Color Labels On Demand: Pack Expo 2013

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Pack Expo 2013

From September 23 to 25, I exhibited in Las Vegas at Pack Expo 2013 (http://www.packexpo.com/), the premier packaging show.

At the show, I saw more companies showing print on-demand color labels than ever before. Let me give you a sample of what I saw.

The biggest surprise was all of the companies showing color label printers utilizing Memjet (http://www.memjet.com/) technology. Afinia Label (http://afinialabel.com/), ColorDyne (http://www.colordynetech.com/), Trojan Label (http://trojanlabel.com/) and Xante (http://www.xante.com/).

Afinia is a division of Microboards (http://www.microboards.com/) from Minneapolis, MN who specializes in DVD duplicators and printers.

Like the other printers using the Memjet printhead, the L-801 label printer produces beautiful print quality at speeds up to 12” per second. Plus this printer includes an 8” unwinder and media cover, which is important to protect the media and printhead from dust.

With the printer, Afinia includes BarTender from Seagull Scientific (http://www.bartenderbarcodesoftware.com/label-software/welcome.aspx), for producing variable data labels. If you need to match colors precisely, Afinia partners with Wasatch (http://www.wasatch.com/softripmain.html), to provide a RIP (raster image processor) software. Finally, Afinia sells the lowest cost printer of this group, with a list price of the basic printer at $8,995. For companies just starting to print in-plant prime labels, the Afinia label printer is a good option.

In addition to the Afinia printer, I saw the Trojan label printer.

This Danish company with US headquarters in Alabama sells the most “aesthetically pleasing” label printer in the Memjet group of partner companies, utilizing a stainless steel cover. In addition, Trojan label provides a browser-based application to connect to the printer. Here, Trojan showed an Android device connected to the printer.

In addition, Trojan offers the capability to connect to the printer via VPN. This connections allows Trojan tech support to configure, train and troubleshoot printers anywhere in the world. As on-site support is an issue with the Memjet partner companies, the VPN connection could be a very valuable capability to consider when purchasing an in-plant prime label printer.

If you prefer thermal transfer printers but need to comply to the GHS label requirements, CAB Technologies offers a two-color label printer; the XC series.

CAB Technologies worked with Mactac (www.mactac.com) and ITW Thermal Films (www.itwthermalfilms.com) to produce a thermal transfer 2-color, printing solution. With the ribbon saver and precise heat settings in the printhead, this printer produces BS5609 certified labels requiring black and red colors.