The new portfolio includes:

• Highcon Beam 3 with optional new Beam Writer for offline writing of DART foils for folding carton production;
• Vulcan1, a next-generation system with 1.4 x 1.7 sheet size, which is still under development for the corrugated packaging and display sector; and
• an upgrade to the Highcon Beam 2C that facilitates the expansion of Highcon’s footprint in the short- and medium-run corrugated market.

“In this challenging environment, Highcon’s customers are successfully using ‘the right tool for the right job’ to optimize their plant productivity, overcome capacity limitations, improve agility, cost-effectiveness and efficiency and better serve their customers – all while maximizing their return on investment,” said Shlomo Nimrodi, Highcon’s CEO. “Inspired by our amazing customers, their feedback and how they’re using our solutions today – as well as inputs that we’ve received over several years – Highcon will be demonstrating [at Drupa] how digital die cutting is becoming mainstream. The time to die cut digitally has arrived.”

The JFX600-2531 printer includes nine vacuum zones that can be manually opened or closed with a turn of a valve. The larger bed size of the JFX600-2531 printer can also accommodate oversized sheets with a total printable area of up to 98.4 in. (2500 mm) wide x 122 in. (3100 mm) long and up to 2.36 in. (60 mm) thick. This capability accommodates a 5 x 10-ft board. The JFX600-2531 printer is expected to be available for order this summer.

Additionally, Mimaki USA unveils the CFX Series of production flatbed cutters in three table sizes. The CFX Series can achieve a tool moving speed of up to 60 m/min (39 in/min), and acceleration of 0.7G that reduces machining time. Four tools can be used simultaneously. Two types of controls are selectable: a pressure control with a maximum of 30 kg (294 N), and a position control that enables high-quality cutting and ruled lining. The ball screw on the Z-axis allows pressures from 5 to 30 kg (49 to 294 N). Two processing modes can be selected for ruled lining: pressure-controlled mode and position-controlled mode, depending on the material. Based on the pre-measured flatness information of the table surface, the tool height is automatically adjusted according to the table position to reduce the occurrence of over-cutting and left-over cutting. The CFX Series of cutters is also expected to be available for order this summer.

The Kongsberg C68 Exact drafting and cutting machine has been specifically developed for industries demanding the utmost accuracy, such as the aviation, aerospace or adjacent precision-focused sectors.

“Built for those sectors with extremely high expectations of accuracy combined with a large area, the Kongsberg C68 Exact sets a new standard for precision in very large format drawing and light cutting,” said Stuart Fox, CEO and president of Kongsberg PCS. “With this latest innovation, we are realizing our stated ambition of exploring new markets and delivering on our objective of further developing our digital solutions to grow the Kongsberg brand beyond the print and packaging industries.”

“Engineered with our deep understanding of corrugated and display converters’ needs for precision, the Kongsberg Ultimate promises to redefine standards and usher in a new era of productivity and innovation, delivering a fast return on investment for convertors of corrugated board,” said Kongsberg PCS president and CEO Stuart Fox. “Enhancing operations and providing a significant competitive advantage, the platform sets a new industry benchmark and is set to drive the future of corrugated production for years to come.”

The Kongsberg Ultimate offers an acceleration rate of up to 2.74G and a cutting speed of 168 meters per minute.

Muller Martini‘s Antaro binder is designed to meet the evolving demands of the print industry for both on-demand and conventional, offset applications.

For digital finishing applications, the Antaro Digital produces print-on-demand books at a rate of up to 2,000 cycles per hour.

For offset print applications, the Antaro delivers at a rate of up to 4,000 cycles per hour.

The Antaro’s modular, expandable design caters to both digital nearline/inline production and conventional production environments.

“With the variety and number of required corrugated boxes increasing, there has never been a greater need for choice in the flexo folder gluer segment and peripheral equipment,” said Jean-Pascal Bobst. “The Bobst Jumbo solution is an excellent option for anyone seeking to produce large-size, high-strength boxes for protection.”

The Graphic Transfer System consists of multiple components needed to print and transfer graphics, including Roland DGA’s new GTS Print Sheets and GTS Transfer Film, V-BOND UV ink, and LEF2 Series benchtop UV flatbed printers (each sold separately).

“Just because objects are large or unusually shaped doesn’t mean you can’t enhance them with stunning UV-printed designs,” said Roland DGA product manager Kitt Jones. “Our new Graphic Transfer System makes it incredibly simple to decorate items that can’t be direct-printed on, or even those that could but where an alternative is beneficial. With the pre-printed transfer in hand, you can apply colourful, detailed graphics and unique dimensional and textural effects in seconds.”

The Starbook Plowfolder combines unwinding, plowfolding, dynamic cutting, and starwheel book delivery into a solution that produces glued book blocks from 4- , 6-, or 8-page signatures.

On the front end, the Hunkeler UW8 Unwinder can handle web widths up to 22.5 in. and up to 1,980 lb.

The Starbook Plowfolder Book Block Solution is optimal for short or long run lengths, including book-of-one and variable thickness applications. It can run at speeds of up to 820 ft per minute.

“We’ve already overseen the successful installation of two Starbook Plowfolder lines in North America since the end of 2022,” said David Reny, executive vice president, Standard Finishing Systems. “With book-of-one demand increasing alongside printer speeds, we’re excited to bring this powerful offering to the high-volume digital print industry.”

Tamir Hativa, head of Indigo Secure at HP, points to a Smithers report that found the global market value for security printing is expected to hit US$36 billion this year, up from US$29 billion in 2019.

According to Smithers, the conflict in Ukraine, the energy crisis and high inflation have contributed to a weakening of the global economy and disruption of supply chains. Opportunities to trade in fake goods are being exploited by criminal organizations. The rise of influencer marketing has been accompanied by an increase in counterfeit goods.

“The industry is diversifying to incorporate an ever-wider range of features to serve the needs of different actors and accommodate diverse use cases,” Hativa says.

One of the main applications of security printing is advanced brand protection by using various print features to demonstrate the authenticity of a product. This also helps keep low-quality or even potentially dangerous, counterfeit goods out of the supply chain, explains Hativa. 

