27-10-16
FINAT news
ISO releases technical specifications on "Label materials"
Last August, ISO published an International Technical Specification (ISO/TS) titled ISO DTS 18614: Packaging – Label Material – Required information for ordering and specifying self-adhesive labels. Alongside the German Association VskE, FINAT had significant involvement via DIN in the creation of this document.
An important part of the Technical Specification is the checklist in standards appendix A for ordering and specifying self-adhesive labels. It was compiled by VskE in a combined workgroup with FINAT, users and adhesive bond manufacturers. The English version of this checklist, as well as appendix C, is public and available free of charge from ISO at the following link: http://standards.iso.org/iso/18614.
History of the project
Via the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS), the two multinationals Ericsson and IKEA submitted a standardisation proposal for the preparation of technical specifications for label materials. In a Europe-wide vote, supporters of the proposal achieved a majority in favour of launching the project. As a result, the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) set up the ISO/TC 122/WG 14 Label Materials workgroup.
Work has been ongoing on the content of these documents since December 2013; and as a first step, this content is expected to be approved as internationally valid technical specifications for label materials. The declared aim, however, was to convert this into an ISO standard following a transition period of three years. With this in mind, these ISO/TS documents were expected to have repercussions on the development and manufacturing processes in the label sector.
On behalf of their respective members, VskE and FINAT had a fundamental interest in retaining an active influence on the development process, despite the fact that Germany was the only European country that originally rejected the application in agreement with the VskE, via the Deutsche Institut für Normung (DIN). After verifying the actual background context, both organisations were of the opinion that with adequately trained personnel and/or standard knowledge of the materials, a standardisation project of this nature would be superfluous.
However, due to the acceptance of the project on an international level and the subsequent acceptance into the ISO work programme, there was still a requirement to bring attention to the activities of the ISO/TC 122/WG 14 Label Materials workgroup on a national level. This was made easier by the decision from FINAT at the start of 2014 to join the project alongside VskE as a member of the DIN mirror committee. The decision to actively support the international standardisation work was the only option for addressing the members' interests.
For this reason, the Label Materials workgroup (NA 115-01-03-03 AK) was established at DIN. The inaugural meeting took place on 5th May 2014 in Berlin. The AK3 Label Materials workgroup was established as part of the packaging standards committee (NA 115-01-03 AA Marking).
The following representatives from the label sector participated in this committee on developing this (now published) Technical Specification:
FINAT would like to thank the representatives from VskE and FINAT who dedicated their expertise to the project for their successful engagement. In due course, a FINAT webinar will be held to present the main features of the specification.
An important part of the Technical Specification is the checklist in standards appendix A for ordering and specifying self-adhesive labels. It was compiled by VskE in a combined workgroup with FINAT, users and adhesive bond manufacturers. The English version of this checklist, as well as appendix C, is public and available free of charge from ISO at the following link: http://standards.iso.org/iso/18614.
History of the project
Via the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS), the two multinationals Ericsson and IKEA submitted a standardisation proposal for the preparation of technical specifications for label materials. In a Europe-wide vote, supporters of the proposal achieved a majority in favour of launching the project. As a result, the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) set up the ISO/TC 122/WG 14 Label Materials workgroup.
Work has been ongoing on the content of these documents since December 2013; and as a first step, this content is expected to be approved as internationally valid technical specifications for label materials. The declared aim, however, was to convert this into an ISO standard following a transition period of three years. With this in mind, these ISO/TS documents were expected to have repercussions on the development and manufacturing processes in the label sector.
On behalf of their respective members, VskE and FINAT had a fundamental interest in retaining an active influence on the development process, despite the fact that Germany was the only European country that originally rejected the application in agreement with the VskE, via the Deutsche Institut für Normung (DIN). After verifying the actual background context, both organisations were of the opinion that with adequately trained personnel and/or standard knowledge of the materials, a standardisation project of this nature would be superfluous.
However, due to the acceptance of the project on an international level and the subsequent acceptance into the ISO work programme, there was still a requirement to bring attention to the activities of the ISO/TC 122/WG 14 Label Materials workgroup on a national level. This was made easier by the decision from FINAT at the start of 2014 to join the project alongside VskE as a member of the DIN mirror committee. The decision to actively support the international standardisation work was the only option for addressing the members' interests.
For this reason, the Label Materials workgroup (NA 115-01-03-03 AK) was established at DIN. The inaugural meeting took place on 5th May 2014 in Berlin. The AK3 Label Materials workgroup was established as part of the packaging standards committee (NA 115-01-03 AA Marking).
The following representatives from the label sector participated in this committee on developing this (now published) Technical Specification:
- Klemens Ehrlitzer (VskE, Workgroup Leader)
- Dr. Ulli Nägele (Herma),
- Kurt Walker (FINAT)
FINAT would like to thank the representatives from VskE and FINAT who dedicated their expertise to the project for their successful engagement. In due course, a FINAT webinar will be held to present the main features of the specification.