The Label Printers Continues to Invest

July 10, 2012 - PRLog -- Aurora, IL – The Label Printers’ investments in HP Indigo’s WS6600 digital press, Domino’s K600i  UV ink jet system, AB Graphics’ Omega HSR1300 inspection slitter rewinder, and DuPont’s EC/LF 1000 exposure unit will give the company increased manufacturing capability, capacity, and quality control while, at the same time, contributing to the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce their environmental impact.

Bill Kane, Chief Executive of the company said, “We have to do this for our customers.  We have to keep up with today’s changing digital marketplace.  [Our manufacturing operation is] a ‘well-oiled machine’ – and we need to continue to invest to keep it that way – to control costs and to avoid falling behind in capacity, capability and expertise.”

In 2006, The Label Printers purchased their first digital press, an HP Indigo 4050.  Since that time the evolution in digital presses has continued – and The Label Printers management decided that it was time to upgrade their digital capability and increase their digital capacity.  

Joe Kane, Prepress Manager, states “The new [WS6600] digital press improves our color “management” – it is now more predictable and repeatable.  It also increases our capacity, as the print area is wider and the repeat is longer – with the added benefit of giving us multiple manufacturing options for most orders, which can translate into better service for our customers.”  

In 2011, The Label Printers switched their plateroom technology from analog to digital – investing in “scalable” systems – systems that the company can expand to accommodate growth and/or innovation.  The company’s newest investment in the DuPont exposure unit offers improved consistency and will prepare the prepress operation for future upgrades to improved technologies.  And, in addition to process improvements from the new equipment, Joe Kane also points out, “Each upgrade in our plateroom equipment from old analog technology to new digital technology creates a corresponding improvement in our sustainability efforts.”

Domino’s UV inkjet system was purchased to give the company additional capacity for consecutive numbering, QR codes, and other variable imaging requirements.  The new system represents a significant improvement in resolution (and therefore quality and/or capability), which is critical for small size images – and of particular importance to the company’s anti-counterfeiting market.  The Label Printers has, over a period of nearly 15 years, been building and expanding their manufacturing and knowledge base in anti-counterfeiting technologies.  This track record of experience in the fast-changing brand protection market has allowed the company to develop strength and expertise in a broad array of variable imaging technologies, and the new inkjet system allows The Label Printers to keep pace with customers’ needs for track-and-trace types of system options.

Tom Erickson, Plant Superintendent, was part of the team that brought this investment option to The Label Printers’ management.  “Certain features of our old inkjet system created a time consuming process, and a potential quality issue.  The new Domino system gives us a smoother operation, with less down time. From a manufacturing perspective, it improves our product quality and gives our press operators better control of the process.”

Lori Campbell, Chief of Operations, says “I am ecstatic to work for an organization that doesn’t preach ‘continuous improvement’ as a worn-out sales pitch, but actively pursues it…and backs it up by making these well-considered investments.  I am very proud of our teams for their dedicated research and recommendations.  We know exactly what each of these purchases will provide in terms of quality, efficiency, sustainability, and most importantly, alignment with our customers’ needs.”

Bill Kane believes that these investments point to the long term strength of the company.  “We have managed the company to be able to make these [continued equipment] acquisitions, so that we can better serve our customers and position ourselves for managed growth.”

The Label Printers is a leading custom label and packaging manufacturer, serving a widely diverse customer base around the globe – ranging from Fortune 100 to start-up businesses. The company serves industries as varied as wine, pharmaceutical, and electrical.  The Label Printers takes special pride in their quality, which is backed up by their ISO 9001 Registration (with an acceptance rating which has stayed at a consistent and nearly perfect 99.6% since 1989).

The Label Printers is a member of NASPO (North American Security Products Organization), CACP (Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy), TLMI (Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute) and the FTA (Flexographic Technical Association).

About AB Graphic International, Inc.:
AB Graphic International Group comprises of companies located in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Spain and the United States. Operating internationally from six manufacturing and five distribution sites, it is well placed to provide international sales and customer support to the industry. The USA facilities offer the Omega line of slitter rewinders, converting equipment, RFID and finishing equipment for digitally printed labels, the Vectra line of turret rewinders, Flytec 100% inspection and GM roll handling/core cutting range

About Domino:
Founded in 1978, Domino Printing Sciences plc, has established a global reputation for the continual development and manufacture of its total coding and printing technologies that meet the needs of manufacturers and sets new industry standards in quality and reliability.

Through a global network of 25 subsidiary offices and in excess of 200 distributors, Domino Printing Sciences plc sells to over 120 countries offering extensive customer support. In 2010, Domino Printing Sciences plc achieved a turnover of £300 million; it is listed in the FTSE 250 share index on the London Stock Exchange (share code DNO). The Group employs 2,150 people worldwide with manufacturing facilities situated in UK, China, Germany, India, Sweden and USA.

Operating with true global scale across a diverse industry base, including food, beverage, pharmaceutical and multiple industrial product groups, Domino Printing Sciences plc provides customers with proven solutions built upon years of extensive experience.

About DuPont:
DuPont is a market-driven global science company focused on meeting the world’s needs through the power of our people, innovation, technology and collaboration.   Founded in 1802, our company has grown to 58,000 employees working at more than 210 sites in more than 90 countries around the globe.  Our vision is to be the world’s most dynamic science company, creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere.  In 2009, we achieved $26.1 billion (USD) in sales.

Major societal changes, such as population growth, are creating four significant needs that we see as megatrends, including increasing food production, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, protecting people, assets and our environment and supporting growth in emerging markets.  Today, thousands of DuPont employees are collaborating with stakeholders and partners – including customers, governments and communities – to meet these complex challenges that will define the coming decades.

About HP:
HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP  is available at http://www.hp.com.