Enews March 2024

AmericaPack Summit 2024 Set for June 20-21

March 21, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of AmericaPack Summit 2024

The AmericaPack Summit is an invitation-only, premium forum bringing together leading packaging executives and innovative suppliers and solution providers. The summit’s content is aligned with key packaging challenges and interests, relevant market developments, practical and progressive ideas, as well as strategies adopted by successful pioneers.

AmericaPack Summit 2024 takes place June 20-21, 2024, at the Radisson Blu in Chicago, Illinois. Key topics include: Unpacking a Sustainable Future, The Unboxing Revolution, Next Generation Packaging, Elevating Brands with Packaging Design, The Evolving Regulatory Landscape and Navigating the Packaging Supply Chain.

Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/y7nrx5wk.

UV Curing Technologies Panel Added to Print Embellishment Conference Schedule

March 18, 2024

The 2024 Print Embellishment Conference, sponsored by the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), PostPress Magazine and Amplify Print, will be held April 9-11 at the Delta Hotels Dallas Southlake in Dallas, Texas. To address the growing area of UV curing technologies for coatings, printing and other embellishments, three industry experts will be on hand for a panel discussion.

Panel members Rod Franson, Carlson Print; Tim Cain, Breit Technologies; and Chris Hogge, Harris & Bruno, will share their experiences with UV and UV LED curing technologies for print and print embellishment applications.

The discussion will include applications in which UV curing technologies are utilized; the advantages and disadvantages for print embellishment; and its growth in offset, flexo and digital print, as well as with special embellishment technologies, such as cold foil transfer, Cast & Cure, specialty UV coatings, and digital inkjet foils and coatings.

Other programming scheduled during the event addresses key topics and market segments of the print embellishment industry, from packaging (cartons and labels) and trading cards to greeting cards, direct mail and more. It also includes expert presentations on digital embellishment trends, sustainable print design and data from a new recyclability study targeting metallic decorating processes.

Over 20 suppliers in the print embellishment/finishing industry will exhibit at the Supplier Trade Fair and Opening Reception on the first evening of the Print Embellishment Conference and during an extended lunch the following day. Virtually all of the leading print embellishment suppliers of foils, engravings, machinery and coatings will be exhibiting, with the full list of exhibitors found on the website.

For more information – including detailed session descriptions, speaker biographies, travel information and easy registration – visit www.fsea.com/print-embellishment-conference or call 785.271.5816.

Lollipop Envelope Design Encompasses Multiple Embellishments

March 18, 2024

By Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

Kenmore Envelope Company, located in Richmond, Virginia, specializes in high-end envelope manufacturing, which includes everything from the printing and finishes to the final envelope converting. Special finishes and embellishments always have been an important part of what Kenmore offers.

To showcase Kenmore’s abilities, the company believes creating specialty embellished envelope samples for its customers and prospects is an important part of the selling process. In a recent envelope design, the Kenmore team decided it wanted to highlight ‘scent’ coating with its newest sample creation.

“We had a meeting with about a dozen Kenmore team members to throw around ideas and came up with the lollipop idea,” said Scott Evans, Kenmore Envelope president. “From there, we discussed how to make each embellishment impactful and not only shine by itself, but as a whole to the entire design.”

The goal was to have a cutting-edge envelope to showcase the technological investments Kenmore offers without getting too busy with the look and design.

The Kenmore team wanted the colors of the lollipop to pop off the envelope design. Once the flat art was created, the team needed to determine what to add to improve the existing design with Kenmore’s available embellishments – which effects to combine, where to place the embellishments, and what design elements on the envelope to highlight.

The lollipop envelope includes cold foil transfer, 4-color process, Cast & Cure™ clear holographic and spot scent coating that smells exactly like a lollipop. The amazing aspect of the project is that the embellishment and finishes all were accomplished in two passes. The cold foil and 4-color process printing was the first pass, and the Cast & Cure and scent coating were applied in the second pass. All of these were done on a K+B Rapida 106 LED UV offset press with an Eagle Systems’ cold foil module. The final steps in the production were the embossing of the word ‘Color’ and the lollipop on the front side of the envelope and the diecutting. Both were accomplished in one pass on Kenmore’s in-house platen 40″ diecutter. The final envelope was converted on a W+D 628.

