amplify

Baldwin’s AMS Spectral UV to Spotlight Finishing Effects Achievable with LED-UV at Inaugural Amplify

June 12, 2022

AMS Spectral UV, a Baldwin Technology company and North America’s largest manufacturer of UV and LED-UV curing solutions, will spotlight the various effects its LED-UV technology can achieve in booth #714 at the first-ever Amplify finishing, packaging and design event, taking place June 14-16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During this exhibition, the company will showcase its XP and XV Series for fast, economical sheetfed offset retrofits, as well as its all-new Quatro Series for high-speed web offset and packaging applications.

At the event, the company also will have its look book on hand to further show the range of results its systems can achieve, with effects like neon ink, spot gloss, strike-through reticulation and metallic accents printed on a unique array of substrates, from uncoated papers to clear plastics. Many of the effects are difficult or impossible to achieve without the use of LED-UV curing. In addition, the look book features an array of LED-UV cured pantone and neon ink effects used in tandem with the traditional four-color process to layer visual interest. Learn more at www.baldwintech.com.

Last Chance to Register for Amplify 2022!

June 7, 2022

By Graphco

Amplify brings print finishing and embellishments to the forefront. Showcasing the brands, products, and processes raising the standard for foil and coatings, die-cutting, folding and gluing, binding, direct mail, and more. Experience a live equipment demonstration of the Foliant Vega 400A laminator at our booth, connect with leading brands in the Exhibit Hall, and learn from industry experts during Educational Seminars.

Come see the Graphco team at Booth #401 (near RMGT Graphic Technology).

Use 100GRAPH at checkout to claim $100 off Full Conference Registration OR use code AmplifyVIP for a Free Expo Hall Pass. More questions? Call us as 800.458.6769 and schedule a VIP Demo with us! Register for Amplify at www.amplifyprint.org.

RMGT Adds Stop to “Commit to Print” Tour at Amplify Print

June 3, 2022

By RMGT North America

RMGT, Placentia, California, manufacturer of the leading 8-up sheetfed offset press in North America, announces it will exhibit at the Amplify Print Show. Amplify is an exhibition and educational program spotlighting the print finishing value chain. The three-day event will take place June 14-16, 2022, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

“We will be adding a stop on our “Commit to Print” World Tour to support the inaugural Amplify Print event,” states Kian Hemmen, Director of Sales, Print & Finishing Solutions, Western US Distributor for RMGT. “Since the event focuses on print finishing and embellishments, we look forward to sharing how LED-UV curing enables a wider range of print embellishments in sheetfed offset printing.”

“While many embellishments on the market require an additional step (or two) to the process, the Chemical Emboss special effect can be produced at up to 16,000 SPH on an RMGT press equipped with LED-UV technology,” continues Hemmen. “Our customers who embrace this effect can effectively exclude competition in their particular marketplace.”

Amplify, is a collaborative venture of the Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) and the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA). Amplify will feature an interactive learning experience through technology demonstrations, product spotlights, and classroom educational experiences. Exhibitors and educational programs will cover processes that include metallic decorating techniques, folding and gluing, UV coating, laminates, laser cutting, perfect and mechanical binding, folding, and direct mail machinery and software.

Attendees can use 100GRAPH at checkout to claim $100 off Full Conference Registration or use code AmplifyVIP for a Free Expo Hall Pass. RMGT will be exhibiting in Booth #401. Learn more about RMGT North America at www.ryobimhi.com.

Konica Minolta to Exhibit at Amplify

June 1, 2022

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leader in industrial and commercial printing and packaging solutions, today announced its participation in the Amplify print finishing and embellishment show in Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 14-16.

Embellishment has evolved into a key marketing tool for packaging, with specialty printing and enhancement having more than 46 percent higher quality perception. At Amplify, Konica Minolta will showcase its range of embellishment products developed to serve printers of every size. Through presentations and product demo videos shown at Booth #700, the company will demonstrate how bold and bespoke packaging produced by its devices can help businesses increase market share and become leading brands.

“We’re on the brink of a print revolution, and embellishment is a huge part of that, with techniques such as laser die-cutting, foil stamping and digital varnishing growing in popularity,” said Dino Pagliarello, Senior Vice President, Product Management and Planning, Konica Minolta. “High-end packaging is moving from one-size-fits-all to customization and personalization thanks to new digital technologies, and we’re looking forward to helping our customers seize new opportunities to gain new customers, increase profits and grow their businesses by helping them create visually stunning pieces that elevate brands.”