Additionally, various security print features on the forms and other documents used by governments, regulators and other bodies are already widely used in some instances for proper document authentication and tracking.

HP Indigo digital printers offer overt security features, such as holograms and colour-shift inks; semi-covert ones like QR codes or microtext to be authenticated with another device; covert features such as invisible inks, which are authenticated by experts or purpose-built devices; and forensic-level features that are detectable only in a lab and authenticated purely by expert inspectors.

Even a decorative foil on its own can inherently offer a low-level security feature in some applications, explains Jeff Peterson, executive director of Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA). For example, a plainly printed item such as an event ticket can easily be copied and printed illegally, but you can’t print one with a decorative foil.

Peterson credits digital inkjet embellishment tech for increasing the use of functional embellishments. The technology has made it easier to put raised features on various types of packaging and/or labels. 

He adds, “Some digital printer companies are now offering a fifth colour on their new models, which allows you to use a metallic or iridescent ink to add a security feature or other types of applications.”

Accessibility

Beyond security, another huge area for functional embellishments is accessibility. At the forefront of this is CyR.U.S. Raised Universal Symbols, the first, and only, modern tactile language designed to give the over 2.2 billion people in the world with some or total vision loss more independence, safety, and enjoyment of life. 

This spring, the company’s Touch Tags, product labelling sheets, will hit the market. Once applied to skin care, self-care and common household products, they enable people with vision loss to quickly identify the item. The visually impaired, explains CyR.U.S. founder and chief visionary officer Victoria Watts, includes those born with impairment, those who have lost vision for any reason, and also the growing number of seniors who progressively lose some vision as they age. She also points out that even those who take their contacts out or remove their glasses to shower would find Touch Tags reassuring.

Security printing helps protect the brand as well keeps counterfeit goods out of the supply chain.

Idea origin

Watts got the idea for Touch Tags about six years ago, when her fourth child, Cyrus, was born blind. 

“It was my introduction to the challenges people with vision impairment face every day,” she says. “It was right in front of me, with my baby, and I started thinking about how he would navigate life once he was older. I realized one night when I was giving him a bath that he wouldn’t ever be able to tell the difference between products without something to aid him. It was terrifying for me to realize he wouldn’t even be able to take a shower by himself without help, if nothing changed.”

Once she started researching, she noted a few companies were using Braille on their packaging, but this wasn’t a good solution. Less than 10 per cent of the visually impaired read Braille (due to the assistive technology now available, and other reasons). Additionally, Braille takes up quite a bit of room on packaging.

Watts did further investigation with the help of the Lighthouse Organization of Collier County for the visually impaired. She realized a raised universal symbol system was needed. She created the CyR.U.S. System and launched as a proof of concept in 2020.

However, in talks with many self-care product manufacturers, she came up against the same barrier each time: the cost of putting these raised symbols on products. 

“Everyone thought the idea was great, but the cost was too much,” says Watts. “About a year ago, I realized I could make symbol labels directly available to those who need them. I looked at digital printing, and saw that using the Scodix method, I could produce ‘Touch Tag’ sheets.”

Each sheet comes with raised (durable, waterproof) symbol product labels, but also several other features to aid the visually impaired. These are the result of feedback Watts gathered from a dozen focus groups across the full range of visual impairment over the last six months. Each label has a raised edge so that it’s easy to find and peel off the sheet. There’s a QR code in the centre that leads to audible directions for use and descriptions of the symbols. There’s also a raised line at the top of the sheet to show which end is up.

“Those with more severe or total visual impairment still need a person to help them apply the decals, but this is a huge step in the right direction to give people the independence that we all deserve,” says Watts. “There are so many barriers to independence for those with disabilities in our society and I am hopeful this universal language that I’ve created can break down some of them. I believe that if the world becomes accessible, anyone can do anything. Universal accessibility design improves everyone’s lives.”

CyR.U.S. Raised Universal Symbols’ Touch Tags are labelling sheets that make products more accessible to the visually impaired. Photo © CyR.U.S.

Roll out

Returning to Touch Tags, Watts notes that over the next 30 years, 55 per cent of the global population will experience some level of vision loss because of natural ageing. She adds CyR.U.S is a universal language that will work in all countries. Consumers can buy Touch Tags directly from the website.

“It feels good to be this far,” she says. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done but the most fulfilling, to make the world better, break down barriers for my son and the visually impaired community. We are about to reach consumers directly with an affordable product that will improve their quality of life. Most of us will have vision loss at some point in our lives and we should work toward a world where we can all be independent, safe and enjoy life as much as possible. I want to have CyR.U.S eventually across all product categories, and we will improve what we offer as printing technology advances.”

These emblems can be produced in small or large quantities and are available in various sizes, metallic effects, materials, and colours. They’re made from durable and flexible polymer and customizable.

“The right flexible packaging finish makes an unforgettable first impression,” said Sharon Beeman, S-OneLP vice-president of global sales. “Our CatPak JetFx solution offers converters an added opportunity to enhance the look and feel of labels, shrink sleeves, and flexible packaging that elevate brands to stand out from competitors.”

The system has a board feeder with undercam, the new Q-Line cutter generation, and an off-load unit. Working together, the new machine components generate a speed of up to 2.8 m/s.

The new substructure for Q-Line cutters is made from concrete. The beams are made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic.

On the Mark IV, stitch length, balance adjustment, and thickness settings can all be changed automatically from booklet to booklet during operation for true variable booklet production. The sheet-alignment section features four-directional jogging.

The Mark IV can run at speeds of up to 6,000 booklets per hour for A4 portrait applications and 5,300 booklets per hour for A4 landscape applications. The Mark IV also features customizable machine status indicator lights.

“The StitchLiner Mark IV is an exciting update to our proven line of saddlestitchers,” said David Reny, executive vice-president, Standard Finishing Systems. “The demand for variable booklet production has risen steadily in the past few years, and the Mark IV can easily deliver true variable booklet production at consistently high quality while increasing uptime and reducing the burden on operators.”

