The future of printing – that’s what Labelexpo Europe, which will take place in Brussels (Belgium) from 11 to 14 September 2023, promises. The international printing ink specialist will present its comprehensive service concept as well as its three innovative series for flexo printing – iray, HYDRO-X, and Gecko. For Hubergroup, however, the focus will be on direct exchange with visitors.

"We always concentrate on how we can simplify our customers' work and combine this with sustainability. Personal contact with our customers is therefore very important to us, whether in water-based, solvent-based, or UV printing," says Dirk Bienek, sales director of UV Flexo Europe. The common features of the three series iray, HYDRO-X, and Gecko accordingly are a system approach, a sustainable formulation, and a wide range of services. 

The UV Flexo series iray is the latest series in the ink specialist's range. It was recently launched on the market and replaces the NewV Flexo series. The background to this relaunch is the improved performance of the products and the expansion into a complete system that provides all the products necessary for UV flexo printing.

The portfolio now also includes primers, lamination adhesives as well as low-migration inks and varnishes to offer customers a perfectly matched product range. The products cover a wide range of food and non-food applications and are characterized by high scratch resistance, good adhesion, low odor values, and high-yield inks. With the help of numerous laboratory tests, hubergroup also ensured that the inks and varnishes are drinkable on film and paper.

In addition, hubergroup is presenting its water-based portfolio at Labelexpo. The modular ink mixing system HYDRO-X consists of ink concentrates, blends, and additives that are perfectly matched and can be freely combined. This makes it suitable for a wide range of applications in flexo and gravure printing – from flexible packaging made of paper, aluminum, or plastic film to corrugated board or folding cartons. As part of the HYDRO-X Green Line Premium series, all ink compositions are also available with exclusively Cradle to Cradle certified components. The water-based portfolio is complemented by the water-based coatings of the HYDRO-LAC series. Depending on the requirements, protective properties such as heat and scuff resistance or physical properties such as anti-roll and anti-slip properties are available. A special highlight is the water-based barrier coatings HYDRO-LAC GA Oxygen Barrier Coating and HYDRO-X GA Water Barrier Coating, which improve the oxygen or water and grease resistance of mono-material packaging. 

The solvent-based Gecko brand, which stands for maximum reliability and good printability, completes the trio. The careful selection of raw materials and the modular structure of Gecko guarantee a wide range of applications – from food packaging made of polyolefins to aluminum packaging and flexible films for outdoor storage. In line with hubergroup's system approach, the portfolio also includes varnishes, additives, and primers so that customers can obtain all the products they need from a single source. When developing Gecko, the printing ink specialist also paid particular attention to sustainability and recyclability. As part of the Gecko Green Line Premium series, the printing inks are therefore also available with Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze certification.

Dirk Bienek sums up and said, "At Labelexpo, we offer insights into our holistic, sustainable portfolio and present our comprehensive service concept. Come and see for yourself. We look forward to meeting you!"