Finishing

Is it a piece of art or does it just need to be finished on time? Ideally it should be both, depending on the nature of the job. Contigo’s market position is such that we never cut corners. Therefore, we also take responsibility for a project from start to finish. In an often complicated production process, there are many details that have to come together as a single unit, so that the end product has exactly the quality and finish that was agreed upon. We are persistent and always put our partners’ effective and fully updated machinery to the test. At Contigo, we don’t accept “that’s good enough” – we expect more. We have the necessary know-how and technical capacity in all areas, and the finished product must naturally always be of the highest quality.

Prior to the finished product, focus is therefore on choosing the correct type of processing which, with the right tools, can increase the value of print media. This improves the chances of reaching the target group with great effect.

Contigo offers all kinds of processing and book binding for print media:

• Cutting
• Folding
• Stitching
• Numbering
• Creasing rule
• Perforation
• Cutting die
• Lining
• Varnishing
• Embossing
• Wire-O binding
• Glue binding
• Lamination
• Binding

There is a battle for the consumer’s attention

A highly competitive market requires standing out from the crowd. This applies not least to the many types of print media and packaging that appeal to end clients. There are only a few seconds to grab hurried consumers’ attention, for example on the supermarket shelves and at the cold counter and freezer in the retail trade. The choice of one product over another is about facing, colours, food appeal and more. What raises awareness while also inspiring confidence? Under all circumstances, print quality and overall graphic expression must match the product’s image and the unique values of the brand. Ideally, using few but effective means, you can “wrap up” ordinary print media or packaging in eye-catching forms leading to additional sales.

Consult us – well before the start of the printing process

Here you’ll find some suggestions for the most used and successful effects. Therefore, we’d like to have the opportunity to advise you before sending the material to print, since most creative initiatives need to be incorporated already in the layout phase.

• Scratch, thermo and fragrance colours

  

  Scratch colours are recognised from scratch cards but are also used as an effective novelty in other contexts. Thermocolours first appear on print media when a finger is placed on the surface. It then becomes invisible after a short time. Scented colours such as pine coffee and freshly baked bread can be evoked when rubbing or scraping the field.

• Embossing

  

  This effect describes the visual imprinting of print media in which a motif or text is stamped into the paper. Embossing is often used for slightly finer print media, such as letterhead, book covers, business cards and other prestige print media.

• Gumming

  

  Gummed or glue-coated, water-activated paper is used, for example, by ballot papers, direct mails and print media with “built-in” response envelopes.

• Relief printing

  

  Relief printing is similar to old-fashioned steel engraving and is most often used for business cards and other smaller print media

• Foil stamping

  

  Foils come in countless designs, such as glossy, matte, with metallic colours and holographic motifs. Metallic foils are often seen on magazine covers, for example around Christmas, when gold foils help create the right mood. One type of foil mainly used for security reasons is holographic foil. This type of foil can be used to protect your product from counterfeiting, and is often used for copying securities and sensitive documents. Holographic foil also has the advantage of shimmering in the light, which is why it is used to grab attention when on display in supermarkets.

• Varnishing

  

  Varnish is the most widely used effect in printing and packaging applications and is employed for both visual and practical reasons: smoother finishes, high gloss, clarity (accentuates underlying colours) as well as being dirt-proof and having an agreeable surface. Varnish also helps to protect the surface, increase durability, resist heat/cold, shock and chemicals, and to prevent colours from smearing. Overprint varnishing is a simple form of surface treatment (vegetable varnish and mineral varnish). A water-based varnish applied from the inking system has almost the same properties, yielding more gloss and protection than the two mentioned above. A solvent-based or UV-curing varnish can be applied with special equipment and provides better gloss and protection.

• Matte Lining

  

  Visual properties: matte surface without distracting light reflections.  Surface properties: soft and agreeable. Suitable for: print media where high readability is a requirement, for example, on book and catalogue covers and in children’s books.

• Gloss lining

  

  Visual properties: glossy surface. Surface properties: provides image depth. Protects against wear and tear, dirt and moisture. The paper tears securely and tolerates bending. Suitable for print media with high storage value, such as books, brochures, posters, covers and folders.