The new VersaStudio GS2-24 provides small and home-based businesses with a professional cutting solution. It offers a cutting pressure of up to 500 gf and a maximum cutting speed of 850 mm per second. It’s capable of cutting a wide variety of materials, from thin heat transfer sheets and window films to thick paper and rubber sheets for sandblasting, as well as commonly used vinyl sheets.

This next-generation desktop cutter is suitable for sports apparel, T-shirt customization, indoor and outdoor advertisements and signs, vehicle graphics, and office displays.

“The compact size, ease of use, and affordability of our VersaStudio Series offerings, including the new GS2-24 vinyl cutter, make these devices ideal for anyone who wants to launch a new business, grow a current business, or work from home,” said Roland DGA’s product manager of digital print, Daniel Valade. “Like our recently introduced VersaStudio BN-20A desktop printer/cutter, the GS2-24 vinyl cutter is a solution that fits in perfectly with today’s growing interest in digital technologies and diversification of work styles.”

The Jetvarnish 3D 52L will allow printers, finishers and converters to have an in-house full production and prototyping print embellishment system without screens, dies or plates. The all-purpose patented varnish formula allows both flat 2D spot UV highlighting and sculptured 3D raised special effects on a wide range of substrate stocks and up to 600 gsm, from offset and digital inks to lamination films and aqueous coatings.

The Jetvarnish 3D 52L provides printers with the ability to generate more high-impact printed communications and decorative embellishments on all commercial and in-plant applications including booklets, brochures, business cards, mail pieces, book covers, sheet-fed labels, small folding cartons, retail display signs and posters. Sheet sizes range up to 22.4×47 in. and the coating thickness can vary from a traditional flat spot UV coating of 7 μm up to 232 μm for 3D raised texture effects and a tactile finish, all in a single pass.

“Decorative embellishment continues to be a huge growth area for our industry, with tremendous opportunities for commercial printers to differentiate themselves and yield a high profit for the service,” said Dino Pagliarello, senior vice-president, product management and planning. “Our full line of digital embellishment devices delivers dynamic performance for the most demanding applications, adding extra value and sensory dimensional textures to printed output for finished products that are simply remarkable.”

Whether it’s farming, house construction, print finishing or anything else, the ‘best of the best’ lead the way in becoming adept at not only using new techniques, but also in combining them in new ways to achieve unprecedented results. In print finishing, these techniques include foil, spot UV, metallic inks and much more.

Among the best of the best in Canada at combining finishes and technologies is Print Panther Direct of Oakville, Ont. 

“Having multiple enhancement options at our fingertips allows us to create a masterpiece with every project,” says president and co-owner Christine Yardley. “Combining finishes is the new normal and our Into The Bright brochure is a perfect example of this. It mixes fluorescent pink, metallic inks, white inks, spot varnish and foils to really make images stand out.”

The Into The Bright brochure was printed on the Xerox Irridesse, and embellished on the Konica Minolta MGI Jetvarnish and iFoil. Photos © Print Panther Direct

The expert mixing of finishes is so good in the Into The Bright brochure that it won the ‘Best Use of Digital Foil (Varnish Adhesive)’ category at the 2022 29^th Annual Gold Leaf Awards of the U.S.-based Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA).

To produce the brochure, Print Panther Direct printed on the Xerox Irridesse, and embellished on the Konica Minolta MGI Jetvarnish and iFoil. The company has had the first machine for about three years and the latter two machines for about five years.

Yardley and her team have experimented in particular with the fluorescent pink ink and it has opened up an entirely new world of print finish possibilities.

“It can run under everything as a brightener,” she says. “In the brochure, you can see we achieved this wonderful skin tone with a little fluorescent pink under it. You can make this amazing rose gold also by putting fluorescent pink underneath. It’s endless. You can literally make millions of new colours.”

Print Panther Direct printed the Extreme Digital Guide III on a Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1e UV LED inkjet press. Photo © Print Panther Direct

More pink, more awards

Besides winning for the Inside the Bright brochure, Print Panther Direct also won the Gold Leaf Award’s ‘Best of Show’ for digitally embellished promotion with its Konica Minolta Print So Real You Can Feel It – Extreme Digital III book and box. It’s another example of many techniques and consummate skill in combining them, with textured stock, metallics, gloss foils, holographic foil, spot varnish and fluorescents, especially pink.

The Extreme Digital Guide III was printed on a Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1e UV LED inkjet press. The AccurioPress also was used throughout the print process. Metallics and fluorescents were added from the Xerox Iridesse, and the foil and varnish effects were created on the MGI Jetvarnish 3DS and iFoils.

The book images were constructed on 130 lb Cougar “and then duplexed,” as described in FSEA’s PostPress Magazine, “with the visual arts spanning both sides for an endless textured impression…The varnish reflects light and enhances the sharpness and saturation of the images. It gives the primary area of print an incredible look. The impact of the…foil and varnish leaves those who see it with a lasting impression.”

The metallics and fluorescents in this image were added using the Xerox Iridesse. Photo © Print Panther Direct

The outer box is aluminum that was printed and etched, with a belly band of 130 lb Cougar that was “delicately printed, laminated, embellished and scored.”

Upon opening the box, a number of striking imageboards are presented, and the picture of the elephant in particular stands out due to the use of fluorescent pink (in combination with lamination, multiple foils, metallics and varnish. 

“From the flysheet to the foil on foil and multiple pass techniques, each piece illustrates the sheer beauty that can be achieved,” says Yardley. “Truly a bespoke approach to the printed page.”

This picture of an elephant stands out due to the use of fluorescent pink. Photos © Print Panther Direct

Digital expertise

Among all types of print finishes, digital embellishments have seen the most growth in recent years, notes Jeff Peterson, FSEA executive director. Since no tooling (dies, plates or screens) is involved with digital processes, it obviously provides the opportunity to apply embellishments for shorter runs that can include direct mail, invitations, stationery, labels and containers.

Stephen Longmire, national sales manager at Sydney Stone in Mississauga, Ont., notes the “tremendous increase in short-run boutique packaging and prototyping” that has overtaken the print industry has also been supported by the advent of the flatbed cutting system.

