Embellishment - Transform your printing with digital varnish technology

Why a sensory experience makes real commercial sense

Create sensory experiences with your text. You won't regret it.


'Haptic technology' lets you simulate touch in a digital environment, and today's most successful commercial printers are already enhancing their services by using the technology to offer a more appealing and creative experience. With MGI's groundbreaking new take on haptic, 'digital varnish technology', this more tactile approach to potential customers makes complete commercial sense.

Countless print providers nowadays – both offset and digital – offer "just printing" as a standard service. But the visionary players in the market are looking to diversify and enhance their product by creating a new, more appealing printing process. It has always been possible to create special effects such as spot gloss, three-dimensional printing and a metallic, shiny look. With conventional production methods, however, this was often inefficient and time-consuming – ruling it out as a service, especially for short-run jobs subject to tight deadlines. Now, with new digital varnish technology from renowned French company and strategic partner MGI, Konica Minolta is revolutionising the industry for providers wishing to offer both direct customers and end-users something very special indeed (and maximise their profits while doing so).


The new technology 

The new technology lets you spot coat prints, highlight defined areas and add 3D effects for your customers – creating a completely different, tactile experience and vivid print product that's sure to make your company's name and reputation stand out from the run-of-the-mill printing crowd. MGI digital technology turns printed jobs into spectacular and irresistible products that will grab and hold your customers' attention – and that of their customers in turn.


Digital varnish technology is perfectly suited to a wide range of different applications – from books to exclusive business cards, high-end invitations, packaging, POS materials and more. It offers an unrivalled set of features including a full-page scanner, high productivity with single-pass printing, ease of use and more, making the whole commercial experience a more enjoyable one for your immediate customers. (And one they will be prepared to pay over-the-odds for.)



embellishment print sample snake


The printing market is evolving at speed. There is no longer much profit to be made from "me-too products". That's why the visionary players in the market are currently investing in digital varnish technology, a new print embellishment technique that is unleashing new levels of creativity, differentiating products and enabling customers to offer a more attractive and memorable product – and making the printing process profitable for all involved.


MGI JETVARNISH 3D TECHNOLOGY helps you attract new prospects and realise lucrative market opportunities by providing customers with ultra-precise spot coatings, letting you handle digital or offset originals in long or short runs, and even varying the thickness of your coatings for attractive prints with tangible depth to increase communications impact. This new and exciting technology is interesting for any print provider operating toner, offset or print systems, and lets the user add a creative touch to a wide range of applications. 


What exactly are print embellishment techniques – and how will they benefit my company?

Print may be just ink on paper, a product or label, but embellishment transforms it into an experience with a sensory haptic– i.e. tactile – edge over the competition. When customers 'feel' raised wording on packaging, they are far more likely to touch it, and even more likely to buy it. Embellishments can be added inline on select digital production presses, and offline using dedicated print enhancement solutions.


Print embellishment – a finishing touch you, your customers and their customers will all feel good about

Against this backdrop, print providers and marketers are increasingly looking to add these spectacular effects to differentiate their products from other brands and add 'touchable' value to the printed piece. Commoditisation processes also affect many products, and embellishments help any product not only stand out and differentiate, but also fight price erosion. In the past, embellishments tended only to be found in premium products; today, the effects are turning up in personal and hair care, food and confectionery, cosmetics products and a host of other industries. 

Feel it yourself!

Tactile sensation increases impulse purchases

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endowment effect embellishment

"If I touch it, I have to have it"

"If I touch it, I have to have it"

Tactile Sensations

Touching a product has been found to increase attitudes and purchase intentions towards the product and to increase the confidence in the evaluation of these products, say Joann Peck & Jennifer Wiggins.


"Tactile elements of packaging contribute to the overall brand image"

Taking this into consideration, new print technologies are being introduced that provide tactile effects, which encourages consumers to touch.
Some evidence suggests that tactile elements of product packaging can even contribute to the overall brand image of a product. According to recent research, it is evident that the longer individuals focus on an item, the more likely they are to choose that item and give it a higher liking rating. If products attract visual attention, consumers are more likely to touch as well; and if they touch them, they are even more likely to purchase them.


