Prime Time for Packaging

For customers who want the job a little faster, and maybe for a lower price, there are alternatives, but not many. “Cold foil and metallic inks are options that the graphics arts industry uses to add more metallic looks and shine to the printed world,” says Larry Hutchison, UEI Group, a manufacturer of rotary hot stamping and embossing equipment exclusively distributed by RotoMetrics. Zeller adds, “Metallic ink is another process used, but clearly does not offer the same quality and visual pop of traditional hot foil stamping. Metallic inks do not offer the same reflective mirror finish as foil does. Diffraction foils can build depth and movement into the design, which is not possible with metallic inks.”