buysite Gets Creative and Enters New Markets with KODAK Digital Technology

Coatings and glossing have proved very popular among customers because they add value to the printed products. And they allow buysite to increase revenue as the company can charge a premium for such products.

... or matte

The two NexPress Presses are also equipped with the new Matte Finish in-line option, which suppresses gloss and reflected backlighting, lending the image a matte, velvety surface for an understated, elegant look. This effect is achieved using a special fuser with a matte surface. buysite first tried out matte printing in May 2009 as a beta customer, and this option is now well established in its production portfolio.

"Matte printing on the NexPress Presses is very much in line with European taste," said Fischli. "Although the Matte Finish option is suited for all paper stock, the best effects are achieved with uncoated papers. There's a big demand for matte when it comes to architecture, fashion and art products, as the effect helps differentiate products in very competitive markets.

Switching from normal to matte finishing is easy. We simply choose a different paper profile for matte printing and replace the fuser in the fuser station. Thanks to a special handling device, we can do that quickly and reliably. It only takes around 10 to 15 minutes, including the heating-up phase."

High image quality with many extras

Fischli is unequivocal in his assessment of the NexPress Presses.

"When I look at the images and the screening technology, I'm in no doubt that Kodak beats its rivals hands down."

Since making the original purchase of the NexPress Presses back in 2005 and 2007, buysite has been able to upgrade and modernize the capabilities of the two systems with a number of options and technical equipment. For example, they have been retrofitted with the Kodak NexPress Intelligent Calibration System (ICS), which uses a Kodak ICS cut sheet production scanner to scan test prints with screen tints that have been output in any color. The ICS software then processes these prints and automatically recalibrates the press to ensure optimal uniformity. This improves the overall print quality, and extends the life of important Operator Replaceable Components (ORCs) on the digital press.

The quality standard and flexible finishing of the Kodak digital presses are vital elements in buysite's ongoing efforts to cement its position as a leader in print communications for the creative industries. Fischli cites the campaign for the special exhibition and conference of the internationally renowned red dot design awards in Basel as a typical example. In co-operation with designer Jean Jacques Schaffner of the Schaffner & Conzelmann agency, buysite supplied a series of complex products for this prestigious event: invitations printed on metalized carton to achieve a silver effect, personalized with the designer's own digitized handwriting; VIP access cards with spot glossing and partly laser-punched text; entrance tickets for the exhibition, personalized with images of individual design exhibits; and personalized, high-gloss finished conference tickets with a round, detachable name tag for participants.

"The value-adding solutions facilitated by the NexPress Presses really help to boost sales in creative projects like this," said Fischli.

buysite is also considering how to make best use other Kodak innovations, such as KODAK Dimensional Printing, which creates 3D effects with a visible relief, while the new KODAK NexPress SX Platform provides the option to enlarge the sheet size to 660 mm.