The Into The Bright brochure mixes fluorescent pink, metallic inks, white inks, spot varnish and foils to make images stand out.

Specifically, Peterson explains the growing use of digital embellishment processes “has opened up further opportunities for foil and spot specialty coatings for a variety of applications.” However, at the same time, he says, “Digital embellishment technology has also helped spark growth in more traditional print embellishment methods such as hot foil stamping cold foil, and UV spot screen coating processes.” Peterson says the limitations relating to the addition of specialty finishes, such as metallic foils or spot specialty coatings, have been removed over the last few years, and “the growth in digital foil and coating technologies along with new efficiencies with hot and cold foil processes has provided extended choices for designers and brand owners.”

Fluorescent pink ink can be used as a brightener.

Indeed, new finishing technologies have fuelled growth in FSEA’s Annual Gold Leaf Awards. This year, there were 39 categories (with a gold, silver, and bronze in each), up from 37 categories in 2021, with the two new categories addressing new technologies for digital as well as conventional methods of print embellishments, finishing and binding.

To help those in print finishing with using the different metallic finishing processes, FSEA has partnered with PaperSpecs to create the ‘Foil Cheat Sheet’ guide. PaperSpecs is a California-based company that offers videos, webinars and more to its members ‘to provide inspiration, insights and access to crucial, hands-on tools and resources to help designers create printed pieces that ‘wow’ their clients.’

Peterson explains the Foil Cheat Sheet “includes decorative samples and the advantages and disadvantages of hot foil stamping, cold foil, digital foil (both polymer-based inkjet and toner-based adhesives) as well as foil board substrates.” The resource also includes guidance on which papers best suit these foiling methods, best options for short print runs and how to create different foil effects in the same print run. Both a pdf and an actual printed/embellished version of the Foil Cheat Sheet can be accessed on the PaperSpecs website or the FSEA website.

The foil and varnish effects on this image were created on the MGI Jetvarnish 3DS and iFoils.

Looking forward

Yardley believes multipurpose machines is where the future of print finishing is heading. “I’m sure they are in the works,” she says. “One footprint, one operator.” 

Indeed, Longmire reports Duplo is developing a machine that can do spot UV, metallic foiling and corona effect in one shot.

However, Yardley points out that reliability is a rather large concern in all-in-one technology. “If you have only one machine and it’s down, you are stuck,” she says, “but if you have multiple machines and one breaks, you can still get work done. So, there are pros and cons to each situation. I am sure more pros, though. It is an exciting time.” 

Yardley also thinks we will see embellished, elevated print become the new expectation in print finishing, going forward. This trend will come into force for the same reason mixing print finishes has now become the norm. “Brands,” she says, “want more to be noticed.” 

BookReady changes applications on-the-fly without any manual intervention at full printing speed.

The new cutsheet finishing solution may be equipped with an automatic 90-degree turning station to rotate 2-up imposed sheets from long-edge leading to short-edge leading.

“BookReady is designed to optimize production and facilitate finishing operations, building on the success of Tecnau’s Stack 1010 sheetfed cutting/stacking system. The solution guarantees high efficiency while eliminating possible errors for customers who want to actively compete in the digital book sector for short runs and book on demand,” said Pete Dolfis, Tecnau’s vice-president sales, Americas.

Unaware of the issue, the developer of the FireJet 4C inkjet printer, Kirk Rudy, set out on a mission in December 2021 to develop their own brand of inkjet coated envelopes. At that time, Jim Williams, Kirk Rudy’s marketing director, was challenged by the company’s president Rick Marshall to find a paper mill and an envelope converter who would be willing to create the envelopes for Kirk Rudy, rather than buying them second-hand from someone else.

“It was a good long hard look,” said Williams. “I stumbled upon a small paper mill in Pennsylvania and an envelope converter right down the street. They gave us samples of an inkjet coated paper and it was wonderful. The image was just amazing! The converter made us envelopes and we were gearing up in February [for production].”

Jim Williams

Shortages galore
At that time, Williams wasn’t aware of the major envelope shortage that was starting to plague the industry. The situation was worsening quickly. As he visited Florida over the winter months, Williams found printers could not get their hands on commodity-grade envelopes, not for love or money. ‘We don’t care about price! We don’t care about money! Can you get us the envelopes?’ —this became the common statement linking every print shop that Jim visited.

“I went down to sell a quality envelope to these guys, and they didn’t care if it was made from toilet paper; they wanted it. It was all about availability. Then when I got back in March, I realized we couldn’t get them either,” Williams recounted.

In May, Williams found out the paper company was stopping the manufacturing of inkjet coated paper anymore. The shortage was so bad the company had switched to making commodity-grade paper.

The situation hardly made sense. Before working for Kirk Rudy, Williams had been a printer, and had never seen a shortage of envelopes. Anecdotally, he told this author that his suppliers used to run into the opposite problem, over producing envelopes to the point that Williams was able to buy them at incredibly cheap prices just to help clear out the suppliers’ warehouses. However, this year, a perfect storm of factors like the unavailability of foreign goods, the shutting down of domestic mills, and the sudden shifting of the market away from paper created this shortage of envelopes.

Pandemic’s impact
Years ago, the U.S. created and sold paper domestically, but as with many other things, when China brought their paper to market, it was significantly less expensive. As people bought more paper from international suppliers, American mills shifted to making fine quality and specialty papers. Then the pandemic happened. “All of a sudden, no paper was coming from China. At the same time, no paper was being made in America,” said Williams. “I’ve toured a couple of paper mills in my life. The paper making machine is several miles long and you don’t just shut it down. It runs continuously 24/7. When you do shut it down because of an unprecedented situation like COVID it takes several months to get it fired back up. So COVID forced mills to shut down, and several of them did not come back on line.”

Those who did reopen were faced with new demand for corrugated cardboard. Many mills chose to convert from paper to corrugated, thereby stopping a source of paper. “Now we’re not making regular paper, and we can’t get it from China anymore, so what happens? Well, the inventory began to get depleted,” confirmed Williams.