The envelope included a silver cold foil in specific areas of the envelope and then the 4-color process was applied inline for the vivid, colorful lollipop and the black background of the envelope. There also was overprinting CMYK over the silver cold foil in the ‘splash’ below the lollipop and the word ‘COLOR’ in the headline. The next pass applied the Cast & Cure film on the black background to showcase a clear holographic pattern over the entire envelope except over the printed lollipop. The Cast & Cure process was applied through Eagle Systems’ cold foil module for the second pass. The scented spot coating then was applied over the lollipop on one of the offset stations inline with the Cast & Cure. Lastly, the wording ‘COLOR’ and the lollipop were embossed in the final pass.

“We limited the amount of cold foil so we didn’t overwhelm the envelope as there’s beauty in having focused cold foil in certain areas,” explained Evans. “The combination of the cold foil and embossing also had a beautiful impact.”

The cold foil used for the lollipop envelope was supplied by Univacco, the Cast & Cure film was supplied by Breit Technologies and the scented scratch-off coating came from Scentisphere.

Kenmore Envelope strongly believes that tailored envelopes have a higher chance of being opened than ones that lack distinction. Clients have shared with Kenmore that the specialty embellishments increase their lift vs. a non-embellished envelope, including feedback from clients that the increase has been three to five times more than in previous non-embellished envelopes.

“I believe our clients and the agencies we have worked with for years have always challenged us about what’s new and next. What can differentiate them from their competitors?” Evans said. “There’s a luxury feel to being a bit different and to stand out.”

The cover of this issue of PostPress was produced by Kenmore Envelope Company, which supplied the covers through the inspiration of the lollipop envelope project.

Steady Growth for North American Folding Carton Market Predicted Through 2027

March 18, 2024

Submitted by the Paperboard Packaging Council

As the world began to move on from strict measures to control the spread of COVID-19, 2022 started to provide the first insights into what the ‘new normal’ would be. Stuck in quarantine and flush with stimulus cash, consumer spending on goods during the pandemic drove an unexpected surge in carton demand. Normalization trends have seen that spending shifting away from goods and back toward services. How will different end-use markets react to the shifting spending? What trends will drive carton shipments in the coming years?

The past year also has forced consumers to deal with levels of inflation unseen for decades. How will the market react to inflation many consumers have not seen in their lifetime? In this uncertain environment, understanding the underlying trends that drive the industry is more important than ever. This report provides a detailed examination of the US and Canadian carton markets, how they operate and the factors driving future trends. It also contains a deep dive into the 17 end-use markets that are the primary sources of demand for folding cartons, with an investigation into past and future trends for spending, trade, production and carton shipments to each end-use market. Additionally, the report includes key takeaways that summarize the study findings for the cartonboard market in the United States and Canada as well as for each of the end-use markets that drive carton demand.

Outlook summary

In 2022, as the world began to move past the COVID-19 pandemic, there were concerns about how markets would react as the economy moved toward a ‘new normal.’ Carton shipment growth had been in decline since the Great Recession. Prior to 2020, losses in shipments largely were the result of continued headwinds facing major processed food and consumer product companies. Processed food exports were challenged by the appreciation of the US dollar in 2015, which trickled down to recycled boxboard demand and folding carton shipments. Over the last decade (2010-19), folding carton shipments were under persistent downward pressure and declined at an average annual rate of 1.2%. Since the Great Recession, only four years have not experienced a decline in shipments: 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2021. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, industrial production dropped 7.2% and consumer spending fell 3%. Consumers, however, flush with stimulus money and stuck in lockdown, greatly increased their spending on goods, helping boost carton shipments to some of the strongest years in recent history. Carton shipments recorded extraordinary growth of 5.5% year on year in 2020. These gains were maintained in 2021 when shipments grew another 0.2%. With the remaining pandemic restrictions lifted in 2022, spending started to shift away from goods and back toward services, but strong inventory rebuilding throughout the supply chain helped push shipments up another 4.5%. While 2022 had the highest volume of carton shipments since 2010, it still was 8.7% below the pre-recession peak in 2007.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated recession saw spending shift from services to goods, which had a significant impact on folding carton shipments. While consumer spending in 2020 declined 3% and spending on services dropped 6.2%, nondurables spending increased 2.7%. In 2021, consumer spending rose 8.3%, with nondurables spending increasing 8.8%. Spending on services in 2021 saw a partial recovery, rising 6.3%. In 2022, spending grew 2.7% but began to shift toward services, which increased 4.5% for the year. While still elevated, non-durables good spending dipped 0.5% in 2022. Consumer spending on processed food witnessed strong growth of 5.7% and 3.7% in 2020 and 2021 respectively. With people returning to restaurants and fewer people working from home in 2022, processed food spending dropped 4% in 2022. Lockdown measures and consumer wariness to return to in-person dining caused spending on food service to contract 21% in 2020. Food service spending grew 23.5% in 2021 and another 9.8% in 2022, finishing the year 7.2% above 2019 prepandemic levels. The gains in folding carton demand reflected consumer spending trends. The restocking seen during lockdowns fueled a lot of the growth in shipments. While e-commerce supported some growth in folding carton demand, this will change in the medium term. Folding carton is best suited for shelves in brick-and-mortar stores. However, the shift to e-commerce for dry foods and non-food products could create a separate packaging and delivery channel, which could shift market share from recycled boxboard to corrugated packaging.