"Distinctive packaging used to attract the customer's attention"

Given today's variety of products in retail stores, brand owners need to make sure that their products stand out against competing goods. Consequently, packaging has to first attract the customer's attention. According to Joann Peck and Jennifer Wiggins a product package that is interesting to touch may increase sales of the product even if the opportunity to touch does not provide additional product attribute information. 

(Source: Joann Peck & Jennifer Wiggins; It Just Feels Good: Customers' Affective Response to Touch and Its Influence on Persuation; Aradhna Krishna, Luca Cian, Nilüfer Z. Aydınoglu ; "Sensory Aspects of package design"; 2017)

 

Once a customer physically experiences and touches effects such as raised spot UV coatings, it would seem, they are immediately sold on it. And that's good news for everyone.


Tactile sensations increase impulse purchases

Another survey, "The Effect of Mere Touch on Perceived Ownership", carried out by Peck and Suzanne B. Shu in 2013, showed that vision and touch increased psychological ownership and valuation over vision alone by 22% and 24% respectively. A 2017 study, meanwhile, "Sensory Aspect of Package Design", by Aradhna Krishna, Luca Cian and Nilüfer Z. Aydinoglu, found that foil-enhanced packaging increased the rate of attraction by up to 2.5 times.

 

Embellishment - Insights and Market Reports


The knock-on benefits of print embellishment techniques to you as a print service provider

The new embellishment techniques and digital varnish technologies, such as spot coating digital prints, highlighting defined areas and adding 3D effects, also let PSPs take their creativity to a new level – and subsequently charge a premium for doing so. Add 3-dimensional varnish and foil to a printed piece, and you turn a standard print into a premium product. 

 

Embellishment - Readiness to Pay More


Print customers appreciate the innovative approach for this, moreover, and will willingly pay extra for it. The 2016 study "Beyond CMYK: The Use of Special Effects in Digital Printing, Keypoint Intelligence", asked print service providers the question: "Compared with digital CMYK, only printing, how much of a premium or percentage increase can you charge for print enhancement?" European print buyers indicated they were willing to pay a premium of up to 89% over CMYK alone for digital print enhancements. Print buyers said they would accept the highest premiums, meanwhile, for the textured (up by 89%), foiled (82%), and metallic effects (51%) that can be created using the technology. Speciality colours (28%), foils (28%), and textured finishes (27%) showed the highest percentages of respondents stating that they charged premiums of 50% or higher. 

 

 

Embellishment - Charge For Print Enhancement

 

From grabbing attention at the POS to charging premium rates to the companies behind the marketing of products, therefore, embellishment is a win-win development for the print industry. 


MGI has made print embellishment more affordable for all since entering the industry, and not just high-end jobs. The MGI JETvarnish 3D series offers dynamic enrichment of digital and offset, printed output via unique inkjet applications of dimensional varnish and foil textures. Print was used in appealing and eye-catching applications such as interior design, product catalogues and brochures in the tourism and travel sector, menu cards and daily offers in gastronomy, luxury boxes in consumer goods, mailshots and advertisements in marketing campaigns, and many other sectors. 


So if you want to be at the cutting edge in the print industry, you need digital varnish technology. And where does it go next, you may well be wondering? Which of our senses will technology conquer next? Will new printing methods somehow recreate the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore in a tourism brochure, perhaps, or the smell of a delicious meal on a menu? Sounds impossible, sure – but that's what they used to say about tactile printing..


Do you think you might want to talk to one of our experts about how MGI's digital varnish technology could make your company more profitable? 

MGI offers a wide range of varnishing options that will give you all the benefits of embellishment overnight and increase your profit margins at a stroke. So if you want to find out more about investing in the future of printing with our revolutionary embellishment techniques – and maybe test-drive some of our hardware while you're about it – just click on Contact Us, and we'll be in touch directly!