Crunch reduces
The shortage has eased a little now. This has allowed Williams to turn his focus back to sourcing out a paper mill to develop envelopes for Kirk Rudy. A couple of months ago, Williams also got a call from his envelope converter who had found a mill that was making inkjet paper. “He didn’t even wait to tell me. He bought three rolls of this paper, enough to make nine million envelopes,” exclaimed Williams. “It’s a beautiful sheet. We ran it at full speed. Windows weren’t getting caught. It’s a good envelope. We are now back in the envelope business for inkjet coated envelopes.”

With the worst of the storm behind us, Kirk Rudy and Jim Williams are confident they’ll finally be able to supply their customers continuously. “Nine million is a lot of envelopes normally, but with the demand I have, it’s going to go fast. My envelope maker already has another order in and has assured me he will have enough paper for another five million envelopes in the next week or two. So it looks like it will be continuous, but you never know. I tell people to take advantage supplies when they are.” Sound advice from an industry expert with nearly 40 years of experience.

Clint Dixon is solutions and marketing specialist at Insource Corp.

Plockmatic Group’s inline platform introduces architecture that enables new features for the first time in the low-to-mid volume market segments across Konica Minolta’s AccurioPress mono and colour production machines. The inline versions of the SD-435/450 will be exclusively sold by Konica Minolta throughout 2022.

The new system architecture enables customers to produce high-quality booklets including 8.5 x 11 in. landscape and has all the key processes needed to produce corner and edge staple, folding, spine forming and full bleed trimming, all combined in one single, easy-to-use system.

“Konica Minolta’s continued alliance with the Plockmatic Group enhances and further differentiates the offering of inline and offline options across Konica Minolta’s AccurioPress colour and mono production machines,” said Dino Pagliarello, senior vice-president, product management and planning, Konica Minolta. “This latest extension of our partnership ensures all finishing needs of CRDs and commercial printers are now being met, and Konica Minolta’s finishing portfolio is complete.”

“We are delighted to be extending our successful partnership with Konica Minolta with an exclusive agreement that benefits both companies,” said Johan Mikaelsson, vice-president, business unit inline and group technical support, Plockmatic. “Customers recognize that the finishing of any document has never been more important. The SD-435/450 Series use the latest patented Plockmatic technologies to deliver top quality output in a wide range of print applications that can be tailor made for customers and will enable them to grow business in their territories.”

If you use Journey Builder to trigger digital communications, MailPath allows you to send direct mail as easy as e-mail.

“More and more of our clients across a multitude of verticals have been utilizing Journey Builder for triggered delivery of their digital communications but quickly recognized the gap of automating the delivery of direct mail,” explained Betsy Davis, EVP and national sales director at Sandy Alexander. “Understanding the importance of direct mail, we took this opportunity to provide the MailPath application as a solution to incorporate direct mail as another channel within their journey’s and improve their response rates.”

The benefits of digital finishing are clear and answer many of the challenges facing both folding carton and corrugated converters around the world today: rapid turnaround of jobs, shorter runs, design and production flexibility and immediate error correction and/or changes according to designer or customer requirements. Web-to-pack, whether printed digitally or conventionally followed by highly automated digital finishing, is a perfect fit for operational flexibility and differentiation opportunities. The demand for the requirements afforded by digital, were present even before the effects of the pandemic, of course. However, they seem to have become more important than ever. There is more pressure to maximize operational efficiency and to overcome supply chain shortages. Today, jobs need to be streamlined and optimize production.

In the age of print 4.0, the web-to-pack business model is surely a great fit for the future, with many businesses already reaping the benefits. We see successful converters selecting the right tool(s) for the job, with many running conventional and digital manufacturing approaches in parallel. A full implemented digital manufacturing strategy will dynamically gang jobs onto a single sheet, reducing the number of set-ups to ensure a healthy set-up: production time ratio. Jobs are then finished digitally without mechanical dies, saving time and money.

In the USA, Digital Room has built their business around the concept of offering customers nearly endless product customization possibilities through a portfolio of e-commerce websites including UPrinting, Packola, and LogoSportswear. Digital Room is leveraging the latest manufacturing and e-commerce technologies to enable this. Chase Cairncross, COO, Digital Room, says, “With the constant increase in e-commerce, customers want to be able to decide the shape, size, colour, and quantity of the items they need – they do not want to be limited to what they are told they can have.”

Heuchemer Verpackungen in Germany is doing something similar at  LAMAXSO.com, a digital packaging platform for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and local manufacturers. They offer customers packaging design templates and a portfolio of customized shipping boxes, bottle packaging, folding boxes, gift boxes, product trays, decorations and more.

The nature of these customized jobs ordered through web-to-pack sites, are short print runs that challenge the conventional manufacturing process. This is where digital manufacturing shines, enabling cost-effective and timely production of such jobs, bringing all the advantages of digital to the post-print part of the packaging manufacturing process.

While the web-to-pack model was accelerated by businesses looking to meet the challenges of the pandemic, the many benefits of digital finishing within it are now starting to be more widely understood. Indeed, you don’t need to go far to see some stunning examples of print and packaging that leverage this technology, achieving stand-out products that wow consumers and increase sales across the value chain.

Simon Lewis is the VP of marketing at Highcon.

It features inside-outside printing in a single pass, complex diecutting capabilities and quick changeovers on the full line.

“The Masterline DRO has been designed to match market demands for valuable packaging, faster delivery times and more sustainable operations including the new e-commerce requirements,” said David Arnaud, product marketing director, FFG DRO. “As brand owners demand ever higher diecutting and printing quality from their corrugated packaging suppliers, achieving both, while retaining a profit margin, has become increasingly important for box makers. Masterline DRO achieves exactly that, and we believe it sets a new benchmark in the industry.”

Using Zünd Connect, the customer can see at a glance when and, more importantly, why machine interruptions occur, how much time is spent in setup and the availability of each machine.

This web-based monitoring tool gives the user access to cutter-performance data at a glance, any time of day. The system records productivity levels over a freely definable period using Zünd Cut Center Version 3.4 or later as data source.

