Masterpiece Graphix

MGX is proud to announce its new status as a Gold Partner within the Digital Solutions Cooperative for HP Indigo Users, or DScoop. This enhanced partnership level recognizes MGX as a valuable contributor to the HP Indigo community. Since Masterpiece Graphix is the only HP Indigo-Certified Treatment Center in North America, DScoop’s independent group of HP Indigo printers will benefit from MGX’s digital knowledge and expertise through its Gold Partner participation. Masterpiece Graphix will exhibit as a Gold Partner at the DScoop6 convention February 17-19, 2011 at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Masterpiece Graphix will use this enhanced partnership status to present new digital material innovations to the HP Indigo industrial and commercial marketplace. This year MGX has made many exciting changes to their business model, adding a new coater, doubling the size of their facility and has added new co-branded digital products like acpo digital overlaminates, DSS security paper and Transilwrap plastics.

DScoop, or The Digital Solutions Cooperative, is a user-driven interactive community of HP Graphic Arts press owners and their sales, management, marketing and production teams. DScoop members support each other to collectively improve their print businesses and HP Indigo digital press technology. DScoop members collectively influence Hewlett-Packard’s product direction by sharing ideas and success stories within their membership. DScoop members interact throughout the year online via the DScoop website and face-to-face at the annual DScoop conference. This year, DScoop is hosting the first-ever DScoop/HP Partner Summit, which will be held during DScoop6 in the nearby Orlando Marriott World Center. This unique event will allow DScoop partners and HP Indigo partners the opportunity to directly interact with HP’s engineers and sales professionals, to learn firsthand about new product developments and to influence future HP Indigo technology.

As DScoop6 approaches, look for more product announcements and company news from Masterpiece Graphix in the coming months. If you are attending please contact your MGX sales rep directly to set up a meeting at DScoop6 or send us an email for more information. We look forward to connecting with you at DScoop6!

On September 14-16, the label and packaging industry gathered in Chicago, IL to share, learn and demonstrate the latest in offset and digital press technology at Label Expo 2010.  Masterpiece Graphix was on hand throughout the conference, meeting with clients, watching demonstrations and learning about the latest digital technology in the label industry. You could find MGX products and services in action at several events and booths throughout this year’s Label Expo.

HP Indigo Label & Packaging Awards:

As an HP Indigo Media Partner and the only HP Certified Treatment Center for HP Indigo in North America, Masterpiece Graphix offers HP-Indigo certified materials and custom material solutions. Masterpiece Graphix provided several rolls of HP Indigo-certified stock that ran on the WS6000 demo machine throughout Label Expo. One featured MGX material was Masterpiece Premium 18 pt. C1S Board Stock (R1275). This HP Indigo-certified substrate was requested by HP to run on the WS6000 during the show. The printed rolls were then finished by AB Graphic, who die cut the material into small boxes.

One highlight of the HP Indigo display was the long wall of labels and packaging samples that were nominated for the 2010 HP Indigo Label & Packaging Awards. This wall along the back of the HP Indigo booth showcased the beautifully-produced labels competing for awards in several categories of the 2010 HP Indigo Global Awards Competition. On Wednesday, September 15, HP hosted an awards banquet, and announced eleven companies as winners. Several MGX clients were nominated for awards. One Masterpiece Graphix customer, Dion Label Printing, located in Westfield, MA, won two HP Indigo Global Awards in the food and neutraceutical categories. Dion Label Printing’s Hay River Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil label, awarded best-in-category for food, was printed on MGX pressure-sensitive 2 mil silver metalized BOPP.

Metalized Substrate Solutions For Xeikon:

Recently, Masterpiece Graphix partnered with Xeikon to offer metalized substrate solutions for the Xeikon press series. As a supplier partner with Xeikon, MGX materials were on the Xeikon 3500 demo machine all day Thursday, along with September 16 at Label Expo. Xeikon and MGX showcased MGX’s Xeikon-authorized MGX Brilliant Metalized Paper/Perm/40# (R1361), as well as other Xeikon-ready metalized materials from Masterpiece Graphix. Xeikon displayed MGX signage and material samples all day on Thursday, September 16 in front of the new Xeikon 3500 roll press at their Label Expo booth.