Print Embellishment

Print Embellishment

Mix creativity with functionality and profitability

With MGI JETVARNISH 3D VARNISH TECHNOLOGY, you can offer customers an enviable and economical new method for offline spot UV coating that lets you spot varnish all your digital prints, highlight defined areas and add spectacular 3D embossed effects, creating a premium image. It all adds up to a more vivid and tactile experience your customers will be happy to pay more for – and by combining it with the inline hot-foiling module, you'll achieve a more glamorous finish still – just perfect for those short- and medium-run print jobs! 

Hardware
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MGI JETvarnish 3D Technology

This spot UV technology lets you upgrade your services to enhance their quality and differentiation, and is the ideal solution for offset and digital printers alike. Innovative new systems designed to grow with your business and a wealth of other functions ensure the new investment will fit beautifully into your existing production environment.

Software
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Konica Minolta Software Products

Explore the countless different ways in which Konica Minolta software products could improve your operations. Konica Minolta solves the problems of your company, matches different working styles, and offers software solutions meeting the needs of your industry. By prioritising your needs at all times, Konica Minolta meets the software requirements of even the most demanding global organisations. Using the system, you can keep a lid on the cost of any printed or copied output, create advanced security measures to ensure sensitive documents don’t fall into unauthorised hands, and more.

Services
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Always at your Service

Our experienced, knowledgeable specialist staff will answer any questions you may have, and show you how to operate your product. Our services function for your benefit, within a support system designed to ensure you and your company benefit fully from the solutions. We offer a range of different services, including optimised print services to combine your consulting; hardware and software implementation; workflow management to lower your document spending; and smart security services, to keep your business safe.

Konica Minolta's MGI digital varnish solutions let you offer your customers profitable new products and services, upsell your day-to-day print jobs and increase your profit margins. This printing process lets you personalise and attract new customers, adds value to existing services, offers a far wider range of substrates – including matte or glossy laminated surfaces, layered paper, plastic, PVC and other coated materials – simplifying your workflow, shortening your lead times, lowering your costs and much more besides! 


So what are the core benefits of the new digital varnish technology delivered by the JETVARNISH 3DS, JETvarnish 3D and JETvarnish 3D Evolution systems?

   

   

Technology feature icon

Varnishes digital and offset prints

Productivity feature icon

High productivity

Scan feature icon

AIS SmartScanner feature

Quality feature icon

Beautiful 3D embossed effects, creating premium image and luxurious tactile finish

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Coating

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Konica Minolta print heads

Productivity feature icon

Production cost analyser, software suite and HubManager

Customization feature icon

Variable data varnishing & foiling

Quality feature icon

Eye-catching 3D effects

Media handling feature icon

Digitalisation of spot UV finishing

Sustainability feature icon

Use of LEDs to reduce low power consumption

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shaping print to business.

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Value-added Spot Gloss & Dimensional Effects

Over the past few years, a new class of digital print product has entered the market that is capable of producing special effects, such as spot gloss and clear dimensional print, using inkjet technology and inks cured with ultraviolet (UV) light.

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Think you might want to talk to one of our experts about how MGI digital varnish technology could benefit your company?

Think you might want to talk to one of our experts about how MGI digital varnish technology could benefit your company?

Contact us

MGI offers a range of varnishing options that will revolutionise your creative role and input and increase your profit margins at a stroke. 


So if you want to find out more about investing in the future of printing with our revolutionary print embellishment techniques, and maybe test-drive some of our hardware while you're about it, just click on Contact Us, and we'll be in touch directly!

Success story

druckpartner logo

Creative touchpoint for druckpartner to build market share

Creative touchpoint for druckpartner to build market share

druckpartner Druck- und Medienhaus is a highly successful print provider that has developed into new markets by embracing the latest technology advances. Founded more than 40 years ago as a book and offset printer, the company has grown steadily and has considerably expanded its range of services. Its turnover is now over €20million. With more than 120 employees, the company, based in Essen, Germany, is a respected full-service provider for clients from both commercial and marketing industries. Solutions are tailormade for customers, of which half are agency business and the rest direct customers.



Key business drivers for investment

druckpartner was looking for different ways of marketing itself to an increasingly important customer base for its business, namely marketing and advertising companies. It is a sector where employees do not really consider print or the process, but look at the output and the product they can “sell”. Sending specific samples with variable data, including foiling, and providing a great emotional experience was identified as an important way to target this specific audience. The prospect of investing in technology to provide specialist effects became an important strategic initiative to win new customers. It was an important new marketing tool to open new business doors.


