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Hub Labels acquires ETI linerless adhesive coater

Hub Labels, based in Hagerstown, Md., has announced the recent acquisition of a new silicone and hot melt adhesive coater from Longueuil, Que.-based ETI Converting Equipment to support the linerless label market segment. This acquisition makes Hub Labels the only print facility in the United States to have two silicone and hot melt adhesive coaters to create linerless labels, which are ideal for skin pack trays. Hub Labels added a second coater to provide additional security for its linerless customers.

“Hub’s original coater was purchased in 2009 when Hub Labels partnered with Ravenwood Packaging to install the first linerless label coater in the United States, introducing the linerless technology from the UK,” said Jesse Hood, Hub’s quality & continuous improvement director. “It has been 10 years since the original coater was purchased. We had specific challenges we wanted to solve with a new coater. The equipment by ETI did just that.”

Richard Hoffman, ETI’s United States sales manager, added that ETI adapted its Cohesio technology to specifically address coating weight, coating uniformity and finished roll quality. ETI incorporated its pattern hot melt adhesive roll coater technology in line with its direct roll silicone coating station for linerless label application. While the existing coater uses multiple slot dies to apply stripes of adhesive, the ETI coater can apply stripes, as well as any pattern or shape in register with printing for other linerless label applications. The new coater produces more uniform adhesive stripes and a more controlled coat-weight across an entire job. In addition, ETI’s coating technology reduces both jamming and adhesive build-up on linerless applicators.

The new equipment features a coat-weight monitoring system that can read both film and paper substrates. The monitoring system also allows for personalization for each customer and job so the precise coat-weight necessary for each application can be met. The new coater uses the same silicone and adhesive as the original coater to ensure there are no unforeseen issues caused by unknown materials.

“The ETI coater uses less silicone which is now barely seen on top of the artwork compared to the thicker, glossy silicone stripes from the original coater,” added Thomas Dahbura, owner of Hub Labels. “We’ve also found that the rolls produced are extremely flat which equates to no more jamming of linerless applicators and no waves in the label rolls.”