Additional headwinds include changing consumer behavior and the increasing demand for non-carton-intensive products, such as liquid soaps and detergents.

Economic uncertainty, lower levels of consumer spending on goods and an end to the inventory rebuilding cycle, which helped drive carton demand higher in 2021-22, will cause carton shipments to drop an estimated 3.8% in 2023. In the years that follow, however, macroeconomic indicators suggest that demand for folding cartons should continue its positive, albeit slow, growth. Over the forecast period of 2022-27, we estimate that folding carton demand growth will average 0.4% annually, reaching 5.4 million tons by 2027. We anticipate output growth in nondurables, which comprises many carton-packaged goods including processed foods, will expand 0.7% over the forecast. General economic fundamentals in the US economy, such as the unemployment rate, will remain strong. A potential recession is becoming more of a concern for the near future as inflation eats into consumer budgets, but growth will remain strong over the forecast, with consumer spending growing 1.7% in 2022-27. In addition to the overall economic performance, there are other factors that play an essential role in folding carton growth dynamics, such as shifting consumer spending habits, substitution away from plastic packaging and efforts to reduce packaging waste.

In 2020, Canadian folding carton shipments increased significantly by 3%, but decreased 0.3% in 2021 before jumping 3.7% in 2022. Tonnage volume reached 446,000 tons, translating to C$1.25 billion. The macroeconomic environment in Canada over the outlook will be supportive of carton shipment growth; however, the planned closure of a cartonboard mill in 2026 will reduce Canadian folding cartonboard capacity by nearly 30%.

This will greatly reduce the amount of folding cartons that can be produced and shipped in Canada. As a result, folding carton shipments are expected to decline by 2.7% per year over the next five years and fall to 388,000 tons by 2027.

On prices, the situation is somewhat challenging, particularly for independent converters, mainly due to cartonboard prices consistently outpacing actual folding carton prices for several years. To provide some perspective, market prices for cartonboard grades increased at a 5.1% average annual rate from 2012-22; over that same 10-year span, folding carton average values per ton increased by an average of 2.3% annually. Coming out of the recession, average carton values were relatively stable in 2009 and 2010, but average boxboard prices in 2010 were 5.3% higher than in 2008. After boxboard costs increased another 7.4% in 2011, converters were forced to raise folding carton prices to prevent any further margin erosion but only gained 2.3% in average carton values. From 2012-17, the folding carton average value per ton fell at an average of 0.5% per year, losing ground on boxboard prices, which grew at a 1.5% rate. Around 2014-16, the flood of folding boxboard entering the global market provided some temporary leverage to independent converters in price negotiations with suppliers. However, mill closures reduced capacity, and with demand and producer costs rising, boxboard prices shot up significantly, swinging the market back in favor of integrated producers and sellers of boxboard to the open market. Over the past five years (2017-22), prices have become a more significant challenge for independent converters, as boxboard prices grew at an average rate of 8.9% per year, while the average value per ton for folding cartons rose just 5.2%.

