Masterpiece Graphix

Masterpiece Graphix supplies are available through Tailored Solutions’ Label Traxx as a supplier partner. MGX became available on Label Traxx earlier this year and customers have enjoyed issuing PO’s and tracking inventory from their software with ease. Label Traxx makes ordering the full line of MGX’s digital materials easy, fast and reliable with the convenience of automatic inventory updates.

Label Traxx is a job management software system created by Tailored Solutions specifically for narrow web printers and printers who specialize in in-line roll converting. It enables different departments within a printing company to communicate easily via twelve user modules including Estimating, Job Costing, Quality Control, and Job Coster. Each module is a complete end-to-end solution that contains everything needed to streamline communication throughout the organization and to efficiently manage the print business. MGX customers using the Label Traxx system are able to reduce their order entry time by connecting directly and securely to Masterpiece Graphix, eliminating double entries and greatly reducing erroneous entries.

MGX, through Label Traxx, provides immediate order confirmation and advance shipment notice data. Utilizing the convenient bar code scanning feature of Label Traxx, users have the ability to scan incoming and work-in-process MGX material to maintain an accurate inventory count with ease. Many MGX customers that utilize Label Traxx have noticed that keeping track of material inventory is much easier and that ordering MGX material through the software is fast, convenient and easy to do.

For more information on Tailored Solution’s Label Traxx, please visit their website. For MGX-specific information about the Label Traxx system, please contact Masterpiece Graphix’s customer service at 636.349.6401 x211, or via email.

In the world of retail packaging shelf appeal is crucial in appealing to consumers and increasing revenue. One way to improve retail visibility is to utilize eye-catching graphics on a unique container that stands out from the competitions’ products. In-mold labeling is a way to catch attention on retail shelves as well as a one-pass manufacturing process that can reduce application costs and secondary operations in your digital print manufacturing applications.

In-mold labeling, or IML, is a process in which a label or product decoration is applied when the object is being formed in the mold. A label or appliqué with a heat-activated adhesive is placed in the open mold and held in place during production. The mold is then closed and molten plastic resin is extruded or injected into the mold cavity where it forms the desired shape of the object or container. The hot plastic adheres to the label, embedding the label into the container and making it an integral part of the molded object. The finished appearance of IML creates a seamless, no-label look that could not be achieved with conventional labeling methods. Many IML labels are printed on the same material as the container, like polyethylene, polypropylene or styrene.

In-mold labeling has been popular in Europe for some time. According to a 2004 article, an estimated 85-95% of food applications utilize IML in Europe. In contrast, only 5% of food packaging in North America currently uses IML. However, In-mold labeling is quickly gaining popularity in this market for its physical, visual and economical characteristics. It has been estimated that IML will grow 6%-10% in the North American market annually over the next several years.

Because the in-mold label is a part of the finished object, the label is very durable and almost impossible to remove. In-mold durable labels are resistant to squeezing, stains, peeling, water, chemicals and abrasion: these conditions can destroy a conventional pressure-sensitive label. In some cases an in-mold label can increase the sidewall strength of the finished product.

Another advantage to in-mold labeling is production efficiency; IML eliminates the need for a separate labeling process which can save your company labor and machinery costs when compared to traditional labeling. The efficient process yields a very low material scrap rate; a typical percentage for an IML operation is less than one percent. Some could argue that in-mold labeling saves energy with a one-pass manufacturing process, making it an “eco-friendly” option. In addition, many IML containers are recyclable, and because the IML label is constructed from the same material as the container, the entire package can be reground and recycled without having to remove the label.

IML technology can add a variety of products to your manufacturing capabilities. Many containers can be in-mold labeled like blow-molded bottles, injection-molded open top PP containers and other plastic articles. Durable goods like drinkware, computer cases, cell phones, and sporting equipment can also be manufactured using an in-mold process.

The possibilities for IML applications are endless, and can be applied to many industries your company may already serve. In-mold labeling is an excellent option for beverage bottles, food containers, liquid detergents, personal care, household cleaners, automotive products, agricultural and garden products, and even durable goods production. IML can also be found in many toy and instructional labeling applications and is sometimes referred to as in-mold decorating (IMD) in the manufacturing realm.

