Greg Hrinya, Associate Editor05.05.15
A collection of industry experts delivered thorough presentations on the state of the label industry and ways to improve the flexographic process at the FTA 2015 Annual Forum: Hitting the Perfect Harmony in Nashville, TN, USA. Consumer forecasts, spending habits, brand protection solutions and interactive packaging trends were among the topics discussed in the opening lecture, “Upside Down or Inside Out: What’s Next in Packaging?”
The Annual Forum kicked off on May 3 at the Omni Nashville. The Flexographic Technical Association's (FTA) event provides attendees with the latest technologies and trends for package printers and converters.
Protecting the brand
Lori Campbell, president of The Labels Printers, explored brand protection and how smart labels can provide protection against counterfeiting. This can also include tampering, accumulation, diversion and theft. According to Campbell, in 2013, the Department of Homeland Security seized counterfeit goods estimated to be worth $1.7 billion. Those figures only include US borders, as well.
Due to the nature of more serious crimes like bombs and weaponry, agents only inspect 5% of the roughly 67,000 containers that go through customs on a daily basis.
The value of global counterfeited goods is estimated at $1.8 trillion.
“What I want to try to convey to the packaging and labeling converters is that the scope is so big, that chances are some of the customers are being attacked in some shape or form as we speak,” says Campbell. “We’re all trying to sell ourselves as solutions providers and we want to set ourselves apart from our competition and bring value to the table just beyond the label or the package that we’re selling.”
In the label industry, there are several ways to regulate against these threats. Security labels come in three segments: overt, covert, and forensic. Overt labels include measures like tamper-evident shrink films and sleeves, inks and coatings, and optical security holograms and color shifting films. These steps are about awareness and engagement, the first line of defense.
Covert labels feature fluorescent and infrared inks and coatings, security papers, and track and trace options. “The covert layer is not in plain sight, and you might need a device, a light source, or an electronic reader to see it,” adds Campbell. “This level is going to be aimed at the most trusted people in an organization and in the supply chain.”
Forensic alternatives are the most secure but also the most expensive. Campbell refers to this as the “CSI level,” as these measures are not visible or detectable to the naked eye. “It’s only going to be determined by laboratory analysis or through a usually expensive device that has been specially programmed to some kind of custom formulation. ... It’s usually used in a court of law to prove authenticity.”
Interactive technology
Colleen Twomey, assistant professor of Graphic Communication at Cal Poly, discussed interactive packaging trends. Her presentation centered on emerging technologies, namely NFC, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), augmented reality (A/R), and printed electronics.
“We’re engaging the consumer to take action with the package, and from a brand owner’s perspective, this can be very interesting in order to get loyalty and engagement with the consumer,” explains Twomey. “The premise is interaction is good and smart phones are quite literally everywhere.”
This type of technology can include tapping a smart phone with NFC technology to a wine bottle or Blu-ray box. A customer can learn information about the wine or be directed to a trailer for a Blu-ray movie. NFC technology is termed a one-to-one science, where a customer experiences interaction with his or her phone. BLE operates at longer distances in a one-to-masses philosophy.
BLE could include a restaurant sending coupons to a user’s smart phone when that person enters the beacon range of the business. “You have a sensor that has a battery in it that can last up to a couple years, and it emits from a beacon, some people call this IPP technology, that can reach out to all the phones that have this capability,” says Twomey. “In terms of consumer behavior, we’re seeing three things that used to be nice to have that are now must-haves: immediacy, simplicity and context. I want it now, I want it to be really simple and I want it to be my narrow, very selfish focus.”
According to Twomey, approximately 250 million phones come equipped with Bluetooth capabilities.
Training and research come FIRST
During the afternoon session, “From Tribal Knowledge to Technology: How to Understand the Needs of Your Workforce,” Clemson professor Nona Woolbright and Plastic Packaging Technologies’ Bob Coomes provided information on how companies can effectively train their employees despite generational differences and road blocks.
In addition to generational differences, there can be issues with both the participants and management. Participants can fight intimidation, motivation, impatience and pride, while management may not properly engage or communicate.
“If you can begin to learn to start to read people and adapt your style to that person’s preferences, you’re going to be more effective teaching, managing and just more effective in life altogether,” concludes Woolbright. “You can get those clues from people in their physical environment based on the way they act and the way they move around.”
