Hello and welcome to the latest issue of Converting Today. Our cover feature this month places the spotlight firmly on innovation in the prepress sector, Nessan Cleary recognises that packaging typically uses a lot of spot colours but managing or reducing the number of spot colours at the prepress stage can lead to cost savings.
With the primary trends in the packaging sector centred around finding faster routes to market, at lower costs with more product
variation, these result in extra complexity, especially at the prepress stage. Where there is more product variation, there are more files to handle, and more plates to make, often on a wider range of substrates, making it more difficult to achieve consistency.
This month we also focus on the latest developments in the European paper and board sector. With new research from Smithers
Pira valuing the global market for food contact paper and board at more than $53 billion (€41 billion), it's no surprise to see a raft of
developments across these markets.
Growth in markets such as food and drinks, among others, has catalysed a swathe of innovation in the paper and board sector, so
we take a look at some of the latest developments from suppliers such as Metsä Board, Sappi and Stora Enso.
Paper manufacturer Sappi also contributes its take on the main issues facing the paper industry today and provides an insight into
just how companies such as these are addressing them.
Finally this month, we turn our attention to the web cleaning market. Increasing web speeds and a diverse, widening range of
technologies means that web cleaning manufacturers must be at the top of their game to ensure that packaging converters operate
clean, efficient production environments.
From my frequent conversations with those in the converting environment, 2013 is proving as challenging and demanding as ever.
As a result, converters are required to operate lean, efficient production environments and as a result, it is imperative that these
firms get the best out of their machinery time-and-time again.
It's encouraging, then, to find firms such as Meech International and Teknek continuing to develop products that enable converters
to operate productive pressrooms while remaining within their means.
And finally, for those attending the Total Processing & Packaging Exhibition at the Birmingham NEC, I trust your visit proves to be a successful one and I hope to see you there.
Tim Sheahan, Editor
