Hot melt coating is now widely used to produce pressure sensitive labels. The traditional method of printing pre-manufactured label stock is now being attacked by printers who want to produce their own label stock in-line on the printing press. This can be achieved by adding a hot melt coating station onto the print press. The coating unit applies pressure sensitive hot melt adhesive or other types of hot melt adhesive only to the areas requiring adhesive. This means that the adhesive can be applied in stripes or patches. This can increase efficiency and also allow special products to be manufactured with, for example, print underneath the adhesive.
In the last five years there has been a growing trend to reducing packaging waste. As a result, there has been a growth in the use of linerless labels - when the labels are applied there is no liner to throw away. Universal Converting Equipment has worked with Universal Adhesive Systems and ITW Dynatec to develop a solution for this market. Special coating technology is used to apply up to 16 narrow stripes of adhesive onto materials up to 600mm wide. Fast change die design allows the coating pattern to be change in a matter of minutes whilst still achieving precise coat weights.
The Universal hot melt coating system can be built into existing equipment or supplied as a complete coating line with in-line silicone coating, slitting and turret rewinding. For the label printer, more of the product added value is in their hands and once the technology is installed it opens up the possibility of other new product areas. Hot melt coated linerless labels are now a significant part of the printed label market.
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