Automotive & Chemicals Label Solutions whitepaper

Boost your Automotive & Chemicals Brand Trends, Label Solutions and Innovations

Dear reader, Do you want to learn about label trends, solutions and innovations in the automotive and chemicals market? You are in the right place. In this whitepaper, we are going to take you on a label journey covering all these topics. After reading this magazine, it’s our goal for you to be inspired on how you can apply this information to your brand.

You will start off your label journey with an expert roundtable with MCC label experts from around the world where they discuss the current label trends in this segment. After learning about the trends, you will become educated on the five label solutions available to help you with a successful product launch. Put on your ‘creative hat’ for the final stop in the label journey to think how you can incorporate label embellishments on your next product.

Happy reading!

The MCC Automotive & Chemical team

In this issue 3

Expert Roundtable: Key Industry Label Trends

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Picking the Right Label Solution for Your Package

16 7 Ways to Stand Out on the Shelf

“Boost your Automotive & Chemicals Brand. Trends, Label Solutions and Innovations” is a publication of MCC.

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Copyright © by MCC. All rights reserved. The content of this document, including all copy, images, and attachment(s) are property of MCC and should be treated as confidential. It cannot be shared with or forwarded to third parties and cannot be published without MCC’s prior permission. If you have any questions regarding the use of this document, please email marketing@mcclabel.com.

Expert Roundtable

Expert Roundtable

Key Industry Label Trends We kickoff this label journey with our global MCC experts who connected virtually to talk about the current trends in the automotive and chemicals industry. They discussed how to combat SKU proliferation, counterfeiting and product authentication, label embellishments for your products and sustainability. Apply these insights to your next product launch to stay up to date and to stand out from your competition.

How can MCC combat the large SKU proliferation that takes places in the automotive and chemical industry?

Hal Hunt: Historically we’ve seen brands grow from only two or three variations of a motor oil to now having several variations of the SKU. This rapid change has caused us to change how we operate with brands to ensure a successful product launch.

One way to combat this is with digital printing. Digital printing is great for low volume orders when brands need to add that extra SKU. In addition, digital is a unified technology at MCC and with our presses across the world, we can easily print the same label in different regions of the world at the same time. This allows for a global campaign to be run simultaneously.

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Another way we can help combat this is partnering with customers to focus on inventory and forecasting.

Our customer service reps work closely with supply chains to make sure that when these SKU changes are happening, there is no obsolescence, and they have inventory to stock the shelves.

John Eyres: We can also tackle SKU proliferation thanks to our various printing technologies available for customers. They include flexographic, digital, lithography and rotogravure. This enables us to offer ‘right size printing’ which is John Eyres picking the right print technology Asia Sales Director at MCC based on the size and scope for your order. If you have a large order volume or short run needed, we will match up the right print technology with your artwork to get the job done.

What can MCC do to help prevent products from being counterfeited?

Yann Quinche: MCC can help you protect your product by adding layers of security to the packaging. We can create custom security label solutions that combine authentication and identification features. I get the question all the time, ‘what is the difference between authentication and identification?’. Authentication Yann Quinche Global Security Solutions is to ensure your end users that Expert at MCC the product they purchase and will use has not been tampered or counterfeited by anyone. While identification is consumers need to be sure the product they buy or consume is sold in the intended market. Supply chain visibility and integrity are at the heart of ensuring consumers trust and safety.

John Eyres: Some of the security label features we can add to packaging include security inks, graphics, secure QR codes, RFID, NFC and EAS tags. Each of these have their own unique benefits depending on what your brand wants to accomplish. Like Yann said, we prioritize the challenges your brand faces and

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the trends we see in the industry to provide you with tailored security solutions.

I also want to mention that in addition to help prevent counterfeiting of your product, security solutions can protect your brand image, control your supply chain and defend your revenues and ensure trust and safety for the end user. These are important benefits to think about when deciding if you want to add some form of security to your packaging.

What are the top ways brands can stand out from their competition?

Hal Hunt: The automotive and chemical space is a very competitive market. Brands are continuously fighting for market share. If you want to stand out, you need to add some type of label embellishment to your packaging.

Some of the most effective include foil embellishments, high gloss Hal Hunt varnishes and focusing on your North American Global brand identity. You could make Key Account Manager at a section of your package shiny MCC with cold foil to really attract the consumer. If a brand can focus on their brand identifiers like colors or logo, it can draw the consumer to their packaging and disrupt purchasing habits.

