On the fl ip side, print is in direct competition with those digital mediums for the time and attention of every consumer in the market. Whether it’s a direct marketing postcard, a banner in a store window, or a promotional item being handed out on the street, print only has seconds to capture the attention of consumers. And one way many printers are helping their clients’ print stand out is by using special press enhancements. “We see embellishments as the driving force in diff erentiating print service provider’s (PSP’s) and converters off erings, no matter which market sector they serve,” said Amit Shvartz, vice president of marketing, Scodix. “CMYK and the basic fi nishing abilities are becoming a commodity, but by offering customers embellishment, PSPs can present their creativity, capabilities, add-value, and make higher margins on existing products.” “Popular additions to print today are commonly used to add visual eff ect, feel, smell, and add value to the printed piece,” agreed Clarence Penge, vice president, Sheetfed, Heidelberg Americas. “Th at being said, drip-off coatings that have varying levels of gloss and texture are most common today.” Special enhancements run the gamut from coatings, to foils, to embossing. And in each of those categories, the range of A Heidelberg press with stations for special press enhancements. technologies and applications can vary widely, from machines that perform the enhancements offl ine aft er the rest of the work is done, to those that run inline with the press, applying the eff ects at nearly every stage of the process. “Th ere is a clear trend to custom build machine confi gurations to eliminate multiple passes and maximize profi t while improving time to market,” said Penge. “Today, it’s common to have a 40-inch sheetfed press with multiple coating units. You’ll see the coating units in the front of the press where the fi rst coating is applied immediately aft er the feeder and aft er the printing unit. Increasingly common in the middle Heidelberg’s Crista and Saphira raised coating can create record groves. 44 Printing News ® September 2016 PrintingNews®com
Printing_News_September_2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above