Try this experiment: Keep this page open. Then flip to the cover printed by Print Panther of Oakville, Ontario, and touch the identical image with hot foil stamping, spot UV coating and raised 3D effects. The breakthrough technology you’re experiencing is poised to radically change our industry – and the business of printing in Canada – in a major way. Here’s what you should know, especially if you’re a commercial or packaging printer.
Digital finishing’s remarkable game-changing renaissance
Konica Minolta Canada and Print Panther team up to bring MGI’s groundbreaking JETVarnish 3DS with Inline iFoil System technology to Canada
In February 2016, after nearly twenty years of collaboration, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) inked an exclusive agreement with MGI (Fresnes, France) to co-market and service the entire line of MGI digital printing and finishing solutions in Canada. One month later, Konica Minolta installed the latest version of MGI’s JETVarnish 3DS Digital Spot UV and Inline iFoil System at Print Panther – a high-end digital printing boutique in Oakville, Ontario. One of the newest and most promising digital finishing breakthroughs in the world, this milestone installation was the first in Canada! The technology is also one of the most disruptive, especially for printers looking to boost profits, add value to their printed pieces, and separate themselves from their competition. In short, it’s poised to change the way printers actually conduct business.
Additional stake in MGI digital technology
In April 2016, Konica Minolta also invested further in MGI digital technology. As a leading decorative printing equipment manufacturer, MGI has had a financial and strategic alliance with Konica Minolta since January 2014. The investment of a further 30.5% of MGI’s shares increases Konica Minolta’s stake in the company to 40.5% while adding MGI’s products for commercial print, labels and packaging to Konica Minolta’s growing portfolio. MGI’s hot foil stamping and embossing equipment has already been added to Konica Minolta’s product lines. Konica Minolta now intends to harness MGI’s R&D power to accelerate its initiatives in areas such as labels and packaging. This synergy will give Konica Minolta a strong presence in the digital packaging printing market while driving expansion in commercial printing. Just as significant, the JETVarnish 3DS was manufactured specifically for Konica Minolta by MGI – a further example of the leadership of both companies in the printing and finishing sectors as the technology gains popularity worldwide.
Why high-end digital finishing? Why now?
Today’s printers have been coping with a changing industry driven mostly by soaring customer expectations. They have to deal with shorter runs, more customization, faster time to market, shrinking margins, and the lingering challenge of commodity-based cutthroat pricing. From a marketing standpoint comes likely the greatest challenge – adding value to their printed pieces. For shop owners, the decision of whether to outsource finishing effects or purchase new equipment to produce those effects can be monumental. And while the world’s press manufacturers have improved processes, finishing still remains a headache. For many it’s viewed as either a production bottleneck or another equipment investment they’re simply not willing to make. “All that is about to change dramatically,” said Paul McCarthy, Director of Production Print at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada).
In the book UnSquaring the Wheel, authors Chris Bondy, Wayne Peterson and Dr. Joe Webb point out that the current business model for printers “has ground to a halt.” Even re-branding yourself as a “marketing services provider” hasn’t worked. These visionaries insist that “innovation always wins and fighting it will waste time and resources.” Peterson characterizes emerging technology as either incremental (delivering the next level of expected capabilities) or disruptive (providing breakthroughs that change the way we work). In this regard, the JETVarnish 3DS strikes me as a genuine “disruptive” force. That’s already the case in Europe, where several successful installations have taken place.
For example, spectacular value-added digital finishing effects can now be done totally in-house at Print Panther. There’s no need to outsource or buy additional equipment. Workflow is smoother and downtime is reduced because the special effects can be printed in one pass. These effects include embossing and de-bossing, multiple-coloured hot foil stamping (up to three colours), spot UV coating and special 2D and 3D effects. The technology can even accommodate variable-data printing of hot foil and/or spot UV coating that can be applied on the text, on the image, or on both, in runs from one to thousands of sheets.
