Win When it Counts
Coatings can add a certain “je ne sais quoi” to make any packaging pop off the shelf.
April 2006 by Megan Wolf
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It’s a fact that people are attracted to certain genetic traits in others. For instance, some women look for men with blonde hair and blue eyes, while others only date the tall, dark, and handsome types. Some people even take steps to have specific physical attributes—like wearing colored contacts to make their dark eyes appear blue, or sitting in a tanning bed to turn their light skin golden.
The world of package printing likes to play these same tricks because, what it really comes down to is, it’s all about the packaging. One of the best ways to add that something special to a package is with coatings. Certain chemistries can add protection to the goods inside the package, as well as amazing special effects to catch a consumer’s eye. According to some industry experts, new technology developments in the coating market are giving printers the means to do this double-duty and much more.
What’s on the outside counts
In the past, coatings were asked to perform simple tasks, like staving off moisture and keeping scratches to a minimum. But this is not the case any more. While acting tough is an important function of coatings, there seems to be a trend to take coatings to the brink—to make them really earn their keep.
For example, Sun Chemical Inc.’s Tony Bean, product manager, folding cartons, sees a trend occurring where coatings are now effectively replacing varnishes. “What we see is, we are asking our coatings to replace a layer of lamination, but still provide excellent water and scratch resistance, and high gloss characteristics,” Bean said. “Doing this will reduce the need for plastics, which will lower overall costs and result in a source reduction of plastics, also making it environmentally friendly.”
In the past, coatings were not noticeable to a consumer—they just added important durability to the packaging. They helped protect whatever was inside the packaging and sometimes added a nice gloss, but their primary job went undetected. That’s changing.
Bob Waddington, general manager, UVitec Printing Ink, has noticed that coatings which add a new feel to the packaging have become quite popular with his customers over the past few years. When special coatings, like dome coatings, cure up to a raised surface, many design possibilities open up, offering greater benefits to the printer and the packaging itself. “Some of our UV dome coatings are very resilient and can even be used for switch covers as they can withstand repeated cycles of movement,” he said. In the last year alone, UVitec introduced three different dome/Braille coatings, he added.
The world of package printing likes to play these same tricks because, what it really comes down to is, it’s all about the packaging. One of the best ways to add that something special to a package is with coatings. Certain chemistries can add protection to the goods inside the package, as well as amazing special effects to catch a consumer’s eye. According to some industry experts, new technology developments in the coating market are giving printers the means to do this double-duty and much more.
What’s on the outside counts
In the past, coatings were asked to perform simple tasks, like staving off moisture and keeping scratches to a minimum. But this is not the case any more. While acting tough is an important function of coatings, there seems to be a trend to take coatings to the brink—to make them really earn their keep.
For example, Sun Chemical Inc.’s Tony Bean, product manager, folding cartons, sees a trend occurring where coatings are now effectively replacing varnishes. “What we see is, we are asking our coatings to replace a layer of lamination, but still provide excellent water and scratch resistance, and high gloss characteristics,” Bean said. “Doing this will reduce the need for plastics, which will lower overall costs and result in a source reduction of plastics, also making it environmentally friendly.”
In the past, coatings were not noticeable to a consumer—they just added important durability to the packaging. They helped protect whatever was inside the packaging and sometimes added a nice gloss, but their primary job went undetected. That’s changing.
Bob Waddington, general manager, UVitec Printing Ink, has noticed that coatings which add a new feel to the packaging have become quite popular with his customers over the past few years. When special coatings, like dome coatings, cure up to a raised surface, many design possibilities open up, offering greater benefits to the printer and the packaging itself. “Some of our UV dome coatings are very resilient and can even be used for switch covers as they can withstand repeated cycles of movement,” he said. In the last year alone, UVitec introduced three different dome/Braille coatings, he added.
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Chemistry for the Graphic Arts
What the Printer Should Know About Paper