One of the UK’s leading manufacturers of self-adhesive label stock, Premier Coating & Converters Ltd (PCC), has installed a Vetaphone corona treating system at its UK headquarters in Andover.
For more than 40 years, Premier Coating & Converters has been producing and shipping a variety of substrates to the label and narrow-web sectors of the print industry. The company is renowned for the pioneering work it has done in developing high-quality constructions using water-based acrylic adhesives.
A wealth of industry expertise
As its name suggests, all combinations of substrate, adhesive, and liner produced in-house are subject to rigorous testing to ensure they meet recognised standards. This capability is based around a technical team with a wealth of industry expertise that allows the company to advise customers on the best solution and provide bespoke products if required.
Close customer involvement allows PCC to take a holistic view of every project, from selection of the correct components for a new application, through initial production trials to the final utilisation of slit patterns. This close involvement also extends to suppliers and was key in the company specifying Vetaphone technology for its new corona treater.
“We see ourselves as experts so always look to work with suppliers that are market leaders in their own field of operation. This helps build our knowledge bank, keeps us abreast of trends and allows us to adapt to whatever changes the marketplace is witnessing,” said Strategic Procurement Manager, Ben Matthews.
To improve the running capability of its coating line, PCC knew it needed the latest surface treatment technology available and contacted Kevin McKell, Chief Sales Officer at Vetaphone. “I’ve known PCC for many years as innovators in substrate preparation, of which corona treatment is a key element. As new plastic formulations enter the labelling market, it becomes increasingly important to be able to manage and precisely control the corona system to ensure that the correct, and often high dyne level is attained,” he commented.
As the original inventors of the corona process back in the 1950s, Vetaphone has more experience of how liquids react with non-absorbent substrates than any other manufacturer in surface treatment. Applying ink, varnish, or in PCC’s case adhesive to film or foil requires the surface energy or tension of the two media to be matched. This allows for a process called ‘wetting out’, which basically means that the liquid spreads out instead of ‘beading up’ on the surface, and the result is perfect adhesion between the two.
This is critical to PCC’s claim for its high-quality products. The Vetaphone unit specified and installed at the company’s plant in Andover is a 1720mm wide 12kW VE2C-B(C4) station with ceramic electrodes for 6kW per side treatment. It is powered by two iCorona-2UK 6kW generators with two iHP200U transformers. The whole system is monitored and controlled by Vetaphone’s iCC8 panel. Ozone extraction is handled by two 90° RD62UR blower/fans.
Bespoke in-house manufacturing coating lines
Production Manager, Gary Thorne commented: “Using our bespoke in-house manufacturing coating lines, we apply adhesives to materials up to 1500mm wide with coat weights ranging from 14gsm to 65gsm. With 27m long ovens and two operators running the machine daily, we coat millions of metres’ worth of material every year. The Vetaphone installation was seamless and we were into full production in no time. It looks great on the shop floor and is a perfect example of how we continually improve our production facilities.”
“PCC has a longstanding relationship with Vetaphone, which has a reputation that is second to none in the corona market, so it was a straightforward decision to make,” according to Ben Matthews, who is delighted with the company’s latest investment: “The new treater is popular with our operators and is easily reaching the performance levels we were hoping for. It allows us to run faster and be more efficient without sacrificing quality,” he concluded.
PCC’s products are marketed under the ‘PREM’ banner and cover stocks for a comprehensive range of print techniques, including laser and inkjet, as well as for fixing applications, durable labels for harsh environments, and sustainable and high visual impact labels. The company also offers PPG Teslin self-adhesive labels (BS5609), a variety of adhesive options, and release liners.
Caption: The new double-sided Vetaphone corona treater at Premier Coating & Converters has increased operational efficiency at the company’s production facility in Andover, UK.