Masterpiece Graphix

Would you like to be able to print 24, 30, and 36 mil cards on your digital sheet press? Everyone knows your press capabilities limit you to only 18 mil and thinner stocks!

PROBLEM SOLVED: MGX is offering a revolutionary digital product that allows you to produce double thick cardstock projects: Masterpiece Premium MAX Impact Stock. This innovative MAX Impact solution creates a finished piece that is twice the thickness of a typical “thick” postcard, and is compatible with HP Indigo, Kodak Nexpress, OKI Data Engine, Memjet, and Xerox iGen digital press technology.

Imagine going to your best customer with hang tags, loyalty cards, postcards, retail tags, greeting cards, gift cards, business cards, and other commercial press projects that are more impactful and higher quality due to the thickness of the stock.

You’re probably wondering how you can produce all of these thicknesses on a digital press, when the maximum thickness you can run may be only 18 mil or less…read on to find out how.

Each sheet of MAX Impact Stock is actually 12, 15, or 18 mils thick, with a specialized no tack adhesive on the back of the sheet and a score down the center. Both sides of your design are printed on the front of the sheet. When folded at the score with a typical bindery folder, the front and back lock together when cut on a guillotine cutter to create an impressive 24, 30, or 36 mil card. After printing, the sheets can be UV coated to add gloss and protection, or add a thin protective lamination layer to make the card thicker and more durable.

Masterpiece Premium MAX Impact Stock is compatible with a wide variety of liquid toner, dry toner, and inkjet digital presses. Other digital press models may also be compatible, but we recommend testing the stock first to evaluate compatibility with your particular press. Now you can create impressive digital postcards on extra-thick stocks, for more impact and responses when combined with your digital press’s variable data options.

As an example, if you were making postcards with Masterpiece Premium MAX Impact Stock, the material could be trimmed into several postcard sizes: 4 cards at 4.125 x 5.5 inches, 2 cards at 5.75 x 8 inches or one very impressive card at 8.5 x 11 inches. With these options, your digital press can produce other impressive double thick cardstock projects. Max Impact face material is HP Indigo-certified, and is currently pending certification with its glue combination. Options are also available for your roll press as well.

For pricing and additional information on Masterpiece Premium Double Thick Card Stock options, please contact your MGX sales rep or email the sales team.

If you haven’t already heard, Masterpiece Graphix has partnered with 3M Commercial Graphics to treat and distribute digital sheet and roll materials. This new relationship will give MGX customers access to digitally-treated roll and sheet substrates from 3M Commercial Graphics, including wall graphic, floor, countertop, digitally printable materials, as well as overlaminates. Under this new relationship, Masterpiece Graphix will also be able to offer proprietary custom material solutions to MGX customers.  In addition, MGX will toll-coat products for 3M Commercial Graphics through this partnership.

The MGX/3M Commercial Graphics partnership will give digital press users access to many sheet and roll materials that were previously unavailable to the industry. Here are just a few of the 3M Commercial Graphics product options that are now made digital-ready by MGX:

Specialized Adhesives for Every Application: 3M is most well known for their tapes and other adhesive technologies.  3M Commercial Graphics is able to leverage these technologies into adhesives that work in a multitude of different graphic applications.  3M Commercial Graphics specializes in vehicle wraps, fleet graphics, and a variety of unique applications like floors, sidewalks, countertops, and textured surfaced walls.  These different applications require an adhesive to be strong enough to adhere to each substrate, and also in many cases remove easily so that the substrate can be used again.  3M Commercial Graphics has extended these changeable and removable adhesive technologies to the MGX partnership, now allowing for narrow web customers to offer digitally-printed graphics in locations they could not previously service.

3M Commercial Graphics knows that brand owners want their graphics and images to look flawless after installation.  Whether that means the graphics perfectly align when overlapped or that there are no bubbles in the finished graphic, 3M has a technology to help the installer accomplish these criteria.  Controltac™ is a 3M brand name for films with pressure-activated adhesive. Controltac™ adhesive is slideable and repositionable until firm pressure bonds it to the substrate.  3M Comply™ permit air bubbles to escape through channels in the adhesive as a film is being applied.  This feature allows a novice installer to apply graphics virtually bubble-free.

