THE DATA FRONT

inBOX|11
InbOx
on corporate
sociaL responsibiLity:
Because of what I do (selling retail antitheft labels), CSr is
something I am not only able to promote professionally: I
benefit from it personally as well. My products not only make
the world safer for my family and friends; they make it a
safer place for your family and friends too. BSI allows me to
accept lower profits for the long term benefit that inherently
comes from ‘doing the right thing’, i.e.: CSr. That's how I
typically resell products (that I actually helped to develop) for
less than their own manufacturers demand for them. In that
example, which corporate model demonstrates the largest
commitment to CSr? Hint: It's almost never the big guys!
Craig Patterson
on training in tHe LabeL sector
As an instructor of flexography I would welcome the idea
of having a formalized international education and training
programs or systems. It is extremely important that the
information that the students learn is relevant and applicable
to the needs of the flexo industry.
The concept of accreditation is also welcome in the
educational system; we need to have accreditation to validate
our educational teaching materials and methods. one point
that I would like to make is that it is extremely important that
industry recognizes the accredited student, or worker who
has gone through the training process and has become
accredited. A student who pays there own way through a two
or four year degree in printing and has become accredited
in flexography should be in higher demand and should be
compensated with a higher starting pay. As instructors in
the educational system, we are there to meet the needs of
students and industry, and what better way is there, than to
define the educational expectations of industry?
rene Church
From a rotary cutting tool supplier point of view, this type of
standardization within the converting industry’s training body
can only advance product awareness and technologies both
to new and existing operatives. I see many excellent people
unable to go out of their ‘specialized field comfort zone’ only
to be held back by lack of training or knowledge, or even
unable to fund ongoing education within our industry. By
bringing costs of seminar training down to an affordable level
then individuals can then learn different aspects of converting
not directly associated to their daily task, resulting in swifter
understandings of problematic fields and applications.
Dean Morris
on environMentaL sustainabiLity
The key point is that clients want ‘Green’ because the public
want ‘Green’. So there is no option but to have a ‘Green’
offering.
Mark
For extended versions of these threads, plus the chance to
contribute, visit www.labelsandlabeling.com/blog.
tHe cHaLLenges
presented by gLobaLization
Globalization has created some problems in the label sector,
as it has in other areas. The suppliers and the customers
of label producers buy smaller companies in their sectors
and this negatively affects the selling/buying power of
label producers. The buyers and sellers are now stronger.
Multinational companies demand multinational standards
for products and services, and internet tenders force label
printers to ‘run with the hare and hunt with the hounds’.
The biggest problem of globalization for Turkish label
producers stems from Turkey being outside of the European
union. At the same time there is a considerable distance
between us and Eu countries.
I think there are two general solutions for Turkish label
producers for these problems: firstly, joint ventures with big
multinationals for survival; secondly, getting special and
low quantity orders from niche markets, building on special
relationships and providing the required quality in the
shortest possible period. At the same time, reducing scale
for survival.
The problems of the Turkish label sector cannot be solved
individually. The solution requires being together under
an association. Also, we must be ready for international
competition by selecting one of the above choices. Turkish
label manufacturers are lucky today, because although
we are a country with a population of 72 million, demand
in Turkey is still not high enough to attract foreign label
producers.
on the other hand, ‘A’ quality labelstock is not often used
for this low demand work. Turkish label users initially check
the price, then the terms and last of all the quality. The
agreements between the label producer and the customer
usually do not exceed a month. Annual agreements, and
longer, are very rare.
In the future, annual consumption in the Turkish label
market will be similar in quantity to elsewhere in the
European market and quality will be important. Turkish
label producers must be ready for this. So, being a FInAT
member helps them to learn the experiences of other label
producers.
Aydin okay, president, Turkish Label Association,
and managing director, Canpas
may 2009 | L&L