Amplify attendees will be the first in the U.S. to learn about two new Konica Minolta inkjet spot UV digital embellishment presses – each targeted toward specific markets – offering a solution for any need. While the company will not display equipment at its booth, visitors can view product demo videos, experience a wide selection of output samples and talk with senior sales executives and subject matter experts.

Powered by MGI’s innovative varnish technology with Konica Minolta’s reliability, one press enables in-house spot UV varnishing, from prototyping to full production, without the need for screens, plates or dies. The company will also showcase a new JETvarnish device that provides sensory print applications for printers of every size. Utilizing the best of JETvarnish technology, printers will benefit from self-cleaning automation features as well as enhanced paper feed and print capabilities.

Other products Konica Minolta will present include the JETvarnish 3D EVO 75, supporting a B1+ sheet size for large commercial print and packaging and the JETvarnish 3D Web web-fed digital solution for embossed hot foiling and 2D/3D spot UV coating for labels, as well as flexible packaging. For routing, creasing and cutting to complement MGI printers, the Colex Sharp Cut SX1732 flatbed cutter will also be shown. This product includes a fixed knife, oscillating knife and router, allowing for a multitude of applications for sign makers. Optional add-on tools are available to allow customers to customize the cutter to suit their specific needs and workflow.

Konica Minolta is the proud sponsor of the Amplify promotional postcard. The company provided the stock on which it was printed, and the card was embellished by client and partner Print Panther in Ontario, Canada using the JETVarnish 3DS. Print Panther was Konica Minolta’s first Canadian customer to install this device.

Zan Banks, Director, Industrial Print Business, Konica Minolta and Christine Yardley, President, Print Panther will present the IDEAS! Digital Embellishment Workshop on Wednesday, June 15 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. Dedicated to designing and creating accurate files for digital embellishments for print, the workshop will also include an event floor tour where attendees can see firsthand how digital embellishments are applied and executed. The session will showcase how embellishments can elevate a brand, and why and how printers are embracing the new print reality. Samples of designing with digital foils, varnishes, specialty colors, metallic inks, fluorescent inks and more will be available for attendees to experience. To join the workshop, register for the 2nd Day (Wednesday Pass) or 3 Day Pass (all-inclusive).

Konica Minolta proudly notes that many of its embellishment print clients have entered the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) 2022 Gold Leaf Awards competition. The company recognizes the beautiful work submitted by the following companies and wishes them well as results are revealed Tuesday, June 14 at the Gold Leaf Awards Reception.

Print Panther
Team Concept Printing
Kenbunsya Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Feiereisen
Blue Ocean Press
Elite Print Finishing

Attending press can request a meeting with Konica Minolta production print product managers or visit Booth 700 to learn more about its embellishment solutions. For more information, visit kmbs.konicaminolta.us.

Graphco to Feature Foliant Laminating Solutions at Amplify

May 26, 2022

Graphco, a provider of offset, digital and print finishing solutions and the exclusive distributor for Foliant laminating solutions, will demonstrate the Foliant Vega 400A laminator with foiling at Amplify 2022.

Foliant offers both single and dual side laminating. Foliant’s 8 UP solution laminates 30” X 43” sheets at up to 3,000 SPH and the 4 UP laminators handle 21” X 40”+ sheets and runs digital size work at over 10,000 SPH. Foliant’s 2 UP machines provide a max size of 15.7” X 40”+ and the top-of-the-range unit runs digital prints at over 5,000 SPH.

Learn more at www.graphco.com and see this demonstration at Amplify, booth #401, June 14-16, 2022, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Amplify Opens with Pre-Event Sustainability Summit on June 13

May 2, 2022

The Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) and the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) are pleased to feature the FSEA-sponsored, pre-Amplify Sustainability Summit on June 13 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Amplify event begins on June 14 and runs through June 16, 2022, at the same venue.

The Summit program will:

Begin with an overview of the recently released American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) Design Guidance for Recyclability, a resource to help designers and brands in the design and manufacture of packaging to meet recyclability goals.
Outline new information arising from recent studies on the repulpability and recyclability of both hot and cold transfer foils.
Feature a panel of experts, including representatives from American Greetings, Diamond Packaging, KURZ Transfer Products and others, who will discuss packaging sustainability from the perspective of brand owners.
Detail alternatives for hot and cold foil waste that can help eliminate the landfill.