Overlaminate Options: As a distributor of 3M Commercial Graphics products, MGX is pleased to offer a multitude of overlaminates to provide graphic protection options for digitally-printed substrates. Through this partnership, MGX will be offering several textured overlaminates specifically for floor and sidewalk graphics. These non-slip overlaminates offer protection and traction to digitally-printed graphics, and comply with many workplace safety standards. For more information on the multitude of overlaminate options from the MGX/3M Commercial Graphics partnership, please contact your MGX sales rep directly to find an option that best fits your project.

A Diverse Mix of Application Possibilities: In our recent Dscoop webinar on space branding, MGX and 3M Commercial Graphics showcased specialty products from 3M that were specifically designed for space branding applications. 3M™ Scotchcal™ Graphic Film with Comply™ Adhesive IJ40C is the perfect 3M Transit Ad Graphic film IJ36, another intermediate film, is an ideal choice for short-term space branding graphics, as the material removes cleanly without adhesive residue. In addition, many specialty products like premium films 3M™ Controltac™ Graphic Film with Comply™ adhesive IJ180C or IJ180Cv3 are available for outdoor commercial fleet vehicles, watercraft, and transit graphics, as well as many other applications. Each 3M Commercial Graphics product is specially formulated to perform well under its recommended usage. For more information on some of the readily available space branding products from 3M Commercial Graphics and MGX, check out this 3M spec sheet on available materials.

Is there a 3M Commercial Graphics product you would like to see digital-ready for your press? Let Masterpiece Graphix know! Email our sales team to get more information on any 3M Commercial Graphics product, made digital-ready by MGX.

Some of the most challenging printing projects require substrate attributes that seem to contradict one another. For instance, a customer may require a material that has the look and feel of paper, but is also tear and water-resistant. Synthetic substrates are a good go-to choice for many digital press projects like prime labels, commercial print projects, photos, gift cards, tagging, and in-mold labeling. Synthetic materials are an ideal choice for applications in which durability and resistance to water and chemicals are important. Label printers and commercial printers are also looking to synthetic substrates to improve brand image, and to increase margin on their highest-quality jobs.

One market that is especially suited for synthetic materials is plant and horticultural tags. Plant tags need to be tear and weather-resistant with a bright white print surface. One MGX client produced a series of unique plant tags, complete with tear-off outdoor planting calendars for a large national green house. A synthetic paper was the right choice for this project for its durability, bright white finish, and its ability to be micro-perforated for easy tear-off.

Masterpiece Graphix has supplied hundreds of synthetic substrates to digital press customers, and offers not only BOPP, but other specialty solutions to suit specific needs. Here are just a few of the flagship digital-ready specialized synthetic products that Masterpiece Graphix offers:

• Masterpiece Premium Synthetic Paper: MGX offers several grades of synthetic paper in thicknesses ranging from 8 mil to 15 mil. Masterpiece Premium Synthetic is a bright white synthetic paper, and is available in sheets or as rolls. It’s a perfect product for tear, chemical, and moisture-resistant applications. Converting MGX synthetic paper stock is easy; the material can be cut, perforated, laser die-cut, folded, and punched. Its properties make it a superb choice for menus, children’s books; hang tags, safety tags, and horticultural tags. This material is available as unsupported stock or in conjunction with various specialty adhesives and liners.

• Masterpiece Premium Clear Polyester (PET): This material offers the same performance of our white synthetic paper in a crystal clear construction. An optional white tipped-on sheet allows the material to feed trouble-free through the HP Indigo sheet press engine, and removes cleanly for the final application. HP Indigo users can combine the clarity of the substrate with the white ink system to create a wide range of opaque and transparent effects. Masterpiece Premium Clear Polyester is available in sheet or roll form through the MGX/Transilwrap partnership. MGX can offer HP Indigo-compatible polyester roll and sheet stocks, as well as options for the Kodak Nexpress and Xerox iGen.

• Masterpiece Premium 6 mil Wall Graphix: While not traditionally considered a “synthetic paper”, Masterpiece Premium Wall Graphix is an extremely popular product for HP Indigo digital press users. The product features an ultra-removable adhesive that removes cleanly without residue. The material is repositionable, allowing the graphic to be reused or adjusted. This product is RIT-Certified for use on the HP Indigo 5000/5500, and is available in sheets or as HP Indigo-compatible rolls. This material is also available as a Kodak Nexpress or Xerox iGen-compatible product; please specify your press model when ordering.