Data monitoring provides information users need in order to make informed decisions. This comprehensive overview of production data reveals connections that are often overlooked. Zünd Connect supplies valuable key performance indicators for assessing how efficiently cutting systems are working.

These solutions have been available in Europe for a number of years, and now Drytac is bringing these flagship products to the wider global audience, including the North American market.

Drytac Polar Premium Clear is a 3.2 mil (80 micron) phthalate-free printable polymeric solvent self-adhesive PVC film with a high quality, clear adhesive for optimum performance on a wide variety of substrates.

The printable film – compatible with solvent, eco-solvent, UV and latex technologies – is suitable for both long-term indoor and outdoor applications, such as general signage, window graphics, exhibition and event graphics and POS displays. It can also be used for applying vehicle graphics onto flat or slightly curved surfaces.

Drytac Weathershield UV overlaminates are 3.2 mil (80 micron) clear polymeric gloss or matte PVC laminating films that can be used across a host of applications including general signage, window graphics, exhibition and event graphics and POS displays.

Weathershield is recommended for outdoor signage or high-end indoor graphic applications where the highest UV protection is needed.

“We’re delighted to be able to offer these adhesive science solutions to the wider global marketplace and provide a matched solution with extended durability to the industry,” said Shaun Holdom, global product manager at Drytac.

The new varnishes were specifically formulated to provide adhesion to HP Indigo ElectroInk and has been designed to provide high levels of mechanical durability on HP Indigo printed labels.

The new set of varnishes do not require the addition of any press-side additives. The range can be printed using standard UV coating equipment.

The solution has been tested across some of the most popular label substrates including PP White, PP Clear and Metalized Substrates.

Available as part of the SunEvo Protect LEP HD range of protective varnishes for HP Indigo, the range highlights another example of the high level of co-operation between HP Indigo and Sun Chemical.

Two new products are available as part of the set: EV-LU028 Gloss and EV-LU029 Matte. The range is available to be ordered immediately. Commercial production has started in Europe with other regions following shortly.

“We have conducted field trials with the HP Indigo community across many countries for a few months and the response has been phenomenal,” said Marcos Valdezate, Sun Chemical global business development Manager for SunEvo Coatings for Digital. “Customers have challenged the durability of these varnishes and have seen how long-lasting they are. This is another great example of how coating innovation can expand the range of applications for digital printers and actively expand their offering.”

The new products include coatings designed to create highly tactile, impactful shrink sleeve effects. By applying the Hybrid AQ-UV Soft Touch Coating, and UV Wet Touch Coating users can produce packaging designs that perfectly represent the brand image or the product itself, such as wet touch coatings on a beverage bottle or the soft touch finish on a tube of moisturizer, or the brand image.

“Brands are constantly looking for ways to differentiate their products to stand out on a competitive store shelf, and these new coatings are the latest innovations from Actega, designed with the consumer experience and brand identity in mind,” explains Wolfgang Hoffmann, head of market management, EMEA, Labels.

In addition to these advanced coatings, Actega’s new UV and solvent-based silver inks, including a solvent-based rainbow silver have been launched for brands and converters looking to create a dramatic metallic shine. Converters can also opt for these silvers instead of a traditional foil finishing process, enabling better recyclability of the finished container, and reducing waste associated with applying foil.

Hoffmann comments, “Actega’s coating and ink systems work on all common substrates, including PET, OPS and PVC, and are suitable for one-sided or two-sided finishing.”

As part of Standard Horizon’s popular RD series of die-cutters, the system can die-cut, kiss-cut, emboss/deboss, crease/score, perforate, slit, hole punch and round corner in a single pass or in multiple combinations for a wide range of applications including business cards, invitations, labels, door hangers and light packaging.

With the addition of the SPC-N4055 Separator and optional CSD-40RD Card Stacker, the system also eliminates the need for manual separating and counting at the delivery section to allow operators to work more efficiently, to improve accuracy with an automated, verified piece count and to increase production efficiency for small and short-run pieces.

“The RD-N4055 is a welcome addition to our proven line of RD die-cutters,” said David Reny, executive vice-president, Standard Finishing Systems. “Our manufacturing partners at Horizon listened closely to customers and end users and created a combination system that improves on previous generations of die-cutters while introducing new levels of automation for a highly productive, operator-friendly system that can easily keep up with today’s short-run, on-demand market.”

Variable data printing is just as it sounds. It’s variable in terms of hyper-personalized, fast, small-batch applications, and it involves data (the more, the better).

“Using information from various databases, sometimes up to 20 pieces of data per individual,” explains Mandarino, “we can personalize direct mail with text and images specific to a person’s interests, change the image depending on the province and so on. The beauty is that nowadays, sourcing of images is very affordable.”

Mandarino also explains that since people are spending a lot of time at home due to the pandemic, “they like opening their mail, and the use of direct mail has increased. People are also computer fatigued. [With VDP], you have to be careful about the data and make sure it’s accurate, but there is huge potential and new opportunities for printers.”

Jeff Zellmer, vice-president of global sales & strategy at Eastman Kodak, echoes this perspective. “Today, variable data printing is a key component of the marketing mix,” he says. “Lately, variable data printing is enhanced by the trend toward ‘programmatic print,’ which combines online and print channels in a way that can substantially improve the marketing ROI.”

However, at this point in time, some in the industry don’t understand the ROI potential of VDP, according to Rob Gradishar, director of production and industrial print (western region) at Konica Minolta Canada. That is, some companies may be reluctant to pay the costs of acquiring a potential customer database. Gradishar reports there is exponential growth in postcard-type VDP marketing materials, and less growth in enveloped pieces.

In terms of who is getting into VDP, he says it could be a marketing company that has acquired printing capabilities or a printer who is getting into marketing. “There’s also the collaboration model with a marketing firm working with a printing company,” Gradishar notes. “They both bring their skill sets to the table and offer things to customers that they could not offer before.”

