Page 66 - Print 21 Magazine Nov-Dec 2018

Foilmakers local
Terry Newman, director, says that Foilmakers - part of Milford Astor - prides itself on its service offering, saying, “it is second to none”. Newman also says, “We have a wide range of products, so if someone decides they want a metallic pink or crimson or whatever, we can make it. We are a fully Australian-owned company, and we have plenty of sales representation – our sales reps are in front of the customers a lot, so we can hear and adapt to their needs.”
Newman points to cold foil, sourced from Univacco in Taiwan, as a growth area for Foilmakers’ customers. “There is increasing demand for roll-fed and flatbed cold foil, and Univacco has proven to be excellent for that range of our products, he said.”
Kurz cold digital
At Labelexpo Chicago, Kurz introduced its new DM-Liner UV-
Ink roll-to-roll digital cold foiling systems, which come in built-on
and built-in configurations, for conventional and digital label presses respectively. According to national sales managr David Murphy, the system uses inkjet heads to print adhesive onto the substrate. “We print the data in the glue, nip the foil over it, and then it is attached to the rails of a conventional web-fed press, the built-on unit is an independent cold foiling station with unwind
and rewind. The only integration with the press is to have a sensor for registration from the previous print station,” said Murphy.
Duplo enables embellishing
For printers looking to enter the embellishing market, there is no need to break the bank. Affordable solutions like the Neopost-supplied Duplo DDC-810 digital UV spot coater can help add value to print, without costing the earth.
Offering embellishment services
such as UV spot coating is a great way to stay ahead of the game, says Jimmy Nguyen, product manager at Neopost. “Embellishment is a growth area in the print industry, because people want to set themselves apart from everyone else and add value for their customers. Spot UV creates a raised image, which adds more impact to print,” he said.
According to Nguyen, the Duplo DDC- 810 is an affordable finishing solution with a low initial cost of investment,
Print Finishing
Jake Nelson
Embellishing: the truth
With the value that embellishments such as foiling and spot varnish can add to printing work, it is not surprising that many businesses are jumping on board to pretty up their print. The question soon comes up, however: when should printers invest in their own embellishing kit, as opposed to outsourcing to a for-trade finishing house? Jake Nelson spoke with the experts to find out.
The decision whether to outsource finishing or bring it in-house can be a tricky one, weighing up the benefits of having control over your own equipment versus the expense of machinery you might not use as much as you hope to.
David Murphy, national sales manager
at embellishing supplier Kurz Australia, believes investing in new equipment is worth considering but the value of trade services should not be disregarded. “Buying your
own equipment provides increased control
of the production of the work. Sending work to a trade finishing house relies on their availability and priorities, and you need to factor in the cost of freight to and fro.
“On the other hand, trade embellishers offer service and experience, as well as you not having to invest in equipment that may not be fully used,” he said.
According to Murphy, many trade services have multiple options for application on various size sheets and substrates; that is not their only advantage, however. “Using a trade service is buying not only the time on their equipment, but their expertise,” he said. “There is a trade- off between flexibility and control on one side, and quality, expertise and experience on the other side.”
All about the customer
Konica Minolta supplies the MGI range
of digital embellishment solutions in Australia, including the entry-level cut-sheet JetVarnish 3DS, the top-range JV3D Evo, the JV3DW for labels, and the MGI Meteor Unlimited products for foil and print. David Cascarino, national manager for industrial print at Konica Minolta, said MGI’s success took off when Konica Minolta assumed control of distribution in Australia. “We have had five installations since May last year when we stepped in – two Meteors and three JetVarnishes. Customer feedback has
been positive, not just from our clients but their customers as well,” he said.
According to Cascarino, printers
should focus on their customers’ needs
when deciding whether to invest in new equipment. “It’s not about volume – it’s about value, and whether the return on investment can be realised across the smaller volumes that would produce a positive return for the customer,” he said.
The MGI range is not pitched at huge runs, adds Cascarino. “These machines are suited for short-run, high-value customers, not vast amounts of embellishment work,” he said. “Once a customer has the type of clients that would make this a positive investment – based on value, not volume – then we would advise them to invest in their own equipment.”
Cascarino believes this technology could be used for a wide range of applications.
66 Print21 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018