THE DATA FRONT

76 | l&l
Duffy (Bluestar Silicones). It was faced with the question where we will
see self-adhesive labels where we do not see them now, and what needs
to be done to convert ideas to reality. Once again, the beverage industry
was given as an example of how self-adhesive labels successfully
occupied new territory. But even in that area, the majority proportion
of the market is not yet using self adhesive labels. No doubt, further
innovations in terms of thinner materials and application technologies will
help self-adhesive labels in making further advances in this area towards
2020.
Labels getting smarter
In spite of growing competition from sleeves, wraparounds and in mould,
there is still a large potential for self-adhesive labels, provided the industry
remains innovative and cost efficient. Labels will only get smarter, like in
the case of RFID labels. Although these still have some time to go before
they can replace the bar code label in the supermarket, there is no doubt
that their evolution will follow the example of bar code labels when they
were first brought to market in the 1980s. The corresponding systems,
standards and readers were improved step by step to what they are today.
Joint R&D on recycling
But smart is not just RFID, and the possibilities are virtually endless – it
is just a matter of bringing together the right resources and expertise in
a consistent manner. This especially concerns joint R&D on recycling.
In a world where sustainability is becoming more and more important,
a substantial proportion of the liner materials used by final customers
disappears from as waste. Although already existing alternatives for
recycling could be used more effectively, the possibilities for liner
recycling should be widened substantially over the next decade.
According to sustainable best practices, research on recycling
possibilities should start at the product design stage, not after the
product has fulfilled its purpose. This, according to the panel, should
be the number 1 topic on the industry’s R&D agenda. These kinds of
developments can never be carried out individually, and collaborative
innovation can speed things up and improve the outcome. FINAT should
play an important role in bringing parties together and making sure every
party ‘speaks the same language’.
FINAT creates online portal
A new development to keep self-adhesive label printers and their supply chains
up-to-date with the latest information on technological developments, training and
education, R&D, standards and regulatory affairs has been launched on the internet
by industry association FINAT. The FINAT Knowledge Hub is a unique portal that
will also provide access to a comprehensive range of courses and seminars
relevant to the sector. It will serve as the distribution point for accurate and reliable
information and opinions to be shared between member companies of FINAT.
Jules Lejeune, managing director of FINAT, said: ‘This is a very important
development for our members and is intended to help keep them ahead of a very
competitive business in these recession-hit times. It is yet another new benefit for
members we have added to our long list.
‘As the self-adhesive label market continues to develop, new technologies,
materials and external influences are bringing about a diversity of exciting new
innovations and formats. It is very difficult for individual printers to keep track of
these, as they happen, but the Knowledge Hub will be their one-stop shop to all this
information.’ The Knowledge Hub will be accessible via a secure members’ login
at www.finateducation.com or through a link on the FINAT’s main site home page at
www.finat.com.
It will also contain educational modules prepared for FINAT by 4impression
Training to help in staff and customer familiarization. Other features of the
Knowledge Hub will be a searchable document archive and a glossary of terms
along with a bookshop of FINAT publications. The Knowledge Hub will be
administered by Robert Shimmin, of 4impression, and members are invited to post
their contributions to Robert Shimmin at 4impression@tiscali.co.uk.
‘Still some bright
spots in labeling
trends’ says report
There are small signs that growth is remaining in some
parts of Europe’s self-adhesive label industry – principally
Central, South and Eastern Europe – but it is much reduced
from the heady years of 2006 and 2007, according to a
new report.
Corey Reardon, president and chief executive officer of
Amsterdam-based AWA Alexander Watson Associates,
who is conducting an in-depth study into buying patterns
among end-users in the industry for FINAT, said: ‘There is a
lot of doom and gloom but within that there are some bright
sports which tend to offset the overall trend of the market
for softening.’
His company is compiling the results of FINAT’s fourth
End-User Survey, to be published in late Spring, which
contains feedback from around 200 brand owners across
a range of industries. All agree that there was a markedly
dramatic softening of the label market in the fourth quarter of
2008 as many users drew on stocks in hand – a trend that
has continued in the first quarter of 2009. In 2008 European
growth was between two to three percent – around 5.6 billion
square meters – which compares to a 4.3 percent increase in
2007 to 5.5 billion square meters. The slowdown in the fourth
quarter put the brake on early 2008 expansion.
The greatest regression has been in Western Europe, with
the UK and Scandinavia seeing particular contractions in
volumes, which prompts Reardon to forecast a static market
in this region in 2009. Eastern Europe is seen as the main
driver in 2009, having seen growth of eight to ten percent
seen in 2008 – but in some areas of that market only up by
five percent. Reardon tips Central and Southern Europe to see
a zero to two percent growth over the coming year. Reardon
said: ‘In terms of market segments, beer in the beverage area
is the driver for growth and for film labels overall with their
use in premium beers. It is rumored that a major European
brewery is changing to non-returnable glass bottles which
would facilitate the use of self-adhesive labels by reducing
the need for label removal. Anther plus is the investment by
breweries in new modular labelers that overcome the previous
barriers to entry for self-adhesive labels.’
More opportunities are seen for self-adhesive labels on
mineral water bottles while in wine bottling self-adhesives
continue to take over from wet glue labels. In food,
commented Reardon, there are ‘a number of possibilities’
with self-adhesives used on shrink wrap products and
flexible packaging driving some demand. ‘The idea of
reducing costs on chilled meals by replacing the card sleeve
with a self-adhesive label in the lidding is an opportunity.’
Household chemicals remain ‘a battleground’ and health
and beauty care will be a key sector as brand owners
are taking no risks in changing from high quality labeling
which enables self-adhesive to dominate. The specialist
pharmaceutical market will see ‘steady’ growth of three per
cent – ‘one of the highest growth areas today’, Reardon
said. The auto industry presents an interesting situation
where the numbers of vehicles built is declining but the use
of labels on each vehicle is increasing. FINAT’s End User
Survey will be published ahead of its annual conference,
being held at the Gloria Golf Resort, Antalya, Turkey
between June 10 and 12.
Labels&Labeling