May 7, 2004 -- In the UV Technology Center in Hall 3, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will present high-quality applications for hybrid and UV printing in conjunction with its partner IST Metz GmbH. In cooperation with Frankfurt-based watchmaker Sinn, Heidelberg will be using various applications to show how a brand can be appropriately positioned with the help of UV printing and can be made to stand out from the crowd thanks to its high-quality appearance. Sinn's mechanical watches are a byword for functionality and elegance. Its portfolio also includes pilot watches produced for Lufthansa. A Speedmaster CD 74-6+LX with complete UV equipment will be producing the various print jobs which clearly demonstrate what inline surface finishing is able to achieve. This is supported in no small way by Heidelberg's vast experience in UV technology and its cooperation with expert partners in the ink and dryer sectors. The demand for UV printing is rising. One reason for this is the marked change seen in purchasing behavior in the consumer goods industry. Most goods are positioned either in the lower price range or towards the luxury end of the market. The once dominant mid-price sector is rapidly disappearing. For this reason, industry is concentrating on either low cost mass-produced goods or, as is increasingly the case, luxury articles and establishing brands in order to distance themselves from the price war at the lower end of the market. This naturally has an effect on packaging and advertising, with a need to reflect the high-quality contents. UV printing is opening up new dimensions. When it comes to gloss, feel, protective qualities and scuff resistance, UV products are far superior to traditional print products. "At the UV Technology Center, we will be passing our experience in UV printing onto our customers and showing them how UV printing can enable them to move into new markets and differentiate themselves from their competitors", explains Dr. Klaus Spiegel, Member of Heidelberg's Management Board. Special effects with UV and hybrid printing Four print jobs with watch motifs will be printed live at the booth in Hall 3. These are destined for actual use by Sinn as marketing material. 1.) Postcards produced using lenticular printing Lenticular films allow 3D effects or short movement sequences (also known as 'lenticular images') or a combination of both these effects to be portrayed on a printing material. One postcard shows Sinn watches in front of the skyline of Frankfurt. They thus represent an ideal material for point of sale and stimulate the curiosity of consumers, who want take this give-away home with them. 2.) Packaging for Sinn watches on aluminized paper This involves printing UV opaque white, among other things, on aluminized paper, thereby producing a feeling of depth. Spot coating is used to emphasize various elements of the print job and the brand names of the companies in question. Sinn uses this premium packaging for limited edition watches. 3.) Poster with matt/gloss effects This job involves combining effects with special effect coatings and hybrid inks in order to produce various matt/gloss effects which emphasize different elements and act as an eyecatcher for a poster. 4.) Poster complete with UV This features the same motif but only UV inks and coatings are used. Matt/gloss effects in another visual form. Poster with Aniva UV as a preprinted print sample At this year's drupa, Heidelberg will also be showing posters featuring Sinn watches which, for the first time, are being printed with Aniva UV inks from Epple. This means that UV printing can now offer even greater brilliance, sense of depth and dynamism thanks to the expansion of the color space. The powerful colors grab your attention and set the product apart from others. Controllable UV printing In the UV Technology Center, Heidelberg will be demonstrating that technical improvements to the UV printing process have made it a highly reliable production method. Environmental protection issues are also taken into account. UV printing offers a wide range of advantages. The printed sheets are dry as soon as they come out of the delivery. No powdering is required. Rapid hardening of the inks makes it easier to print non-absorbent materials. It is only thanks to this property that it is possible to process special materials such as plastic films or metallic paper and produce complex effects. Heidelberg is already shipping around ten percent of its world-leading Speedmaster CD 74 and CD 102 presses as UV versions and this percentage is increasing.