Shayne Kitts: You can implement a multi-teared approach for your product line. For a new product you could introduce a very high end, premium label with the embellishments Hal mentioned. Then as time goes by, you slowly reduce the number of embellishments Shayne Kitts North American on your products. You can do this Automotive & Chemicals because over time your brand Sales Director at MCC loyalty and consumer interaction will increase based on the initial new product launch. But what I want to stress is that is very important to add embellishments to the right products to make that difference. Later on in this whitepaper we are going to cover multiple embellishments that you can implement to kick off your multi-teared approach plan.

Security solutions can protect your brand image, control your supply chain and defend your revenues and ensure trust and safety for the end user.”

John Eyres, Asia Sales Director at MCC

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Jason Bang: Instead of adding a premium label embellishment or in addition to one, brands can run promotional campaigns on their products using a QR code. You can create a rebate program that the customer can participate in by scanning Jason Bang the QR code to fill in their information Asia Business Development and get that rebate. This simple trick Regional Manager at MCC can go a long way with being top of mind for the consumer and its just one way to utilize smart label technology.

How can automotive and chemical brands connect with their consumer?

Shayne Kitts: Jason briefly touched on this in the last question, but there are several ways to connect with the consumer. You can add augmented reality to your product to transform it into an intelligent package. The label will come to life after scanning it with your phone!

Integrating this innovation enables you to showcase branded content, communicate the benefits of your product, technical information and so much more. For example, you can add augmented reality to a paint can and when the consumer scans it, they can see that exact paint color on the wall in front of them. Another idea could be adding an NFC tag to your lubricant oil bottle and when the consumer scans it, it brings up an instructional video on how to change their oil. The possibilities are endless when it comes to adding smart label technology to your packaging.

They can also partner with brand ambassadors to hold a contest. Every time the consumer purchases your product, they scan the NFC tag to see if they won the prize. The brand ambassador would appear on the smart phone telling them if they won or not. This gets the consumer excited about your product and ‘connect’ with the celebrity.

How do you increase speed to market?

Jason Bang: Two words: digital printing. MCC’s digital print platform and can provide you with quick turn solutions, enabling your brand to go to production quickly and also easily pivot when needed. We have seen an increased need for agile supply chains and fast time-to-market. Digital printing helps your brand achieve this and more especially when time to market speed is everything. Without the tooling, setup and production times needed for alternative printing methods, digital print jobs can be turned around extremely quickly, often reducing lead times from weeks to days. Digital printing drives supply chain efficiencies and accelerate speed to market.

Shayne Kitts: We also stress early engagement between us and your company. This is the best way to

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MCC’s digital print platform and can provide you with quick turn solutions, enabling your brand to go to production quickly and also easily pivot when needed.”

Jason Bang, Asia Business Development Regional Manager at MCC

mitigate risk and get your product on shelf. If there is an artwork change or an initiave gets changed, our team can work with together with you to ensure that if problems arise, we will solve them. Early engagement is also crucial with the number of regulatory changes that are constantly taking place within this market.

Our teams can begin working immediately after the new label artwork is received to ensure the process is smooth, successful and hits the product launch deadline.

One final question, what are some sustainability trends we are seeing in this market and how can MCC help automotive and chemical customers address those?

Stijn Billiet: The biggest sustainability trend we are seeing right now is decarbonization. Companies want to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions originating from their products and processes as can be seen from the vast number of pledges and targets. Recently, Dr. Stijn Biliet Global Director several brand owners took this to the Sustainability at MCC next level by targeting net-zero in the (near) future.

As a global supplier of premium label solutions, MCC wants to provide the market with label upgrades that meet those sustainability needs.

For the automotive and chemical customers, we have several options available that reduce material usage, such as introducing recycled content, reducing material thickness or introducing smart label technology. If you would like to know more, we highly recommend reaching out to us so we can bring you in contact with our local sustainability team, ensuring we provide you with the most sustainability solution that fits your needs.

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Label Solutions

Picking the Right Label Solution for Your Brand The next stop in our label journey is the importance of selecting a label solution.

There are multiple label solutions to pick from when launching a new product.

Do you know which one is right for your brand? We offer a breadth of label solutions to choose from. Various factors can come into play when deciding, but don’t worry, our team of label experts are here to help you pick the right one for your brand to succeed!

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Cut & Stack Labels (C&SL) Cut & stack labels are a cost-effective solution for high volumes. They offer a variety of substrates and embellishments.

The name of this label leaves little to the imagination.

It is printed on large sheets or rolls. Afterwards, the labels are cut into the correct shape. These labels are highly recommended for high-volume products: low material costs and total applied costs provide an effective solution. Cut & stack is designed for efficient application during the packaging process. The minimal waste makes this an eco-friendly label.

