News

Twenty-three companies from the East of England have been recognised for their outstanding success overseas in this year's regional Passport to Export Awards by UK Trade & Investment.

The innovative technology which produces Timestrip’s unique smart labels has taken another step forward. The ‘blister’, or button, which activates the Timestrip® has been moved from the back to the front of the label. Timestrip® now has the option to manufacture with the blister on the font or the back of the product.  This is a big step in product development terms. With the reverse of the label now completely flat and therefore fully adhesive, it is much easier to integrate Timestrips® as a standard label and into product packaging, a key area for the company. Timestrip’s ability to measure elapsed time, for periods ranging from just a few minutes to twelve months, and across a wide range of temperatures, gives it huge potential to add value to all kinds of product, from food to cosmetics, household appliances and medicines. The repositioning of the activating blister onto the front of the label will make Timestrips® even more attractive and easy to implement for major brands.  End-users will benefit too, with the button in a more prominent position and easier to activate. Timestrip’s unique smart labels automatically monitor elapsed time and can work under a wide variety of conditions, from ambient environments to fridge, freezer and extremely high temperatures. When the label is activated, a food grade liquid travels across it at a consistent rate, giving a clear indication of the amount of time that has passed since the product was opened or first applied. The technology can work in applied label format as well as being integrated into products or packaging. The accuracy of the labels is unaffected by the repositioning of the blister and the development applies to all labels across the range. “With the back of the labels now flat and having a fully adhesive option, it will be much easier to integrate Timestrips® into product packaging,” says Reuben Isbitsky, Timestrip’s Joint CEO. “Timestrips® can now be more readily accepted into production lines and the development means we are moving forward on other packaging innovations, such as integrating labels into the lids of tubs and jars. It just makes everything easier.” Growth for the smart active and intelligent labels market is forecast to be huge over the next few years: up to 1.8 billion labels a year by 2010. Brand owners and label printers alike are keen to learn how the available technologies can benefit their businesses.

Timestrip has developed a new technology to secure pharmaceutical supply chains and looks set to license its technology in the coming months.

Water treatment specialist Aqua Cure plc, is to begin using Timestrip® smart labels on its water filtration systems.The Timestrip® will be actively promoted at the forthcoming AquaTech 2006 exhibition in Amsterdam.

Timestrip Limited’s unique smart label technology has passed another milestone with the company’s announcement of a new label that measures elapsed time for periods up to a year. The label represents a doubling of the previous six-month capability of Timestrip labels. Considerable research and development has gone into the extending of the labels’ time-measuring potential. It could, however, pay some pretty high dividends: with EU legislation now dictating that many cosmetics and personal care products should be used within twelve months of opening, the new label will enable Timestrip to reach those markets and widen its customer base still further. The twelve-month label also has huge potential in the frozen food sector and Timestrip has already received an order from Labellord, a European distributor, to launch a freezer version of the product later this year. A delighted Reuben Isbitsky, Co-Founder and Joint CEO of Timestrip, commented: “This announcement is significant for our business as we can now offer products into new mass markets. The cosmetics and personal care sectors present substantial opportunities for Timestrip, as does the frozen food market.  We now have real potential to communicate ‘sell-by’ and ‘use-by’ dates on products, as well as the shorter time requirements of ‘once opened’ dates.” Timestrips enable end-users of perishable products to monitor how long an item has been open or in use. Once activated, a non-toxic liquid dye travels across the label at a consistent rate, allowing the consumer clearly to see the amount of time which has passed since a product was opened. The technology can be fully integrated into products or packaging as well as an applied label format. Use of Timestrips encourages consumer storage and usage compliance, reduced product wastage, enhanced brand value and increased repeat purchases. The company is already working with an impressive client list across a wide range of market sectors.

Timestrip Plc, which markets an inexpensive and versatile label technology for accurately measuring elapsed time, has secured a contract to supply its smart labels to Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc, a leading distributor of household appliances throughout America. Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc. is one of the largest North American manufacturers and marketers of small kitchen, garment care and home health appliances. The company’s True Air range is currently sold in North America through Wal-Mart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kroger, Home Depot, Kmart and Rite Aid. The Timestrip smart labels will be integrated into products within the True Air product range to remind users to exchange integral filters within the recommended time.  The first True Air products incorporating Timestrip labels will go on sale in North America during 2006. Edith Wine, product manager for the True Air product line, comments, "We are delighted to be working with Timestrip, whose smart labels offer us not only a point of differentiation in a competitive market, but also the opportunity to enhance our customers' experience with the True Air product." Timestrip’s smart labels contain a tinted liquid dye which migrates across the label thereby enabling users to monitor for how long an item has been open or in use.  The technology can be implemented as an external label or can be fully integrated into products and product packaging. The Timestrip technology is relevant to a wide range of food and non-food products which, once opened, should be used or replaced within a recommended time. Expiry dates feature prominently in many mass markets including food retailing, catering and food services, consumables, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, cosmetics, engineering and air conditioning. Timestrip’s main route to market is through supply and license agreements with manufacturers and packaging companies wishing to feature  Timestrip labels on their products. Commenting on the latest contract, Reuben Isbitsky, Joint CEO and Co-Founder of Timestrip Plc, says, “This is an important breakthrough for our technology in North America.  Our association with a household name such as Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex not only enhances our credibility in the market place but also gives high visibility to Timestrip smart labels at retail level and fantastic exposure in households across North America.”