35 Years In — And Still Looking for What Comes Next · Sergio Shor · VP & General Manager · Etiflex

Thirty-five years in business can give you a lot of experience.

But it can also teach you that you never stop learning.

On the third and final day of LOUPE Americas in Chicago, Morten B. Reitoft catches up with Sergio, whom INKISH recently visited in Mexico.

The company has spent more than three decades building its position in the Mexican label market through investment, people, customer relationships, and a strong belief in the future of the industry.

And now another investment cycle is beginning.

Some of the existing flexo presses are more than 20 years old, which means Sergio and his team are actively looking at what should replace them — and the answer isn’t necessarily one technology.

Flexo still matters.

Digital is performing well.

Hybrid opens additional possibilities.

And RFID is becoming increasingly interesting as demand grows in Mexico.

For Sergio, having access to different technologies is essential because the customer base itself is diverse. Small, medium, and large customers have different run lengths, applications, quality requirements, and economics — so there isn’t one production platform that solves everything.

LOUPE therefore becomes an opportunity not simply to shop for machinery, but to understand where technology is moving.

And that is becoming more challenging.

After 30 years in the industry, Sergio knows many of the questions to ask. But AI, automation, and increasingly rapid technological development mean experience alone isn’t enough. You still have to listen, remain curious, and continue learning.

That philosophy also applies to software.

The company continues its journey with CERM, introducing new functionality as the platform develops. Some improvements arrive as part of regular updates, while other modules create opportunities for further investment and implementation — including increasingly AI-driven functionality.

But perhaps the strongest part of the conversation isn’t about machines or software at all.

It’s about relationships.

Sergio describes many of the people he works with not simply as suppliers, but as friends — relationships built through years of projects, visits, conversations, and shared experiences.

In this INKISH film, Morten talks with Sergio about 35 years in the label industry, replacing older flexo equipment, digital and hybrid production, RFID, AI, CERM, continuous learning, and why long-term success is built as much around people and trust as it is around technology.

Because after 35 years, experience doesn’t mean you know everything.

It means you know that you should keep looking for what comes next.

En From many systems to one CERM · Sergio Shor & Ari Vondervalde Etiflex

From many systems to one CERM · Sergio Shor & Ari Vondervalde Etiflex

From just 15 people working in a garage to one of Mexico’s significant label and printing operations, the ETIFLEX story is about growth, people, relationships—and the importance of knowing exactly what is happening on the production floor. Today, ETIFLEX operates 23 production lines, including 20 flexographic presses and three digital presses. The company produces labels, tickets, tags, promotional products, and RFID solutions for customers across retail, logistics, food, chemicals, health and beauty, textiles, transportation, and entertainment. Mexico offers significant opportunities. With a population of around 130 million people, a strong manufacturing base, and direct access to the United States, the country has become an increasingly important export market. But competitiveness is no longer simply about offering the lowest price. It is about productivity, innovation, quality, service, and the ability to create long-term relationships with customers and suppliers. Measurement has therefore become part of the culture at ETIFLEX. The philosophy is simple: What you do not measure, you cannot fix or improve. Before implementing CERM, ETIFLEX used five or six separate systems for estimating, production control, warehouse management, purchasing, accounting, and finance. The information existed, but the systems did not communicate effectively with each other. Introducing CERM was a major strategic decision. Changing an MIS or ERP platform requires investment, leadership, time, and commitment throughout the organization. However, continued growth demanded a single integrated system capable of connecting the company’s operational areas and providing reliable, real-time information. With better data, the ETIFLEX team can understand the true cost of every job, identify products that may be subsidizing others, reduce waste, improve printing speeds, shorten setup times, and make better decisions about equipment and capital investments. Perhaps most importantly, the data is no longer reserved for management. Employees throughout ETIFLEX can analyze their own processes, identify opportunities, and suggest improvements. With hundreds of people observing production through the same system, operational knowledge becomes a shared resource. The next chapter will include even more automation, robotics, integration, and information. Technology will play an increasingly important role—but people, culture, and the ability to make informed decisions will remain at the heart of ETIFLEX. Watch the film and meet a Mexican printing company that has transformed measurement from a management tool into part of its DNA.

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Sep 18 , 2026
Etiflex, S.A. De C.V.
6 Avenida Jesús Reyes Heroles Lote 22, No.6, U.H. Maravillas Ceylan
54090 Tlalnepantla de Baz

Mexico
Tel. : 55 5354 1720
Email : info@promachbuilt.com

Fri September 18th

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Taking the Guesswork Out of UV Curing · Amir...

Is the problem the ink? The lamp? The reflector? The press speed? For printers using UV curing, finding the answer can sometimes involve more guesswork than anyone would like. At Loupe Americas in Chicago, Wayne Beckett meets Amir Dekel from GEW to talk about DoseGuard — technology designed to put measurable data behind UV performance. The concept is straightforward. A UV or LED cassette can be tested and, within seconds, DoseGuard can show whether it is producing the output it should. Instead of replacing components simply because they have reached a predetermined number of operating hours, printers can make maintenance decisions based on actual performance. That can have a direct impact on cost. A lamp scheduled for replacement after 1,000 hours may still have useful life remaining. Reflectors that appear worn may still be performing correctly. Equally, a component that looks fine may already be reducing curing performance. DoseGuard provides the data needed to know the difference. GEW says the system can identify UV lamp ageing and the effect of reflector and quartz-window condition, helping printers reduce rejects and make better maintenance decisions. And the conversation naturally moves toward LED. LED UV offers significant advantages in areas including energy consumption, component life, and maintenance, but Amir believes one of the biggest barriers to faster adoption isn't necessarily technical. It's familiarity. Printers have often worked with conventional UV for decades, and changing something that has reliably produced work for years can be as much an emotional decision as a technical one. But that transition is happening. According to Amir, GEW is now producing more LED cassettes than conventional ones, suggesting that the balance is steadily moving toward LED as more printers experience the technology firsthand. In this INKISH film, Wayne talks with Amir Dekel about DoseGuard, UV measurement, consumable life, maintenance, LED adoption, and why measurable curing data can remove one more uncertainty from the production process. Because sometimes the most valuable answer isn't that something needs replacing. It's knowing that it doesn't.