Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/197145
PACKAGING line of ceramic bottles from Germany's MKM. Greg Illson, vice president of operations, said, "We sell mostly in the United States. Some are small port projects, but by far our largest client is Caymus Wineries (Rutherford, Calif.) and its Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay." Although some users of ceramic bottles choose paper labels, "More often than not it is a silk screen," Illson said. Ceramic bottles are made of recyclable, natural stoneware. Illson said pricing varies among projects but could be compared to custom glass bottles. The weight is typically heavier than glass; although most clients opt for available stock colors, custom-colored bottles are another option. (Read about Mer Soleil winemaker Charlie Wagner II's attempts to match the color of his cement fermentors in the May 2012 issue of Wines & Vines.) Whether using glass or ceramic bottles, screen-printing is a decorative alternative to paper labels. Designers can utilize the entire surface of the bottle to brand it permanently. Stanpac of Smithville, Ontario, comes highly recommended by clients and suppliers of screen-printed bottles. The company will relocate its decorating facility during the first quarter of 2014. Noontime Labels' online software allows customers to design short-run personalized packages for quick turnaround. The stand-alone 50,000-square-foot facility will be home for its new Kammann K15 CNC, a pre-treatment unit for enhanced adhesion, a decorating lehr (oven) along with warehousing, screen-making and administration areas, according to Murray Bain, vice president of marketing. The addition of organic and UV printing to the existing ceramic and precious metal products will greatly expand the company's capabilities and increase output, he added. We keep more profit in your bottles. "Organic inks have evolved to a complete color palate and super durability. These inks are applied to bottles in a hot wax or paste form, then pass through a screen and then baked at a lower temperature of approximately 400°F," he said. "UV inks are similar to organic in color availability and brilliance. The ink is cured by an ultraviolet lamp immediately after application, and there is no need to bake the bottle to harden the ink. Bain described new features in printing equipment: Bottle/color registration: CNC technology makes it possible to use bottle seams (or any asymmetrical part of the bottle) to register artwork. Five UV colors: This will allow Stanpac to print jobs in CMYK (process printing), making it possible to achieve near-photoquality images. Automatic pre-treatment provides strong durability with organic and UV inks, something that has previously been a challenge. Automatic print inspection rejects any bottle outside a predetermined print specification. Find contacts for these and dozens of other sources alphabetically under Packaging, starting on page 45. WINE'S FIRST PERFECT CLOSURE Quality Will Prevail. Learn More At www.vinperfect.com sales@vinperfect.com Domestic & Int'l Bottle Sourcing 831 Latour Court, Suite B1 Napa, CA 94558 p 707.252.2155 f 707.252.2166 Case Box Printing & Expert Design Screen Print Services Wine Packaging www.walterjelly.com 608.831.1405 421 Keys Road Yakima, WA 98901 509.452.4800 sales@innovativesourcing.com InnovativeSourcing.com 40 W in e s & V i ne s Nov e m b e r 20 13 whj wine print.indd 1 2/6/13 5:59:47 PM