Key Features • Cost effective on high-volume products • Efficient application • Substrates: paper, film and eco-grade

In addition, we also offer a sustainable variant: the paper label. It’s possible to print your design on a wide variety of substrates, including paper (metallized and holographic), film (metallized and opaque), and eco grades. To enhance the label design, there’s a comprehensive range of embellishments including foil stamping, embossing, striking metallics, stunning varnish effects, and intricate shapes.

Printing Capabilities • • • •

Rotogravure Flexography Lithography Digital

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Label Solutions

Pressure Sensitive Labels (PSL) Pressure sensitive labels can be used on almost any type of material and can be custom-made to fit any shape and size.

Pressure sensitive labeling is the perfect balance of cost efficiency and premium brand appeal that produces sharp, bright colors in a wide variety of applications. They are very similar to stickers, requiring pressure to form a bond between the adhesive and the product. The self-adhesive characteristics of these labels mean that no water, solvent or heat is required for the label to adhere to the product.

Key Features • Offer a high-efficiency, glue-free labeling option • Available in transparent, white or metallized film and in a variety of paper substrates • Suitable for PET, glass and aluminum containers • High speed label application provides greater efficiency • Excellent print quality in up to 11 colors • Unidirectional and returnable material options

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Pressure sensitive labels are not only easily applied, but can also be easily removed simply by peeling off the label from the container. They can be used on almost any material from glass bottles, to plastic, to metal auto parts. Pressure Sensitive labels are easy to use, look great, and contain all the important information you need.

Printing Capabilities • Rotogravure • Flexography • Digital

Case Study

100% Recyclable Packaging for Autoland’s Car Care Product Line Autoland, a Polish family operated company with over 30 years of experience in producing high quality car care products and automotive fluid, is 100 percent committed to sustainability, with facts to prove it.

Sustainability first Autoland uses 100 percent recyclable PET bottles filled with ingredients that are at least 95.5 percent biodegradable for their NATURAL car care cleaning product line. They want to minimize the negative footprint on the environment, with a commitment of putting the natural environment first. They were only missing one thing to achieve a 100 percent, fully recycling package – a recyclable label.

A sustainable match Autoland searched for a label provider with the same amount of passion and dedication that they have towards sustainability.

They were introduced to MCC and our sustainability vision. At MCC, we CARE about a better tomorrow, today. CARE stands for Collaborate, Act, Resolve and Engage. We continuously strive for sustainable development that provides shared value and helps build a brighter future for all. With visions and goals aligned, it was time to create a sustainable label solution for Autoland.

Digital and sustainable label MCC utilized their digital printing capabilities to provide a digital pressure sensitive label printed on PET material. The PET material allows for the label to be 100 percent recyclable. They now have a 100 percent, fully recyclable packaging for their car care product line, solidifying their commitment and vision on sustainability.

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I love working with the MCC team. They deliver professional customer care through whole process.

From designing, choosing the printing method to optimum delivery date. Great cooperation with the whole MCC team.”

Damian Halej, Head of Marketing at Autoland

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Label Solutions

Heat Transfer Labels (HTL) Achieve a ‘no-label’ look with heat transfer labels.

Heat transfer labels enhance brand packaging to create a visually appealing and highly-functional product.

Heat transfer provides a seamless, aesthetic, ‘no-label’ look while offering virtual 360-degree application. This technology can be applied to a variety of containers in different shapes and sizes

Key Features • • • •

No-label look 360 degree application Fully recyclable Greater adhesion and durability

(from two ounces to five gallons) with extremely accurate label placement. Heat transfer affords greater adhesion and durability – even in high-moisture environments. These labels are fully recyclable without removing them from the container. They are also squeeze and product resistant, lightfast and have a high degree of ink opacity.

Printing Capabilities • Rotogravure • Flexography • Digital

Want to learn more about HTL? We have an entire magazine that will help increase shelf appeal and optimize production processes!

Click here to download it now.

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Case Study

Offering Full Scope of HTL Capabilities for KOST USA

KOST USA, Inc. is the largest familyowned manufacturer, supplier and marketer of antifreeze and functional fluids in the United States. They were previously using another label solution for their DefendAL® branded antifreeze/ coolant line but challenged MCC to find a new label solution that met their business goals.

Late stage differentiation Through extensive knowledge sharing sessions with KOST, our label experts determined heat transfer labels (HTL) is the right label solution for their DefendAL® bottle. HTL is a cost-effective solution that prints superior quality, high color labels onto branded bottles. HTL allows for late stage differentiation in their manufacturing process. They now fill their bottles in-line and manage both the color of the bottle and the label at the same time without having to carry dedicated finished goods inventory.

