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Last month, the staff at packagePRINTING packed its bags and flew to Chicago for Labelexpo -Americas. This was my second time attending this show. My first go at it was two years ago. I had just started with packagePRINTING and had only gotten a taste of the package-printing industry for about two months, before I stepped on the showroom floor for the first time. Needless to say, I was completely overwhelmed and felt as if I had stepped into another world. I knew very little about tradeshows and knew even less about the printing presses and equipment I would see on the floor. And, many times throughout the week, I got lost in a sea of package printers and overwhelmed by the bright red carpet that seemed to lead me to the same booths over and over again.
This time around, I arrived equipped with a better understanding of the industry, more confidence to discuss new technologies with exhibitors and attendees, and the ability to take it all in a bit better. Feeling like an old pro, I hit the show floor with a single goal in mind: find sustainable technologies.
MACtac Printing Products introduced its new line, Bloom™, which features eight facestocks and two Plastic Suppliers/EarthFirst® films made with Ingeo™. MACtac intends Bloom to be the beginning of its expanding line of ENVIROPATH™ products. The Bloom facestocks range from 30 to 100 percent post-consumer waste (PCW) and come in a variety of finishes. Its ENVIROPATH product line also includes EarthFirst polylactic acid (PLA) films (in white and clear).
Plastic Suppliers, Inc. showcased its EarthFirst PLA films, which are compostable, made from renewable plant resources, and can be used as a replacement for polypropylene or polyester. Plastic Suppliers has done an excellent job of branding these eco-friendly films, and have really built a case for why converters should be using them. The company says that EarthFirst films are made from annually renewable plant resources and are compostable to ASTM D6400 and DIN EN 13432 standards. It also claims that when using 100 pounds of EarthFirst film, the energy savings would allow for a 100 watt lightbulb to run for eight months.
UPM Raflatac presented a new service called RafCycle™, which involves collecting waste from label printers to be used to produce UPM ProFi™. This wood-plastic composite is a tough, humidity-resistant material designed for extrusion- and intrusion-molded products such as decking, reusable containers, pallets, and flooring. This is a great example of a company fulfilling a social need, while creating a smart and innovative business strategy. UPM says it is opening its second wood-plastic composite factory in Europe and will soon introduce UPM ProFi™ and RafCycle™ to the North American market.
This time around, I arrived equipped with a better understanding of the industry, more confidence to discuss new technologies with exhibitors and attendees, and the ability to take it all in a bit better. Feeling like an old pro, I hit the show floor with a single goal in mind: find sustainable technologies.
MACtac Printing Products introduced its new line, Bloom™, which features eight facestocks and two Plastic Suppliers/EarthFirst® films made with Ingeo™. MACtac intends Bloom to be the beginning of its expanding line of ENVIROPATH™ products. The Bloom facestocks range from 30 to 100 percent post-consumer waste (PCW) and come in a variety of finishes. Its ENVIROPATH product line also includes EarthFirst polylactic acid (PLA) films (in white and clear).
Plastic Suppliers, Inc. showcased its EarthFirst PLA films, which are compostable, made from renewable plant resources, and can be used as a replacement for polypropylene or polyester. Plastic Suppliers has done an excellent job of branding these eco-friendly films, and have really built a case for why converters should be using them. The company says that EarthFirst films are made from annually renewable plant resources and are compostable to ASTM D6400 and DIN EN 13432 standards. It also claims that when using 100 pounds of EarthFirst film, the energy savings would allow for a 100 watt lightbulb to run for eight months.
UPM Raflatac presented a new service called RafCycle™, which involves collecting waste from label printers to be used to produce UPM ProFi™. This wood-plastic composite is a tough, humidity-resistant material designed for extrusion- and intrusion-molded products such as decking, reusable containers, pallets, and flooring. This is a great example of a company fulfilling a social need, while creating a smart and innovative business strategy. UPM says it is opening its second wood-plastic composite factory in Europe and will soon introduce UPM ProFi™ and RafCycle™ to the North American market.
Companies Mentioned:
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Go Green Profitably
Emerging Strategies: Green Printing and Sustainability
Chemistry for the Graphic Arts
What the Printer Should Know About Paper