Digital print technology in conjunction with in-mold labeling can be used to create vibrant, colorful packaging that is visually appealing on store shelves. HP Indigo ink chemistry makes it an ideal option for IML print jobs. Digital print’s variable data technology can be utilized to create custom, market-specific products that will appeal to each customer segment.

Masterpiece Graphix currently carries many IML-ready substrates for your digital press. We offer thermo-formable digital substrates like polyethylene, polypropylene, styrene, PET, HDPE, PolyArt®, and other polyolefin substrates that are ideal for IML applications. If you already have a substrate in mind, MGX can help you make it IML-ready. Masterpiece Graphix serves other in-mold label printers in the manufacturing industry and can offer guidance and suggestions in substrates and applications. For more information on the in-mold labeling industry, please visit the In-Mold Decoration Association (IMDA) website. To learn more about the multitude of digital in-mold labeling options available through MGX, please contact your MGX sales rep.

Have you recently installed a new HP Indigo WS6000, or are you considering the purchase? MGX wants to provide you with FREE certified material to run on your new machine! All you have to do is contact MGX and request our WS6000 Welcome Kit. We will send you a whopping 10,000 feet of FREE HP Indigo-Certified material for use on your new 6000, including:

• 2500’ Masterpiece Premium 100# Gloss Calibration Paper (R1341)
• 2500’ 60# Unsupported Setup Paper (R1267)
• 2500’ 2.6 mil White BOPP/Perm/40# (R0440)
• 2500’ 60# Semigloss/Perm/40# (R1332)
• 500’ Acpo Polypropylene Digital Overlaminate (410DIG)
• 2500’ 2 mil Clear BOPP/Perm/40# (if available) (R1126)

All the substrates in our welcome kit have been certified by HP to run on the WS6000. To request your free HP Indigo WS6000 Welcome Kit, please call 636-349-6401 x225 or email sales@mgxdigital.com.

Recently it has come to our attention that there are a few rumors making the rounds about Masterpiece Graphix. As a digital treatment center, we take great pride in our reputation and want to dispel any misconceptions about our business. Below are the actual facts about Masterpiece Graphix, so don’t believe any misinformation to the contrary!

MGX Offers More Than Just HP Indigo Roll Materials: Masterpiece Graphix has been coating HP Indigo roll materials for over a decade. However, MGX is also now offering sheet materials for HP Indigo presses. We keep many stocked sheet material solutions in-house, ready to order and run on your HP Indigo sheet press. In addition, MGX also offers material solutions for the EFI Jetrion industrial label roll press, as well as compatible substrates for dry toner sheet presses like the Xerox iGen and Kodak NexPress. We are continuously adding new digital press technologies to our list of coating capabilities, so if a customer brings a desired material/digital press combination to us, we can help formulate a coating solution.

MGX is More Than Just a “Custom House”: Masterpiece offers turnkey, ready-to-run material solutions for all available HP Indigo press models. Since we’ve successfully coated over 800 different facestock/adhesive combinations for the HP Indigo, we are confident that we can offer HP Indigo-compatible substrates that will run flawlessly the first time. In addition, MGX offers RIT-certified material solutions for many press models like the WS6000. Certification means that the material has been thoroughly tested by the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Printing Applications Laboratory to run trouble-free on a particular HP Indigo model.

MGX Offers Toll Coating, And More: Masterpiece Graphix can ship you digitally-coated, ready-to-print stock from nearly every industry supplier. Of course, you can always ship your desired material to us for coating, but it’s not necessary. Substrates can be ordered directly from us and quickly shipped to you once the material has been coated. Many materials arrive at your location six business days after your order.

MGX Carries Material Mainstays As Well As Exotic Substrates: In fact, MGX carries ALL the industry mainstays like semigloss and BOPP, as well as the tricky, hard to coat substrates. Masterpiece Graphix is essentially a one-stop-shop for Indigo-compatible materials, offering everything from papers to plastics, pressure-sensitives to polycarbonate. No matter the material you desire, MGX has the material you need, at competitive prices. More on this below…

MGX Offers Competitive Pricing on Industry Mainstays: MGX can offer excellent pricing on all the digital material you need, including industry staples like papers and films. You can rely on MGX to provide competitive pricing on all of your needed materials, not just the exotic, hard-to-find stocks. Please don’t hesitate to contact MGX for pricing on any material; we will get it to you quickly, and can answer any questions you have on a particular material. Ordering materials from MGX cuts your bottom line in other ways: running MGX substrates provide increased pip and blanket life on your machine, which in turn lowers your downtime and maintenance costs. Our materials also offer the longest shelf life in the industry.

