Avery Dennison puts it all together with eight partners

First label knowledge-sharing centre in South Asia

Avery Dennison inaugurated its knowledge centre in the Peenya Industrial area of Bengaluru on 18 August 2012. The fully equipped label production centre adjoining the Avery Dennison slitting and rewinding facility contains a conference room for discussion and training and a complete production set up production workflow spaces containing prepress software and equipment from EskoArtwork, DuPont and Tarng Yung, a Gallus EM 280 label press in the pressroom, a cabin with tooling from Rotometrics and inks provided by Flint, and another cabin for the anilox rollers by Zescher and an anilox cleaning system from Alphasonics. Within the pressroom there is also a label applicator from Avery so that the entire label production process can be explained, proven, demonstrated and even tested.

The knowledge centre for labels is a huge accomplishment for Avery Dennison and its partners. It is clearly seen as the place where education and training, prototyping, innovation, and testing can be done for label printers regardless of who their suppliers are. The centre will showcase the latest trends and innovations in the pressure-sensitive label industry, as well as holding training and knowledge-sharing sessions. It is seen by all the partners as a place to give hands-on training to operators and technicians on real up-to-date equipment. It is likely that that when things get going the centre will also be able to discuss industry best practices including lean production and 5S.

The weekend event allowed the partners to share the centre with brand owners, label designers and buyers as well with a huge turnout of more than 160 label printers from all over India. Avery Dennison and Gallus joined hands to build a somewhat similar flexo academy in Shanghai in 2000 and now, twelve years later the first of its kind centre for the South Asia region is up and running. Courses are already planned (and material has been prepared) for September and the schedule of courses will be released imminently.

According to Anil Sharma, managing director, Avery Dennison Materials Group South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, “Avery Dennison is committed to supporting the ongoing development of the South Asia labeling industry. The new Bengaluru knowledge centre will ensure that industry stakeholders in the region have all the information they need to extract the full benefit from pressure-sensitive materials and realize the great opportunities for growth in our developing economy.”

There is no question that the Indian label printers responded to the opening of the knowledge centre with great enthusiasm. The partners too seemed overwhelmed by the seriousness of the many label printers and converters who traveled to Bengaluru and showed keen interest with their questions, suggestions and commitment to sending staff for training to centre.