The US folding carton end-use markets can be grouped into three broad categories: growth, mature and declining. Growth markets are classified by average annual growth of 1% or more. According to our analysis, four end-use markets are poised to grow by more than 1% per year. Nine end-use segments are classified as mature markets and are expected to maintain current levels of demand over the five-year forecast cycle. The remaining four market segments are classified as a declining market this year. The end-use markets analyzed in the full 2023-24 Trends Industry Outlook & Market Data Report are:

Food products

Beverages
Cereals /milled grains
Confectionary
Dairy
Dry foods
Frozen foods
Meat
Perishable baked goods
Retail carry-out

Non-food products

Cosmetics & toiletries
Hardware & household supplies
Converted paper products
Pharmaceuticals
Recreational & sporting
Soap & detergent
Tobacco
Miscellaneous

The entire 2023-2024 Trends Industry Outlook & Market Data Report for the folding carton industry is available through the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC). For over 90 years, PPC has been the North American association for converters of paperboard packaging and their suppliers. PPC works to grow, promote, and protect the paperboard packaging industry while providing its members with resources and tools to compete successfully in the marketplace. For more information, call 413.686.9191 or visit www.paperbox.org.

Gearing Up for drupa 2024

March 18, 2024

Compiled by Erin La Row, editor, PostPress

One of the print industry’s biggest events for printing technologies is just a few months away. With the theme, ‘We Create the Future,’ drupa 2024, May 28-June 7 in Düsseldorf, Germany, will focus on sustainability and digitalization, and how they influence processes, products, business models and the future of the industry.

More than 1,400 exhibitors from 50 countries are expected to attend. Five special forums are planned for drupa 2024, including drupa cube, drupa next age (dna) as well as touchpoints packaging, future technologies with growth potential and best practices covering a comprehensive range of themes.

“In times of continuous change, disruptive processes and the resulting new business models, our Special Forums provide important guidance and are indispensable for the sector,” Sabine Geldermann, Director drupa, Print Technologies Messe Düsseldorf, and underlines said in a news release. “Jointly with our partners we bank on impressive industry expertise and on the topics defining the future for our target groups.”

The following are a few highlights for drupa 2024.

drupa cube

The drupa cube will serve as the central stage for pioneering content, including keynotes, expert panels and workshops.

drupa dna

drupa dna will be the innovative technology driver for connecting industry newcomers, young talents, start-ups and well-established companies. This will be a place for networking and previewing future technologies. Focal themes include, amongst others, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, business intelligence, new materials, platform economy, predictive maintenance, printed electronics, remote services, new business models and process design.

touchpoint packaging

Focusing on visionary packaging solutions, touchpoint packaging will introduce brand owners to designers, material suppliers, print service providers and converters.

touchpoint sustainability

Called the “port of call” for learning more about the circular economy and sustainable print production, touchpoint sustainability is a special forum for discussing challenges, solutions and visions for more sustainability.

Dr. Andreas Pleßke, spokesman of the Board/CEO at Koenig & Bauer AG and chairman of the drupa Committee, said in a news release, “Many things have changed compared to planning in previous years. The gap between the digital world and the machinery in operation needs to be bridged. For visitors, this means new worlds to be experienced. As an exhibitor, we will do our utmost to make the leading topics digitalization and sustainability graspable. Fortunately, the industry is pulling in the same direction here and Messe Düsseldorf sets the stage for this.”

Learn more about drupa 2024 and register at www.drupa.com. While attending drupa 2024, be sure to stop by these PostPress partners’ booths.

B&R Moll International Ltd. Hall 6/D41
Baumer hhs GmbH Hall 6/A30
BOBST Mex SA Hall 10/B30-1 – B30-3
Cartes label machines SRL Hall 10/D25
The Challenge Machinery Co. Hall 8a/C25
Duplo International Limited Hall 6/A31 – A31-2
Eagle Systems Corp. Hall 16/E02
Gietz AG Hall 3/A61
Highcon Systems Ltd. Hall 9/B24
Heidelberg Hall 1/C30-1 – C30-5
Horizon Hall 6/F21 – F21-3
Hunkeler AG Paper Processing Hall 8a/A20
IMPACK DTCI Conception, Inc. Hall 11/E64
K Laser Technology, Inc. Hall 3/E97
KAMA GmbH Hall 1/B51
Karl Marbach GmbH & Co. KG Hall 10/C28
Koenig & Bauer AG Hall 16/A31-1 – A31-5
KURZ Hall 3/E71-1 and E71-2
MBO Postpress Solutions GmbH Hall 15/E20
MGI Digital Technology SA Hall 8b/A40-1
Müller Martini AG Hall 1/B50-1 – B50-3
Rollem Intl. Hall 10/A01
Sanwa Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Hall 11/B60
Scodix Ltd. Hall 5/E11
spm steuer gmbh & co. kg Hall 3/F81
Univacco Technology Inc. Hall 3/A33
W. H. Leary Co., Inc. Hall 12/D11

