1. 
William (Bill) Llewellyn, AWA’s VP & senior consultant, Arie Looije, senior conference coordinator, and Gill Loubser, media partner. Bill provided a comprehensive review of the global wine and label markets, and highlighted a product authentication case study, while Gill’s presentation called for the re-establishment of a local labelling association.
2. Gareth Pearson (left), CEO of BMI Business Market Intelligence, covered local food and beverage packaging trends, while Uwe Bögl (right), MD of Rako Labels Cape Town, described the many functions fulfilled by labels as what he described as ‘packaging all-rounders’. With them are Amanda Jones of Paragon Inks in Scotland and a visiting UK journalist, Larry Nelson, editor/publisher of Brewers’ Guardian.
3. A key message from Zoyon le Sueur (right), technical director of Collotype Labels, was that converters have to move beyond their traditional supplier roles. Enjoying the cocktail party with him are Keith Redmond, Flint Group Narrow-Web’s interim general manager for South Africa, and Larry Nelson of Brewers’ Guardian.
4. Paragon Inks International (based in Scotland) was a Platinum Sponsor of DecTec 2011 Africa. International sales manager, Amanda Jones’ thought-provoking presentation was entitled ‘Price – you get what you pay for’. Another excellent presentation came from Georgina Webb from Spear (on the eve of her relocation back to the UK), who explored sustainability from a label industry perspective.
5. Harry Havenga, Avery Dennison’s marketing product manager (labelling and packaging materials) covered macro consumer trends and key market drivers as unveiled by Avery Dennison’s global research. He drew delegates’ attention to Avery Dennison’s latest products – Curvy and Flexis (see page 92). With him is Troy Cochran, key account manager, Spear Rsystem Packaging Africa.
6. As a Platinum Sponsor, Avery Dennison was represented at DecTec by sales and marketing director, Gavin Turner, and marketing product manager, Harry Havenga. During a coffee break they caught up with John Bortolan (retired Nampak MD, now a consultant with Roll On Labels), and his son Brett Bortolan, a director of Roll On Labels.
7. Ian Beswick (right), chairman and founder of Beswick Machinery, told delegates about the revolutionary Aniflo keyless inking system that brings offset into the digital arena. Among conference delegates was a four-man contingent from Uniprint in Durban, including national sales manager, Tim Hancock (left).
8.Another overseas speaker was André Soterio (right), product manager for Yupo Europe, discussing IML world trends and giving sustainability comparisons. Assisting with the company’s exhibit is Nick Gillings of Antalis (local agent for Yupo).
9. All the way from Sweden came Niklas Olsson, global brand manager for Flint Group Narrow-Web, whose presentation focused on ink developments and challenges in adding value to product decoration. And from the UK came Peter Ludlam, sales director for Accraply, who talked about new horizons and challenges in sleeve label markets. His message: ‘Embrace the technology, but get it right!’
10. Shaun Kennedy, Thunderbolt Solutions’ product manager, gave food for thought when he threw the spotlight on the potential of web-fed offset as an economical printing method for the labelling, flexible packaging and board packaging industry. With him are the two-man Label It delegation – Ian Langerman and Richard Laroque.
11. Enjoying the cocktail party at the end of day one were Selwyn Spolander (Seldenrod), Ushir Mehta (Uniprint), Manesh Singh (Sappi Paper & Paper Packaging), Bruce Beswick (Beswick Machinery), and Riaan Hopley (Beswick Machinery).
12. Also enjoying cocktails were Tessa Hattingh (Sappi Paper & Paper Packaging) and Peter Ludlam (Accraply).