Eleanor Rafter, Canada Post’s director of Smartmail Marketing Channels, reports her organization has recently seen an increase in VDP interest. Over the last six months or so, she and her team members have had about five or six conversations about variable datat printing with various industry members. They’ve mostly been with U.S. companies looking to connect with Canadian printers who can offer VDP services for their clients. These companies want to harness data gathered from e-commerce transactions and from their customer relationship management systems. Rafter notes that mail, in comparison to other marketing channels, stands out because of its physicality. She adds that “when it’s personally addressed to them, 87 per cent of Canadian consumers open their mail.”

A personalized invitation printed using variable data printing (VDP) capabilities.

Extra effort

Beyond personalization, consumers are also attracted to VDP materials with embellishments—‘fancy’ items that give the impression the sender went above and beyond. “We’re human; we like to touch and feel,” says Mandarino, “so if the piece of mail has a foil stamp or gloss UV or digital gloss foil with emboss, we don’t want to throw it away. If the piece stands out and clearly demonstrates the sender has put some effort and expense into it, we feel like keeping it and giving it a close look.”

From a custom laser die-cut envelope to a multiple foil-stamp, embossed finished, or printing images on the envelope, solid ink on the flap and textured paper, so much is possible. “It’s endless,” he says, “and the costs of these embellishments have come down significantly.”

A perfume box with raised varnish and foil.

Beyond flat mail

VDP is also playing an important role in packaging production, reports Zellmer. “Brands are looking to personalization or versioning to create greater engagement with the consumer,” he says. “With VDP, enabled by innovative digital technology, packaging designers can realize eye-catching creative concepts for improved shelf appeal. VDP makes it easy to add security features, such as serialized codes for supply chain tracking, or regional regulatory content. Similarly, variable design and marketing elements such as variable codes for lottery or gaming campaigns and ‘connected’ or ‘smart’ packaging applications can be integrated into packaging designs.”

These ‘smart’ applications include augmented reality and personal URL (purl) applications. Gradishar gives the example of receiving something in the mail or seeing a poster in a store, “and when you hover your phone in picture mode over the image, a personalized coupon based on your buying history pops up.”

Gradishar adds that package printing can also extend into company promotions or enabling companies to offer fast, on-demand customization of gifts. For example, a box of perfume with raised varnish and foil to display a loved one’s name, the date and an anniversary inscription. To many of us, the package would be as valuable as the gift itself.

VDP enables printers to integrate ‘smart’ packaging applications like QR codes into design. Photo courtesy Kodak

Digital mindset

In looking for printing partners to execute VDP, businesses and advertising agencies need those with a ‘digital’ mindset and who are up-to-date with the latest developments in martech (marketing technology), says Rafter. “We have a Smartmail Marketing program that includes over 200 printers who meet certain criteria,” she says, “and the main objective of the program is to connect them with marketing firms or companies who want to create and execute a direct-mail campaign. We also offer training and research results to our partners.”

Looking at the big picture, Sophie DeLadurantaye, Canada Post’s data lead, explains VDP can be competitive with other marketing channels if companies have the technical and data expertise to meet marketers’ expectations for speed, relevance and effectiveness. This is all about anchoring VDP to the right data signals communicated in real-time between systems.

Indeed, speed to market, has been one of the challenges of direct mail, according to DeLadurantaye. However, she says, “VDP now enables thousands of unique, hyper-personalized pieces to be produced and mailed out at the speed of mass production to reach the right customer, at the right time, with the right message.”

A personalized champagne box. Photo courtesy Konica Minolta Canada

Trigger mail

Kopel in St. Hubert, Que., is a Canada Post SmartMail ‘Expert Partner’ and a past ‘Expert Partner’ award winner. The company exemplifies the digital mindset that’s needed to exploit the potential of VDP. Kopel has a strong focus on ‘trigger mails,’ where the VDP order is completed and mailed a day after client confirmation. They also offer flexible formats in order to meet each customer’s needs.

This next-day mailing (minimum quantity guarantee per day) applies, of course, to variable data printing orders without special die-cut or finishing. In terms of who is ordering trigger mail, Kopel’s business development director Josée Ruest says most of their customers are in the banking, insurance and telecommunications sectors.

“The volume of orders is very high,” she reports. “It seems like since the start of the pandemic, companies aren’t sure where they are going with their marketing, and it seems that there are a lot at the companies doing direct mail at the last minute. However, some have automated their orders because they have done the research and they know what timing is best to reach their customers, whether that’s every day, two weeks or three months.” Of course, content on the printed piece can always be updated.

As a VDP printer getting lots of orders, Kopel advises those companies who wish to try variable data printing to go ahead and start with a small project. They can add other communications down the road. “This type of marketing works,” Ruest assures. “You don’t want to lose business to your competitors because you don’t feel ready.”

The BN-20A delivers the same ease of use, print quality and versatility of the original BN-20, but by removing the recirculating specialty colour channel for white and metallic inks, Roland DGA is able to offer this value-packed “business in a box” for $4,995 (MSRP).

With its combined functionality, reliability and affordability, the BN-20A is suitable for anyone looking to start a home-based business, or for existing shops that want to expand by adding print-and-cut applications.

“Our new BN-20A makes VersaStudio desktop printer/cutter performance more affordable than ever,” said Daniel Valade, Roland DGA Manager of digital print. “This compact, yet powerful device is just the ticket for start-ups and existing operations. It’s an incredibly versatile, easy-to-use device that offers legendary Roland DG quality and reliability at an unbelievable price.”

Incorporated in 1878, New York Label & Box Works have facilities in New York and New Jersey, and provide packaging services.

The Edale press comes with 1500-mm in diameter unwind, allowing for longer runs. It can handle substrates up to 700-micron board. It also includes Edale’s (AiiR) Autonomous inking, impression plus EZ register technology, which “guarantees precision throughout the print run, improves quality and reduces waste.”

Darren Pickford, sales director, Edale, said, “We have known New York Label & Box since 2014 and were delighted when they joined us last year for a virtual demonstration to see the FL5 press in production of cartons. They were very impressed with the quality of the print, single-pass efficiency, and cost benefits.”

“Our investment will allow us to present to our clients new embellishment possibilities, a lower cost of manufacturing due to greater operational efficiency and speed of response,” said Steven Haedrich, president, New York Label & Box Works.