Industry Influencer – Vicki Strull

March 18, 2024

Vicki Strull is the complete package. Graphic designer. Branding enthusiast. Motivational speaker. She’s a big-picture thinker who’s passionate about unpacking consumer behavior, following trends and industry innovations, and leading packaging and design strategy. Strull is the principal behind Vicki Strull Design. Over her 25+-year career, Strull has worked with major brands like Sappi, Hershey’s, SC Johnson and Pizza Hut, to name a few.

Strull says she thinks like a CXO – chief experience officer – when working with companies, bridging business growth outcomes with the consumer experience. When she’s not working with brands on identity and creative direction, she’s sharing her insight through energizing speaking engagements.

PostPress caught up with this visionary designer to find out how she landed in the packaging and design industry, what she sees for the future of packaging and why the sense of touch is an important component to the overall design strategy.

How did your career develop in the packaging design industry?

Back in the 90s, when I was honing my skills as a graphic designer, digital marketing didn’t exist. So naturally, my expertise and interest primarily revolved around print design. As print technologies advanced, I enthusiastically familiarized myself with short runs, variable data and digital finishing. About 10 years ago, recognizing the tremendous potential for growth, I shifted my focus toward packaging design. I consistently emphasize to my clients that a brand’s packaging is its most crucial touch point. Even in an increasingly online and virtual world, a brand cannot truly exist without packaging in the real world.

Tell us why you started your business.

I’m a graphic designer by trade, but people often say to me, “You’re not like any graphic designer I’ve ever met.” And that’s because for every client I’ve had, I connect design concepts to business goals. No design decision is arbitrary, and every design choice advances the vision of the business. For the past 25 years, I’ve operated a design business to create conceptual, meaningful, memorable experiences while supporting my clients’ businesses so that they grow and thrive. Good design choices become great business opportunities.

How is the industry embracing global trends such as the circular economy and sustainability demands from brand owners and consumers?

I’ve observed many significant changes in the industry in recent years. Increasingly, brands are becoming more environmentally responsible as consumers hold brands accountable. As a result, I’ve seen brands shift their packaging to renewable resources, reduce waste by changing the packaging structure or explore packaging that can be repurposed. Suppose we can produce a compelling, lighter package that uses fewer materials while still protecting the product – that makes both business and design sense. Everyone, including shoppers, wins.

In a recent Sappi webinar, I highlighted some health and beauty and household product brands reformulating their products into concentrates, allowing customers to add water once the products are at home. If brands create products that use less water, the product’s volume is reduced, requiring less packaging, which weighs less and uses less fuel to transport, thereby saving money, energy and water. It all adds up. For example, what if a bar of shampoo became the norm? So much good could result for the environment.

What trends are emerging in design and production that will influence the future of the print packaging industry? How do specialty effects such as metallics and coatings fit into this future?

I cannot stress enough the importance of physical things in a progressively online world. In the print packaging industry, we have an opportunity to bridge both worlds.

Think about all the packaging you have saved over the years. Almost everyone I know has at least one saved Apple box. Why? None of us will return our iPhones or iPads, yet we keep that box. Somehow, we feel an emotional connection, and it has meaning for us.

It’s scientifically proven that we remember things better and have a stronger emotional connection to objects when we touch them. Several years ago, Sappi published a piece about the importance of haptics and the endowment effect. That research was groundbreaking in helping designers and converters attach science to the ROI of adding textures, embellishments, foil stamps and tactile finishing to their clients’ print and packaging.