To learn more about the schedule and presenters, and to register, visit the Sustainability Summit.

For a limited period, a special rate is offered to those who register now: They will receive a 50% discount to attend the Sustainability Summit, which will include a full three-day exhibition pass for Amplify. Use promo code SUSTAIN50 and receive the summit and pass for only $50.

Register to attend Amplify at www.amplifyprint.org/attend/registration/ or learn more about the event at www.amplifyprint.org.

To learn more about APTech, visit PRINTtechnologies.org. For more information about FSEA, visit FSEA.com.

Standard Finishing Systems Will Feature Live Equipment Demos at Amplify Event

April 25, 2022

Amplify – the new, innovative showcase for the print finishing and embellishment industry– will spotlight innovation and technology in action with live equipment demos on the event floor.

The Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) and the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) are pleased to announce the latest additions to the event floor from Standard Finishing Systems at Amplify, the Print Finishing & Embellishment Event, which is set for June 14-16 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Attendees are invited to visit the EO Johnson booth (authorized dealer of Standard Finishing Systems) to see live demonstrations of Horizon creasing, folding, and die cutting solutions. Front and center will be the Standard Horizon CRF-362 Creaser/Folder, designed to handle the unique requirements of creasing and folding digital color output across a wide range of light and heavy weight stocks, coated and uncoated. Booth 619 also will showcase the Standard Horizon RD-N4055 Rotary Die Cutter with the optional CSD-40RD card stacker. The die cutting system combines a high-capacity feeder, a single- or dual-magnetic cylinder die cutter, a specially designed separator, and an optional card stacker into a highly efficient, versatile system for operator-friendly production.

Exhibitors also will be able to demonstrate their equipment, products and services through onsite technology demonstrations and product spotlights in the Amplify Technology Zone, as well as their envelope, direct mail, and mailing solutions in the Mailing Pavilion. Other sponsors and exhibitors featuring live technology demonstrations include B&R Moll, Best Graphics, Cutworx, Duplo, Kama, Kompac, KURZ, Nobelus, Rollem, Sakurai, Skandacor and THERM-O-TYPE.

Among the more than 60 sponsors and exhibitors are Canon Solutions America, Harris & Bruno International, Heidelberg, Konica Minolta, Universal Engraving–a UEI Group Company, Scodix, Baldwin|AMS Spectral UV, Duplo, Eagle Systems, RMGT, Colter & Peterson, Spiral Binding, and WH Leary. To see the full exhibitor lineup, visit the Amplify website, where you will also find the Floor Plan.

To learn more about Amplify, visit amplifyprint.org or email info@amplifyprint.org.

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ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION FOR PRINT TECHNOLOGIES

APTech provides a forum to inspire the development of new and valuable print products. We educate, provide market research, and foster collaboration between those who create and those who make. We are the industry association that is focused entirely on the future of print. Our members are the creative minds that love to innovate, and the leaders who stand ready to build the future. We facilitate the evolution of physical experiences in our increasingly digital lives. For complete information about the association, its programs, and its member companies, visit: PRINTtechnologies.org or phone: 703.264.7200.

ABOUT THE FOIL & SPECIALTY EFFECTS ASSOCIATION

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) provides a wide range of resources to help companies remain profitable and gain market share through the use of print enhancement technologies such as foil stamping, embossing, specialty coatings, binding and more. From cost-saving programs and educational opportunities to green initiatives proving the sustainability of foil decorated paper/board, the FSEA strives to provide its members with ideas, resources and solutions to grow in today’s marketplace. For more information, visit FSEA.com or phone: 785.271.5816.

Exhibitors Snapping Up Booth Space at Amplify

February 14, 2022

Amplify, the Print Finishing & Embellishment Event, scheduled for June 14-16, 2022, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, is offering early-bird pricing for exhibitors who reserve their 10’ x 10’ or 10’ x 20’ space on the show floor by March 1, 2022.

Amplify welcomes all brands, businesses, manufacturers and suppliers in the print finishing value chain, spotlighting foil and coatings, diecutting, folding and gluing, binding, direct mail and much more. Exhibitors also will be able to demonstrate their innovative equipment, products and services through onsite technology demonstrations and product spotlights in the Amplify Technology Zone, as well as their mailing products in the Mailing Pavilion.

