And now his hard work is being rewarded. While Coates Brothers has been steadily increasing its pace of entry into the narrow-web market, a supply agreement signed recently with CCL Label in Stellenbosch marks a significant breakthrough.
‘Securing a supply agreement with a dedicated narrow-web printer is the culmination of two years of years of hard work with specific focus on the narrow-web sector, ably headed by Mickey Beley,’ comments Coates Brothers MD, John Bisset. ‘This vindicates our approach to dedicating resources to focusing specifically on this market sector,’ he adds.
Following a successful tender process, Coates Brothers is proud to have gained this new service and supply agreement with CCL Label. Initially the contract covers the supply of products for printing pressure-sensitive labels, including SolarFlex Nova (UV flexo inks), SolarScreen (UV rotary screen inks) and SolarClear (UV varnishes).
Also included are special effect products such as Heptabond and RT Hartmann inks for solvent-based gravure printing and Mydrin solvent-based adhesives.
‘In addition, we will install an ink dispenser and will service this with a full-time in-plant technician,’ John explains.
The Solaris line-up includes ink management systems such as the Solaris Colorsat to ensure speed, accuracy and consistency, helping to match colours accurately at start-up, to improve productivity, and to reduce waste.
Solaris products include high-performance inks and customised solutions specially formulated to meet customers’ needs. These inks can be paired with coatings that add effects such as gloss, matt and chemical resistance. The full line-up includes products for virtually all narrow-web printing processes, including UV flexo, water-based flexo, solvent-based flexo UV rotary screen whites and colours, UV letterpress and UV lithography; and all are designed to help printers and brand owners to improve productivity and efficiency. Dedicated narrow-web resources within the Sun group ensure that Coates can offer technical expertise and reliable inks to customers in South Africa.
Global key account
Globally, CCL Label is a key account for Sun Chemical, a fact that allows Coates to tap into global initiatives for the benefit of local customers. ‘We bring unparalleled strength in the broader packaging market which can open new horizons for narrow-web printers. We have the confidence that an experienced global partner brings,’ John comments.
‘We are extremely proud to have been selected by CCL Labels as their ink supplier and partner of choice. We hope to feed off the palpable energy and enthusiasm that abounds in the CCL Label’s team and to reward their confidence in choosing Coates Brothers and Sun Chemical by demonstrating that our significant value proposition will make a positive impact on CCL Label’s business,’ John remarks.
‘This is a partnership in the true sense of the word! ‘
Sun Chemical supports product relaunch 
AT Labelexpo, Sun Chemical demonstrated its commitment to its customers by highlighting its involvement in the relaunch of Landkelterei Höhl’s fizzy drink mix, POMP. The drink, which comprises one-third cider and two-thirds sparkling Riesling, is a light and fruity wine that has been on the market since 2002. The redesigned label has contributed to a 23% growth in the product’s turnover since it was relaunched.
Since its original launch, the company has launched two new products: POMP blanc and POMP rosé. As the result, the company felt this was a perfect time to revitalise both the name and label for POMP secco, which was becoming synonymous with lower-quality sparkling wine.
As a result, Dr Johanna Höhl (MD of Höhl and inventor of the drink) and designer Anna Seibel began discussions with Sun Chemical and the X-label group.
The group eventually settled on a new POMP logo, which appears in violet on an orange and gold background. In addition to the change of design, Sun Chemical suggested changing the printing process from a simple offset print method in favour of a narrow-web method, using Sun Chemical’s Solaris range of products. This new print process improves the gloss and metallic effects, and the narrow-web process enables Höhl to expand the range of materials that can be printed – for example, shrink films.
X-label group produced three different versions of the new label. The final choice integrates four colours and two different varnishes. Apart from the three background colours (two different shades of orange and the violet in the POMP logo), it was printed using Sun Chemical’s SolarFlex Nova Metallic. The label was coated with a gloss varnish and the POMP logo added afterwards using a relief varnish from Sun Chemical’s SolarScreen Whites range.
X-Label MD, Jan Oberbeck, is also delighted with the outcome: ‘This project has enabled us to showcase our technical expertise, while allowing us to showcase the product’s new image. Our work on this project will certainly be helpful for us with future work.’
Uwe Boerner, European sales manager – Narrow Web, Sun Chemical, adds: ‘The POMP story demonstrates our knowledge of the market and our commitment to “Working for You”.’