Touch is essential not only in stores on the shelf but also in e-commerce unboxing experiences. Adding metallics, raised coatings, embossed elements and textures to packaging entices people to touch, pick up and hold products. These haptic elements on the packaging also influence perceptions of quality, luxury and value.

What are the biggest challenges in the print packaging industry? How should the industry respond?

Unboxing experiences! Often, with online-only brands, the first time someone encounters the brand in the physical world occurs at home. A package is delivered, someone opens a box and they either are elated, disappointed or ‘meh’ about what they see.

Everything is so beautifully presented and curated online that the arrival of the actual product can be a letdown unless the unboxing experience matches or exceeds the online experience. To earn trust and loyalty, brands need their customers to be thrilled about their unboxing so people will share the experience with their ‘friends’ online, give a good review and write glowing testimonials.

What are your predictions for print packaging in the next five to 10 years?

As consumers become savvier about the circular economy and what is truly good for the environment, brands and suppliers in the packaging industry will shift solutions to consider packaging’s entire life cycle. By reconsidering the supply chain – material sources, chain-of-custody, energy usage and water consumption – brands can address climate change holistically rather than the end-of-life, recycling piece. As designers and converters, it’s our job to educate our clients on the best solutions for their applications.

There are leaders in the industry who already are thinking and working on this more nuanced approach to the circular economy, and I expect that they will lead the way in not only creating a healthier paradigm for packaging but also in educating the public on how recycling is one piece of a circular economy rather than the end-game within a linear economy.

Vicki Strull will give the keynote presentation, “How Embellishments Support the Power of Touch,” at the Print Embellishment Conference in Dallas, Texas, on April 10, 2024. The conference runs April 9-11. Register for the conference at www.fsea.com/print-embellishment-conference. Learn more about Strull at www.vickistrull.com.

HiFlow Solutions Releases Free Imposition App for Packaging and Commercial Print Applications

March 13, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of HiFlow Solutions

HiFlow Solutions, a leading global provider of end-to-end management software solutions for folding carton, label converters, flexible packaging and corrugated producers, today announced the release of a free Microsoft Windows application for imposing labels, packaging and commercial print jobs.

The application can be downloaded here: https://hiflowsolutions.com/free-imposition-application/

“When a packaging company gets a request for quote, it’s important to respond as quickly as possible since quite often, whoever responds first gets the job,” states Romek Kowalczyk, Product Manager at HiFlow, who developed the specifications for this application. “This free imposition application can replace a time-consuming manual estimating process to offer quicker deliveries of quotes to customers.”

Kowalczyk explains that in many shops, a request for quote will be received by sales or customer service, who then needs to forward it to estimating. The estimator enters data into an Excel spreadsheet that is then sent to the CAD department. There, he says, they may use another tool, or a manual process, to draw and impose designs, which are then sent back to estimating. “This can take time,” he says, “especially if the CAD department is busy. By using our free imposition tool, this step is removed from the process altogether, unless it is an especially complex design.”

Contained in the free app is a catalog of different structures for folding carton, labels, corrugated and common commercial printing applications such as brochures, leaflets, folders and more. “These structure descriptions are familiar to most of our users,” Kowalczyk adds. “Once they choose the item from the catalog that matches the customer request, they can see the design, the flat layout of the requested item. This is always the first step in creating an estimate. They are then able to make changes to the parameters, if needed, and enter the sheet size that matches their printing equipment. Then they select Impose, and the design is automatically imposed on the right sheet size with the most efficient possible use of the substrate. This eliminates the need to involve the CAD department and immediately provides the estimator with the information needed to generate the estimate, including the amount of material required.”

Kowalczyk points out that using this ease-of-entry tool only allows creating an imposition layout for one quantity, while in the full HiFlow MIS imposition application, multiple quantities can be specified. “Even though only one quantity can be specified at a time,” he says, “it’s fast, and the estimator can simply repeat the process for additional quantities, still saving time over a manual process.”

“We wanted to make this free imposition application available to the industry to help operations be more efficient,” said Mariusz Sosnowski, CEO and President of HiFlow Solutions. “It is also an introduction to HiFlow Solutions, and we hope that it will also generate interest in implementing our modular MIS solution to gain access to more imposition features as well as other capabilities that will increase their productivity even more. But the bottom line is that estimating is where the process starts for generating a quote for a customer, and we want to enable them to do this as quickly as possible.”

