Masterpiece Graphix

Would you like to be able to print 24, 30, and 36 mil cards on your HP Indigo roll press? Every Indigo professional knows that the press’s current capabilities limit printing to only 18 mil and thinner stocks.

MGX now offers 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 and other digital press technology. This product is available in rolls or as sheets, and has recently been RIT-Certified for the HP Indigo 5500 & 7000 digital sheet presses. MGX now offers custom roll products in this innovative and versatile stock.

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 we can do it.

MGX’s 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 the printed piece is 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. MGX MAX Impact stocks are available as a custom roll product, and is made to order per your company’s specifications.

Masterpiece Premium MAX Impact Stock is compatible with a wide variety of liquid toner, dry toner, and inkjet digital presses, such as the HP Indigo, Xerox iGen, and Kodak Nexpress. Other digital press models may also be compatible, but we recommend testing the stock first to evaluate compatibility with your particular press model.

Masterpiece Graphix MAX Impact 24 mil Cardstock sheets are currently RIT-Certified for the HP Indigo 5500 and 7000 digital sheet presses, and MGX is working on certifying MAX Impact roll stocks as well.

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

Fenton, MO January 9, 2012 –

HEADLINE:

Masterpiece Graphix 24 mil MAX Impact Card Stock has been certified by RIT for printing on the HP Indigo 5500 and 7000 digital sheet presses. MGX MAX Impact products are innovative premium card stocks available in 24, 30 and 36 mil thicknesses that are compatible with the HP Indigo, Kodak Nexpress, Xerox iGen, and other digital presses.

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The Printing Applications Laboratory at the Rochester Institute of Technology has certified Masterpiece Graphix 24 mil MAX Impact Stocks for printing on the HP Indigo 5500 and 7000 digital sheet presses. The new revolutionary stock, which enables the production of 24 point postcards on a standard digital press, was given RIT’s highest rating of three stars in every category tested including runnability, fixing and blanket compatibility.

Masterpiece Graphix MAX Impact stocks are actually 12 mils thick, with a specialized no tack adhesive on the back of the sheet and a score down the center. Both sides of the design are printed on the front of the sheet. When folded at the score with a typical bindery folder and cut on a guillotine cutter, the front and back lock together to create an impressive 24 mil card. After printing, the sheets can be UV coated to add gloss and protection, or a thin protective lamination layer can be added to make the card thicker and more durable. Using this technology, digital printers are able to create new applications outside of the typical thickness range for their digital machines, and expand their product offerings to their customers.

Masterpiece Graphix MAX Impact Stocks, a lineup of innovative pre-converted digital-ready specialty substrates, can be utilized to produce high-quality 24, 30, or 36 mil cardstock projects on the HP Indigo, Kodak Nexpress, Xerox iGen, as well as other digital press models. Digital printers can now create thick, impactful commercial print products like postcards, hang tags, business cards, and other digital press projects. Masterpiece MAX Impact Stocks are available in a variety of pre-converted layouts, for easy production of folding cards, postcards, membership cards, various envelope configurations, sweepstakes packets, and other digital press projects. Templates are available for each layout, and custom options are also available.

About Masterpiece Graphix:

Masterpiece Graphix (MGX) is the premier digital substrate manufacturer, providing solutions for liquid toner, dry toner, and inkjet digital press technologies. As the first and only HP-Certified Indigo Treatment Center established in North America, Masterpiece Graphix has successfully treated hundreds of digital sheet and roll materials for the HP Indigo press. Masterpiece Graphix offers turnkey, ready-to-run digital material solutions for HP Indigo, Xeikon, EFI Jetrion, Kodak Nexpress, Memjet RapidX, and Xerox iGen digital presses, as well as solutions for other digital press technologies. As a digital material manufacturer and treatment center, MGX is a one-stop-shop for all traditional commodity stocks and exotic materials, opening up new revenue opportunities for digital press users.

Masterpiece Graphix has several 12″ x 18″ sheet material options with special pricing for your HP Indigo, Kodak, Nexpress, Xerox iGen, or other digital press. Get in on the savings and contact your MGX Digital Material Expert, while our supplies last!

• MGX-1075: Masterpiece Premium 10 pt. Card Stock C1S: This product is RIT-certified, and MGX has 10,000 specially-priced sheets. This product can be treated on one or both sides, depending on your preference.

• MGX-1434: 13 mil PVC: This product can be treated on one or both sides; please specify your preference when ordering. MGX currently has 72,000 sheets in stock, with special pricing.

• MGX-1077: Masterpiece Premium 15 pt. Card Stock C1S: MGX has 5,300 sheets at a special price. This product can be treated on one or both sides specifically for your digital press model.

• MGX-1160: 10 pt. Green Card Stock: We have 1,250 sheets that can be treated on one or both sides for your digital press.

