Brand owners are increasingly moving away from self-adhesive labels to shrink sleeves and some are investing in automatic applicator systems. MD Teresa Adinolfi explains that in keeping with Redfern Long Run Labels’ philosophy of keeping ahead of market trends and partnering with customers for the long run, the company has invested in shrink sleeve converting machinery so that it can supply customers with these solutions.
The converting process starts with the latest generation DCM Sleeve EVO, which is configured as a single unwinder and rewinder seamer to form sleeves with a lay-flat width of 50 to 300mm. ‘The DCM Sleeve Evo is equipped with fully automatic measurement and adjustment of the lay-flat width, glue amount and position to ensure better precision. This seamer achieves minimum tolerances of around 0.25mm, even at its maximum production speed of 500m/min. It works within the set tolerance values to automatically and rapidly adjust any deviations,’ asserts local market representative Uwe Bögl of packwise-africa. ‘To minimise operator mistakes, all tested and approved machine settings can be stored and recalled from the internal computer to automatically set up the seamer for repeat orders.’
Any defects are automatically flagged and reported so that the reels can be corrected on the DCM Babycat 4 inspection and doctoring rewinder, which is equipped with a stroboscope for inline print quality control, an automatic edge guide with integrated and adjustable oscillation and ultrasonic lay-flat width measurement. According to Uwe, the operator can also check the seam quality (position, strength and amount of overlapping), remove a butt-joint if a customer will be using high-speed automatic applicators, change the core diameter according to the applicator’s specifications and specify the number of sleeves per roll.
Teresa points out that it is vital Redfern Labels can offer customers quality reassurances in terms of automatic and hand-applied shrink sleeves plus tamper-proof features due to heightened security needs in the food and beverage industry.
‘The DCM Babycat 4 ticks all the quality boxes because it automates the inspection process and helps us to “inspect what we expect” and strive for zero tolerance when it comes to quality errors,’ she notes. ‘The DCM Sleevecut 4 finishing machine’s inline cross- and T-perforation capabilities, on the other hand, helps us meet the growing tamper evidence needs of current and future customers.’
Uwe adds that the DCM Sleevecut 4 is a fully automated, high-speed guillotine for cutting the sleeves that come off the seamer and inspection-doctoring machines in roll form into singles. This is a necessary feature as the majority of shrink sleeves in South Africa are applied by hand.
Collaborative approach
Asked to comment on the company’s choice of equipment, Teresa remarks: ‘Because this was a new market venture for us, the technical team undertook a comprehensive study of potential suppliers and compiled a list of non-negotiable and negotiable needs. We chose DCM and packwise-africa because they met and understood our values and needs.
‘Additionally, director Uwe Bögl had the necessary technical skills and label production industry experience to guide us step-by-step through the key market opportunities, best practices, quality control parameters and testing methods as well as provide comprehensive training so that our operators could develop the requisite skills on this sophisticated converting machinery,’ she reports.
Uwe agrees that excellent engagement leads to better results and that thorough training is required to master this specialised and complex technology so that it can be well maintained, set up and run at the highest possible speed. ‘Our two follow-up training sessions have, for instance, focused on the challenges they were facing such as decreasing the static load and checking the machine performance data to see how they could achieve higher production speeds through implementing set up tricks that improve productivity and efficiency,’ he reports.
Once the in-depth training is completed, packwise-africa launches a WhatsApp group for the operators, maintenance team and management, so that everyone can get follow up information, troubleshooting advice and immediate support. ‘It was good fun working with the Redfern Labels team because they were well organised, eager to learn, took pride in keeping the machines clean and saw productivity improvements as a sporting challenge rather than a threat,’ Uwe reveals.
Teresa emphasises that this attitude starts with a promise to each other and the market of labelling excellence. ‘Communication is key; we work as a team and ask a lot of questions to gain a better understanding of customers’ needs so that we can get the specifications right and deliver on all expectations,’ she notes. ‘Additionally, keeping machines clean and well maintained is key to efficient production. There’s no compromise on machine efficiency, which means that we review them weekly, schedule services when they’re required and inform everyone internally of when and how long they will be down for.’
Sustainability journey
Teresa points out that the other pillar that Redfern Labels is focused on is sustainability. The company is staying abreast of supplier developments in terms of sustainable labelling products. Among many solutions, and as a result of advanced adhesive properties, labels can be separated from the containers in the recycling process.
She notes that there are many opportunities in recycling but that they require massive investment, infrastructure and commitment to the cause. ‘They also need to be balanced against packaging’s role in protecting consumers’ health and safety, informing them of product content and promoting brand identification and differentiation.
‘In terms of shrink sleeves, we are promoting PET over PVC because it makes the recycling process simpler but concede that it is easier to shrink PVC during the hand application process. We are, however, continually looking into how we can assist in the glass and plastics recycling chains and are very keen to be part of the solution for a better environment,’ Teresa concludes.
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Ed’s note: packwise-africa has been selected as the Best Packaging Printing and Converting Agency in sub-Saharan Africa during Acquisition International’s eighth annual Business Excellence Awards.
