Moving Beyond Black

Newer ribbon formulations aim to pare down the selection process while expanding substrate compatibility. According to Pete Gallette, vice president of marketing at Advent Thermal Transfer, Romeo, MI, the ribbon market is adopting a "best of" philosophy that is changing the lower-echelon perception of wax formulations. In lieu of offering multiple grades of wax ribbons, Gallette cites a movement toward a resin-enhanced wax formulation with the versatility to handle a broader range of label stocks for low- and high-end printing needs. "This ribbon can also be sold at a more competitive price because of the efficiencies inherent in selling fewer formulations," he comments.