MGX Provides Customized Stocking Solutions For Your Company: MGX can create a custom stocking option to fit your business model. Substrates can be ordered from us directly, or materials can be drop-shipped to us for coating. If you plan to regularly order the same material, MGX can help you develop a custom stocking solution, ensuring that you always have digital-ready material in-house, the way you want them.

MGX has partnered with EFI Jetrion to coat materials for use on the Jetrion 4000 and 4830 industrial inkjet roll presses as an EFI-certified Jetrion treatment center. Masterpiece Graphix currently offers an EFI-certified material for the Jetrion: 54# Semigloss/Perm/40# (R1338). As part of the EFI and MGX partnership, every new Jetrion press purchase now ships with a free roll of this material.

In addition to the EFI-certified material, MGX has also formulated two Jetrion-compatible substrates: 2.3 mil white BOPP and 57# Semigloss/Perm/40#. Many white BOPP materials that MGX typically coats for the HP Indigo can also be formulated to be compatible with the EFI Jetrion.

The 4380 is the latest edition to the EFI Jetrion UV inkjet series of presses, designed to produce high-quality, narrow-web digital labels. The 4380 touts a wider web width and faster linear speeds and over twice the throughput than its predecessor, the Jetrion 4000. The 4830 can print up to 8.3 inches wide on a 9 inch roll, allowing 2-up 4-inch labels. The wider print zone enables label converters to efficiently take on more print jobs. The 4380 is unique in allowing press operators to profitably produce both long and short-run label jobs. The press also features white ink capability, and can print directly on pre-printed rolls or pre-diecut labels.

EFI launched its new Jetrion 4830 UV inkjet system during Labelexpo Europe 2009 and subsequently won the LabelExpo Europe Label Industry Award for New Innovation for the 4380. The 4380 recently won the 2010 European Digital Press (EDP) Association Award for the “Best Industrial (Specialty) Printing Solution” category.

As a digital material provider, Masterpiece Graphix can optimize materials for HP Indigo, EFI Jetrion or other digital press applications. MGX can help digital press users develop new substrates for use on their digital liquid toner, dry toner, and inkjet presses. If you would like to develop a new digital-ready material for your specific digital press application, please contact MGX for more information.

The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Printing Applications Laboratory has certified two Masterpiece Graphix materials for use on HP Indigo industrial roll presses: Masterpiece Premium Estate Label #9/Perm/44# PK (R1232) and Masterpiece Premium Estate Label #8/Perm/44# PK (R1233). Both materials are certified for use on the HP Indigo ws4050, ws4500 and the ws6000, and both passed the RIT HP Indigo certification test with high performance ratings.

Masterpiece Premium Estate Label #9/Perm/44# PK is a bright white, 60# wet strength vellum paper. Masterpiece Premium Estate Label #8/Perm/44# PK is a cream, 60# wet strength paper. Both materials share the same permanent emulsion acrylic adhesive, which removes from most substrates in 100° F water. The adhesive adheres well to glass, HDPE, PVC, PET, Lexan®, and stainless steel. The facestock texture and printed appearance of both substrates make them ideal for wine labeling, as well as premium beverage and high-end grocery applications.

Samples of both materials are available by contacting Masterpiece Graphix at (636) 349-6401 x225, or sales@mgxdigital.com.

Longtime MGX customer Lightning Labels is featured in the February 2010 issue of packagePrinting, as a HP Indigo user and digital printer. An all-digital label printer based in Denver, Colorado, Lightning Labels has found success in producing short-run, high-quality label jobs using HP Indigo technology.

Lightning Labels has been a faithful customer of Masterpiece Graphix for some time, utilizing MGX’s coating technology to optimize their digital substrates.  Peter Renton, company founder and director of business development, had this to say about Lightning Label’s relationship with MGX:

“As with the great majority of substrates printed on HP Indigo presses, the substrates need to be top-coated before printing. ‘We outsource our top-coating to Masterpiece Graphix (www.mgxdigital.com) in St. Louis,’ reports Renton. ‘They order uncoated material from the material vendors, coat it themselves, and then ship to us. It is a system that has worked well for many years.’”