Printing process
Belmont Press, in Markham, Ontario, and Konica Minolta in
2016 to augment classroom learning. The partnership exposed
graphic communication students to JETvarnish, 3D Evolution
and iFoil technology.
Fougere notes graphic designers are the ones with the cre-
ative minds and they are the ones who will pull and push new
design options through the system. She laments that “Printers
who print solely for the sake of printing miss the opportunity
to assist their clients in moving forward their strategy and
building a stronger brand.” Reaping profits from digital finish-
ing comes down to knowing your target audience.
Christian Knapp, managing director of CMD Insight, which
distributes Scodix in Canada, believes finishing is an area
that is under-digitized. Finishing can be seen from two
complementary perspectives: as an additive manufacturing
process that augments paper, boards or plastics with poly-
mers and as a subtractive manufacturing process where
lasers are used to cut away plastic, board or paper. What
Knapp finds exciting is, “the differentiation and value-added
potential,” that these technologies provide print service
providers – you the printer – the ability to differentiate
your service on criteria other than quality and price. “Where
you add texture and foil to a process, even if it’s for one
copy, it offers the highest returns because finishes differ-
entiate the final product.”
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Whatford, at Cambridge Label, says that a large number of
clients in its print space purchase digital enhancements. In
particular, the wine and beer industries are pushing digital
finishing and willing to pay extra. Nutraceutical (cosmetics,
vitamins), vape (e-cigarettes), and the marijuana industries are
also paying for these premium labels. Take note, all of Cam-
bridge’s digitally printed labels come coated with a varnish or
lamination, which helps create a more upscale and professional
look as a standard feature.
Whatford cautions that the digital finishing process is temper-
amental. “One thing that we found is the temperature and the
humidity need to be monitored and controlled. Because you
have two different substrates all our products are two liner –
two papers put together with adhesive between them. If you
get any curl at all it jams everywhere. Temperature and humidity
are very key components of making sure everything runs
smoothly. Curl is a killer.”
Whatever the learning curve or bugs, Knapp at CMD Insights,
believes digital finishing will come to play a more vital role in
the print industry because it will make printers and their clients
more successful – it’s a symbiotic relationship.
Caterina Valentino, PhD, is an Instructor at the Ted Rogers School
of Management at Ryerson University and the Faculty of Health
Disciplines, Athabasca University. She can be reached at
[email protected].
GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE | March 2018 | 27