Download the free imposition app. To learn more about MIS/MES solutions from HiFlow, visit www.HiFlowSolutions.com or contact Jack J Lafler at j.lafler@hiflowsolutions.com.

drupa cube: More Highlights and Speakers

March 13, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of drupa

The drupa cube offers all visitors free inspiring lectures, discussions and presentations by leading experts and is thus the central meeting point for knowledge transfer at drupa 2024. Discover top-class speakers from alibaba.com, HP, KURZ and Mimaki, among others, under the thematic umbrellas KEYNOTES, BUSINESS BOOSTERS, CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABILITY, PRINT AND PACKAGING FUTURES and TRENDS. Take a look at our lecture program, which is now gaining momentum.

Rollem International Announces Live Demonstrations and Collaboration at Edge Indianapolis

March 13, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of Rollem

“The 2024 Edge event marks Rollem International’s 14^th year highlighting our newest technology to Edge participants including the Insignia6H Die-Cutter and a collaboration with Nobelus and Komfi. “

Visitors will see Live demonstrations on the Insignia6H PLUS Die-Cutter.

Insignia Die-Cutters compliments HP Indigo presses by producing high value die-cutting and finishing for easy entry into packaging, folding carton, promotional, and photo product markets.

A visit to Rollem’s Edge Indianapolis exhibit features the Insignia IS6H model demonstrated by our Insignia Product Manager. Learn about the process – from creating digital files to flexo-magnetic dies –see why so many companies have adopted Insignia’s sheet-fed, flexo-magnetic die-cutting technology.

It’s packed with features including die-cutting, pattern perforation, creasing, and kiss-cutting, plus automated matrix removal. This system converts press sheets, in one step, with just one operator! It handles all types of coating and embellishments with ease while giving the user the option of two types of delivery systems, plus in-line or near-line folding and gluing systems for finished and folded products.

NEW collaboration with Nobelus® and Komfi machines.

Print-Coat-Die Cut Nine-up Postcard Sheet

Vibrant, Nine-up postcard sheets are printed on an HP Indigo press then laminated on the Komfi® laminator with one of five specialty Tactile Collection films by Nobelus®. Sheets are then converted on the Insignia into individual 5 ½ x 3 ½” round cornered postcards. These colorful, shaped, cards with coordinating tactile coatings engage the recipient with their enhanced visual and tactile effects.

Folding Carton Demonstration

Showing the versatility of the Insignia Series, visitors will want to pick-up the Hexagon shaped folded carton also printed on an HP Indigo press with tactile laminating from Nobelus®, with final die-cutting on Insignia.

Jetstream is the industry standard for high volume, highly accurate Slitting, Trimming, Scoring and Perforating for Postcards, Greeting Cards, Direct Mail, Retail Shelf Tags and Brochures. Jetstream’s XY configuration accepts a multiple-up press sheet and in seconds delivers cut cards, mailers, even PSA retail tags, all in record speeds. Add our folder/gluer for in-line direct mail finishing with tip-on’s and glue closures for complete automation. Available as an in-line solution with Indigo presses for dedicated production.

HP Indigo owners and other PSP’s have greatly benefited from Rollem’s LIVE equipment demonstrations and discussions on our innovative finishing solutions. The expansive list of HP Indigo owners and Rollem clients expands year after year following each Dscoop Edge event.

The Rollem team looks forward to meeting you at booth #1094 to see first-hand how Rollem designs machinery to lower labor costs, increase production and provide value-added finishing. We work with industry partners to give you the customized finishing line best suited to your specific needs. Maintain production control with in-house finishing. Ready to get started? Let’s start the discussion here: www.rollemusa.com/resource

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Baumer hhs Once Again Demonstrates Its Innovation Capabilities at drupa

March 13, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of Baumer hhs

As a world-leading developer and manufacturer of industrial gluing solutions and the associated quality assurance equipment, Baumer hhs’s slogan for drupa 2024 (28 May – 7 June in Düsseldorf, Germany) is “Leaving an innovation fingerprint where others leave a carbon footprint”. The company will focus on the five areas of sustainability, digitalisation, customer care, innovation and vision at the event (Hall 6, stand 6A30) under the theme “Yesterday’s pioneer – today’s benchmark” and demonstrate why its customer base is growing so steadily in the global packaging industry.