In sticking with the event’s musical theme, Coomes, a prepress and print quality leader in the Graphics department at Plastic Packaging, examined how a business can move its team to perform “in concert.” He emphasized having a plan and organization.
According to Coomes, companies must define their objectives and outcomes, create a timeline for implementation, and establish phases, evolutions and deadlines of the project.
In order to help build the team, organizations can benefit from FIRST (Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances) certification, which emerged as a presentation staple. The FTA defines FIRST certification as “an internationally recognized certification designed for the flexo industry.” It provides users and their companies with the education required to ensure the training’s methodology. Core principles are increased efficiency and productivity, reduced waste and downtime, and increased customer satisfaction. The program also includes steps to troubleshoot and perform device calibrations as necessary.
The second day of the Forum delved into the science behind inks, printing and research techniques for improving efficiency. “De-Geek the Geeks: From Cloudy to Clear” and “Research that Resonates” featured panel discussions with label industry veterans from various companies across the country.
Danny Rich of Sun Chemical and Steve Smiley of Smiley Color & Associates headlined a panel that detailed the importance of standards, especially as they relate to color.
In addition to standards established by FIRST 5.0, Smiley discussed ISO 12647-6. “It’s the flexographic printing standard,” says Smiley. “It’s supported globally for supply chain partners and everything we do in FIRST points to it. This document is different than any other printing standard because it says your responsibility, as a printer, is to match your customer’s expectations.”
ISO 12647-6 includes process tools and plate requirements. Process control is for the control of halftone color separations, proofs and production prints in flexographic printing. The plate requirements state that plates shall have both linear and compensated scales and be accompanied with digital capture and documentation. This includes a chart for acceptable tolerance for measurable tone.
“Research that Resonates” highlighted multiple projects that clarified the meaning of high resolution in the industry. Among the objectives were defining and implementing new target images, design new tests and methods, and creating a new data collection sheet for characterizations and tests.
Smiley and Shawn Oetjen, Harper Corporation, tried to determine what color gamut would be achieved when similar ink sets are used in Post Print. The studies included suggested pigments, ink sequences and data collection. According to Oetjen and Smiley, using NNC (G7) Calibration improved alignment.
In addition to the Forum, FTA simultaneously conducts INFO*FLEX, which is taking place at the Music City Center, Nashville, TN, USA. For more pictures, click here for the slideshow.
The Annual Forum kicked off on May 3 at the Omni Nashville. The Flexographic Technical Association's (FTA) event provides attendees with the latest technologies and trends for package printers and converters.
Protecting the brand
Lori Campbell, president of The Labels Printers, explored brand protection and how smart labels can provide protection against counterfeiting. This can also include tampering, accumulation, diversion and theft. According to Campbell, in 2013, the Department of Homeland Security seized counterfeit goods estimated to be worth $1.7 billion. Those figures only include US borders, as well.
Due to the nature of more serious crimes like bombs and weaponry, agents only inspect 5% of the roughly 67,000 containers that go through customs on a daily basis.
The value of global counterfeited goods is estimated at $1.8 trillion.
“What I want to try to convey to the packaging and labeling converters is that the scope is so big, that chances are some of the customers are being attacked in some shape or form as we speak,” says Campbell. “We’re all trying to sell ourselves as solutions providers and we want to set ourselves apart from our competition and bring value to the table just beyond the label or the package that we’re selling.”
In the label industry, there are several ways to regulate against these threats. Security labels come in three segments: overt, covert, and forensic. Overt labels include measures like tamper-evident shrink films and sleeves, inks and coatings, and optical security holograms and color shifting films. These steps are about awareness and engagement, the first line of defense.
Covert labels feature fluorescent and infrared inks and coatings, security papers, and track and trace options. “The covert layer is not in plain sight, and you might need a device, a light source, or an electronic reader to see it,” adds Campbell. “This level is going to be aimed at the most trusted people in an organization and in the supply chain.”
Forensic alternatives are the most secure but also the most expensive. Campbell refers to this as the “CSI level,” as these measures are not visible or detectable to the naked eye. “It’s only going to be determined by laboratory analysis or through a usually expensive device that has been specially programmed to some kind of custom formulation. ... It’s usually used in a court of law to prove authenticity.”