If you are in the market for a specific synthetic material, or if you need a specialty material that will resist chemicals, moisture, and damage, MGX can help you get the digital-ready synthetic material you need. MGX has compiled a database of hundreds of synthetic substrate constructions, so we can help you find the best possible choice for your digital print project. For more information on synthetic options, please contact your MGX sales rep or email the sales team.

The economical benefits of HP Indigo digital printing are many: the ability to produce shorter runs, variable data variations, and the potential for higher profit margins, just to name a few. Many digital press users utilize MGX for their tricky, hard-to-source custom digital material solution needs. But did you know that Masterpiece Graphix also offers turnkey, ready to run value-priced house stocks that yield better print results than the competition?

HP Indigo press users trust Masterpiece Graphix to supply their everyday driver high-volume stocks in addition to the small-run tricky material solutions. These MGX Digital house stocks offer the best possible print quality, superior ink adhesion and a longer shelf life than similar digital products on the market. These are some of the reasons why many digital printers come to Masterpiece Graphix for high-performance house stocks that help them create award-winning labels on their typical prime label projects. MGX currently warehouses the following HP Indigo house stocks for quick, same day shipping at economical prices:

HP Indigo-Certified 60# Semigloss/Perm/40# (R1332): An industry standard, pressure-sensitive 60# semigloss can be utilized for a variety of prime label applications. This Masterpiece Graphix substrate is HP Indigo-Certified for use on the WS6000, and is included in our MGX welcome kit for new HP Indigo press installs. R1332 features an FDA-compliant adhesive that bonds to many substrates like corrugated cardboard, treated glass, and LDPE. Masterpiece Graphix stocks this versatile substrate in 12” and 13” width rolls for rapid, same day shipping.

2.6 mil White BOPP/Perm/2.2 mil (R0393): This pressure-sensitive white BOPP solution is an ideal substrate for many prime label applications. The substrate is oil, water, and chemical resistant, with a heat-resistant adhesive. The characteristics of R0393 lend itself to many toiletry and cosmetic labeling applications. MGX Digital 2.6 mil White BOPP/Perm/2.2 mil is available as an HP Indigo-compatible product, and is currently stocked in the MGX warehouse in 12” rolls. Custom widths and stocking options are available by request.

2 mil Clear BOPP/Perm/40# (R1451): A clear BOPP labelstock, R1451 is perfect for applications that require a no-label look. The facestock is especially suited for oil, water, and chemical-resistant applications, and the adhesive is very clear and water-resistant. This HP Indigo-compatible stock is presently stocked at the MGX facility in 13” rolls. Options like custom widths and personal stocking contacting your MGX sales rep.

Many of these products will also be available as stocked products in our new Masterpiece Graphix California warehouse. For more information on MGX’s exceptional value line of digital house stocks, please contact your MGX sales rep directly or get in touch with the sales team at 636.349.6401 x225 or at sales@mgxdigital.com.

Digital printers often come to Masterpiece Graphix for the highest-quality digital products, and to help secure additional revenue streams for their business. Last month Masterpiece Graphix debuted new HP Indigo-compatible thermal transfer materials for HP Indigo sheet presses. These thermal transfer materials are pending HP Indigo certification for HP Indigo commercial presses. Due to high customer demand, MGX is now offering the same material in roll format for beta testing on HP Indigo roll presses.

Interested HP Indigo roll press owners can contact Masterpiece to trial this innovative new material. The digital press owner will be provided a loaner heat press and a roll of sample transfer material so they can experiment with a complete end-to-end garment production solution in their facility. Press owners will need to furnish their own t-shirts or other items for production trials.

Digitally-printed garments are gaining momentum in the marketplace, and the revenue potential continues to grow. Combined with the ability to produce short runs and custom items, digital technology is a win-win for garment production. Start-up costs are relatively low for HP Indigo press owners to diversify their existing business model with digital garment offerings. Digital heat transfer applications can range from the atypical tee to specialty items like totes, accessories, pillowcases, ribbon, and other various promotional items.

These newly offered heat transfer materials work best on light colored cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabrics with a tight weave. The transfer is very durable, with excellent color density lasting at least 15-20 wash cycles.

