CL&D Opens New South Carolina Flexo Facility BY GREG KISHBAUGH
AWA Releases Report On IML Market
The in-mold label market has the most com- plex market structure and value chain con- figuration of any packaging decoration tech- nology, according to a new report from AWA Alexander Watson Associates.
CL&D is opening a new facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina. This new plant allows CL&D to increase its flexographic production capabilities with the inclusion of a brand new 52-inch wide web press. CL&D is a manufacturer of flexographic and digital printing prod- ucts for most unsupported film applications including 3- and 4-sided seal pouches, cold and heat seal bar wraps, gusseted pouches, shrink sleeves, stick packs, roll-fed labels, and vertical and horizontal form fill seal pouches.
The positioning of the molder between la- bel printer and end user/brand owner is not strictly an additional value chain step, as it basically integrates the supply of containers – not usually a feature of the label value chain – with the labeling operation, which is normal- ly a part of the filling operation conducted by the end user. Solid Growth In its latest study, AWA estimated that the in-mold label market grew by 1.8 percent in 2023. For the period 2023-2026 the global market for in-mold labels is forecast to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 3.3 percent. Regionally, Europe claims the largest mar- ket share with 56 percent of production hap- pening there. North America follows with 22 percent, Asia with 13 percent, and South America and AME with 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively.
“The additional capacity will serve our growing existing customers, as well as fuel our growth,” said Mike Hokanson, General Manager, CL&D. “The new wide-web capabilities opens up new markets and al- lows us to service our customers from small digital runs all the way to large quantities/sizes.” The new plant offers many added capabilities, which include: • 52-inch high-speed 10-color CI flexographic press with print regis- tration technology; • turreted continuous solventless lamination; • turreted high-speed slitting with automated unloading and load- ing; and • High speed seaming with turreted unwind and rewind The plant will be producing shrink sleeves, bundling film, cold seal and heat seal bar wrappers, pre-made gusseted and spouted pouches, HFFS and VFFS pouches, and stick packs.
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August 26, 2024
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