Finishing & Screen Printing

New foil for rotary cold foil transfer

Thursday 12. June 2008 - The foil manufacturer Kurz optimizes overprintability with UV-curing inks

With its Luxor/Alufin KPW-OP product line, Kurz is delivering to the market a cold foil for web printing, considerably improving the ability to overprint stampings with UV-cured inks.

Producing optimal adhesion between foil and ink for UVcured systems is significantly more difficult than for oxidatively drying inks and lacquers. Kurz continuously develops its foils for UV printing to achieve the best possible adhesion of the inks.

“Our customers achieve very good results when overprinting on Luxor/Alufin KPW-OP”, reports Product Manager Wolfgang Burkard. “Cold foil transfer is a very complex process in which all components must be precisely tailored to one another. That is why Kurz is working closely with machine, paper, adhesive, ink and lacquer manufacturers as there is still potential for further development.”

Luxor/Alufin KPW-OP is part of the Kurz range of monochrome, metallized cold foils; there is also a corresponding new foil for the holographic designs product range called “Light Line.” This foil named Light Line KPO is equally suited for both overprinting and lacquering with UV-curing systems.

Demand is rising in the web printing sector

Cold foil applications in rotary printing and finishing are steadily growing and web printing is being used more and more often in the labels sector. The smooth, non-absorbent materials used for rotary-produced self-adhesive labels are,in most cases, very well suited for cold foil technology.

The trend towards “shrink sleeves” also leads to the increased use of cold foils. Cold foil transfer works well in this case because the foil is transferred to these temperature-sensitive materials without the application of heat.

Another reason for the increasing popularity of this finishing technology is the large design scope it affords. This includes, in particular, the effects achieved by overprinting. Kurz is placing great emphasis on ensuring the formulation of the cold foil is perfectly tailored to the particular ink system used. The new foils Luxor/Alufin KPW-OP and Light Line KPO give due recognition to the importance of overprintability.

At Drupa 2008, booth C46 in hall 3, Kurz will exhibit numerous overprinted cold foil applications and will demonstrate the capabilities and full potential of this finishing technology.