Page 36 - Print 21 Magazine Jul-Aug 2020

Embellishment
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made an order at the booth, which was the biggest order in company history at the time. Kurz went on to build a manufacturing plant in China a quarter of a century ago, shortly after Johnstone retired.
Product is still being made for sectors outside of print and labels. Kurz produces the foil used in touch- switch electronics for car steering wheels. It also produces foil for licence plates. Pratt says, “Kurz foils are used for many applications in the automotive industry, for instance
in the Mini range, with the touch- sensitive Poly IC and Poly TC range to control mood lighting.”
Australia itself has been the place of many Kurz innovations. The Ever Ready Label business in Griffith was pioneering silver foil on wine labels when the company had a visit from Count Cinzano, who saw it, and on his return to Europe insisted silver foil to be on all Cinzano labels from then on. The foil Kurz developed for the polymer Australian banknotes is now used in the banknotes of more than 100 countries around the world, including in euro notes.
However, it is in printing and packaging that Kurz has been consistently successful throughout its 50 years here. The company has been particularly successful in labels – food, beverage, FMCG, cosmetics
– as well as confectionery wrappers, magazine covers, and the banknotes. Some 70 per cent of all foil on labels is from Kurz. The majority of foil
in packaging also comes from the company. The big trade houses like Avon and Goldcraft are long-term customers. Goldcraft has been there since the start five decades ago.
Pratt says brand protection has also become a major part of the business. “Kurz offers a compelling mixture of the virtual and physical, which offer track and trace, verification, registration, links to websites,” he says. “Our solutions are welcomed by the market which is seeking to present authentic products to consumers.”
The company invests a near double-digit percentage of
its revenue on research and development and buys technology when it is beneficial. Its Poly IC and TC films, for instance, came from Siemens. Pratt says, “Everything that happens in foiling comes from Kurz. Others may copy, but we lead.”
Sustainability has been at the heart of the company since the
36 Print21 JULY/AUGUST 2020
“Part of the reason for Kurz being where it is today is that it is always looking forward.”
– Stephen Pratt, CEO Kurz Australasia
is always looking forward,” Pratt says. DM Liner is a range of stand-
alone or built-in solutions with the machine and foil. It is the latest in a series of integrated platforms that the company provides. DM Maxliner is another for offset presses. Pratt says, “It is a complete solutions approach, we provide the foil, but also the best means of applying the foil. This has always been part of our strategy.”
Also new is Lumafin. Kurz says the coloured varnish layers exhibit a high level of gloss and create a special illusion of depth over the printed image beneath. It says the iridescent colour effects also offer a brilliance that conventional spot coatings cannot match.
It provides a sheen to the image, making it look like it has been celloglazed. “One of the versions of this is Vintage, an image of which is being used on the July-August cover of PKN Packaging News magazine, it gives an authentic aged feel,” Pratt says.
In today’s competitive environment, all brands are looking for the stand-out factor. Pratt says this is where Kurz delivers. “The cost of foil is small, but the benefits are large. Foil will elevate a product, it will differentiate, and will provide recognition,” he says.
It seems brand owners around the world agree with him, and Kurz is looking well set to deliver for the next 50 years. 21
Above
Master of its craft: Kurz solutions used in a wide range of applications to enhance print
1970s. Johnston says, “When Walter Kurz came here in 1974 he was already talking about managing waste and being environmentally friendly.” That commitment has continued to this day. Kurz is about to flick the on-switch on its new solar roof panels at its Adelaide converting centre.
Some may see foil itself as inherently difficult environmentally. But that is not the case, Pratt
says. “The amount of foil used in a domestic kitchen roll of aluminium foil would convert to 12,000sqm of Kurz product,” he says.
Drive to innovate
With its heritage, Kurz could be forgiven for sitting on its laurels. However, one of the reasons for its continued growth is its investment in innovation and an open-minded approach.
It is a designated foiling partner with HP Indigo, working on its DM Liner, which is used in conjunction with the digital press.
Digital labels are becoming big business, and Kurz, the old established king of foil, is ensuring it is in a position to play its part in the new technology. “Part of the reason for Kurz being where it is today is that it