What We Can Make
Face stock, surface finish and decoration combine into the label you actually need. This page lists what we run every day and where the limits are — so you can check your specification before asking for a quote.
Face Stocks
| Material | Properties | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Coated paper | Good print reproduction, not water-resistant, lowest cost | Food cartons, dry goods, instruction labels |
| Synthetic BOPP | Waterproof, tear-resistant, oil-resistant | Personal care, chemicals, chilled and outdoor products |
| Clear BOPP | No-label look on transparent containers | Glass and clear plastic bottles, beverages |
| PE | Soft, deforms with the container | Squeeze bottles, tubes, creams |
| Metallic silver BOPP | Metallic appearance, weather-resistant | Electronics, automotive parts, nameplates, asset tags |
PET, polyimide, synthetic paper, kraft, thermal and other stocks are also available — see label materials for the full range. We work with Avery Dennison, UPM Raflatac and other recognised suppliers; if your brand specifies a particular construction, send it and we will confirm availability before quoting.
Surface Finishes
| Finish | Effect |
|---|---|
| Gloss varnish | Basic protection at the lowest cost |
| Printable matt varnish | Matt surface that still accepts thermal or inkjet overprinting — for batch codes, dates and weights added on your line |
| Gloss lamination | High shine, stronger protection than varnish |
| Matt lamination | Soft matt appearance, premium feel |
Decoration and Special Processes
- Hot foil stamping — gold, silver and coloured foils for wine, spirits and cosmetics
- Cold foil — available on our flexographic presses. We confirm the suitable foil process for your artwork, material and quantity.
- Embossing — raised tactile detail, produced on our die-cutting units
- White ink on film — an opaque base under colour on clear or metallic stock, available on both conventional and digital lines
- Spot colour matching — brand colours held consistent across batches under Esko Color Pilot colour management, not by eye
- Microprinting and guilloche — fine anti-counterfeit detail, produced in-house on our Esko prepress system
- Invisible ink — UV-readable security marking. See invisible ink printing.
- Screen printing — heavy ink for opacity, texture and scratch-off panels. Details below.
- Variable data — serial numbers, QR codes and full-colour unique artwork. Details below.
Variable Data and Serialisation
Every label in a run can carry a different code, number or image. We print variable data two ways, and the right one depends on what has to change.
| Method | What can vary | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Full-colour digital LabStar 330mini, 322 mm web | The entire label — artwork, colour, code, image | Unique-code authentication, personalised packaging, limited editions |
| Inkjet coding PRINJET-330 | Codes and numbers added onto a pre-printed design | QR codes, serial numbers, batch and date coding on volume runs |
The control system behind our variable-code and variable-colour printing is our own, registered as software copyright 2018SR581292. We are not running a bought-in module on someone else’s press.
Send your code list as CSV or Excel alongside the artwork. We confirm the data format, check code density against print resolution, and grade a sample on our Microscan LVS-9510 barcode verifier to ISO/IEC 15415/15416 before the run starts — the same grading standard retail and GS1 supply chains use for acceptance.
Screen Printing — Heavy Ink, Tactile and Scratch-Off
Two screen printing presses in total, with one currently in use, at around 300 mm web. Screen lays down a far thicker ink film than flexo or PS plate, which makes three things possible that other processes cannot do.
- Scratch-off panels — an opaque silver layer over printed codes, removed by the end user. Combined with variable data above, this gives a complete promotional or authentication label from one factory.
- Tactile and raised effects — a heavy ink deposit you can feel, used on spirits, cosmetics and premium packaging.
- High-opacity spot colour — solid, dense coverage on dark or metallic face stocks where a conventional press would look washed out.
Screen work is quoted separately from our standard per-square-metre rates. Tell us the panel size and position and we will price it with the job.
Double-Layer and Peel-and-Reveal Labels
A double-layer label places additional text or graphics beneath a liftable top layer. It provides space for multilingual information, instructions or promotions without increasing the label footprint. Reclosing requirements must be specified when selecting the construction.
For an enquiry, send artwork for each printed face, the closed label size, container details and whether the top layer must peel off or reseal. We confirm the construction and sample requirements before production. Evaluate opening, adhesion and readability on the intended container; do not assume every peel-and-reveal design has the same resealing performance.
Construction and Delivery Format
| Single-layer | Standard construction |
| Multi-layer / peel-and-reseal | Extra panels for multilingual text, regulatory copy or promotions, produced on dedicated equipment |
| Roll | Specify labels per roll, core diameter and unwind direction |
| Sheet | Cut to your sheet size |
| Die-cutting | Flatbed or rotary, on 12 standalone die-cutting units; custom shapes require a die, charged separately |
| Slitting | Finished rolls slit to width, up to 450 mm |
Where the Limits Are
Rather than claim we can do everything, here is what we cannot:
| Web width above 450 mm | Outside our presses. Wide-format work would need a different supplier. |
| Shrink sleeves | Not our process — we make pressure-sensitive labels. |
| In-mould labels | Not our process. |
| More than 12 colours | Beyond our highest-specification flexo press. |
Telling you early costs us a quote and saves you two weeks.
What to Send With Your Enquiry
A quote needs six things. With all six we usually reply the same working day; without them we have to come back and ask, which costs a day in each direction.
- Finished label size in millimetres, and which edge runs along the web
- Total quantity
- Face stock, or a description of the container and environment if you are not sure
- Surface finish
- Any decoration — foil, embossing, variable data, screen work
- Roll or sheet; for rolls, labels per roll and core diameter
Artwork is helpful but not required for an initial price. Existing die and foil tooling can often be reused — tell us if you have it.
Check Your Specification With Us
Send what you have. We reply by the next working day, confirm whether the job fits our machines, and request any details needed for a quote.