,which is named with different labels:eco-sustainability, green marketing,environmentally friendly. Thecommon meaning shared by all theseexpressions is that packs should inflict

7 new trendsin packaging in fastmoving consumer

goods.


39

minimal or no harm on theenvironment.

In their shopping decisions, consumers are not looking for many information,but rather for relevant information:besides basic data which helpunderstand the product and itsintended use, they want to knowwhat is behind, why the productshould be unique, if it is an ethicproduct. The material, the shape, thecolors, images and text printed on thepacks should coherently tell the story

of the product and of the brand.

Packaging materials are constantly evolving to meet the latest demands of the marketplace,and are gradually absorbing the new

technologies of materials, inks, ofpreserving, shaping, printing. Bio-bottles, biodegradable films, toughbags, digital inking and printing are afew examples of tech innovations thatcan add value to a pack.Some brands are going back to theorigin of the product and of thebrand, and are revisiting its historical

packs in vintage mood. Vintage packsare old and new at the same time,classic and modern, global and local.Vintage packs pair with story-telling,because they implicitly communicatethe glorious story of the past and thetime resistance of the brand.Masstige is a portmanteau of thewords “mass” and “prestige” to meanthe goal of offering prestige or luxuryfor the masses. Masstige products andpacks are perceived premium butattainable, and they have been able totrade off two elements: (1) they areconsidered luxury or premiumproducts, and (2) their price tier ispositioned between mid-market andsuper premium prices. ●


40

M a r k e t t r e n d s

THE MARKET OF LABELS ANDFLEXIBLE PACKAGING OPENSUP TO NEW DEVELOPMENTSCENARIOS. L

atin America is experiencing a solidgrowth in the demand for flexiblepackaging and labels. Three mainfactors are responsible for thisadvance: globalization, the clearintention of leading brands to

relocate production to regions other thanthose where they usually operate,including Latin America, and the varioustrade agreements signed by manycountries in the region with large marketslike the US, Europe and Asia, which havethe role to support quality, costs andcompetitiveness but also define a protocolfor safety and sustainability.The flexible packaging industry of LatinAmerica, despite persistent problems ofcosts (mainly of raw materials and inks),reduction of profit margins andcompetition from multinationalcompanies producing for variouscustomers located in the differentcountries of the region, has increased andconsolidated its share considerably inrecent years. This was possible thanks tothe continued investments, improvedattention to customer needs and constantconcern to adapt their production torequirements of high quality, service andprotection.

The whole region lived a climate of economic dynamism in 2011,

which brought a growth rate of 4.6% forthe flexible packaging sector keeping

levels similar to those of 2010 for whatconcerns the consumption of rawmaterials, prices of products, productivityand exports. 2012 is expected to be lessperforming with a 4.2% of generalgrowth characterized by higherspecialization and general technologicaladvancement.Increase profitability is the presentchallenge of the Latina American flexiblepackaging industry, for which convertersinsist on a set of measures focused mainlyon the modernization of technology andthe improvement of the quality of theirproducts, which are associated withmarketing strategies and incomes inniche markets where their products offermore added value.

The investment in technology continues to guide the expansion of theprinters capability, especially with conventional flexo,currently the predominant process.Printers appreciate the high productivityof flexography when dealing withincreasingly shorter print runs and theprocess inner flexibility, which quicklyadapt to fast-changing trends and theintroduction of new materials. Parallel tothe growing popularity of flexography,converter companies in the region showa strong interest in multi-process systems,which house on the same press flexo,screen, gravure and digital printing. This

The LatinAmericanconverting

industry


41

latter is increasingly more predominantnot only for small to medium runs butevery time the need is to accelerate thelaunch of products to the market, reduceinventory, deliver just-in-time and printvariable data or costly commercialsamples.

Technology has made a strong impactalso in the Latin American label industryalthough the number of companiesowning presses that integrate premiumoffset, flexo, hot stamping or cold is stillnot very large but where added valueand differentiation are nonetheless thekeys to success.Due to the size of their markets,

Brazil and Mexico are now the biggest growth driversfor the label industry in

the region.

wines and fruits, Central America andCaribbean rums, tequilas and fruits,Ecuador, Colombia and Peru coffee , fruitand pulp, Brazil in almost all of them.Markets of destination are the US forMexico, Japan, Taiwan and Korea for Chileand Peru, the Caribbean for Colombiaand Venezuela, and Europe for Brazil.Special mention must be reserved toprivate labels, which are becomingincreasingly booming in Latin America,driven by the need of consumers toadjust their budgets in times of economicrecession. The demand is driven not onlyby the cost factor, but also by the qualityand variety of products offered, mainlyrepresented in categories like milk, eggs,oil, vinegar and sugar, among othernecessities. With a smaller share areproducts where there is high supportfrom leading manufacturers, such asconfectionery, beer, detergents,deodorants and cosmetics, amongothers. Private labels positioning is moreoriented to popular and economicalproducts but there will come a timewhen private label is particularly intendedfor audiences with greater purchasingpower, also opening up opportunities toadd value through the ennoblement inprint, the application of tactile varnishes,as well as the application of different foilfilms.

American converters haveaccess to a number of major challenges and opportunities.

Innovation, specialization and aggressivemarketing actions will drive the growth ofboth the flexible packaging and labelsectors and increase exports. It is veryimportant though that these majorchanges affect the domestic markets,offering brand owners the ability to addvalue and provide a full service package,facilitating their marketing, security andtraceability in the food sector and in thenon-food market niches. ●

Sources:- Informe especial Industria latinoamericana deetiquetas. Grandes oportunidades de crecimiento einversión – Conversión magazine, October 2010

- La industria latinoamericana de conversión deempaques flexibles. Abierta a nuevos escenarios dedesarrollo – Conversión magazine, GermánGonzález, July 2012

In Brazil, particularly, a high proportion ofthe population (200 million ofinhabitants) is accessing a new spendingpower and new habits for what concernspackaged and labeled goods. Incountries like Chile and Argentina, on theother hand, the wine industry, with itshigh quality requirements on the labels, isalso an important engine of growth forthe industry and so are Peru andColombia.The largest market share is representedby self-adhesive labels produced in flexoprinting, which have exceeded 50% ofthe labeled consumer products andmaintain a clear lead of growth. Themarket for shrink sleeve labels is anopportunity that, although still low involumes and confined within a smallgroup of large converters, offersinteresting perspectives of growth. Labelswith security properties, including RFID,also arise much attention as a way torespond to persistent problems in theregion of adulteration, counterfeiting andtampering especially of costly productssuch as medicines and cosmetics. Thepotential of RFID technology, though, willnot be seen for a few years more. Overall, the main growth niches for labelconverters in Latin America are closelyrelated to two distinct areas: internalconsumption, directly related to eachcountry GDP growth, and export.Exportations include Chile and Argentina


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E v e n t s

The appointmentswith OMET

come and meet usSeptember, 11– 13, 2012

LABELEXPO AMERICASCHICAGO, IL (US)Booth 3123

29 October -1 November 2012

LABELEXPO INDIA 2012New Delhi, Booth C20

24-27 September 2013

LABELEXPO EUROPE Hall 6 Booth H90

29 Jan - 1 Feb 2013

UPAKOVKA

7-11 May 2013

CONVERFLEX


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