Metallic inks shine on
October 2003
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As the quality of metallic inks improve, their roles in package printing are greatly expanding.
LIKE HOWARD CARTER, who unearthed the sparkling splendor of King Tutankhamen's tomb 81 years ago, package printers are discovering a valuable glimmering brilliance of their own: metallic inks.
The shiny, eye-catching inks have been used for years due to their ability to make packages stand out on store shelves and to create a certain air about packages. Gold inks pop off the shelf and give a look of tradition and richness. Silver inks give a similar appeal, and can also make the product appear cutting edge and high tech.
In general, said Norbert Hobrath, director of marketing and communications at Eckart America LP (Painesville, Ohio), "Metallic inks add a special prestige to the package."
A cost-effective substitute
Package printers are always looking to save time and money without sacrificing quality. Metallic inks can help. Now smoother and more brilliant than ever before, metallic inks are often substituted for applications like foil stamping and metallized substrates, because they look good and cost less.
"Metallic inks, enhanced by in-line embossing, can go some way to mimicking the graphic impact of foiling, but at a significantly lower cost and a resulting shorter turn time," said Duncan Watson, Shorewood Packaging's (New York) vice president of creative services and marketing. "Additional manufacturing passes, such as foil stamping, can be an issue at a time when we see the trend for ever decreasing turn times on jobs."
John Signet, marketing manager at Water Ink Technologies (Lincolnton, N.C.), added, "In many instances, the label or package buyer is finding that these bright metallic inks can meet their graphic requirements at a much lower cost than foil, as well as provide the converter with a broader range of production options."
By using foil-effect metallic inks made from a vacuum metallized process to replace hot foiling, a change in graphics requires only a plate change and not an expensive and time-consuming process to make a hot stamp die, said Tom Hammer, director of product portfolios at Akzo Nobel Inks (Plymouth, Minn.). "This opens up new markets to achieving foil effect where using foil was once cost prohibitive," he said.
Less waste is another benefit of metallic inks over other applications. While a lot of waste foil is left after a run, metallic inks are used in-line and on an as-needed basis, explained Ed Dedman, SICPA's (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) marketing development manager. "Using metallic inks allows for application only where you want the image, with no waste," Dedman said.
LIKE HOWARD CARTER, who unearthed the sparkling splendor of King Tutankhamen's tomb 81 years ago, package printers are discovering a valuable glimmering brilliance of their own: metallic inks.
The shiny, eye-catching inks have been used for years due to their ability to make packages stand out on store shelves and to create a certain air about packages. Gold inks pop off the shelf and give a look of tradition and richness. Silver inks give a similar appeal, and can also make the product appear cutting edge and high tech.
In general, said Norbert Hobrath, director of marketing and communications at Eckart America LP (Painesville, Ohio), "Metallic inks add a special prestige to the package."
A cost-effective substitute
Package printers are always looking to save time and money without sacrificing quality. Metallic inks can help. Now smoother and more brilliant than ever before, metallic inks are often substituted for applications like foil stamping and metallized substrates, because they look good and cost less.
"Metallic inks, enhanced by in-line embossing, can go some way to mimicking the graphic impact of foiling, but at a significantly lower cost and a resulting shorter turn time," said Duncan Watson, Shorewood Packaging's (New York) vice president of creative services and marketing. "Additional manufacturing passes, such as foil stamping, can be an issue at a time when we see the trend for ever decreasing turn times on jobs."
John Signet, marketing manager at Water Ink Technologies (Lincolnton, N.C.), added, "In many instances, the label or package buyer is finding that these bright metallic inks can meet their graphic requirements at a much lower cost than foil, as well as provide the converter with a broader range of production options."
By using foil-effect metallic inks made from a vacuum metallized process to replace hot foiling, a change in graphics requires only a plate change and not an expensive and time-consuming process to make a hot stamp die, said Tom Hammer, director of product portfolios at Akzo Nobel Inks (Plymouth, Minn.). "This opens up new markets to achieving foil effect where using foil was once cost prohibitive," he said.
Less waste is another benefit of metallic inks over other applications. While a lot of waste foil is left after a run, metallic inks are used in-line and on an as-needed basis, explained Ed Dedman, SICPA's (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) marketing development manager. "Using metallic inks allows for application only where you want the image, with no waste," Dedman said.
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