The print industry has been rocked by the impact of Covid-19 for the first half of 2020. Despite this, new trends are set to continue emerging as the print industry transitions to digital workplace technology across the world.

Until recently, a food label being ‘bumpy’ was by no means a good thing. However, multinational dairy company Arla is trialling a food label with a difference – one that develops bumps when food deteriorates and becomes inedible. These labels are designed to stop food from being thrown away prematurely. In 2015, UK households discarded over seven million tonnes of food – which cost each household roughly £500 per year. The Food Standards Agency has estimated that more than 50% of this wasted food could have been saved.

Flexographic printing plates are a type of reusable, roller-plate technology that are used to print high-quality multicolour labels & packaging, and many other types of non-bound, one-sheet card and paper items. While the technology dates from the nineteenth century, modern improvements have made flexography sophisticated, durable, and adaptable. But how environmentally friendly is flexography? And, long-term, is it a sustainable printing technology?

Nobody likes to pay over the odds for processing, printing, and finishing while making their product labels. Manufacturing 'overkill', a lack of production-line streamlining, and inappropriate or sub-optimal material and process choices can all lead to inflated label printing costs. These costs can seem relatively small and inconsequential, but they do stack up over time. You could potentially save vast amounts of money annually by optimising and streamlining your label printing. Here are some of the best ways to do it...

In an increasingly green world, everyone wants to reduce the impact their lives and work have on our shared environment. The label printing industry is no exception. As a fast turnover printing sector that uses high volumes of inks, pulps, and adhesives, product labelling and packaging is of particular interest to environmentalists. Disposable packaging for expendable products has increasingly come under fire for being an unsustainable, irresponsible waste of resources.

UK based TS Converting Equipment Ltd / Elite Cameron have partnered with Focus Label Machinery to develop a range of machines for the manufacture of Labels, Tapes and Tamper Evident Security products. The HM300 FLX is said to have the ability to Print on a liner, apply a release coating, flip the web over between any of the stations, hot melt coat, laminate in a face stock if required, 4C print, die cut, slit and rewind all in one pass.