A true game-changer
This will open up new markets that were previously unattainable. Now, Print Panther can create visually stunning pieces quickly with short-run customization not previously possible via traditional methods. The goal is to maximize one-on-one marketing and branding impact while adding enormous value for its customers and lowering production costs. Some of the initial applications the company foresees include custom packaging, pocket folders, custom binders, wine labels, shopping bags, Braille, business cards, brochures and more. It intends to produce luxurious, vivid and tactile personalized (variable-data) 3D spot coating and embossed hot foil stamping applications from all of its digital presses at price points previously unimaginable – and for its customers, surprisingly affordable. “This technology will be a real game-changer for printers and their clients across Canada,” said Dal Raimondi, Production Print Solutions Analyst at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada).
Award-winning finishing technology
The technology is also evolving quickly. In fact, MGI premiered its next-generation of JETvarnish technology (the JETvarnish 3D Evolution, the world’s first B1+ scalable Digital Enhancement Press) at drupa this year. As for Print Panther’s JETVarnish 3DS installation, Konica Minolta realized the potential of this technology long ago, and was determined to bring it to Canada. But Konica Minolta wasn’t the only major industry player who saw its potential.
In 2014, the Graphics of the Americas (GOA) tradeshow presented its GOA Game Changers Awards that highlighted “essential, future-oriented exhibitor technologies”. Among them was MGI’s JETvarnish 3D and JETvarnish 3D Twin with iFoil. As GOA President George Ryan said at the time, “We’re proud to honour manufacturers and developers who are building solutions that will have a lasting and positive effect on our industry.” The technology also received “Must See’em” Awards at Graph Expo every year from 2012 to 2015, won InterTech Technology Awards from the PIA, as well as other industry accolades. With the introduction of its “Twin” option, the JETvarnish 3D set a new world production speed record for 3D spot UV coating in 2013.
The basics
If you’re not an expert on digital finishing, but are keen on examining its possibilities for your business, here’s a brief overview of some popular post-press special effects achieved using traditional methods.
Traditional embossing utilizes a special die under high pressure to form a raised 3D impression that allows clients to “feel” the design. It can be used as a stand-alone effect or in combination with 4-colour printing or foil stamping. In hot foil stamping, a heated die fuses the foil onto the paper, adding shimmer to highlight specific text or images. Gold, silver, and other metallic colours can be used, as well as clear and holographic foils. In embossing plus foil stamping, a heated die bonds the foil onto the paper. The same area is then embossed with a die to create a raised 3D image. Spot varnish can be applied to certain areas of a printed piece in a gloss, satin or dull finish to create contrast. For example, placing a dull finish on an image will give it contrast against a glossy background. Alternatively, you can use a gloss varnish to make a selected image or text pop out from its dull or matte paper base. Finally, there are metallic inks with fine, reflective metallic particles that create a distinctive shine and lustre not possible with standard inks. Colours can include gold, silver, blue, red and copper.
Now while all these can indeed add value to a printed product, outsourcing costs, workflow issues and speed to market have posed problems. One of the huge cost-cutting benefits of Print Panther’s MGI JetVarnish 3DS is that it doesn’t require dies, films or makereadies. This allows production of hot foil stamping and embossing jobs faster and more cost-effectively in a single pass.
Canada’s finishing “renaissance” is already underway. Print Panther’s JETvarnish 3DS and iFoil utilize MGI’s patented inkjet technology, Konica Minolta’s proprietary piezoelectronic printheads, and hot-foil stamping to provide digital spot UV coating in 2D and 3D, as well as embossed foil textured effects. The digital hot-foil and embossing functions are inline with the varnish process on substrates and sheets up to 14’’ x 40’’ in size and weights from 135 to 600 gsm. This digital spot UV coating process is 100% variable-data compatible with barcode reader options that enable custom spot-varnished prints with unique graphics, text and numerical data. It also allows for fast start-up without plates, screens or waste. Up to 2,298 A3 pages per hour can be handled.
