DISC, has announced that it has added cold foil stamping to its portfolio of value-added finishing techniques for packaging. The in-line cold foil stamping technology is an alternative to hot foil stamping and foil board applications.

“We are very excited by the creative choices that this advanced foil application process offers our clients,” says Margaret Krumholz, DISC’s president. “Designers can achieve stunning graphic effects on packaging by overprinting translucent ink colors onto spot or overall silver foil areas, or film casting for a holographic-like effect.”

DISC has retrofitted the front two units of its 8-color 40” Heidelberg offset equipment to accommodate the cold foil application. A thin silver foil is overprinted with up to 6 ink colors or a combination of inks and coatings. A choice of solid, holographic or patterned silver foil, which can also be embossed, affords designers with a variety of graphic effects.

The cold foil process provides DISC’s entertainment and consumer products clients with several key benefits compared to hot foil stamping – most notably high performance, efficient machine-ability and cost effectiveness. Spot or overall foil coverage is first applied inline and then overprinted at standard press speeds. The process utilizes standard printing plates (no expensive stamping dies), requires a much shorter set-up time, and eliminates the need to inventory different foil colors.

“A bonus benefit of cold foil stamping is its sustainability,” adds John Rebecchi, senior vice president of marketing and business development, noting that this application is an important addition to the company’s DISCover Green program. “This system is extremely energy efficient. It requires only 1500 watts of electricity, compared with the 22-25,000 watts needed to run hot foil stamping equipment. In addition, the foil can be easily
separated from the paperboard at recycling plants so that the board can be recycled for other uses.” According to the system manufacturer, “Cold foil stamping was thoroughly tested and assessed in 2008 by Pira International, the Foil Stamping & Embossing Association, which deemed it highly repulpable and, therefore, recyclable.”

DISC anticipates that its Heidelberg equipment will be retrofitted and tested in April. Its new cold foil stamping capability will be available to its clients by late April/early May.

For more information, visit www.discgraphics.com.