The transfer image is produced by digitally printing the file as a mirror image on the non-glossy, unlined side of the material. Any unprinted paper is trimmed off of the printed graphic before application, so that only the graphic is transferred to the garment. The heat press should be set at 375°F with a high pressure setting (60 psi) for the best transfer results.

Before pressing the graphic into the garment, first press the garment individually for 3-5 seconds to release any moisture and remove wrinkles. When you are ready to adhere the transfer to the garment, place the printed and trimmed graphic face down on the garment with the lined side facing up. Press the garment for 20-25 seconds. When pressing is completed, wait three seconds then remove the backing paper while the graphic is still hot in a smooth and even motion. Let the garment cool, and it’s ready to wear!

Other digital heat transfer options for HP Indigo roll presses are in the works. For more information on MGX’s heat transfer trial program or our HP Indigo-compatible sheet or roll heat transfer products, please contact your MGX sales rep or email the sales team.

Do you need a low cost, durable clear substrate that can utilized as an alternative to polycarbonate? Look no further than Masterpiece Premium 7 mil Clear Polyester w/ tipped sheet (MGX-1360), a new digital product offering from the Masterpiece/Transilwrap partnership. A viable alternative to polycarbonate, MGX-1360 is suitable for nameplate, durable label and membrane switch production.

New to the MGX and Transilwrap digital catalog, ultra-clear polyester is a versatile plastic substrate that is ideal for graphics, packaging, electrical and industrial use. The substrate is durable and offers anti-curl characteristics. Masterpiece/Transilwrap 7 mil Clear Polyester features a tipped-on white tissue paper sheet with a glue edge on the short side.

MGX-1360 is an in-stock product in 12”x18” sheets; roll options as well as other thicknesses and sizes are available by request. Digital-ready clear polyester is also available as a compatible product for dry toner presses like the Kodak Nexpress & Xerox iGen; please specify your press model when ordering to ensure you receive the right product for your digital press.

For more information and digitally printed samples of this new material, please contact your MGX Sales Rep, or request it by email.

Do you have a Transilwrap product in mind that you would like to purchase for your digital press? Ask MGX! We can help formulate a solution for you based on your desired substrate and application For more information on Masterpiece Graphix’s full line of polyester products as well as digital options from Transilwrap, please contact your MGX Sales Rep directly or email our sales team.

Are you looking for a new digital material for your press that will help you tap into new applications and markets? Do you desire a substrate that adheres to glass that is also weatherable and reusable? Typical digitally-produced window decal applications utilize static cling or wall graphic material, but constant UV exposure will deteriorate the printed piece over time. Look no further than Masterpiece Premium GlassMate®. This innovative newly released material is available in white or clear, and is UV-resistant, washable and reusable. This specialized substrate is pending HP Indigo certification for industrial and commercial presses and is engineered specifically for window applications.

Masterpiece Premium GlassMate® features a solid non-gummy adhesion system that works only on glass surfaces. If the material is applied properly to a clean glass window, the printed piece will remain indefinitely until removal. The specialized adhesive system allows the piece to be removed cleanly and easily without leaving residue behind.

What also makes this specialized substrate unique is that the material and adhesion system is completely washable, so the printed piece can be cleaned and reused again and again. Premium GlassMate® is also weather-resistant and does not yellow or become brittle from UV exposure. These characteristics make Masterpiece Premium GlassMate® an excellent option for indoor or outdoor POP displays as well as seasonal/promotional signage for retail and restaurants.

Masterpiece Premium GlassMate® is pending HP Indigo certification for both commercial and industrial machines. The material is offered currently in white or clear as an MGX HP Indigo-compatible product in sheets or as rolls. Premium GlassMate® is also available as a dry toner compatible product for machines like the Xerox iGen and Kodak Nexpress. Please specify your specific press model when ordering to ensure you receive the correct digital-ready product for your machine.

In addition to their exclusive Premium GlassMate® material, Masterpiece Graphix offers many other digital products for glass applications including static cling and wall graphic. For more information on Masterpiece Premium GlassMate® or other digital substrates for your specific end-use, please contact your MGX sales rep directly or email our sales team.

