KURZ and Grafotronic’s Partnership Takes Label Embellishment to the Next Level

To demonstrate the possibilities of their recently announced global partnership, KURZ and Grafotronic hosted two “Embellish More” open houses. Despite the rainy morning, the April 11 event drew a crowd of about 30 people to KURZ Transfer Products in Huntersville, North Carolina, to learn more about the partnership.

The rain broke in the afternoon at the April 11 open house. | Credit: Kalie VanDewater

The new commitment is built on past successful collaborations between Grafotronic and KURZ, and combines the expertise of both companies to elevate digital embellishment for labels.

Part of this effort includes modularity, enabling printers to customize the elements of their machines for streamlined production. Brought to the table by Grafotronic, the modular concept is designed to make equipment versatile and “future-proof.”

On display at the event was Grafotronic’s DCL2, a digital finishing machine that is promoted as “forever modular.” Because each module has its own tension control, they can be reorganized as the user sees fit. The DCL2 also offers speeds of up to 200 m./min. in full rotary mode, and up to 150 m./min. with the ONE, a new semi-rotary diecutting module.

From KURZ’s end, comes a wealth of knowledge and experience with thin-film technology. KURZ also brings its digital embellishment equipment to the partnership, which one attendee called a “game changer.”

These labels were printed on the DM-Uniliner 3D. | Credit: Kalie VanDewater

A prime example of this technology is the DM-Uniliner 3D, which can put raised metallization on a substrate at 600 DPI. This is how it works: Adhesive is applied directly on the substrate with inkjet technology, and then the foil is transferred onto the adhesive. Adding a second print tower to the machine enables the user to also apply UV spot varnish — all in one pass to avoid registration issues.

However, while digital embellishments are an excellent addition to your finishing capabilities, they aren’t a substitute for more traditional embellishment methods like hot stamping, says Myron Werner, director of sales for packaging and print at KURZ.

Overall, the partnership is a “win-win-win,” providing benefits for Kurz, Grafotronic, and customers alike, says Morten Toksvaerd, business development director at Grafotronic.