The most suitable person to talk about packaging and labels—especially in an editorial context—is Mr. Dimitrios Skordakis, founder and owner of ERMIS – Self-adhesive Labels, the first company in Greece to specialize in label production.
At the same time, he is the former president of ELSET (Hellenic Association of Label Printers), a role that makes him even more qualified on the subject.
Key Differences Between the 2016 and 2018 Exhibitions
The main difference between this year’s exhibition and that of 2016 is, by general consensus, the sense of optimism and positive energy among visitors—an eagerness for creativity and a hopeful outlook for the future, which had been missing in the past. This brought us great satisfaction.
I also attended a seminar where, unfortunately, the speakers promoted their own companies more than they addressed the actual topic. And when they did touch on it, the content was incomplete. And as we know, when something is incomplete, it cannot be considered whole.
In closing, I believe speakers should be more careful and avoid rushing to conclusions and proposed regulations—regulations that may harm some and benefit others—especially when the global industry is still in its early stages of research and development.
What Does the Label Industry Mean for Greece?
To me, a label means everything—it means life. When I see a well-made label, I see all of nature in it.
But let’s explain this more simply.
In the past, labels aimed solely to inform the consumer. Today, they also serve to promote the product. The philosophy has changed: a label now needs to win the consumer over to the product’s side. That’s why labels carry great significance and are of high quality in Greece.
What Does a Label Do?
A branded product inspires TRUST because the label conveys all key information and the identity of the producer. This helps address consumer concerns.
It also meets our expectations—we seek consistent taste and quality without surprises.
Moreover, a label helps build relationships with consumers and saves them time by helping them choose among products that often appear identical. A branded product with a label provides greater profit margins compared to generic alternatives. Labeled products attract more people to supermarkets because customers come in looking for those specific items.
Given all this, I believe the future of labeling is bright—and rightfully so.
That’s why Efthymios Skordakis & Co. has been investing heavily for years in technical and mechanical equipment—because the company must have sufficient printing capabilities at the same time: printing, cutting, varnishing, hot stamping, adhesive-side printing, etc.
All these steps transform the label from something ordinary into something exceptional—and thus into something that is especially challenging and demanding in its production.
Aesthetic precision, functionality, and effectiveness are the three words—along with accuracy—that best describe our industry and its product.
Over time, the label itself has helped shape label manufacturers into something more refined—instilling different values. We care about the final product on the shelf as if it were our own child. And if we consider all the effort from the prepress stage, we’re creating added value.
We stand in full support of Greek companies in their efforts to improve or control their brand image, so they can compete successfully in international markets and bring valuable foreign exchange into Greece.
Our customers’ goals are also our goals.