Digital press owners looking for new revenue streams can now turn to MGX for digital-ready plastics and synthetics from Transilwrap. As you may have already heard, Masterpiece Graphix recently partnered with Transilwrap, a manufacturer of high-performance printable plastics and synthetics, to manufacture and distribute co-branded products to the digital printing market. Digital press owners now have access to many digital materials from the Transilwrap catalog not previously available. Currently MGX/Transilwrap offers digital-ready PVC as well as other co-branded plastic substrates.

A versatile, durable substrate, PVC vinyl is an ideal substrate for many applications, including POP displays, gift/loyalty cards, and in-mold labeling. PVC is resistant to water, acids, alkalis and oils. The material offers good dimensional stability, and can be finished via gluing, welding, die-cutting, folding, embossing, punching, lamination or thermoform. PVC also features flame resistance with self extinguishing qualities. Masterpiece Graphix/Transilwrap Digital PVC can be utilized for many industries including automotive, home appliance, industrial, medical, retail and electronic applications.

MGX/Transilwrap digital PVC is optimized to print on both sides and is compatible with HP Indigo. MGX PVC stocks are also available as dry toner-compatible products, and are engineered to run on digital presses like the Xerox iGen and Kodak Nexpress with optimal results. Please specify which press compatibility you require when ordering to ensure you receive the right stock for your specific press model.

MGX/Transilwrap digital PVC sheets are stocked in the MGX warehouse as 10 mil (MGX-1284), 15 mil (MGX-1304), and 24 mil (MGX-1283) sheets. All MGX stocked PVC is stored in our warehouse as 12” x 18” sheets. Digital roll options, custom sizes, colors, and thicknesses are also available.

This new relationship between Masterpiece Graphix and Transilwrap grants MGX customers access to new digital-ready materials from the Transilwrap catalog, including the highest quality PVC, Pro-Print®, clear polyester, styrene and Azuna® 3D bubble sheets on the market.  These co-branded sheet and roll products are compatible for HP Indigo, and in many cases are also compatible with other digital press technologies like the Kodak Nexpress and Xerox iGen.

And that’s not all: Transilwrap’s recent acquisition of Interfilm Holdings Inc. brings even more new digital-ready material possibilities to MGX customers. Is there a Transilwrap/Interfilm product you would like to run on your digital press? Ask MGX! We can help you select and test your desired material to run flawlessly on your digital press. Stay tuned to our newsletter and the MGX website for more updates on new MGX/Transilwrap products, or contact your MGX sales rep for more information on all of our co-branded product options.

Metalized prime labels combined with high-impact digital graphics are an eye-catching way to dazzle your customers. MGX offers a full line of digital-ready metalized substrates including iridescent, foil, metalized paper and holographic materials. Many MGX metalized options are competitively priced and can be on your pressroom floor ready to print in a matter of days. No matter your desired product appearance, specific material requirements or budget, Masterpiece Graphix can provide a metalized substrate to suit your digital application.

Silver Metalized Paper/All-Temp Perm/40# SCK(R1172): This premium finished metalized paper material features a bright silver high-sheen face with an acrylic topcoat and excellent HP Indigo printability. The permanent adhesive bonds to many common substrates, is FDA 175.105-compliant and performs well in all temperatures. The material’s versatility makes it an ideal choice for many prime label applications. Masterpiece Graphix is proud to offer R1172 as a readily-available, compatible material solution for the HP Indigo.

Xeikon-Authorized Brilliant Metalized Paper/Perm/40# (R1361): Masterpiece Graphix is has partnered with Xeikon to offer metalized substrate solutions for the Xeikon digital press series. Xeikon-authorized MGX Brilliant Metalized Paper/Perm/40# (R1361) is enhanced with a digital topcoat and is authorized for use on all the Xeikon label presses for the best possible image quality and toner adhesion.  MGX also offers Xeikon-authorized enhanced metalized material solutions for other metalized synthetic substrates such as BOPP and polyester.

2 mil Metalized BOPP /Perm/1.2mil PET (R1375): This MGX HP Indigo-compatible material features a bright silver, mirror-like glossy face and a superior wet-out adhesive well-suited for squeezable container applications. Masterpiece Graphix’s R1375 offers resistance to water, oil and chemicals, making the substrate an excellent choice for high-gloss cosmetic and toiletry labeling.