Consider for a moment just one of the exciting new options: variable-data personalization of embossed hot foil. For example, can you imagine printing a luxurious sales piece for one of your current customers where each recipient’s name is stamped in glittering gold on the front, along with stunning spot UV coating and raised 3D effects? And it still generates a healthy profit! How impressed do you think potential clients would be if you put a sample in their hands? One not-so-evident benefit applies to graphic designers. Now, combinations of design, colour and special finishing effects are limited only by an artist’s imagination – and not constrained by costs.
Spot UV coating is another built-in game-changer. Print Panther’s JETvarnish 3DS integrated UV curing dries sheets on the fly using integrated LEDs. No additional drying time is required. The entire eco-friendly process is ozone-free and no solvents are required. Sheets are dry upon entering its high-capacity stacker (maximum height 30 cm). Adding spot varnish to any project simply involves adding a fifth colour through a fifth colour mask. The fifth colour is simply loaded into the Digital Front End. No plates or screens are needed and a wide range of substrates can be accommodated.
Client-focused solutions
“This exclusive technology guarantees consistent results from the first page to the last,” said Rebekah Fougere, Director of Marketing and Sales Support at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada). “This entire collaboration with MGI, from start to finish, is an example of our ongoing commitment to the Canadian printing industry while helping our customers succeed by investing in partnerships and introducing disruptive technologies. More and more, we’re concentrating not just on improving device features and capabilities, but on how our products are making Canadian printers of all types and sizes successful. These initiatives also reflect our commitment to the environment, as we manufacture and search out more eco-friendly alternatives.”
No stranger to new technology
While Konica Minolta brought the JETvarnish 3DS to Canada, it also has a long history of manufacturing award-winning print technology itself. For example, it launched the KM-1 Digital Inkjet Press at drupa this year. The KM-1 is a B2+ UV inkjet 4-colour sheetfed press designed for variable-data and easy integration within offset and digital environments. It can output up to 3,000 sph, making it the first UV cut-sheet inkjet press of its kind to operate at this speed and quality.
And, in the last several years, Konica Minolta (Business Solutions U.S.A.) has earned numerous Buyers Laboratory awards for its renowned bizhub press series and MFP’s. Its latest release is the bizhub Pro 1100 light production monochrome print system with an output of 100 ppm, new workflow options and high-performance image capture. The bizhub Press C71cf Label Printer is yet another recently released disruptive technology for label printers who require a “more comfortable adoption of digital print technology.”
Quality printing is not enough
“Today, exceptional printing quality is no longer enough,” said Christine Yardley, V.P. of Sales and Marketing at Print Panther. “Even with our latest digital presses, all the end-user’s perceived value is coming from finishing techniques. Now, because of the 100% digital JETvarnish 3DS spot coating integration with the personalization of the iFoil hot foiling module, we can help our customers create an emotional connection for their brands with personalized finishing options. Our focus on embracing revolutionary digital finishing processes is really giving us an edge in the marketplace. We can move forward with new projects faster and more efficiently while controlling costs.
The JETvarnish 3DS and iFoil are certainly unique when it comes to adding value to printed output with enhanced, deluxe finishing treatments such as 2D or 3D UV spot coating and embossed hot foiling. They’re delivering astonishing tactile finishing for our small, medium and large runs. The new installation, combined with the unwavering support we’ve been getting from Konica Minolta Canada, is definitely helping us to achieve our goal – that is, to constantly push boundaries in everything we do,” she added.
About Print Panther
Print Panther prides itself on developing unique, creative print and finishing solutions. With deep industry expertise, they continually push the boundaries of the printed page, offering clients the highest quality and hands-on creative support from inception to completion. Founded in 1997, the business began as Binders Galore, manufacturing eco-friendly presentation materials. Over the years, partners Alan Dryburgh and Christine Yardley found that customers increasingly asked for new and innovative ideas for their business print materials. In response to this demand, Print Panther was born in 2013. Together, Dryburgh and Yardley use their combined 60+ years of experience to produce inspired work that’s a step beyond the expected.
For more information, please visit:
www.printpather.ca and follow
Print Panther on LinkedIn and Twitter.
For more information about Konica Minolta Canada and its product portfolio, please visit www.konicaminolta.ca.