With the technology evolving—faster speeds, better quality, increased consistency etc.—the market has embraced the opportunities digital printing permits. This has been realized in pressrooms the world over through hardware installations, as printers look to respond to 21st century consumer behaviours, the advent of short runs, personalization and brand owner demands for new business models to provide just-in-time delivery and minimize waste in the supply chain. Due to these factors, many digital adopters in labels are operating multiple lines. They are also embracing the different digital printing technologies and the unique characteristics and capabilities of each to further their ability to respond to today’s business environment, and that of tomorrow.

Choosing the right technology

Increasingly, the end-use is driving the choice of technology, be that:

• challenging substrates as often seen in wines and spirits;
• durable labels that are resistant to various types of environmental factors;
• beer and beauty labels, where achieving the correct look and feel is paramount; or food labels, which must be esthetically pleasing whilst meeting stringent regulations for food safety.

For most, digital presses are slotted in alongside flexo and offset machines. There are examples—from the early days—of this approach not providing the most effective route to ROI, with the capabilities and capacities of digital printing undermined by attempts to make the technology work within existing workflows. Today, it is widely acknowledged that to make the most of an investment in digital, the ecosystem around the press is as important as the machine itself. This helps get incoming orders through prepress, onto the print engine, then forward to finishing and converting in the most streamlined and effective way possible.

A web-to-print business model will help increase orders for label printers. Photo © hiv360 / Adobe Stock

Workflow automation

The starting point is invariably the correct MIS/ERP, designed to handle the greater number of orders and jobs, the complexities of such work and the amount of data involved, whilst being able to keep up with the press and keep it filed with saleable work. Web-to-print business models are now springing up at an increasing rate, bringing the convenience of e-commerce as experienced by consumers on a daily basis to the business-to-business world. While this will not work for all, it’s likely that a growing amount of work destined for digital label presses will come from online avenues. This then creates an entirely different structure for label printers who might be more au fait with established workflows that see orders coming through the door and being processed by the prepress department.

The likely deskilling of the prepress process will result in a need for companies to find new roles for staff. This can be a boon for many, as it creates new opportunities for growth, taps up under-utilized resources within a workforce and strengthens the personal development roadmap for staff. This may seem scary to some, but it is an inevitable consequence of digital transformation. It should not be feared, but embraced and made a part of corporate strategies for the future.

Resurgence of flexo

Similarly, there were concerns about the impact of digital transformation on analogue print processes. Driven, in part, by the digital industry’s excellent marketing activities and loud vocal presence permeating the supply chain, the furore reached a fever pitch. There was a brief point in time when the digital printing industry was having to go on record to state, “We’re not here to kill flexo.” In recent years, the flexo industry has staged a ‘fightback’ and gone through a technical resurgence of its own, including efficiency gains, automation of press set-up and better standardisation of the process. It has also got more vocal and better at fighting its corner. Its marketing efforts have improved to highlight the strengths of flexo in the 21^st century.

The look and feel of beauty labels are very important. Photo © artdee2554 / Adobe Stock

Complimentary processes

As a result, the reality on the factory floor today is that digital and analogue are entirely complementary print processes. This is realised through the growing amount of ‘hybrid’ options—full hybrid, true hybrid, integrated hybrid, etc.—that combine the best of both processes, as well as the capacities that have been freed up and created. By taking the burden off a flexo press to print short runs when implementing a digital printing workflow, for example, label printers can increase the amount of volume work they put through their Gallus/Mark Andy/Nilpeter/MPS/Bobst press. Similarly, digital presses are now able to take on longer runs, leaving a flexo press free to produce the highest value jobs, perhaps. This maximizes OEE and hastens the ROI for both digital and analogue hardware. For many label printers, this has now opened up new business opportunities and markets they may have previously been unable to service.

Flexible packaging

One such opportunity has been digitally printed flexible packaging. Flexible packaging is a widely spoken about goal for label printers. Technical challenges remain in this area, given the greater demands placed on primary packaging, and how it relates to established label printing technologies such as UV. However, work is ongoing in the supply chain to mitigate and alleviate such concerns. Further, a growing amount of hardware is now available to permit fast turnaround of digitally printed flexible packaging constructions, printed using either aqueous inkjet or toner technologies and suited to ‘print-for-use’ business models. There remains a need for education amongst label printers, as flexible packaging materials and end uses are entirely different. That being said, it’s likely we’ll see more and more label converters moving into flexible packaging as opportunities present themselves.

Digital finishing

Adding value is another area of opportunity for label printers deploying digital. In the ongoing battle to win at the ‘moment of truth,’ and offer the greatest shelf appeal, more and more systems are being introduced to enhance and embellish digitally printed labels with either post-print analogue processes, or newer digital-native systems that can apply foils, varnishes and other visual effects, as well as haptic elements to appeal to consumers’ desire to touch and feel.

As such, I believe the label industry is well placed to embrace the next iteration of digital transformation by coupling its engrained knowledge of digital printing with a capacity to adapt and change. Rather than being fretful, the label industry is looking forward to how digital can future-proof business, and is ready to embrace all the opportunities this will present.

David Pittman is the editor of Digital Labels & Packaging. This article was originally published as part of the Drupa Essentials of Print series. It also appeared in the July/August 2021 issue of PrintAction. 

It plays a fundamental role in interconnecting the postpress sector as an integral part of the smart print shop.

The intelligent knife ensures full transparency in the cutting process. The precise evaluation of cutting data promises a range of optimizations. For example, all conceivable knife data is stored on an integrated RFID chip, such as its quality, grinding angle and the number of grinding processes. An RFID reader built into the cutting machine, in turn, reads the information. The networkable cutting machine sends the collected knife data, as well as errors, setup and run times, to the secure IntelliKnife Cloud. In the cloud, the data is collected and processed. A clear web-based user interface allows access to reporting and analysis of the machine performance. With its modern interface, IntelliKnife integrates into existing in-house BDE/MIS systems.

IntelliKnife is currently available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands.