Shrink Sleeves: The First Comprehensive Technical Guide

Editorial by Mike Fairley, The International Editor of Labels & Labeling International, First edition 2009

MIKE FAIRLEY reports on a new book from one of Europes pioneering shrink sleeve innovators
It is now some 50 years since shrinksleeve labels were first invented by Fuji Seal in Japan. Today, this 360 degree, high quality labeling technology has been used by blue chip companies as diverse as GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever,Britvic, Muller, Nestle, Heinz, Henkel,Sara Lee, Coca Cola, ICI Paints, Del Monte, Campbells, Campari, Scottish Courage, and Colgate Palmolive. As a process it continues to grow, with new innovations and opportunities creating ever more new markets and applications.

So why has the process been so successful and how has it proved to be a cost-effective solution for leading brand owners? It is to provide answers to such questions and many others that one of Europes pioneering shrink sleeve innovators has written a technical guide book which sets out his comprehensive knowledge and experience for shrink sleeve converters, end-users and also for film manufacturers application machinery and shrink tunnel suppliers. Based on the major role he has played in the technical and market development of shrink sleeving over the past twenty-fiveyears, Sia Memarnia has produced a 237-page hard-cover A4 book with over120 color illustrations which contains valuable information for everyone in the sleeve supply and usage chain.

Concentrating on areas where there is a major lack of technical know-how, rather than the basics, the book has chapters on topics such as shrink sleeve films, sleeve application, the printing and production of sleeves, heat tunnels, taking costs out of the process tamper- evidence, promotional shrink sleeves and some of the widely held fallacies about the process.
Having worked in the labeling business for 25 years in senior technical, business development
and technical sales roles, Sia Memarnia certainly has a complete understanding of all aspects of shrink sleeve technology, including different film types and properties, shrink sleeve print
and conversion, different application machinery and heat tunnels, and this shows in the book.
Most companies using shrink sleeves or producing shrink sleeves do not fully comprehend the significance of such a technical guide, he told Labels & Labeling, and the fact that if it saves them just one small credit note a year it has more than paid for itself!

There are also parts of the book that are likely to be controversial, but it is intentional. Many shrink sleeve suppliers, film makers, machinery suppliers and tunnels makers are likely to be surprised by what they read as it is, in some cases, the precise opposite of what they
practice! Once they read the book and comprehend it, they will change their approach.

The book will also empower the end-users so that they no longer need to rely solely on the advice of their suppliers, which is by definition subjective. In short, this valuable technical guide
is designed to take the mystique out of shrink sleeves and empower the reader to improve product quality and consistency, reduce errors and take costs out, while maximizing the benefits derived from shrink sleeves.

Sia Memarnias experience, condensed into the books 237 pages, includes a total of 13 years with Smurfit Labels, working as divisional director of business development and responsible for developing their shrink sleeve business. Then in 1986, Sia was the first UK employee of Fuji Seal Europe (part of Fuji Seal Group which invented shrink sleeves), and worked for Fuji Seal Europe for a total of 13 years as senior technical manager and also senior sales/ marketing manager.During his time with Smurfit Labels and then with Fuji Seal he played a key role in the innovation and introduction of the first UK production of gravure printed sleeves, the European launch of vacuum-metalized sleeves, the introduction of full length sleeving of narrow neck beer bottles, the first application of translucent full length shrink sleeves, the first acid-etched sleeves with an anti-scuffing finish, the first introduction of recyclable shrink sleeves for PET containers and has extensive experience in using sleeves to take costs out of containers, as well as making a major contribution to winning over 40 significant packaging awards for innovation.

Today, Sia Consulting is believed to be the only specialist shrink sleeve consulting service with the experience and the ability to provide effective and meaningful support to current/potential users of shrink sleeves, producers of shrink sleeves, film suppliers, application machinery suppliers and packaging design companies in all aspects of shrink sleeves. This includes full technical project evaluation and implementation, complete technical advice on shrink sleeve specification, application machinery and heat tunnels, and independent technical advice in problem solving.
The book can be purchased from Labels&Labeling  online bookshop.