Interactive technology
Colleen Twomey, assistant professor of Graphic Communication at Cal Poly, discussed interactive packaging trends. Her presentation centered on emerging technologies, namely NFC, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), augmented reality (A/R), and printed electronics.
“We’re engaging the consumer to take action with the package, and from a brand owner’s perspective, this can be very interesting in order to get loyalty and engagement with the consumer,” explains Twomey. “The premise is interaction is good and smart phones are quite literally everywhere.”
This type of technology can include tapping a smart phone with NFC technology to a wine bottle or Blu-ray box. A customer can learn information about the wine or be directed to a trailer for a Blu-ray movie. NFC technology is termed a one-to-one science, where a customer experiences interaction with his or her phone. BLE operates at longer distances in a one-to-masses philosophy.
BLE could include a restaurant sending coupons to a user’s smart phone when that person enters the beacon range of the business. “You have a sensor that has a battery in it that can last up to a couple years, and it emits from a beacon, some people call this IPP technology, that can reach out to all the phones that have this capability,” says Twomey. “In terms of consumer behavior, we’re seeing three things that used to be nice to have that are now must-haves: immediacy, simplicity and context. I want it now, I want it to be really simple and I want it to be my narrow, very selfish focus.”
According to Twomey, approximately 250 million phones come equipped with Bluetooth capabilities.
Training and research come FIRST
During the afternoon session, “From Tribal Knowledge to Technology: How to Understand the Needs of Your Workforce,” Clemson professor Nona Woolbright and Plastic Packaging Technologies’ Bob Coomes provided information on how companies can effectively train their employees despite generational differences and road blocks.
In addition to generational differences, there can be issues with both the participants and management. Participants can fight intimidation, motivation, impatience and pride, while management may not properly engage or communicate.
“If you can begin to learn to start to read people and adapt your style to that person’s preferences, you’re going to be more effective teaching, managing and just more effective in life altogether,” concludes Woolbright. “You can get those clues from people in their physical environment based on the way they act and the way they move around.”
In sticking with the event’s musical theme, Coomes, a prepress and print quality leader in the Graphics department at Plastic Packaging, examined how a business can move its team to perform “in concert.” He emphasized having a plan and organization.
According to Coomes, companies must define their objectives and outcomes, create a timeline for implementation, and establish phases, evolutions and deadlines of the project.
In order to help build the team, organizations can benefit from FIRST (Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances) certification, which emerged as a presentation staple. The FTA defines FIRST certification as “an internationally recognized certification designed for the flexo industry.” It provides users and their companies with the education required to ensure the training’s methodology. Core principles are increased efficiency and productivity, reduced waste and downtime, and increased customer satisfaction. The program also includes steps to troubleshoot and perform device calibrations as necessary.
The second day of the Forum delved into the science behind inks, printing and research techniques for improving efficiency. “De-Geek the Geeks: From Cloudy to Clear” and “Research that Resonates” featured panel discussions with label industry veterans from various companies across the country.
Danny Rich of Sun Chemical and Steve Smiley of Smiley Color & Associates headlined a panel that detailed the importance of standards, especially as they relate to color.
In addition to standards established by FIRST 5.0, Smiley discussed ISO 12647-6. “It’s the flexographic printing standard,” says Smiley. “It’s supported globally for supply chain partners and everything we do in FIRST points to it. This document is different than any other printing standard because it says your responsibility, as a printer, is to match your customer’s expectations.”
ISO 12647-6 includes process tools and plate requirements. Process control is for the control of halftone color separations, proofs and production prints in flexographic printing. The plate requirements state that plates shall have both linear and compensated scales and be accompanied with digital capture and documentation. This includes a chart for acceptable tolerance for measurable tone.
“Research that Resonates” highlighted multiple projects that clarified the meaning of high resolution in the industry. Among the objectives were defining and implementing new target images, design new tests and methods, and creating a new data collection sheet for characterizations and tests.
Smiley and Shawn Oetjen, Harper Corporation, tried to determine what color gamut would be achieved when similar ink sets are used in Post Print. The studies included suggested pigments, ink sequences and data collection. According to Oetjen and Smiley, using NNC (G7) Calibration improved alignment.
In addition to the Forum, FTA simultaneously conducts INFO*FLEX, which is taking place at the Music City Center, Nashville, TN, USA. For more pictures, click here for the slideshow.