It’s been a veritable dance of the seven veils when it comes to Kodak’s long-discussed gold metallic effect for its Nexpress digital printers. And on July 1st, the final veil finally dropped.
“The Nexpress has about 800 qualified substrates, from thick paper, thin paper and linen paper to plastics, and all of them can take the ink,” enthused Andreas Nielen-Haberl, product category manager for digital printing, to PrintWeek.com. According to him, “no other digital cut-sheet press in the market offers a gold metallic solution, especially with the option to print lengths up to 36 inches.”
The beauty of Kodak’s gold dry ink, and the cause for all the excitement, is the fact that you can produce hundreds of different gold-tinged hues depending on the percentage of gold ink you use, and what colors you combine it with.
Those who “test drove” the technology with beta tester Westamerica Graphics in Foothill Ranch, Calif., used it to enhance certificates, direct mail, “and as part of a brand color or accent.” The average cost increase to these jobs? About 3 cents per A4 sheet.
