This year's FINAT World Congress, held recently in Italy, focused on how label converters have achieved – and can in the future – world class status in a number of different ways, from quality control to succession management, and through trends analysis and keeping abreast of developing technologies.
Proceedings opened with an industry update. Assografici, the Italian printing industry association, and GIPEA both provided analyses of the print industry in general and the label industry in particular; and FINAT managing director Jules Lejeune reported on trends in labelstock consumption. A useful address on the intricacies of doing business across borders – and continents – concluded the session.
Innovation and trends were the subjects covered by the second session, which focused strongly on smart labelling – including RFID – and the enormous possibilities it offers for narrow web converting. The final session was devoted exclusively to converter excellence, and no less than nine companies from across the globe showed delegates how they had achieved success in some key aspect of the self adhesive label business.
Open committee meetings and a workshop on FINAT's newly published 'End User Market Study' completed the formal programme. The congress was also the venue for the presentation of the FINAT International Labelling Competition awards. There was also the opportunity to introduce the incoming president of FINAT, Skanem's David Harrisson.
Some 360 delegates attended, and the event ended with a gala dinner.
The FINAT Annual Congress 2006 will be held in Warsaw, from June 7-10 June.
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