Label converters and suppliers are continuously looking for new ways to meet the demands of customers by providing improved, innovative label production options to put them a step ahead of the competition.

Some have even joined forces with other entities to help boost their presence, production capabilities and product offerings. Take Canadian company Multi-Tac Inc. and Bristol, England-based company Drytac, for instance.

Stronger Presence   

In June 2013, the Brampton, Ontario-based manufacturer of pressure-sensitive label adhesives and custom coating services was acquired by Drytac, an international manufacturer of adhesive-coated products.  The fairly recent acquisition has enabled Multi-Tac customers in both Europe and the Middle East to source products directly from Drytac Europe, based in Bristol, UK.

Label stock rolls cut to size.

Drytac vice president of sales Mike Wilbore says acquiring Multi-Tac has also allowed the company to extend its product and custom coating service offerings on an international scale.

“The acquisition of Multi-Tac was really to give us (Drytac) extended capability to coat adhesive products not only in Europe in Bristol England, but also to be able to coat in North America,” says Wilbore. “So a good portion of products we manufacture in Bristol, England we now can make here, and then of course, we service multiple markets.”

Enhanced Production Capabilities

The reduction of turnaround time is a key result from the Multi-Tac acquisition that has enhanced Drytac’s production process.

“We’re not having to rely on manufactured goods in the UK and shipping them overseas to service our North American market, so that’s definitely been a complement to the business,” says Wilbore.

Multi-Tac’s two coating lines, based out of its Brampton, Ontario facility, have enabled the company to service a number of markets, including flexible packaging. As a result, Drytac now has access to coat various types of label adhesives in a greater and more economical capacity.

Wilbore mentions that this improved capability has allowed the company to look at various markets for troubleshooting and determining if there is a demand from customers for a particular product or service.

“Companies are looking for unique alternatives and products. They’re looking for recyclability, environmental impact, or areas which we’re getting a lot of questioning around,” he says.

Expanded Offerings & Customer Base

Acquiring Multi-Tac has also increased Drytac’s product range, service offerings and customer base.

“A lot of the customers that Multi-Tac primarily is dealing with are a magnitude of different customers that are aqueous or water-based adhesives for the label market,” says Wilbore. “With the acquisition of Multi-Tac, we’ve got over a thousand custom-coated, specialty products.”

With more products and service offerings comes a larger, more diverse customer base – something that has also resulted from the acquisition.

“It’s (the acquisition) been able to take some of our (Drytac’s) existing products in our traditional markets and introduce them to the markets to which Multi-Tac is servicing, and then obviously take the products that Multi-Tac was servicing their clients and bring those to the existing base of Drytac customers,” says Wilbore.

Feedback

Different customers are constantly giving feedback regarding their coating options. One thing Wilbore advises label converters to do is to look more into the economics involved with coating label adhesives.

“Two things I would say is, step one, if you’re currently coating product yourself, I would look at the capabilities of what Drytac has to offer now,” he says. “And then two is also keep an open mind of what can be coated economically now. There’s a lot of base products and a lot of films and substrates that are dismissed just solely based on the fact that people don’t think they have the volume justification.”