Digital Paper: Adding Value And Volume

PAPER IS the sole opportunity for an audience to hold your organization’s identity in its hands.

Paper reaches the target audiences’ sense of touch, and the paper used to communicate your organization’s message influences recipients’ perceptions of the organization. As they touch your letter, sales collateral or direct mailer, the consumer may make judgments about your quality, durability and whether or not you are high-tech.

As little as five years ago, digital presses and color copiers could not run all the papers that offset presses could. The Indigo E-Print required special pre-treatment of all papers (otherwise the ink just rubbed off). Xeikon-based machines used roll paper that was not available in all types and finishes. In general, the stocks were limited to a smooth premium white paper.

Some ivory stocks gave good results. Press owners were told to avoid recycled ‘confetti’ stocks and those with especially heavy textures because toner wouldn’t stick evenly and/or could be rubbed off the high spots before going through the fuser, resulting in rather ugly output. Some colors printed better on certain stocks; printing on matte and gloss stocks produced enormous differences, and heavier papers tended to give better results.

The World has Changed

Today, however, in-plants can find papers or substrates and pre-converted stocks to run on any type of digital device, including those that use dry toner, liquid toner, ink-jet or offset inks. As a result of the careful R&D of both substrate and equipment manufacturers, combined with new production processes, companies have launched or expanded their digital paper and substrate product lines. They have also developed lines of pre-converted stocks to streamline finishing operations.

Although digital printing still represents a small part of the industry, it’s growing more quickly than traditional offset and gravure. Similarly, digital paper and specialty substrates, though still a fraction of the whole market, are the fastest growing categories in paper.

Printers are challenging equipment vendors and paper suppliers to develop and certify new and more varied products. Digital printing is also gaining broad acceptance in the creative and design community.

As in-plants migrate in growing numbers to digital technologies, they will be able to find an appropriate paper for just about every digital application. That means the in-plant can bring in additional volume with new applications on specialty stocks and can also add additional value by recommending specialty papers that enhance the organization’s identity.

Options Unlimited

A review of digital print engine product specification sheets indicates the advances that have been made with paper and specialty materials. Paper weights (coated and uncoated) range from 16 lb. bond to 130 lb. cover. The Kodak NexPress has more than 460 approved substrates, and the Xerox media guide is 35 pages long. HP Indigo requires papers to be Sapphire treated to make the surface receptive to its ElectroInk, but paper companies have responded by introducing carefully formulated uncoated papers to eliminate that onerous requirement. And the Xeikon supports a range of coated and uncoated paper, label stock and synthetic media—even a 16-point board.

Applications Unlimited

The day may come when you make dinner reservations and end up receiving the ultimate in personalized service. When you arrive, the napkins will bear your initials, and your meal will be served on a personalized, tear-resistant place mat. This is not far from today’s reality. The stocks are available now for an unlimited range of new applications to build volume and enhance corporate image.

For example, many synthetic papers will run through Xerox, HP Indigo, Xeikon and Kodak digital presses. They can be used for everything from rain-resistant planter tags that describe a plant’s growing habits, to customized “do not disturb signs,” to removable window signs that promote sales.

In May of this year, Xerox announced three upgraded lines of paper: Polyester Paper, DuraPaper and Removable Signage. These substrates take advantage of digital press capabilities associated with printing short runs and variable information to open an array of new application opportunities.

From a practical perspective, Polyester Paper can produce applications like lightweight technical manuals or heavyweight ID cards. The material is weather, chemical and tear resistant. The Removable Signage stock is a polyester material for creating point-of-purchase displays and window advertisements. Xerox also has a Vinyl Cling material that acts as a true static cling and makes a sign or image easy to remove or reposition.

Even mundane business cards can be leveraged to create an effective callback mechanism, which helps enormously in retaining an already established business image in your market. You can create and increase business visibility while helping your company or organization stand out from the crowd.