EFI Jetrion & The Label Expo Technology Workshop:

MGX is an EFI Jetrion partner, supplying high-performance semigloss and gloss papers engineered for the EFI Jetrion UV inkjet digital press. EFI Jetrion printed a label job on MGX-treated high gloss pressure-sensitive label stock as part of the Label Expo Technology Workshop Food Label print demonstration. The Label Expo Technology Workshop showcased four different printing technologies from HP Indigo, EFI Jetrion, Xeikon and Nilpeter, all running the same job at once. This unique press demonstration allowed attendees to compare print quality and performance across the board. The EFI Jetrion food label job was produced on 60# pressure sensitive semigloss that was optimized specifically for the Jetrion print demonstration by Masterpiece Graphix.

With advances in digital printing, photography and scanning technologies, counterfeiters have more tools than ever to mimic a product.  These technologies make it easy to copy a brand and hard to discern a genuine product or document from a counterfeit. As new security printing and packaging technologies emerge, copycats quickly take note and scramble to produce reproductions of the new process. Therefore the brand protection and security market is constantly developing new technologies and processes to stay one step ahead of criminals.

Why do counterfeiters take such extreme measures to produce realistic copies of a product? It’s profitable to copy a successful product, piggybacking on the item’s sales and stealing potential revenue from the original manufacturer. According to the International Authentication Association (IAA), the illegal practice of counterfeiting costs industries anywhere between $200 billion and $600 billion dollars per year (see L&NW article). All industries are susceptible but some face more risks than others: Pharmaceuticals, software, music, automobile/machinery parts, and movies are all markets that currently combat fraudulent reproduction of their products. Even brand-name commodities and licensed products face the risk of counterfeit.

Essentially there are four categories of brand protection strategies that printers and manufacturers can choose to implement individually or as a combination for security printing:

• Overt: This category is obvious to both the customer and the manufacturer, and is classified by the unique packaging or look of the product or brand. One of the most common forms of overt security packaging is tamper-evident labeling. Other examples include complex label graphics that are difficult to replicate, or the use of hard-to-attain holographic or exotic material within the design. This strategy is coincidentally the most complex because in many cases the unique packaging is exactly what the counterfeiter is trying to copy.

• Covert/Forensic: These security features are hard to identify by the customer or even the naked eye. However, covert features are hard to mimic because they are hard to identify without specialized equipment. One application of covert packaging is to incorporate security ink into the printed product so the image fluoresces when placed under ultraviolet (UV) light Kodak Nexpress recently released red florescent ink that is invisible to the naked eye but can be used for security printing applications. A printer may also choose to utilize security paper into the product which when copied, displays a message that deters counterfeiters.

• Numbering/Coding: Digital printers are perfectly poised to utilize variable data as a security feature for their customers. Setting up a system that is unique to each item is a way to be certain that each product is unique and therefore hard to mimic. Utilizing algorithms, sequential numbering or custom barcodes to create a custom label for each product is a way to integrate security as well as information into the product. These forms of variable data can contain useful data such as print date or product origin.

• Information Linkage: Advances in digital technology has allowed manufacturers to use embed “smart” sensors within their products so they can track and identify their items easily. The most common form of information linkage security packaging is radio-frequency identification (RFID). These smart sensors can be embedded in the packaging upon manufacture, which allows for scanning of an item to determine authenticity. RFID tags can even track movement of items within a certain area with the right equipment. RFID technology is an emerging and developing tool which may come to replace conventional barcodes in the future.

Masterpiece Graphix has many substrate options available for security printing applications. Holographic materials, exotic substrates, security paper and tamper-evident polyester and self-destructive labeling materials are all available through MGX, ready to run on your digital press. MGX carries RIT-certified DeterX® Gray Void Security Paper (R1419 as rolls, MGX-1303 as sheets) for the HP Indigo. This unique paper is HP Indigo-certified for the WS6000, WS4050, 5000, 5500, and WS45000. This paper is stocked with a gray/blue pattern that reads “COPY” when duplicated. This digital substrate is perfect for printing checks, coupons, rebates, event tickets and other secure document applications. Custom colors and hidden messages are also available. For more information on DeterX® papers or custom security solutions for your application, please contact your MGX sales rep.

High-quality, customizable photo books is one of the fastest growing segment of commercial printing on the HP Indigo press. The HP Indigo is an excellent choice for photo book applications. Digital book printing is also a lucrative market utilizing dry toner presses technologies like the Xerox iGen and the Kodak Nexpress, due to short run and personalization options.

The applications for on-demand photo books are endless; books can be customized to record important milestones like a wedding, high school graduation, or a new baby. Photo books can also be utilized to create school yearbooks, company reports, church registers, universities publications, family reunion albums, sports team books, artist portfolios, or even a small publishing run. With innovations in design technology and digital photography, many diverse business segments are requesting customized books. Professional photographers, businesses, and schools are all buyers in this growing market. Photo book order quantities can be very diverse, ranging from one printed copy to several thousand. Digital printing and variable data technology make small run prints profitable while still offering many options to the consumer.

