FAQs

Order Questions

How do I establish credit with acpo, ltd?

Download and complete our Credit Agreement and Terms and fax to our secured fax at 419-898-7064.  If you submit your business references and legal company information on your company letterhead, you must also sign and return page two of our credit documents.

We will process your application and inform you when your credit has been established.

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes.  We accept American Express, MasterCard and Visa.  Download and complete our Credit Card Authorization form and fax to our secured fax at 419-898-7064.

How do I place an order with acpo, ltd?

We accept orders one of three ways:

  • Phone  1-800-793-TAPE (8273) or 419-898-4243
  • Email  Send your order to Customer Service
  • Fax  1-877-675-5344 or 419-898-4226

View our PO Requirements for instructions on what order information is needed to process your PO.

Once your order has been entered and processed, our CS Team will email you a sales confirmation. Please check your sales confirmation immediately for accuracy and contact us if you note any discrepancies. If you prefer to receive your sales confirmation via fax please inform our CS Team.

Is there a minimum order dollar amount?

Yes. Orders less than $100.00 are charged a $15.00 handling fee.

Can I pay by check, ACH or wire?

Absolutely. Please contact your customer service representative to obtain our Remittance Information.

Product Questions

What is the difference between polypropylene (BOPP) and polyester (PET)?

BOPP is biaxially oriented polypropylene and PET is polyester. Self-wound BOPP is generally used to provide label protection for the ink and substrate and enhance the look with a gloss or matte appearance. Self-wound PET is generally used for a more challenging label application which calls for more durability, abrasion resistance, higher heat resistance, UV stability or where a stronger overlaminate is needed. The PET also enhances the look with a gloss or matte appearance.

Is your self-wound overlaminate writable?

Yes.  Our products 531, 531T, 631 and 631T are receptive to certain pens, pencils or markers.  Please test for your specific application.

Can I flexo print on your self-wound overlaminate?

You cannot flexographic print on our self-wound overlaminates as they do not have the proper dyne level (surface tension) to allow flexographic inks to adhere to the material.  However, we do offer a linered laminate material on which you are able to flexographic print.

What is your minimum/maximum slit size and roll length?

We are able to slit rolls to narrow width 3/8” and slit up to 84” wide.

Standard roll lengths are 5,000′ or 10,000′. We specialize in roll lengths 5,000’ to 65,000’.

Ask us about roll lengths under 5,000′.

What are the storage and handling requirements of your products?

For optimal performance, we recommend the following guidelines be followed:

  • Two years when stored at 70°F and 50% relative humidity.
  • Rolls must be transported and stored on protected surfaces.
  • Use caution when placing or removing roll from mandrel.

Please refer to our Warranty Policy and product data sheets for product-specific guidelines.

What is paint mask?

Paint mask is a multi-layer polyester laminate. The bottom layer is permanent overlaminate to protect your label while the top layer has a deadened edge on each side of the roll, allowing it to be removed. This product is used in secondary painting and powder coating applications. The label (barcode, serial number, etc.) which would be applied to a product is ran through a paint bath and dried. After the product is dried, the top layer of the paint mask is easily removed, exposing the label and maintaining the integrity of the information.

Lamination On Press Questions

Why is mounting lamination on press correctly so important?

When mounting the lamination on the unwind shaft, verify the roll is evenly aligned with the substrate you are laminating. If the lamination and substrate are misaligned:

  • Web walks and causes wrinkles
  • Lamination may extend over the substrate and cause adhesive transfer to nip rollers
  • Lamination may fold over and cause web breaks
  • Lamination may fold over and cause incomplete substrate coverage

Do you require a specific setting for the unwind brake on press?

Verify the unwind brake is set properly. Set brake as close to zero as possible while minimizing the roll surging. Contact acpo to learn more about our unwind assist apparatus which helps eliminate the roll surging and reduces noise. If unwind brake is not set properly, the lamination stretches and causes curl or cross direction wrinkling.

What can you tell me about the importance of lamination pressure and gap?

Set the lamination pressure and gap properly when looking at the total finished product thickness. Always verify your lamination and substrate comes in contact at the laminating nip. If lamination pressure is set too tight, you may encounter cross direction wrinkles and curling issues. If lamination pressure is set too light, you may encounter incomplete lamination wet out and air bubbles.

Technical Questions

What causes fisheyes and do they wet out?

Ring-shaped marks called fish eyes appear in most self-wound overlaminates. The good news is fish eyes are not defects in the material. Read our Stock Doctor Issue #3 dedicated to educate you on fish eyes and help you produce a high quality finished label.

How do I start a roll of self-wound overlaminate once there is a break?

Download our Stock Doctor Issue #2 for roll break instructions.

How should I handle self-wound overlaminate?

Handle lamination with care and avoid nicks and cuts in rolls. Remember once the film’s edge is damaged, the material will definitely break when being processed. Please review our Stock Doctor Issue #1 for preventative maintenance tips for the do’s and don’ts of overlaminate roll handling.

What causes label curl?

There are several reasons as to why your label may be curling after lamination. Our Stock Doctor Issue #4 addresses the different types of curl and possible solutions.

What are gauge bands?

Gauge bands are slight variations in film caliper that occur during the manufacturing process of raw film.  The good news is that gauge bands typically do not affect the label production process.  Read more in our Stock Doctor Issue #5.

Compliance Questions

Are your products FDA compliant?

Several of our products have been specifically formulated to meet the FDA requirements for indirect and incidental food contact. These products are denoted with the FDA notation as the product code suffix or will have FDA file numbers listed on the data sheet. Our BOPP is compliant with 21 CFR 175.105 and 21 CFR 177.1520. Our PET is compliant with 21 CFR 175.105 and 21 CFR 177.1630.

Review our FDA file descriptions as they relate to self-wound overlaminate.

Are you RoHS or REACH compliant? What about Conflict Minerals?

Based on information from our raw material suppliers and our knowledge of our manufacturing process, most of acpo’s products are complaint with both RoHS* and REACH*. There are several other programs with which we are also compliant. Download our Product Compliance Information for a comprehensive list of chemical compliance. Feel free to contact us with specific questions.

*Our product composition and those of our suppliers are considered proprietary. The only compositional information that may be disclosed is the public data available on the Material Safety Data Sheet.

*The threshold reporting values are those used in the OSHA Hazard Communications Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200). These concentration threshold values are 3.0% by weight for non-hazardous substances, 1.0% by weight for hazardous chemicals and 0.1% by weight (1000 parts per million) for carcinogens. This review also includes any substances that are identified on the MSDS as California Proposition 65 regulated substances.

*Please note that we do not test our finished products for the presence of SVHCs.

*We are only able to provide compositional information on our product as supplied. You will need to determine the status of your finished product against the restricted substance list.

Is acpo ISO certified?

Yes, we are currently ISO 9001:2015 certified.  You can view our Certificate of Registration here.

Quality Questions