• MGX-1110: 15 mil Opaque Styrene: Masterpiece Graphix is offering 750 sheets of this material, to be treated on one or both sides depending on your preference.

• White & Clear Glassmate: Ideal for space branding, Masterpiece Premium Glassmate is a unique substate engineered specifically for glass applcations.MGX has 500 sheets each of white and clear Glassmate that are HP Indigo-compatible, at special pricing.

For more information on any of these items, including pricing, please contact your MGX Digital Material Expert, or email the MGX sales team.

Are you finding yourself printing on your expensive, mainstay stocks in order to calibrate your HP Indigo roll press? Would you like to utilize the same trusted standard that HP Indigo has used to keep their onsite show demo machines running flawless and trouble-free? Look no further than Masterpiece Premium 100# Gloss Calibration Paper (R1341). This 100# gloss text weight paper not only offers stability and consistency for calibrating your HP Indigo, it also is a versatile stock paper useful for a variety of press projects.

Masterpiece Premium 100# Gloss Calibration paper is a foolproof setup stock, essential for troubleshooting color and registration calibration on the HP Indigo. Glossy 100# calibration paper is recommended by HP to perform correct calibration using the Indigo’s densitometer. An industry benchmark, Masterpiece Premium 100# Gloss Calibration Paper is HP Certified for use on the WS6000, and is an excellent choice for flawless HP Indigo roll press setup and calibration.

HP Indigo has used R1341 to calibrate their demo presses at industry trade shows like Dscoop and Label Expo. Masterpiece Graphix customers trust this versatile setup paper to effectively calibrate their Indigo for easy and worry-free setup. Using setup paper is a more consistent and less expensive alternative to utilizing your costly BOPPs and pressure-sensitive stocks for fixing press issues. With Masterpiece Premium Setup Paper, you can save your expensive stocks for printing jobs, and utilize a less expensive and simple-to-run stock to calibrate your digital press.

In addition, Masterpiece Premium 100# Gloss Calibration Paper is an excellent choice for everyday print projects. It’s an easy-to-run stock, and since it’s a calibration paper, you can rest assured that your job will print with flawless results. Use it to produce books, unsupported labels, and other projects for trouble-free printing.

Masterpiece Premium 100# Gloss Calibration Paper (R1341) is stocked in our St. Louis facility in 12” wide rolls, and is also available in custom widths and lengths to fit your press needs and budget.  For more information on our HP-Certified setup paper, download a spec sheet, talk to your MGX digital expert, or email the sales team.

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.

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.

More and more digital printers come to MGX for security solutions that will print on their digital press. To respond to this growing demand, MGX currently stocks RIT-certified DeterX® Gray “Copy” Security Paper (R1419 as rolls, MGX-1303 as sheets),  a commodity security solution for the HP Indigo. This unique paper is HP Indigo-certified for the WS6000, WS4050, 5000, 5500, and WS45000. This material exhibits a gray/blue pattern that reads “COPY” when duplicated and is perfect for many security applications like checks, coupons, gift certificates, rebates, event tickets and other secure document application. This material can be shipped the same day once ordered, since it is stocked as sheets or in rolls in the MGX warehouse.

In today’s growing marketplace, many digital press users demand a unique, custom security option tailored to their application. Thanks to Masterpiece Graphix’s partnership with Document Security Systems (DSS), MGX can offer a multitude of digital security paper options. With all of the available constructions, you are surely able to find a security paper solution that best fits with your product.

While MGX stocks our 60# Gray “Void” DeterX paper, many other custom constructions are available to fit your needs.  The DeterX technology (a hidden message revealed when the printed piece is scanned or copied) can be applied to a variety of substrates, including papers, board stocks, and plastics.  These hidden message pantographs can come in an assortment of colors, such as blue, red, yellow, and green, and the wording on the pantograph can be designed with a variety of standard messages, such as “void” or  “copy”.  We can even work with you to create a custom message or embed an end user’s logo!

Besides MGX’s stocked gray “copy” DeterX®, MGX in conjunction with DSS offers several other options for the DeterX® stock. DeterX® is a warning paper that contains hidden messages that are revealed once copied or scanned, making the difference between the original image and its copy unmistakable. MGX stocks the paper in a gray “copy: pattern, but the same stock is also available as a custom product in blue, red, yellow, and green. In addition, other messages can be embedded into the copy such as “void” or “unauthorized copy”.

Digital press users who desire a more covert security paper may prefer the DeterX® basket weave option. This paper disguises the hidden message with a complex basketweave pattern that is also pleasing to the eye. The basketweave pattern is available in gray, blue, green, red, and yellow. In addition, this paper stock has the option of adding a custom message to your stock, creating a proprietary digital security stock tailored to your specific application.

Blackout technology can give your secure document an extra layer of protection from unauthorized use. ObsureX is another MGX digital-ready stock available from DSS as a custom product. This gray stock is available with your choice of three hidden messages. What makes this digital security stock unique is its block-out pattern: copies on many high-end color copiers will show up severely distorted or even blacked out and unreadable. This function is very useful for obscuring highly sensitive information in addition to preventing unauthorized reproduction.