Konica Minolta solution

After a thorough evaluation, druckpartner chose Konica Minolta strategic partner MGI’s JETvarnish 3D Evolution high-end B1 spot UV varnishing and foiling device. Crucial was the machine’s ability to create attractive print products that are more vivid and tactile. It provides an easy way to spot coat digital and off set prints, highlight defined areas or add tactile 3D effects. Glamorous effects become possible when combined with the inline hot foiling module.


Key benefits

The introduction of the MGI JV3D Evolution created a unique selling point for druckpartner, as well as simplifying the production process. Being able to print and embellish in-house instead of outsourcing this work, has cut down order times by two days with every job. Intermediary logistics with external logistics have become unnecessary. All kinds of applications have become possible, but the ideal job on the MGI JV3D Evolution for druckpartner will typically involve less than 1,000 sheets, with job orders worth between €200 and €500. 


It has also addressed the market looking for new customers for standard off set jobs. Recent larger-scale jobs have involved special effects for a major insurer’s maxicard sent to customers, as well as a major retailer’s personalised birthday card for customers. But the MGI JV3D Evolution is mainly used for smaller scale brochure work, book covers and has opened the door into luxury packaging markets. 


In addition, it will also have seasonal benefits such as at Christmas. But the biggest benefit has been opening new doors in advertising, marketing and creative markets. In 2017, druckpartner had more than 200 meetings with companies in these sectors, which is a massive increase compared to previous years, driven by the MGI system investment.



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Nowadays, print is taken for granted and it’s not really something that excites or interests many people, particularly those in the advertising, marketing and creatives sector

Peter Zimmermann

Manager Digital Printing, druckpartner

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If we were able to create more than 200 high quality contacts, looking at our overall customers this is a huge percentage of our customer base and a great success rate. And you never know what will happen in the future – we’re certainly hoping it will be a lot more. Our return on investment could be as little as three years with more throughput

Klaus Schotte

Sales and Consulting, druckpartner

druckpartner Druck- und Medienhaus

Learn how druckpartner Druck- und Medienhaus opened new business doors with Konica Minolta.

Key benefits

Key benefits


quotation marks

Perhaps we can be considered more of a technology evangelist showing our customers what is possible for print. For example, we created sample boxes because touching different varnish structures is a great emotional experience and sent them to potential customers. In a follow-up call, they were interested in how it’s done, so we offered to show them. Once you have a meeting you can show all kind of other things such as the variable data capabilities in combination with foil effects, which they also love

Nadine Strotmann

Sales and Consulting, druckpartner

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Ultimately, it all comes down to the question of whether the customer wants to spend extra money for special effects. The MGI JV3D Evolution is an important new business driver and has set us apart big time from other companies. There is hardly any competition. And now we’ve brought in-house a lot of work ourselves that speeds up the logistics by around two days per job

Gerd Florian

Production Manager, druckpartner

Success story

Quick PRINT logo

Premium products with attractive 3D effects

Premium products with attractive 3D effects

Established in three French departments (Savoie, Isère and Ain) with five sites, Quick PRINT was taken over by Jacky Gerard, the new Manager of Quick PRINT, in June 2014 and has around twenty employees. The company, founded 80 years ago, is active in the three main sectors of digital printing: reprography, printing and imaging.




After a career of more than 35 years as manager in a variety of fields, Jacky Gerard joined the world of digital printing with a fresh eye and a different way of seeing how the Quick PRINT business model could evolve. He was very interested in Quick PRINT´s concept of horizontal positioning as this enables the company to develop a more wide-ranging service offer. Jacky Gerard is determined to evolve this business by expanding from a state of purpose, i.e. printing an image on a document, to a state of means, namely offering customers something beyond just printing by way of the printed image.


Previous installations

The facilities at Quick PRINT consisted of previous-generation equipment with insufficient technical capabilities. The printing business was thus not able to meet customers' expectations and even less able to move towards its new positioning. Jacky Gerard had to implement a significant investment policy in both the printing and imaging sectors.


