BOBST, Sun Chemical Drive Sustainability in Label Market

It’s a time when the global economy is in the middle of a lengthy period of uncertainty. Even discounting the many headline-making geopolitical issues facing the world, complex industry-specific regulations are having a profound impact on the market, creating a requirement for businesses to stay up-to-date with the latest compliance needs.

However, labels are an essential item that virtually every other industry relies on, meaning converters can turn these challenges into opportunities by balancing cost efficiency with their sustainability goals.

As the benchmark in label press performance, BOBST takes its role as an industry expert seriously when collaborating with converters and innovating alongside partners to drive the industry forward.

Industry experts Jonathan Sexton, Marketing Director Narrow Web and Screen, Sun Chemical, and Angelo Monaco, Prepress, Workflow and Quality Product Manager, BOBST, provide insights during these turbulent times, offering their valuable perspectives on the path towards a more environmentally responsible label market.

Solving Challenges with Innovation

Some of the biggest challenges and opportunities lie in managing the impact of printing inks and coatings on recycling processes and ensuring compliance with new regulatory frameworks like the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Innovations that help enhance the quality of recovered materials could improve recycling rates. “Sun Chemical has developed a range of inks designed to either stay on or wash off labels during the washing stage of the recycling process,” says Sexton. “These include both UV and UV LED options designed to work without the use of a primer.”

Other developments include renewable material-based ink and coating products, as well as monoweb solutions that replace laminations, reducing material use and overall printing complexity. This could help support cost-effectiveness by reducing waste from label production, such as adhesives and laminates. It could also affect recyclability, facilitating closer collaboration with waste management facilities and creating opportunities for innovation in compostable films and recycled-content substrates.

Another key opportunity is UV LED curing, which reduces energy consumption. Sun Chemical and BOBST have collaborated to explore how they can support label converters in this difficult landscape.  “Sun Chemical is developing new-generation solutions to help label converters transition to UV LED printing, reducing energy consumption while improving efficiency,” adds Sexton.

When considering these innovations along with digital printing and workflow automation, converters have more options than ever to reduce waste, energy consumption, and material use across their operations. “We support sustainability through innovative technologies and responsible production. By working closely with industry partners, we test and introduce new solutions, integrating digitalised workflows to reduce waste and press downtime while maximising profitability,” says Monaco, adding the BOBST view of the label industry.

Focusing on Innovative Solutions

Sustainability is important – but so is quality, which remains the main priority for converters. Both BOBST and Sun Chemical agree that a sustainability-focused approach does not have to compromise print and application performance in order to deliver environmental benefits. The quality of UV LED printing has been enhanced over time as specialised inks and new machinery innovations have entered the market. Results achieved with high renewable content products, such as Sun Chemical’s SunVisto AquaGreen water-based inks, exceed the performance of conventional products for some substrates and applications.

With improved and automated quality control, automation, and digitalisation on its side, BOBST provides all the features converters need to ensure minimal waste while meeting high standards in quality demands.

Common Vision of a Sustainable Future

Both companies share a common vision of a sustainable future, and a drive to make it a reality in the coming years. “Sun Chemical takes pride in its sustainable ink technologies for label printing. This means developing solutions to meet evolving technical requirements driven by Design for Recycling and continually reducing our products’ environmental impact. This will enable labels to meet increasingly ambitious regional recycling targets and continue to be an attractive decoration and communication technology for products and packaging in the future,” says Sexton.

On the machine manufacturers’ side, BOBST envisions a circular future for the label supply chain, driven by market awareness, new technologies, and cost-effective materials. As demand shifts to smaller, more frequent print runs, BOBST automation and workflow solutions enhance responsiveness and flexibility. “Smart labels like RFID, NFC, and QR codes will optimise supply chains, reduce waste, and improve traceability for recycling. Our performance monitoring systems ensure process optimisation, minimising downtime for greater sustainability and profitability,” adds Monaco.

Achieving sustainability goals in the label market requires collaboration across the entire supply chain. No single entity can drive sustainability alone – press manufacturers, material suppliers, brand owners, converters, and recyclers must work together to create a more circular and efficient system.

Implementing Sustainable Practices

Sun Chemical employs a sustainability approach of optimising operations, designing products with a lower carbon footprint, and fostering collaborations with innovative suppliers and industry associations.

Working with suppliers on lower-impact alternatives like LED inks and thinner plastic films, making use of digital systems for monitoring performance to boost efficiency, and end-to-end solutions can all contribute to more streamlined operations and reduced waste.

Additionally, the use of smart labels incorporating RFID, NFC, and QR code technology can help optimise supply chains, reduce product waste, and provide traceability for more efficient recycling and reuse. To support converters in meeting market demand for smart labels and generate strong profits, BOBST uses its technology and expertise to optimise machine uptime using performance and consumption monitoring systems and advanced automation systems. This is also how converters can ensure a healthier planet with each press run.