Dull Silver Foil/Perm/40# (R1497): MGX currently offers HP Indigo-compatible Masterpiece Dull Silver Foil/Perm/40# (R1497) as a readily available metalized option. In addition, Masterpiece Graphix offers several other HP Indigo-optimized foil materials. Other available materials include a silver or gold face with a dull (matte) or bright (mirror-like) finishes. Laminated foil offers exceptional durability and excellent color reproduction. Some press operators opt to flood-coat silver foil stocks to produce custom tinted metallic and color matched foils. The permanent adhesive used on MGX laminated foil stock is suitable for virtually all prime label applications.

Holographic Iridescent Metalized Paper/ Perm/40# SCK (R1187): This substrate is one of our most commonly ordered HP Indigo-compatible metalized materials. Featuring a two-dimensional holographic diffraction pattern and an FDA 175.105-compliant adhesive, MGX’s Holographic Iridescent Metalized Paper/Perm/40# SCK is eye-catching and is more economically-priced than many metalized substrates. HP Indigo-optimized MGX R1187 is a competitively priced roll product with that can be quickly treated and shipped to your pressroom.

Custom Material Options: The highlighted products above are just a few of the metalized substrates Masterpiece Graphix can provide for use on your digital press. Do you have a specific material in mind that’s not mentioned here? No problem. MGX can help you select, trial, and digitally optimize the specific material you want with our custom substrate options. Masterpiece Graphix offers short lead times and competitive pricing from the industry’s top suppliers. If you plan on regularly ordering the same metalized facestocks to run on your digital press, custom stocking options are available. For additional information on all of MGX’s metalized material options, please contact your MGX sales rep directly or email our sales team.

Many press owners know that MGX can do short runs of custom or exotic stocks, but did you know that Masterpiece Graphix produces high quantities of commodity paper consumables as well?

In fact, the most commonly ordered MGX stock is 60# Semigloss/Perm/40#. Because MGX manufactures the highest-quality digital substrates, many digital press users trust us to supply all of their digital labelstocks, like everyday consumables like semigloss to exotic hard-to-find substrates.

MGX supplies commonly used digital material like paper substrates in large and small volumes at prices that your company can manage. Here are some of the reasons to enlist MGX as your digital paper supplier:

Material Mainstays: MGX runs more than exotic stocks: in fact, our most popular stocks include 60# semigloss and BOPPs, with premium treatment at competitive prices. We offer a wide range of facestock/adhesive/liner combinations as large or small quantities. Our custom stocking options will keep your most commonly used items on your pressroom floor, when you need them, no matter the quantity.  Our track record of digital expertise ensures that your MGX consumables will print beautifully on your press, guaranteed.

The Most Digital Papers: From industry mainstays to specialty substrates and exotic material options, MGX is virtually a one-stop shop for all digital roll paper substrates. With over 800 HP Indigo-compatible materials created to date, MGX can supply any desired paper labelstock. MGX stocks semigloss, high gloss, matte, wine label stocks, thermal transfer, fluorescent, tamper-resistant and eco-friendly paper stocks, all with the best digital treatment. If you are looking for an application-specific substrate, MGX offers R&D options to create custom material solutions tailored to your requirements.

Certified Paper Stocks: Masterpiece Graphix offers several HP Indigo-certified materials including several paper stocks. MGX carries HP Indigo-certified 60# semigloss (R1332), 18 pt. board stock (R1275), 100# gloss calibration paper (R1341), Estate #8 (R1233), Estate #9 (R1232), and DeterX® security paper (R1419). In addition, Masterpiece Graphix also carries EFI-Jetrion certified 54# semigloss/Perm/40# (R1338). As the only HP-Certified Treatment Center in North America, MGX has built a reputation of supplying the best HP Indigo substrates to digital press users for over a decade.

Eco-Friendly Practices & Substrates: Before it was cool to be green, Masterpiece Graphix was taking strides to introduce environmentally-friendly initiatives into their business model. MGX has been a 100% wind-powered facility since January 2008. So no matter what kind of material you order from us, you can be confident that it was produced with renewable energy.  MGX also offers the EnVision line of substrates: earth-friendly alternatives to many industry mainstays. This exclusive lineup of materials includes earth-friendly pressure-sensitive papers like thermal transfer, semigloss, and wine label stocks.