Leonhard Kurz, a manufacturer of decorative and functional coatings, will be presenting new possibilities for enhancing packaging with exquisite designs and sophisticated functionality at this year's Luxe Pack in Monaco.
On display at the Kurz booth will be a number of high-quality finished products produced by means of digital printing. Kurz has developed a Digital Metal process that can be used to apply a high-gloss true metal coating to print products. The print products are first pre-printed with toner, then a metallic layer is applied in a finishing machine called the DM Liner. After that, the metallic layer can be overprinted with arbitrary color hues by digital or offset printing to create a wide variety of bold metallic tones. Alternatively, a holographic design could be applied in the final step. Since the pre-printing step is digitally controlled, it is possible to integrate personalized content, serial numbers or custom design elements into the print output. Digital Metal therefore offers an economical means of achieving individualized metallic effects while performing print finishing - even for one-off printing.
The company is also be showcasing at Luxe Pack its "Brand Enhancement by Kurz" brand optimization solution, which combines brand protection with brand decoration and brand communication. The brand enhancement product line enables brand name manufacturers to exploit a range of brand reinforcement tools in a synergistic manner. It contains numerous attractive design elements and optical security features, as well as the web-based "Trustcode" identification, information and communication system. Interaction with this system is via a variety of optical elements, e.g. metallized designs, holographic authenticity features or identification codes. When these elements are scanned with a smartphone, or the relevant code entered manually, diverse product information can be displayed. A brand name manufacturer can, for example, use this feature to offer its customers product information, service center locations or customer loyalty programs. The range of possible content that could be c onveyed is virtually unlimited. The "Trustcode" can also provide valuable information, such as product movements, to either the company itself or its commercial partners. Visitors to Luxe Pack will be able to experience for themselves at the Kurz booth just how wide-ranging the possibilities for linking the real and virtual worlds are. As a world premier, the company is presenting its "White Cube" packaging sample at the trade fair, which showcases various optical elements that provide access to a range of information when the corresponding code is scanned or entered.
A further highlight at the trade fair is a process for foil finishing glass that was co-developed with the machine manufacturer Isimat. This new technology enables brilliant metallic designs to be applied to glass bottles or jars without the use of ceramic inks. The metallic inks are applied at very high speed in an inline process and exhibit excellent durability. Visitors to Luxe Pack can examine a variety of glass containers decorated by means of this new inline foiling process.
As always, Kurz will be offering plenty of inspiration for innovative packaging design and novel finishing methods at the trade fair. On display for the first time at Luxe Pack will be the long awaited fourth edition of the "Presentation" art box, which is a combination of artwork and elaborately designed packaging samples. This year's presentation box is centered on the theme "Close Up" and shows technical and natural motifs in close-up view. Also to be premiered at Luxe Pack is an elaborately designed poster by the Kurz partner Hinderer and Mühlich. The stamping die manufacturer will be demonstrating fascinating stamping effects on its poster, and a novel combination of sophisticated punched designs and exquisite hot stamping. The employees at Kurz are looking forward to presenting the company's new finishing technologies and designs to the visitors at booth DB11
www.kurz.de