Konica Minolta solution

After meeting different market players, Jacky Gerard chose for his printing equipment the latest digital press by Konica Minolta, the bizhub PRESS C1100, and the new JETVARNISH 3DS, developed by MGI for Konica Minolta.


In addition to the acknowledged performance of the bizhub PRESS C1100, Quick PRINT wanted to raise the level of excellence by refining its printing with the JETVARNISH 3DS. This shows Quick PRINT's motivation to add value to its services to customers and is also an appropriate means to generate the growth that Jacky Gerard wants to achieve with the new investment.

Keys for success

Keys for success

The main asset that Jacky Gerard sees particularly in the JETVARNISH 3DS is that it enables Quick PRINT to incorporate creativity into its business and thus better assist customers by becoming a source of ideas and not just a provider of technical services.


Improvements and benefits

  • Production of premium products that can be sold with an attractive mark-up
  • Differentiation of offerings facilitates approaching different customer groups and entering new markets
  • Offering customers true value-added services
  • Ideal extension to the digital production printing systems


Customer’s comments

What helped me decide to start a partnership with Konica Minolta /MGI – in addition to the corporate values conveyed by the people I met along my decision-making path and in whom I could see something of myself – was the Group's sales policy and industrial strategy. I found a clear association between the solutions put forward and the issues I was facing to change our business model,” explains Jacky Gerard, Manager of Quick PRINT.


When the only competitive argument on the table is price, I find you inevitably slip towards impoverishment of the company and strengthen its precariousness. An economic model, which rests only on the policy of the lowest price, is only viable if this low price is offset by very high print volumes, which seems to be a contradiction of the very essence of digital printing. This is why I decided to move Quick PRINT towards the development of high added value products by offering our customers original, differentiating and customized communication media, while making production gains and maintaining printing quality.”


“With this exclusive technology, we will be able to offer our customers communication media, which incorporate a “third dimension” – that of enhancing their products or their own visual identity in a unique or customized way in relation to the defined marketing targets. Our investment gives us an amazing advantage of competitive differentiation in a market, which gradually discovers the assets of 3D coating technology for digital printing.”


“With this exclusive technology, we will be able to offer our customers communication media, which incorporate a ‘third dimension”


Meet your own ever-changing needs – and those of your customers

Cutting costs and offering competitive pricing is entirely laudable, of course.. A business model based on a policy of driving down prices alone can only really be viable if it is offset by very high print volumes – often not an option for smaller companies using digital printing.
Factoring in all these points, Jacky Gerard repositioned Quick PRINT in such a way that it was able to offer its customers high added-value products with original, differentiating and customisedcommunications media, whilst at the same time increasing production volumes and maintaining printing quality.

Differentiate your business with very different print embellishment techniques

Differentiate your business with very different print embellishment techniques

Looking to the future, Quick PRINT wanted to incorporate creativity into its business, enabling the company to become not just a provider of technical services but also a source of highly usable, saleable ideas and advice to evolve its role and justify raising prices. MGI technology is now letting the French print provider do just that, differentiating the company's products and services and opening doors to new customer groups and potential markets. The MGI technology also lets Quick PRINT offer its customers communications media incorporating a 'third dimension' – enhancing their products or visual identity – in a unique or customised way in relation to defined marketing targets. The investment has helped Quick PRINT gain key competitive advantage in an industry rapidly discovering how 3D coating technology is reshaping digital printing as a whole.


Investing in MGI technology has enabled Quick PRINT to:

  • Create premium products that can be sold at an attractive mark-up
  • Differentiate those products and services, letting the company attract new customer target audiences and expand into previously-untapped markets
  • Offer customers services with real added-value
  • Bolt the new functions onto its existing digital production systems quickly and easily


Does Jacky Gerard's experience remind you of your own? If you think MGI digital varnishing technology could bring a fresh approach and future to your print services provider, then don't hesitate to contact one of our specialists.

Get in touch

Get in touch

Transform your printing with our digital varnish technology by utilising print embellishment techniques that you, your customers and their customers will all feel good about.

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