Ajay Mehta, managing director, SMI, with his son, Rohit Mehta gave an interesting presentation at the LMAI conference in Kochi on the technical aspects of labelstocks. They started by explaining in detail the condition and features of self-adhesive labels that need to be taken into account. “Application temperature, service temperature and the adhesive properties at microscopic levels decide the performance of a label,” according to their informative presentation.
Ajay compared the requirements, advantages and disadvantages of large- and small-sized labels. He spoke about the inclination of the manufacturers towards thinner and squeezable packaging for the food and beverage industry due to the demand for cheaper packaging. He suggested PET liners as a solution given their tensile strength to prevent web breaks, thinner material with smooth surfaces providing greater label clarity. Reduced storage capacity, transportation cost, changeovers and waste are some of the benefits of this solution. He went into further detail, explaining the advantages of clear labels and water-based UV inks, non-permeable materials for food and pharma applications.
Referring to brand owners, Ajay said, “When brand owners make decisions based on economics, it is important to consult labelstock manufacturers so that the cost of label and not just the packaging can be moderated.” Rohit explained the applications and advantages of polyester liners and low migration adhesive for the pharma industry.
SMI Coated Products is working on the expansion of its product portfolio to include new coating machines, and niche label applications such as dissoluble labels and security labels. Ajay further added, “It is our endeavor to do better than yesterday and we consistently challenge ourselves to provide better solutions to our clients.”
Participating for the fourth time at Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, SMI will be launching new labelstock solutions at their stand 11A27 during the Labelexpo 2019.