One company, all the solutions KOST can now lower their inventory costs by utilizing MCC as their turnkey label solutions provider. We provide them with our full service of capabilities, technical support and expertise for their DefendAL® branded antifreeze/coolant line. There is a huge benefit in providing them with one company to go to for their label needs. We collaborated with them from the beginning, developing a comprehensive supply chain strategy that led to delivering a national brand onto retail shelves. We have every aspect of their packaging covered, exceeding their expectations along the way.

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Label Solutions

In-Mold Labels (IML) Decorate your plastic containers with strong, hygienic labels that showcase high-resolution images.

We offer in-mold labels for injection molding, blow molding and thermoforming. They provide superior graphic reproduction and are 100% recyclable. Our customers consistently find that in-mold labeling is a cost-effective solution for decorating plastic containers.

It removes the need for post-mold labeling, eliminating costly bottlenecks in production and requiring less manufacturing floor space.

Key Features • • • • •

Maximum print quality Environmentally friendly Quick design changeovers Strong and hygienic Wide range of look & feel options

In-mold labels work well in either injection mold, blow mold or thermoforming applications, providing the ultimate ‘no-label’ look even on unique container shapes.

These labels provide superior graphic reproduction, with a high degree of product security because of the lack of delamination. In-mold film labels are 100% regrindable and recyclable, which is increasingly important considering today’s level of environmental awareness.

They also allow for quick design changeovers.

Printing Capabilities • • • •

Rotogravure Flexography Lithography Digital

Want to learn more about IML? We have an entire magazine that will help your products stand out on the shelf!

Click here to download it now.

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When it comes to making high-end paint stand out from the rest, high-quality packaging is a must.

When the German Lebanese Co. for Industry (GLC), a leading manufacturer of paint products in Africa and the Middle East, was designing their new line of Storm Shield exterior paints they worked with MCC Verstraete on a packaging solution that effortlessly lets customers know the paint in the pail is the best in the business. Metallic IML elegantly captures attention with a stylish and sophisticated finish that’s a direct reflection of the product inside.

The hunt for the perfect packaging The collaboration between MCC Verstraete and GLC was initiated during Storm Shield’s early development stages. IML comes with multiple advantages compared to other types of labels, such as direct print and self-adhesive options. The benefits go above and beyond appearance. IML is a solution that’s flexible: when it’s time to update the label design, this can be done quickly and easily, with many options for creating the right look and feel. They make labeling a breeze using a one-step process that bypasses any need to manufacture pails and labels separately.

And the results are difficult to copy - a factor that’s paramount in the paint world due to the proliferation of counterfeiting.

Standing out on the shelf To create the optimal labels for Storm Shield, MCC Verstraete and GLC customized an exclusive design

Case Study

A Bright New Era for Exterior Paint

using Metallic IML Foil, Matte + Spot HighGloss, creating a first-class finish that shows elegance.

Metallic IML captures attention on any shelf. The customer immediately recognizes a superior, highend product. Metallic IML preserves the look and feel of a metallic paint can, with the bonus of being less expensive. It gives the paint pail an exquisite shine and adds an element of modernity and class that is perfect for the Storm Shield range.

Lighting up the marketplace Storm Shield is truly a giant leap forward in the quality customers can expect from exterior paint. And thanks to GLC’s collaboration with MCC Verstraete and the innovative technology of Metallic IML, this revolutionary range is destined to make the industry take notice.

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To market our high-end Storm Shield range, we needed packaging that represents the quality and durability of the paint inside. IML was the obvious choice for creating an innovative and exclusive design, and Metallic IML in particular provides unique and eye-catching options.”

Anwer El Hout, CEO at GLC

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Label Solutions

Shrink & Stretch Sleeve Labels (SSL) Discover unlimited branding opportunities with these sleeve label’s 360-degree coverage

Shrink sleeve technology optimizes the printable label area with 360-degree graphics, while accommodating extreme container contour. This flexibility is applicable to virtually any shape or size container on a variety of films.

Shrink sleeve labels are the fastest growing label technology for many different reasons. This solution allows you to have a 360-degree display of your beautiful graphics and text. This in turn gives your products maximum marketing exposure and aesthetic impact. Once the film comes in contact with heat, the label shrinks and tightly conforms to the shape of the

Key Features • • • • •

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360-degree graphics Tamper evidence Multi-packs Scuff resistance Great solution for unique shaped containers

container. Shrink sleeve labels can accommodate extreme container contour. This flexibility is applicable to virtually any shape or size container on a variety of films.

