SMART DESIGN

LABELS&LABELING |99
CARTES finishing equipment provides hot
stamping, silkscreen printing and die-cutting
between Raal and Labels Bolivia. The
phone system is even set up so that
Gustavo Alterman needs only to dial
Romina Morgenstein’s extension to
reach her in Bolivia.
Raal has further diversified its offering
to the market by establishing a series
of distribution agreements, the latest
of which sees it represent machines
from US-based Allen Datagraph. The
company also distributes applicators
for US-based Start International and
Bolivian company Control Experto.
One of the first ISO:2001 certified label
converters in Argentina, Raal uses no
solvents – preferring water-based inks
from Water Ink – and is working with
Avery Dennison in the pilot phase of its
liner recycling program that sees waste
sent to the labelstock manufacturer’s
plant in San Luis, Argentina, for
repurpose.
Raal has experienced 50 percent
annual growth for each of the last three
years, with Alterman citing an increased
focus on sales within the company and
the arrival of the HP Indigo digital press.
A restructuring of the offices was also
underway during L&L’s visit, aimed at
further increasing productivity.
Its experience with Grupo Ravi in
Bolivia has left the company open to
similar opportunities in other parts of
the region, says Alterman.
ALLEN DATAGRAPH APPOINTS RAAL
AS ARGENTINA DISTRIBUTOR
Allen Datagraph Systems (ADSI), a US-based
manufacturer of digital printing and converting
systems, has appointed Artes Gráficas Raal as its
distributor for the iTech Axxis digital label printer
and finisher. As well as Argentina, the distribution
deal covers Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The iTech Axxis Digital Label System is
comprised of both the iTech Axxis Digital Label
Printer, a high-resolution roll-fed CMYK Epson
print engine featuring variable-droplet technology,
and the iTech Axxis Digital Label Finisher that
laminates, integrates die-less die-cutting, and
both strips and rewinds the label.
With a wide variety of available substrates
– paper, polyester and polypropylene – the
system can print labels of any shape and size
on substrate widths from four inches (102mm)
to eight and a half inches (216mm) in rolls
with a maximum outside diameter of 11 inches
(280mm).
Gustavo Alterman, general manager of Artes
Gráficas Raal, said: ‘These machines are suited
to label converters looking for a solution for
short run work as well as end users – such
as automotive terminals and home appliance
manufacturers – who require just-in-time
production. These companies often need short
runs of labels with multiple changes of color
and size. The iTech Axxis Digital Label System
eliminates the costs involved in multiple job
changes and allows the independent production
of self-adhesive labels.’
JULY 2012 | L&L