Margi Orman, senior production coordinator at Thomson Publishing, is using the Xerox DocuMagnet stock to ensure that clients remember how to contact sales staff. The stock has a magnet integrated with an 8.5x11? carrier sheet. Sales rep information is printed on the magnet so clients have a permanent record of whom to contact. Universities are using the stock to print refrigerator magnets with sports schedules, and creative marketing departments are integrating “save the date” reminders on magnets with direct mailers.

A New Type of Business Card

In another twist on business cards, Capture Business Cards’ patented high-performance business card blends labels with business cards to increase the value of business cards as a networking and promotional tool. The stock for these cards is 12x18? pre die cut, gloss coat on card stock with flat matte label stock (for writeability) on the back. Labels can be in two, three or four segments.

In one example, a business card features three repositionable labels. Two are small labels, one with full contact information that could be pasted into an address book and one that could be used as a mailing label. The third label uses up the bottom half of the back side of the card and could provide a space to write.

Another example is a card for a restaurant that has two equal-sized repositionable labels, one suitable for posting on a fridge to remind customers to look at their online menus and the other a coupon for two free toppings on any large pizza order. Once you peel off the stickers, you are left with what you always had before, a quality business card. Meanwhile, the addition of the labels adds new value to an old business tool.

Carbonless paper continues to be a good in-house printing application. With today’s technology, the in-plant manger can digitally print multi-part forms for work orders, insurance claims, employment applications, requisitions and credit card applications on demand. Bar codes, color graphics, logos and sequential numbering can all be incorporated.

When your stationery carries a unique mark, your communications set you apart and make a professional statement. With custom private marks, organizations can make a distinctive first impression.

Mohawk Fine Papers’ new DigitalMark line uses a beautiful, simple, affordable and fast turnaround process that provides an alternative to traditional watermarking. The DigitalMark proprietary process from Mohawk makes it possible to embed a corporate mark or finely detailed logo into papers like Strathmore Script, Strathmore Writing 25% Cotton, and Strathmore Pure Cotton papers, as well as some 100% PCW FSC certified options. In approximately four to six weeks, and with a two-carton minimum order, companies of all sizes can create personalized stationery with a lasting impression. In-plants can take advantage of their digital devices to produce custom high-quality letters with a differentiated message.

Several in-plants are producing custom folders using pre-converted stocks. They want to ensure that their shops can support trade shows, public relations events and sales people with professional and customized folders for documentation. In-plants print color graphics and personalized text on the heavyweight coated or uncoated folders. They can be tailored to hold presentations, sales collaterals or seminar agendas. They are easy to assemble and come with pre-cut slits inside the pocket for business cards.

Pre-scored Sheets

Convertible Brands, a subsidiary of Inter-State Studios, demonstrated its Fold-N-Go stock for the first time at Print 05 in Chicago. According to George Fry, managing director, “There was no place to buy pre-scored paper. After extensive searching, we realized we would need to produce our own to support the needs of our parent school photography company, Inter-State Studio. We sought out paper converters and worked out agreements with them to create custom templates with our die cuts built in. We believed that if we found value with pre-scoring papers, others would, too. As a result, we formed a new company, Convertible Brands, brought a new product, Fold-N-Go, to market, and patented the offering.”

Historically, marketing materials requiring envelopes and other complex conversions have been printed with offset technology and converted later. Printing overruns compensated for the waste involved in setting up the converting. The lengthy setup and specialized equipment involved limited these types of mailings to large-volume runs.

Digital presses don’t fit well into a print-then-convert work process. Even a small amount of setup waste is a major problem when every impression in the job is unique. Fold-N-Go stock is delivered to the printer pre-converted with all of the perforations, die cuts and adhesives in position. After the job is printed, the only required post-press converting is to finish each piece with traditional folding equipment. Convertible Brands has standard template sizes or the folders can be designed for customer applications. These include personalized mailings, catalog inserts, reply postcard mailings, billing statements, perfed coupon mailings, CD cases and pocket folders.

For in-plants, generating volume, expanding services and enhancing corporate image are critical objectives. The combination of a digital press and a range of substrate options position in-plants to deliver as never before, ensuring that when an internal user or an external customer “touches” materials you’ve created, the impression is positive. Today, the right paper is available for every digital application.