A potential print brokering client of mine sells glasses and bottles of various colors with imprinted text and logos. She came to me looking for a source for metallic black drinking ware that was food safe. This is a good example of both industrial printing—metallic black pigment on food-safe plastic—and promotional item custom printing.
I did some research today after reading an article on Scodix in PackagingEurope (5/6/13). Scodix allows custom printing vendors to digitally print multiple metallic colors on a single press sheet, in one pass, without foil stamping or dies. Scodix also allows providers to offer variable density embossing and textures. All of this is digital, and any combination can be produced on the same commercial printing press sheet.
I discovered a few interesting facts and figures last night reading Claudia McCue's article “Is Print Dead” on CreativePro.com (6/5/13) and the PrintIsBig.com website:
I've been fascinated recently with the convergence of industrial printing and digital inkjet technology. Over the last several years, I have become aware of the vast store of commercial printing that has nothing to do with marketing goals or editorial commentary: the arena of functional, or industrial, printing.
Oops. The printer called me today and said the paper he had ordered for my client's hard-cover print book had arrived, but it was slightly thinner than had been requested.
I read an article today called “Designing Your Email Around the Letter 'F'” in the 5/16 MailerMailer Email Marketing Blog (a post written by Jean).