New exhibitors will join industry leaders, such as Kurz Transfer Products LP, Canon Solutions America, Sakurai USA, Inc., Harris & Bruno International, Infinity Foils Incorporated – a UEI Group Company, Skandacor, and Universal Engraving – a UEI Group Company. Recent additions to the event floor include Scodix, Bobst and Rollem International.

Amplify’s dedicated exhibit team is committed to helping exhibitors and sponsors showcase the capabilities of their businesses, products and technologies reach their customers, build awareness, and generate new leads.

The early-bird discounted rate is open through March 1, 2022. Those ready to reserve their Amplify booth space may use the online Booth Reservation Form at: https://amplifyprint.org/2022-amplify-booth-reservation-form-submit/ or contact Jeff Peterson or Adam Goldman at sales@amplifyprint.org.

To learn more about exhibiting at Amplify, visit amplifyprint.org/exhibit/, or contact sales@amplifyprint.org.

Amplify is presented by

the Association for PRINT Technologies (APTECH) and

the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA)

Association News: November/December 2021

December 9, 2021

PostPress

Amplify Print event off to flying start

FSEA, in partnership with the Association of Print Technologies (APTech), announced it would be creating a new event in 2022, Amplify Print, that will bring print finishing and embellishments to the forefront. The event will showcase the brands, products and processes that will raise the standard for metallic decorating and coatings, diecutting, folding and gluing, binding, direct mail and more. Amplify will take place June 14 – 16, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Preparation for the event is well underway and several sponsors and exhibitors already are committed.

“We have received a tremendous response to Amplify,” commented FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “We believe the timing and location are going to be perfect to launch this new event that will specifically target print finishing and postpress technologies, including embellishments, binding, direct mail and more.”

At the time that this issue of PostPress went to press, key sponsors included Sakurai USA, Kurz Transfer Products, Canon, Harris & Bruno, Universal Engraving, Inc., and Infinity Foils, Inc. Many others have reserved exhibit space or verbally committed to Amplify.

“The value of print is increasingly tied to the enhancement and finishing techniques that printers bring to the table,” stated APTech President, Thayer Long. “As important, automation is fundamentally changing the business of print and mail. We are excited to host this event with FSEA and focus on this rapidly growing area of the printing industry.”

Those interested in exhibiting or attending Amplify can visit www.amplifyprint.org.

FSEA promotes negligible amount of aluminum contained in decorative foils

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and its Sustainability Committee have worked with FSEA-member foil manufacturers to determine the amount of aluminum that is used in the manufacturing of transfer foils, including hot, cold and digital transfer foil products. Through this investigation, FSEA has compiled data confirming the layer of aluminum that provides the metallic sheen in a metallic transfer foil is negligible. In fact, it is so thin that it is measured in nanometers, which is 1/10^th of an angstrom. “We believe it is important that those involved in the repulping and recycling processes understand the unbelievably small amount of aluminum that is contained in decorative transfer foils,” stated FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson.

The thickness of the aluminum layer in a transfer foil – which is a layer of aluminum that is vacuum metallized to a film carrier – has been found to be between 30 and 60 nanometers in thickness. For comparison purposes, a sheet of copy paper is approximately 100,000 nanometers thick, and a human hair is approximately 80,000 to 100,000 nanometers thick.

To further demonstrate the negligible amount of aluminum in transfer foils, one large roll of decorative foil (40″ x 35,000′), if unrolled, would cover nearly 2 ½ football fields. This one roll can be used to decorate as many as 120,000 cosmetic cartons containing 5% to 100% foil coverage. The actual amount of aluminum in this jumbo roll of foil would weigh barely more than one ounce, or less than .75 cubic inches in mass (about the size of the tip of a typical human thumb).

For further details and to receive the full press release and supporting data, contact Jeff Peterson direct at 785.271.5816 or email jeff@fsea.com.

FSEA members on pace to save more than $350,000 on Grainger purchases in 2021

FSEA has announced that its members have saved more than $350,000 with the FSEA Grainger Discount Program in 2021. The cost-savings program recently has added several new products and categories, allowing member companies to receive significant discounts on products and shipping costs. “This program has helped many of our FSEA members, both large and small, save much more than the cost of their FSEA membershp on their Grainger purchases,” stated Assistant FSEA Director Dianna Brodine. For more details on the FSEA Grainger Discount Program, contact Brenda Schell at
brenda@fsea.com.

