Gerhardshofen – Recent studies show that consumers seem to increasingly respond to haptic stimuli in product packaging and other high-quality printed products. The harmonious finishing increases the use of tactile efforts both the brand experience and the subjective value of the product and increase the credibility of the brand as well as the attention and buying motivation of the customers. According to the recently published neuroscientific study on the effectiveness of print finishing and fine paper issued by the “Verband Druck und Medien Bayern e. V.”, it does not matter how as previously believed how harmonious and discreetly finishing are used, but only how strong and conspicuous. The study uses eye-tracking and electroencephalogram analysis (EEG) based on specially designed printing samples on different substrates and with different degrees of finishing and comes to the conclusion that with increasing degree of finishin g and addressing of many senses as possible among the test persons, the attention purchase motivation, credibility and subjective value of the product increase.

WEILBURGER Graphics GmbH, based in Gerhardshofen, Franconia, is regarded as a world-renowned specialist for varnishes, flexo inks and adhesives for the graphics industry and has a very broad product range for effect and finishing varnishes that can reach all senses. In addition to products for the purely optical effects, which address customers at greater distances and should lead to an increased attention at the POS, the company also offers products for haptic finishing that affect the sense of touch. These finishing works great during and after the initial contact of the customer with the product and invite them to a longer stay and a playful interaction with the product.

Haptic effect varnishes and thus achievable surfaces, ranging from soft dull to soft smooth, rubbery, wavy and drop-shaped to rough and extremely rough, are even less well-known due to their wealth of possibilities.

Exemplary WEILBURGER Graphics products with a haptic effect are:

SENOSOFT® matt coatings for flexo printing, screen printing and gravure printing
SENOSOFT® matt coatings with velvet smooth and rubber-like haptic
SENOLITH® WB matt coatings with a slightly soft feel
SENOLITH® WB matt coatings with a rough structure (fine sandpaper) for flexo printing, screen printing and gravure printing
Hybrid systems that produce different strong, rough structures
SENOLITH® UV lacquers with wavy structure (orange peel)
SENOLITH® UV lacquers with strongly wavy structure (drop-shaped)
SENOLITH® UV matt and gloss lacquers with rough structure (fine sandpaper)
SENOLITH® UV systems which give a rough structure (chip-off and grip)
SENOSCREEN® UV lacquers with a variety of structures (rough with different grain sizes, soft, wavy)

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further detailed information on the individual products, design and processing instructions.

Arno Dürr, Sales Director of WEILBURGER Graphics GmbH about the results of the study: “To be honest, it surprised us a bit what the results of this study were. Until today, we have always assumed that you can also over-finish printed products and thus deters customers about over-high finishing rather than inviting. This does not seem to be the case and the highly finished printing products were actually the winners in this study.” Arno Dürr continues: “Of course, even after this knowledge, costs and benefits must be weighed in the future, the feasibility of combined finishing reviewed and all finishes selected to match the product. However, printing houses, finisher, brand owners and not least designers have completely new options for successfully upgrading products.” 

Further information: www.weilburger-graphics.de