The most profitable and prolific digital book printers utilize online software as a front engine so customers can order their custom photo books quickly and easily without professional design programs. One of the most popular software packages is SoftWorks Systems Inc.’s Remote Order Entry System (ROES), which is primarily used by digital photography labs and professional photographers. There are many business models out there: visit sites like Shutterfly, Snapfish, Zookbinders, and Couture Book for inspiration.

High-quality substrates from Masterpiece Graphix are perfect for photo book applications. MGX substrates are specially formulated for heavy ink coverage, with no picking or pinholes. This allows printers to print the richest, most vibrant colors for beautiful image quality. MGX substrates consistently perform better than our competitors’ in tape tests, with zero ink lift-off.

MGX’s new line of superior digital gloss and cover stocks offer superior ink adhesion and excellent color reproduction for beautiful image quality. MGX digital gloss stocks are printable on both sides and are available in 80# and 100# weights, in text or cover stocks.

MGX digital gloss paper and cover stocks are very competitively priced for all digital book applications and are certified for use on the HP Indigo 5000 and 5500 as well as the Kodak Nexpress. These stocks are compatible with many other dry toner digital presses like the Xerox iGen, Xerox Docucolor, Canon ImagePRESS and the Konica Minolta Bizhub.

No matter the type of cover requested, be it hardcover, soft cover or paperback, MGX has material options and recommendations for your specific photo book application. For more information, please check out our stocked sheet substrates or call your MGX sales rep for custom substrate options for your specific photo book application.

Fenton, MO June 7, 2010 – Masterpiece Graphix has released a new line of value-priced, RIT-Certified digital gloss papers for the HP Indigo and Kodak Nexpress: MGX Digital 80# Text, MGX Digital 100# Text, MGX Digital 80# Cover, and MGX Digital 100# Cover. All stocks are glossy-coated on both sides and digitally optimized for two-sided printing. These paper stocks are available in sheets or as rolls, at competitive prices.

These acid-free, blue-white digital stocks feature high brightness (91% GE), superior gloss, good color reproduction, and excellent ink adhesion. All stocks are RIT-certified for use on many current HP Indigo press models & the Kodak NexPress. Papers are also compatible with dry toner digital presses such as the Xerox iGen. The new MGX Digital C2S gloss paper line was developed as an economical solution for everyday digital printing applications, including brochures, booklets, reports, catalogs, magazines, direct mail and books.

Material samples are available by contacting Masterpiece Graphix at (636) 349-6401 x225, or sales@mgxdigital.com.

Have you recently installed a new HP Indigo sheet press, or are you considering the purchase? MGX wants to provide you with FREE HP Indigo-compatible sheets to trial on your new machine! All you have to do is contact MGX and request our HP Indigo Sheet Press Welcome Kit. We will send you a whopping 2000 sheets of HP Indigo-compatible sheets, including:

• 500 sheets of 100# Gloss Text (MGX-1325)
• 500 sheets of 100# Gloss Cover (MGX-1327)
• 500 sheets of 80# Gloss Text (MGX-1324)
• 500 sheets of 100# Uncoated Text
• And more sample packs of sheet substrates, by request.

In addition, we will include literature on MGX and a material swatchbook. MGX also has other materials we can include to build you a custom welcome kit, tailored to your business needs. Please visit our website to view the other stocked sheet materials we can include in your kit.

To request your free HP Indigo Sheet Press Welcome Kit, please call 636-349-6401 x225 or email sales@mgxdigital.com.

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.

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 #8/Perm/44# PK is a bright white, 60# wet strength vellum paper. Masterpiece Premium Estate Label #9/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.

RIT’s Printing Applications Laboratory Certifies Second DSS Security Paper Product for use on HP Indigo Digital Presses

ROCHESTER, N.Y. and FENTON, Miss., March 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Document Security Systems, Inc. (NYSE Amex: DMC; “DSS”), a world leader in the development and manufacturing of products and packaging containing optical deterrent and authentication technologies that help prevent counterfeiting and brand fraud from the use of desktop scanners and copiers, is pleased to announce today that it entered into a Distributor Agreement (“Agreement”), with Masterpiece Graphix, Inc. (“MGX”), the largest provider of customized pre-coated, print-enhanced substrates for digital printing, to distribute DSS’s new line of digital press-compatible AuthentiGuard Security Papers to HP Indigo users and other digital press operators.

