Online features
- Home page
- Products
- Technology
- Environment
- Profiles
- Corporate
- Investment
- Events
- People
- Countries
- Agenda
- Analysis
- Blog
Latest magazine
Events
New developments in labels
From September 9 - 11, the centre of the graphic world will be in Rosemont, Illinois. This is where Labelexpo 2008 will be taking place. Visitors will find an exciting place with plenty of new developments. Drent Goebel will provide more information about the VSOP (Variable Sleeve Offset Printing) press that offers excellent printing solutions for all kinds of label and flexible packaging substrates.
‘Food Safety Certificates’
Drent Goebel has successfully proven that the offset press VSOP 850 can produce a pet food bag with UV offset inks, within the migration limits set by European legislation.
“Not only have we proven that we are able to produce pet food bags, we have also proven that we are able to print any kind of food or animal feed bag with a laminate structure of OPP/OPP. This material structure is widely used in the field of packaging snacks, candies, cookies and waffles,” says Oliver Thiele, sales manager and head of the Drent Goebel project team, which took care of the certification. When printing offset inks on film material, Drent Goebel needs to apply energy curing systems (UV or EB) to cure the inks on such flexible materials, which is solventless.
‘Declaration of Compliance’
Given the fact that offset inks do contain certain chemicals, the printer of such flexible packaging products needs to assure the brand owner that his products are safe, fit for purpose, and do not contaminate the packaged goods.
By being able to present a ‘Declaration of Compliance’ the printer can demonstrate that his products comply with the latest regulations for migration limits. Drent Goebel’s declaration of compliance supports their customers, establishing that UV, UV inert and EB offset on the VSOP is fit for purpose for food packaging and can be considered as a superior alternative to gravure and flexo.
Variable offset is the future
In the past four years, with over 60 installations in various markets worldwide, it has become clear that the VSOP surpasses flexo and gravure, with greater productivity and excellent offset print quality on a broad range of substrates.
Although the initial capital expenditure for an offset machine is heavier than for gravure or flexo, the costs of solvents, lower production costs, the VOC abatements and environmental issues will favour the use of offset which is 100% solvent free. With the new food safety compliance for the VSOP press in all available energy curable processes, Drent Goebel is certain that variable offset will grow strongly in the coming years.
