The organizers of Labelexpo Americas 2022 have confirmed the details of their conference and learning program for this year’s event.
The three-day educational program comprises: six one-hour themed conference sessions taking place on 13 and 14 September, the first two days of the three-day show; plus two technical half-day Label Academy led master classes over days two and three of the show.
Day one of the conference is designed to explore some of the label and package printing industry’s key technologies and trends, including industry 4.0/automation, and supply chain challenges. Among the session highlights is “What does an automated future look like?”, chaired by Steve Metcalf, Chief Marketing and IoT officer, Baldwin Technology, which will comprise a case study presentation followed by a discussion exploring how far automation will change the industry, the Industry 4.0 powerhouse and the next generation of fully automated digital converting.
Panelists include: Geert van Damme, Managing director, CERM; Christian Menegon, Global Business Development Manager, Labels & Packaging, HP Indigo; Rob Mayerson, President, Label Traxx; and Andrew M Boyd, President, Blue Label Packaging Company.
Other Day one speakers include: TLMI president Linnea Keen, Jules Lejeune, Managing Director, FINAT, and John Wynne, CEO, Fortis Solutions Group, who will open the conference with a joint overview of the global label market; while Mike Ferrari, Founder, Ferrari Innovation Solutions, will chair a panel discussion on supply chain complexities.
Day two is designed around future-proofing businesses. Topics include mergers and acquisitions, the changing industry landscape, and diversification. Session highlights include “The changing market landscape” panel discussion chaired by Bob Cronin, Managing Partner, The Open Approach. This will examine how M&A is shaping the label and package printing industry, and how converters are adapting.
Other Day two speakers include Bruce Hanson, CEO, AWT, who, together with Cronin, will precede this panel discussion with an opening session covering M&A and staying competitive. The conference closes with a case study presentation and panel discussion chaired by S-One LP’s VP of sales, Tom Hauenstein, on the topic “Opportunities beyond PS labels”, which delves into some of innovative ways the industry is diversifying. Panelists included Martin Leitner, Product Manager (Labels & Flexible Packaging) at Durst Group.
The two in-depth master classes will cover digital embellishment on 14 September, and self-adhesive label materials on 15 September. The former features themed sessions including: inkjet coating and varnishing given by Filip Weymans, Vice President Marketing, digital solutions, Xeikon; special effect inks and coatings, given by Mohammad S Farahat PhD, Director of R&D, Novel Device Technology, Sun Chemical; digital foiling techniques, given by Michael Aumann, Director – Digital Embellishment Solutions, Kurz; digital embellishment and laser die-cutting, given by Virgilio Micale, Director of Sales, Cartes; an Ecoleaf case study from ACTEGA; digital embellishment and workflow given by Uffe Nielsen, CEO, GM; integrating digital embellishment into existing systems; and the design and branding perspective, given by Doris Brown-McNally, brands innovation lead North America, HP Graphic Arts.
Topics covered in the self-adhesive label materials master class include: an introduction to the various materials in the marketplace, given by Andy Thomas-Emans, Strategic Director, Labelexpo Global Series; release liner substrates, given by Bruce Ruppert, Manager of Product Development, UPM Raflatac; different adhesive types given by Valerie Alexis, Senior Applications Specialist, Henkel; paper and synthetic paper face materials given by Angel Harvey, Senior Product Manager – prime paper and VI, Avery Dennison; non-paper face materials from 3M; identification and characteristics of self-adhesive materials from Mactac; new uses for label waste, given by Calvin Frost, Founder and Chairman, CEO Channeled Resources; and testing methods and procedures.
