ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 4—Digital print providers and photo finishers looking to offer customers value added options can now achieve the look and feel of textured paper at a fraction of the cost. KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses, with award winning KODAK NEXPRESS Fifth Imaging Unit Solutions, now can place texture to the surface of a print inline on the press.
Using KODAK NEXPRESS Clear Dry Ink to apply the texture, the NEXPRESS Digital Press enables print and photo services providers to differentiate the appearance of their output and increase the perceived value of the photographic prints they produce. With the superior control and flexibility of the NEXPRESS press, photo finishers can add texture to all or part of a print and selectively apply multiple textures on one print sheet.
"Personalized photo books, cards and calendars are an $816 million business that is expected to double during the next four years. With KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Color Presses, photo labs have an extremely flexible tool that offers a variety of high value capabilities," said Nader Anvari, Director, New Market Development for Electrophotographic Printing Solutions, Kodak.
"The digital texturizing capability of the Kodak NEXPRESS allows us to add unlimited textures to our products without using textured papers. Adding texture to our products at the time of printing will add another revenue stream that we didn't have before, and customers will be able to choose from many texture options at the time they order their product," said Steve Pullin, President and Chief Operating Officer at Full Color in Dallas. "It is less expensive than textured paper and can be applied at the speed of the press."
"Our customers want options in customizing the prints and press products we produce," said Jim Jamison, Manager of Miller's Professional Lab in Columbia, Mo. "With the NEXPRESS Digital Press, we have the flexibility to add special touches  and multiple texture styles and densities, for individual customers, which you cannot do if you are just using textured paper."
The NEXPRESS 2100 Plus and NEXPRESS 2500 Digital Production Color Presses meet a variety of needs, from entry level to very high volume environments. Customers are able to upgrade presses as they grow their businesses with options to select desired paper capacity, increase processing capability, and add a fifth imaging unit for delivery of spot color, watermarking and protective coating with the GATF InterTech Award-winning KODAK NEXPRESS Fifth Imaging Unit Solutions. The Fifth Imaging Unit Solutions also enable high impact glossing in conjunction with the KODAK NEXGLOSSER Glossing Unit. The booklet maker for KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses is available inline or offline for collating, stitching, folding, trimming, and creating standard or square back booklets of up to 100 pages.
KODAK products are backed by KODAK Service and Support. KODAK Service and Support is made up of more than 3,000 professionals reaching more than 120 countries. It is a leading multi-vendor integrated services provider, delivering consulting, installation, maintenance and support services for the commercial printing, graphic communications, document imaging and data storage industries. KODAK Service and Support professionals are uniquely qualified to provide services that control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.