The last couple of times we discussed how paper and then finishing can enhance your direct mail ROI, now let’s look at coatings.
The new, high-gloss printable laminate film from Nobelus offers scratch-resistance and can be used for gluing, foil stamping, UV coating and more. It is intended for direct mail, magazines, folding cartons and other applications. PRINTING United Booth 10141.
We have seen lots of advances in adhesives for bookbinding over the years, with PUR (polyurethane reactive) adhesive being the last major game changer. But there is now a revived interest in protein-based adhesives.
Quick! Name two consumables that are indispensable to operation in the bindery. If you named adhesives as one, you'd be on the mark. But...if you included knives, (yes, they are a consumable), you would be quite savvy. Cutting and trimming are part of almost every finishing operation. And the quality of those cuts are essential to the quality of the finished product.
Adhesives are widely used in finishing, this includes perfect binding, folding, mailing, and folding carton applications. And coatings and various chemical solutions are used in the digital print process to both enhance image quality and make the paper more "finishing-friendly." Both chemistry and environmental control have a lot to do with systems performance.
Digital printing has thrown a curve at both coating and film systems manufacturers due to the surface properties of many toner printed pieces. These make it difficult for many films and coatings to properly adhere to the substrate.
At the end of the day, coatings (of all types) and laminating are a huge part of print finishing, and the applications are addressed by an equally wide variety of machinery manufacturers and consumable suppliers.
Your clients will send a lot of well wishes this season. And you can help them to stand out among the many artistic, classic and interactive varieties soon to be hanging in homes and offices. How? By adding the sense of smell, an option many won’t even be aware is possible.
With the advent of digital printing, a whole new set of challenges have been thrown at the bindery. Much of the problem solving has been taken on by the adhesive manufacturers. Chemistry will give us easier and more-effective book binding options.