DSS’s line of AuthentiGuard Security Papers features the most effective patented copy-warning technologies that prevent and deter counterfeiting via copiers and desktop scanners.  Attempted copies or scans of a document printed on this paper will reveal hidden warning words on the copy such as “VOID” or any other warning or graphics the users specify.

On March 4th the Rochester Institute of Technology (“RIT”) Printing Applications Laboratory informed DSS that its new DeterX security paper roll fed stock passed several necessary tests and the paper is now considered an “HP Indigo Certified Substrate” which allows HP Indigo clients to utilize the paper on their HP Indigo ws4050 and ws4500 digital press models.

This is the second of two DSS secure technology papers in the last 6 months that have been certified by RIT for HP Indigo use.  In October 2009, DSS received certification for security sheet fed stock for use in the HP Indigo 5000 and 5500 models.

DSS and MGX plan to distribute the HP Indigo Certified Substrate and other forthcoming digital press compatible papers to world-wide HP Indigo users.

Patrick White, Chief Executive Officer and President of Document Security Systems, Inc., stated:   “With this paper, HP Indigo clients can now manufacture and sell security printing such as coupons, event tickets, personalized prescription forms, gift certificates, school transcripts, government permits, almost any document paper or plastic requiring counterfeit prevention security.  We look forward to working with Masterpiece Graphix and their large client base of HP Indigo owners.”

Doug Watson, CEO, President and Founder of Masterpiece Graphix stated: “We are always looking to enhance and expand our specialty substrate offerings to our clients.  The digital press compatible security papers from Document Security Systems offer new opportunities of growth and gained market share for MGX in the digital substrate supply industry.  Initial HP client demonstrations have been very well received.”

About Masterpiece Graphix

Founded in 1998 by Masterpiece Graphix CEO and President Doug Watson, Masterpiece Graphix (MGX) is a digital coating company, supplying digital-ready materials for liquid toner, dry toner and inkjet press applications. Masterpiece Graphix is the only HP Indigo Certified treatment center for HP Indigo optimized materials in North America. Serving customers with short lead times, certified as well as custom digital material solutions, competitive pricing, and substrate guidance, MGX’s team of coating experts has proven themselves to be the unrivaled competitor in quality and service within the digital materials industry.

With over 20 years of expertise in specialized functional coatings, Masterpiece Graphix excels at sheets and narrow web coating as well as coating plastics, security, hardcoat, pattern, chemical-resistant, static elimination, computer-printable and heat resistant materials.   Masterpiece Graphix is located in Fenton, Missouri which is near St. Louis, Missouri.  www.mgxdigital.com.

About Document Security Systems, Inc

Document Security Systems is a technology company in the security and protection services sector which develops and manufactures products and packaging containing patented and patent pending optical deterrent technologies that help prevent counterfeiting and brand fraud from the use of the most advanced scanners, copiers and imaging systems in the market. The company owns over 30 different patented and patent-pending technologies and products which protect valuable documents and printed products from counterfeiters and identity thieves. The company has 3 manufacturing facilities which produce secure printing, packaging and plastic ID cards.  Document Security Systems’ customers, which include international governments, major corporations and world financial institutions, use its covert and overt technologies to protect a number of applications including, but not limited to, currency, vital records, brand protection, ID Cards, Smart Cards internet commerce, passports, gift certificates and packaging.  Document Security Systems’ strategy is to become the world’s leading producer of cutting-edge security technologies for paper, plastic and electronically generated printed assets.

More information about Document Security Systems, Inc. and its products and services can be found at www.documentsecurity.com , www.plasticprintingprofessionals.com , www.protectedpaper.com , www.dpirochester.com and www.premiercustompkg.com .

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements regarding expectations for future financial performance, which involve uncertainty and risk. It is possible the Company’s future financial performance may differ from expectations due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, changes in economic and business conditions in the world, increased competitive activity, achieving sales levels to fulfill revenue expectations, consolidation among its competitors and customers, technology advancements, unexpected costs and charges, adequate funding for plans, changes in interest and foreign exchange rates, regulatory and other approvals and failure to implement all plans, for whatever reason. It is not possible to foresee or identify all such factors. Any forward-looking statements in this report are based on current conditions; expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Prospective investors are cautioned that such statements are not a guarantee of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected. The Company makes no commitment to update any forward-looking statement included herein, or disclose any facts, events or circumstances that may affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statement.

View original news release at PRNewswire

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.’”