Santa Ana, CA - Printing Specialist Corporation, based in Glen Burnie, MD, has expanded its specialty finishing capabilities with the recent installation of their new Duplo DDC-810 Digital Spot UV Coater. The full service commercial printer is the second in the world to purchase the design-driven solution, which utilizes 600 x 600 dpi inkjet technology, UV lamp curing, and camera image registration to apply a gloss varnish to defined areas of the substrate. Compact in size, the DDC-810 delivers production output with a value-added layer of texture and depth.

Gary Habicht, president of Printing Specialist, first learned about it during the product pre-launch at Dscoop Phoenix earlier this year and was impressed by the small footprint and ease of use. “I liked the detail of the print and the different height levels available. We had looked at other equipment, but they were geared for larger press sizes and were very expensive,” he comments. “The DDC-810 will add another dimension to our many capabilities.”

Established in 1970, Printing Specialist has earned a reputation for delivering award-winning print and design services as well as for meeting tight deadlines. They cater to the designer, agency, and high-end print markets with a full menu of printing, finishing, and mailing services. The company, which is equipped with HP Indigo and Heidelberg presses, takes pride in its ability to produce unique items such as double-thick and edge-painted cards, letterpress, custom die cutting, and digital color matching.

Now with print embellishment, Habicht will take advantage of the new opportunities to drive profitable growth. “We were already doing similar jobs but we were sending them out to be screen printed to get the same effect. The time factor and setup costs made it difficult to sell,” he says. “By having the DDC-810 in our plant, we can more easily do mockups for our designer clients and control our costs and turnaround times.”

The product’s ease of use makes it possible for operators to set up jobs in just four steps and begin producing applications within minutes. The DDC-810 features Duplo’s own legendary air suction feed system and handles maximum paper sizes of 14.33” x 29.13” up to 450 gsm. Its CCD camera system along with the unique registration marks ensures the accurate alignment of the raised spot UV layer onto the printed document.

“We’ve started using it and the pieces we’ve designed are really awesome. We hosted an open house for one of our large clients centered on a ‘summer camp’ theme and they were very impressed,” Habicht adds. “We’re anxious to get the new sample packs that we created out to our many agency, designer, and trade customers. Our team is ready to manufacture amazing work with the new DDC-810 Digital Spot UV Coater.”