FSEA welcomes new board member

FSEA has announced that Haley Hutchison-Quick, vice president of Infinity^® Foils, Inc. – a UEI^® Group Company, has been named to the FSEA Board of Directors as an Associate (Supplier) board member. Hutchison-Quick has been with Infinity Foils for over nine years and plays an instrumental role in the leadership and management of the company. Growing up in the industry, she has been immersed in the ever-changing world of foil stamping and embossing. She has a wealth of knowledge, from customer service and product performance to product innovation and how it applies to the many different industries represented by the Foil and Specialty Effects Association.

Association News: August/September 2021

September 9, 2021

PostPress

FSEA and APTech New Event – Amplify – Generating Praise and Excitement

Three-day event will bring together key players in the print finishing value chain, from designers and creative agencies to specialty effects technicians, print finishers and decorators, mailers and more.

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and the Association of Print Technologies (APTech)’s announcement last month of their new event – Amplify – The Finishing, Packaging and Design Event, taking place June 14-16, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota – has been generating an enormous amount of buzz in the industry.

The initial reaction has been off the charts. “I have received several phone calls and emails from industry members who are excited that we’re producing an event that is specific to finishing and embellishment technologies,” stated FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “Combining FSEA’s ability to reach the finishing, binding and embellishment side of the printing industry along with APTech’s vast reach with the commercial print and packaging side, we are confident we will offer a targeted event that is of interest to a variety of segments, including folding carton manufacturers, print finishers and binders, greeting card producers, commercial printers, label manufacturers and more.”

“I am truly excited about the opportunity the new Amplify event and conference will provide. It will be an excellent way for printers, finishers and designers to gain critical insights into the everchanging and evolving world of digital print, digital finishing and techniques for designing with these new possibilities,” affirmed Myron Werner, director of sales – Packaging and Print, at North Carolina-based KURZ Transfer Products. “With COVID-19 slowing us all down, this event will allow many to explore these new processes ‘hands on’ during the Technology Zone demonstrations and discover new techniques to deliver designs to the market faster than ever. These evolving technologies are providing new concepts and opportunities never possible before, and it’s time to see them all under one platform in one place. Amplify fits the need.”

“Print and packaging designers strive to catch the eye of the consumer, and commercial printers need their customers’ printed products to excel,” said Thayer Long, president of APTech. “Amplify will be the venue to showcase the accomplishments, best practices and innovation happening in the print finishing industry.”

To learn more about Amplify or to reserve exhibit space, visit www.amplifyprint.org.

Welcome to new FSEA members!

Litho Press, Inc. (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Crossmark Graphics, Inc. (New Berlin, Wisconsin)
TPC Printing & Packaging (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
Phillips Graphic Finishing (Manheim, Pennsylvania)
Niagara Label Co. (Akron, New York)
Mammoth Labels and Packaging (Grove City, Ohio)
KBB Bindery (Kansas City, Missouri)
Vantage Merchant Services (Parkville, Missouri)
Gietz-Vinfoil Americas, LLC (Homer Glen, Illinois)
Fathom Optics (Somerville, Massachusetts)
Case Paper (Harrison, New York)
Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. (Bennington, New Hampshire)
Nosco (Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin)

FSEA Continues Work on Green Initiatives

Sustainability and recyclability are center stage in today’s world, and the addition of any decorative process to a printed product can lead to questions from printers, designers and end users. The FSEA has taken a proactive approach in answering those questions with the development of a special section on the FSEA website on sustainability. The page includes links to several resources, including the FSEA Repulpability Study recently conducted in conjunction with the Georgia Tech Renewable Bioproducts Institute, a new study commissioned by Eagle Systems on cold foil repulpability and recycling, and information on the Design Guide from the American Forest & Paper Association that includes a reference to the FSEA Repulpability Study.

A great deal of the current work on sustainability and metallic decorating is being accomplished through FSEA’s Sustainability Committee. The committee is helping FSEA work through these challenges and educate brand owners and consumers on the truth as it pertains to metallic decorating and other embellishments.

The Sustainability Committee includes these members:

Dennis Bacchetta, Diamond Packaging
Mike King, Eagle Systems
Eric Longnecker, Diamond Packaging
Scott Tacosik, Kurz Transfer Products
Rob Watts, McClean Packaging
Kennon Woodward, American Greetings

FSEA will keep its membership updated on further developments as it becomes available. Bookmark the Sustainability and Green Initiatives page at https://fsea.com/sustainability-green-initiatives/ to stay up-to-date on the most current information.