Baumer hhs strives on all levels to offer customers added value with new ideas for intelligent solutions in industrial gluing. For decades now, the company has been churning out pioneering innovations that have become industry benchmarks, particularly in the folding carton and print finishing segments.

“Innovation is the origin of our organization. And it will continue to be so in future. Our innovations are like a unique fingerprint, which we leave over everything we do. We simplify processes to make them more efficient or we give customers added options – and therefore greater flexibility – to anticipate and meet market demands. In view of the transformational changes occurring in the packaging and printing industries, we are concentrating on relevant issues, such as digitalization and automation, but also on reducing the ecological footprint of products, such as folding cartons, and their manufacturing processes. At drupa 2024, we will be showcasing our unique expertise in all of these areas. It goes hand-in-hand with our global presence and our close partnerships with leading packaging manufacturers”, says Baumer hhs Managing Director Percy Dengler, summarizing the company’s trade show appearance.

Rethink. Renew. Recycle.
In the wake of industry efforts to operate more sustainably, Baumer hhs has left its “innovation fingerprint” in many areas. One example is the option of switching the gluing process from lines to defined dots of glue for numerous applications. Customers now have this option thanks to the advanced performance of Baumer hhs’s application heads, sensor systems and controllers. Switching to dot gluing slashes glue consumption in folding carton applications by 50% or more, and reduces the associated CO₂ emissions. At the same time, it improves the adhesive strength of the bonds. In short, it is an innovation that offers customers triple the benefit, conserves resources and reduces waste.

As an active member of the 4evergreen alliance and a SUGRA development partner, Baumer hhs is working on solutions for the future of packaging. At drupa, the company will present its extensive activities to promote the Rethink. Renew. Recycle. approach to sustainability.

This is also where digitalization comes into play, as the prerequisite for automating workflows. With automated processes, sources of error can be eliminated entirely and machine operators can react to problems more immediately. Automation also reduces or avoids packaging waste and rejects.

In light of the importance of this issue, Baumer hhs is also working on all fronts to digitalize its solutions and services. At drupa, it will primarily address cyber security, condition monitoring, data management and remote maintenance. The objective in all these areas is to use the latest web-based technologies, as well as machine and process data, to increase and optimize efficiency in production and minimise downtime.

Focus on customers
Baumer hhs has always left its unique innovation fingerprint in the field of customer service. The company is known for responding in a special way to the individual, market-specific needs of its customers all over the world. To uphold this reputation, Baumer hhs constantly updates and adapts all aspects of its customer service.

Its preventive maintenance programs are one example. They are designed to maximize the availability of customer systems and make maintenance plannable. Further examples include remote technical support using the latest technologies, repair and replacement programs for older systems, as well as training and knowledge transfer programs. The hhs Solution Center in Krefeld, Germany, is another key element of service. A steady stream of customers come to the centre from all over the world to use its extensive testing facilities for the development of new applications.

“Our innovation capabilities are undiminished, as evidenced by the solutions we have introduced to the market in recent years. Most are developed in collaboration with customers and we will be exhibiting several of them at drupa, such as our revolutionary Side Seam Gluing Solution based on high-performance application heads used for bottom gluing in the production of straight-line boxes, the Xcheck DCM for monitoring product mix-ups in sheetfed die cutters using 2D codes, our solution for securing pallet loads and our controllers. Visitors will also be able to witness some world premieres at our stand”, says Baumer hhs Marketing Manager Andreas Brandt.

The journey continues
Every drupa event is like a window into the future, and Baumer hhs will round out its exhibit in Düsseldorf with a presentation of its vision for the company’s future development in the changing packaging industry. Baumer hhs envisions continued improvements in the sustainability of packaging and print products and the associated production processes, the exploration of new markets, solutions for meeting new customer needs and finally even more efficient collaboration with packaging manufacturers worldwide. Baumer hhs, as a thriving organization and leading innovator, likewise aims to further cultivate close partnerships with all its customers. Environmental issues will continue to be of fundamental importance in this connection. “Many of our customers consider Baumer hhs to be the original in industrial gluing – particularly folding carton manufacturing. And that won’t change, as we’ll be demonstrating at drupa”.