All of the MGX/DSS security products listed above can be formulated as sheets or rolls for the HP Indigo. Sheet products can also be made compatible with dry toner technology like the Kodak Nexpress or the Xerox iGen. Other constructions  can be engineered to your specific press technology.

Besides security paper, Masterpiece Graphix has many other substrate options available for security printing applications. Holographic materials, exotic substrates, tamper-evident polyester and self-destructive labeling materials are all available through MGX, ready to run on your digital press. For more information and substrate consultation for all of our security options, please call your MGX sales rep or email the sales team.

Masterpiece Graphix, the only HP-Certified Treatment Center in North America, is participating in the Midwest’s first and only package printing forum, Follow Possible. This event is being sponsored by HP Indigo and Innovative Labeling Solutions (ILS) to showcase how HP Indigo digital printing technology works to the packaging community, and how packaging professionals can leverage it to maximize relevance and connection with their customers. Follow Possible will be held at Innovative Labeling Solutions in Hamilton, Ohio, so attendees can see ILS’s full-scale HP Indigo operation at work.

This unique event will guide attendees through the entire process of HP Indigo prime label, folding carton, flexible packaging and shrink film production. Digital packaging capabilities will be showcased on ILS’s 3 HP Indigo WS6000’s and finishing equipment from AB Graphic, Delta, and Karlville. Masterpiece Graphix is providing its HP Indigo-certified Premium 18 pt. Board Stock to demonstrate folding carton and hot stamping production on ILS’s AB Graphic Digicon Series I.

Attendees will enjoy a presentation on key packaging trends by Tim George, editor of Shelf Impact, as well as other informative seminar s on packaging and digital printing. The event is free and open to packaging industry professionals. You can learn more information on this event, including the itinerary and attendee information, at the Follow Possible website.

Masterpiece Graphix offers many options for prime labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons and shrink film production on the HP Indigo. For more information on our HP Indigo products, 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.

With its ability to produce colorful eye-popping graphics that grab attention on retail shelves, shrink sleeves are one of the fastest-growing segments in the digital labels market.  A recent L&NW shrink film article cited a TLMI projection, predicting the shrink sleeve industry to grow by at least 7 percent each year. The ability of the HP Indigo press WS4050, WS4500 and WS6000 to be able to print shrink sleeves as well as conventional labels, flexible packaging and folding cartons, shows that the HP Indigo industrial series press truly represents the best in digital package printing and converting in the industry. Masterpiece Graphix supplies many digital shrink film options for HP Indigo digital presses, and is proud to offer a new digital-ready material: 50 micron PETG shrink film to HP Indigo users.

The use of digital shrink sleeves is expected to increase as it eliminates the problems of printing on irregularly shaped containers and widely diverse substrates. The unique technology also allows packaging designers to create attention-grabbing graphics on their products that couldn’t be achieved with another production method. The finished piece exhibits the sought-after ‘no label’ look trending in modern package design. Shrink sleeves can increasingly be found on food containers, household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, health/beauty products, or even as a tamper-evident security feature.

One major consumer of shrink sleeve labels is the beverage industry, and this ultra-competitive business segment is possibly the most demanding of print quality and technology.  With fierce competition between brands, strict adherence to corporate identity, trademark brand colors and the highest possible print quality are all important factors to stand out from rivals. The HP Indigo is perfect for producing the highest-quality graphics digital shrink sleeves to garter the most impact on store shelves. The power of digital print’s variable data technology is also desirable for regional branding and sweepstakes promotions, tools that many beverage companies currently utilize to market their brands.

Masterpiece Graphix supplies several types of shrink film for the HP Indigo, including high/low shrink PVC & PETG, roll-on, shrink-on, and other variations. Masterpiece Premium 50 micron PETG shrink film (R1397) is the newest MGX spec added to our HP Indigo shrink film options. The digital-ready film allows you to seam without a pattern coating on the primer. The material is scuff-resistant and primed for digital printing on the outside of the film surface. Masterpiece Premium 50 micron PETG Shrink Film is currently pending HP Indigo certification, and several Masterpiece Graphix customers are already achieving exceptional print results when utilizing this material on their Indigo.

If you are interested in getting in on this hot new market for HP Indigo label & packaging converters, MGX can provide substrate guidance for your unique application and business model. For shrink film seaming and finishing equipment, be sure to review Karlville and ABG’s lines for digital shrink sleeve production. For more information on Masterpiece Premium 50 micron PETG Shrink Film, as well as other shrink sleeve substrate options, please check out the shrink film specs listed on our website. We also offer other options including custom constructions for your project. For more information and substrate guidance for your unique shrink sleeve application, please directly contact your MGX sales rep or email our sales team.