Both UV flexography and rotogravure printing can be utilized, providing photo quality images. Many different eye-catching label innovations can be implemented with shrink sleeves to gain stopping power at shelf.

Shrink sleeves are not only beautiful, but also provide functional benefits such as: excellent scuff resistance, easy detection of tamper evidence, and consumerconvenient multi-pack presentation.

Printing Capabilities • • • •

Rotogravure Flexography Digital Lithography

Case Study

Creativity and Shrink Sleeves Support WD-40® Brand’s Bike Line WD-40 Brand’s iconic blue and yellow can with a red cap is recognized in factories, workshops and homes across the globe — but the brand offers so much more.

The challenge Through its line of WD-40 Specialist® products, the company brings to market more than 20 specialized, high-performance solutions including a line of bike products designed for everyone from amateur cyclists to leading athletes in road and off-road racing. When the company changed its bottle for the bike line from opaque to clear plastic, it offered a challenge to MCC: create a shrink wrap label that mimics the appearance of the metallic silver used for the entire line of WD-40 Specialist products. This is where MCC’s expertise came in.

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The result Since shrink sleeve material isn’t available in silver, MCC had to get creative. MCC’s technical experts utilized metalouire specialty inks to replicate the desired look. The new labels bring brand continuity for users by connecting the bike line to the iconic brand trusted for almost 70 years. By doing so, the new labels will reinforce a strong brand presence at retail and digital shelves.

The original WD-40 Multi-Use Product formula was created in 1953 when scientists set their sights on a challenging mission: helping rockets get into space. Today, that spirit of perseverance and innovation live on as we solve new problems and help things run smoothly. MCC was able to embody that spirit through creative problem solving for the label redesign and the end result is a label that reinforces the WD-40 Brand and makes the product easy to identify for end users.”

Erin Bala, Director of Brand Management and Innovation at WD-40 Company

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7 Ways to Stand Out on the Shelf Let’s get creative for the final stop in our label journey. How do your labels stand out in a space dominated by brand loyalty? One way to catch the consumers eye is to incorporate premium label embellishments to your packaging. Our label experts have identified seven ways to help your brand stand out! Here are some options available to you for your next product launch. As mentioned in the Expert Roundtable, you could incorporate one of these embellishment options to start a multi teared approach for your consumer.

1 Cold foil Cold foil helps you stand out from your competition, emphasize a certain element on your label, get noticed on shelf, and add an element of luxury to your label.

Idea for your package Wheel Cleaner – use cold foil to achieve a premium look.

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2 Shrink Sleeve The best label solution to attract new consumers because of the 360-degree printable label area and the multiple label innovations that you can add to it.

Use all the label billboard space to create a package that stops consumers in the aisle.

Idea for your package Car Polish – showcase your beautiful graphics and text on the whole package.

3 Metallic inks Metallic inks can create a premium design, while adding an extra shimmer to your label to attracts buyers to purchase your product!

Available in a wide variety of colors.

Idea for your package Paint pail – add metallic inks on the package to provide a ‘pop’.

4 High Gloss Give your label color contrast with high gloss. When the light hits the gloss, the shine from your product will stand out among the others on the shelf.

Idea for your package Car Dashboard Wipes – highlight the dashboard to show consumers how shiny it can get.

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High Build

Resin label

Your label should not only be seen, but also felt. Incorporate the use of tactile varnishes to add another layer of interest to help showcase shelf differentiation.

A wax seal that can be produced in different sizes, colors and formats. Add an undeniable look of luxury to your packaging, let your imagination run wild. Help get your product out there on the store shelves.

Idea for your package Waterproofing Wood Stain – highlight the rain droplets to create an added dimension to your label.

Idea for your package 1 Quart of Oil – limited edition promotional item only available during event.

7 Matte IML & UltraGloss IML Combine both these innovations to elevate the look and feel of your packaging. Give your packaging a matte, natural look with a high-gloss finish.

Idea for your package Wood Stain – emphasize one area of your package to stimulate consumer interest.

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Discover our Knowledge Center Discover educational topics in your favorite format such as video, whitepapers and offline magazines to help you grow and innovate your business.

Webinars Providing you with dedicated automotive & chemicals webinars

Magazines Learn about the latest market trends and innovations in our automotive & chemicals magazines

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3 Reasons To Get in Touch With Our Automotive & Chemical Experts Around the Globe

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Apply the latest industry trends to elevate your packaging.

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Learn how to successfully execute your next product launch with the right label solution.

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Enhance brand loyalty through high-end packaging that not only attracts new consumers but retains existing ones.

Our Automotive & Chemical Sales Director, Shayne Kitts Contact: marketing@mcclabel.com

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