Hey, the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewEXPO America is right around the corner, taking place in Nashville from April 30 to May 3. The trade show floor gets bigger and bigger every year, and to save you some time, we reached out to the exhibitors for a sneak peek of what they will be showing off at their booths this year. Stay tuned for the entire “What to see at CBC 2018” series over the next few weeks. It’s a great way to plan out your expo hall path and save some of that walking around time for drinking.
Axon
Booth 2744
Stop by the Axon booth #2744 at BrewEXPO America to learn more about the advantages of shrink sleeve labels for craft beer canners. Axon representatives can discuss the advantages of sleeve labels and demonstrate its shrink sleeve applicators and steam or convective heat tunnels.
Among the advantages offered, shrink sleeve labels can be produced in less time than preprinted cans and in quantities suitable for shorter-run products. They give the brewery greater inventory flexibility and cost-effective packaging. When exposed to heat in the heat tunnel, the sleeves shrink and mold perfectly to the contours of the can. Sleeves fool the eye into believing the can is printed. Additionally, shrink sleeves offer greater color vibrancy than available on preprinted cans.
Shrink sleeve applicators are paired with heat-shrink tunnels, which can be either electric or steam. For empty beer cans, both steam and electric tunnels work well to provide a high-quality shrink finish. If considering a steam tunnel, a low-pressure steam tunnel may offer the best solution as it may not require specialized licenses and it consumes less energy.
Not all applicators are the same in terms of ease of use and reliability. Be sure to stop by the Axon booth #2744 at BrewExpo America to see an applicator in action.
QuickLabel
Booth 2610
Visit QuickLabel in booth #2610 at the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewEXPO America to see its latest label materials engineered specifically for craft brew and winery applications. With a Materials Research Laboratory in-house, QuickLabel develops, tests and manufacturers the widest range of label materials and adhesives available. Recent label materials include:
- Material 188 — Inkjet High Gloss Silver Metallic Polypropylene. With mirror-like reflectivity, this label material is engineered to match the look of a traditional beer can for that no-label look with a temporarily repositionable adhesive. Addition of LustroLam is highly recommended. LustroLam is a great addition to any printed glossy label. By adding shine and abrasion resistance, it protects the printed surface from incidental contact with moisture and other liquids, as well as eliminates the residual feel of glossy inkjet-receptive labels.
- Material 223 — Inkjet Estate Label #8 Vellum Off-White Paper. Engineered to be repositionable, this label material offers wet strength and exceptional graphics for both water-based dye and pigment ink sets. This label is supplied on poly-coated Kraft paper liner.
- Material 237 — Inkjet Classic Crest Solar White Felt Textured Paper. This eggshell material is engineered to be repositionable, offering wet strength and producing exceptional graphics with both water-based dye and pigment ink sets. This label is supplied on poly-coated Kraft paper liner.
- Material 243 — Inkjet Estate Label #4 Textured White Laid Paper. Engineered to be removable in hot water, this label material has a texture reminiscent of a classic laid paper. Offering wet strength and exceptional graphics for both water-based dye and pigment ink sets, this label is supplied on poly-coated Kraft paper liner.
Domino
Booth 429
Stop by the Domino booth to hear from your own peers on why they chose Domino and the impact it has brought to their production. Victory Brewing enlists the help of Domino experts and their D320i Laser printers to create an effective process for their crucial “Enjoy By” date and why they now say, “It’s one less thing for us to worry about.”
After considering several sources for the coding equipment needed for their line, Mike Hess Brewing determined that only Domino met all their needs. “Domino was the one company that … not only had smart people on the ground here at our brewery in San Diego but also could support us since we’ve had it installed.”
The Ax-Series ink jet coders will also be featured at the CBC. Speed, accuracy and the ability to perform in tough and varied environments. This new generation of ink jet gives you gains in ink usage, droplet accuracy and placement at traditional print speeds. Continuous Inkjet technology is by far one of the best options for coding applications. It is fast, durable, easy to operate, simple to install and, best of all, extremely versatile. It can print on virtually any surface.
Weber Packaging
Booth 2111
Weber Packaging Solutions will be showcasing the PackLeader ELF-50 wrap-around label applicator at booth #2111 in Nashville. The ELF-50 is a portable wrap-around label applicator with the efficiency and mobility you need for your small craft beer production runs. This labeling system can be moved easily, so you can set up exactly where you’d like. It can be positioned on a tabletop or bench or moved in-line for automatic or semi-automatic applications — a convenience not found with heavier, more elaborate labeling machines.
The ELF-50’s standard one-button-teach product and label sensors can be effortlessly adjusted for various labeling applications. And, with the manual position adjustment setting, your labels are placed accurately on the product, each and every time. With a labeling speed of 52 ft per minute, the ELF-50 can handle small to medium production runs easily. And thanks to the user-friendly operating interface, changing to different labeling applications for various product sizes and types can be done simply and quickly.
The ELF-50 features a battery-free microprocessor control system that maintains default settings and memory even after the machine sits idle for a long period of time. Up to five settings can be stored for future use, so you don’t have to waste time re-entering the necessary information. Plus the ELF-50 has a stepper motor that essentially counts the “steps” necessary to reach the next label, ensuring fast, accurate label delivery.
It also features a production preset function that means the machine automatically stops once the predetermined quantity of products has been labeled.
Stop by their booth for a free sample of their craft beer labels. The craft beer labels on Go-Label will be printed on one of Weber’s HP Indigo digital label presses, offering low minimum orders and quick turn-around times. Go-Label has kept things simple for the ordering process, offering a range of three label materials (white semi-gloss paper, white flexlyte film or silver metallized paper) all of which are available with a top layer of either gloss or matte UV varnish, or gloss or matte film overlaminate.
To order, you simply pick how many labels you need (in rolls of 500), choose your label material and finishing material, upload your artwork and you are on your way to eye-catching custom craft beer labels. And if you find you need a very large quantity of craft beer labels or have lots of SKUs, you can contact Weber through the site for a fast quote.
Weber’s digital presses are capable of printing an amazing array of colors in sharp detail while the varnish/lamination finishing adds water-resistance and durability. And if you need help designing your labels, Weber has graphic artists on staff to assist you in creating a label that will get your brand noticed.
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