Supplier News - January 2012

10,000th GEW UV Curing System for AB Graphic International

Production at the AB Graphic International factory in Bridlington, East Yorkshire was temporarily suspended to celebrate the arrival of the 10,000th UV curing system manufactured by UV supplier GEW (EC) Ltd.

The arrival of the 10,000th UV curing system in November marked a milestone in the business relationship between the two companies with 140 AB Graphic International employees gathered in attendance as GEW Managing Director Malcolm Rae made the official announcement and hand over. "Over the years our two companies have worked together on many projects that required a UV solution," said Rae. "This delivery is especially significant for us. GEW started production in 1991 and AB Graphic International was our first customer. We supplied them with our first UV system for installation on a Kopak 170 rotary letterpress printing machine and since that time we have sold them over 600 units for digital printing applications and in excess of 100 for the flexo, semi-rotary, and rotary letterpress processes."

GEW presented a commemorative plaque and provided celebratory wine for all AB Graphic International personnel. In thanking them for their business, Rae said, "What stands out is that both GEW and AB Graphic International have grown and developed products that have enabled our businesses and the label industry to expand. This could not have happened without good management and people. Without the right people and work ethic there would be no business, no suppliers, and no industry."

Mike Burton, managing director of AB Graphic International said, "It has been a pleasure to work with GEW over the years. They have a fantastic product and are one of the nicest suppliers we have had the pleasure of working with."

RotoMetrics Hosts Avery Dennison Technical Meeting

RotoMetrics recently hosted one of Avery Dennison's Customer Technical Support meetings its UK headquarters in Aldridge, West Midlands. The company's newly enlarged UK operation employs 220 at the 76,000 square feet facility.

During the two-day meeting, David Torley, technical sales manager for Avery Dennison, commented: "We hold these team meetings twice a year to establish a closer understanding with leading technology manufacturers. If we have a grasp of each other's products, we have a better chance of helping our mutual customers to solve any problems they encounter."

By visiting board mills, ink, and press manufacturers, the concept for Avery Dennison is to avoid unwelcome surprise complaints from its users. With the trend towards diecutting of increasingly thinner materials, the need to understand how accuracy of the die-strike can be guaranteed is invaluable. As Torley concluded: "Die-strike is the final action between our substrate and the RotoMetrics die, so we need to be speaking the same language. I liken their sophisticated production techniques to Formula 1—it is real science in action, and takes the subjectivity out of testing. In today's market, that's critical."