American Litho, one of the nation’s fastest growing print and cross-channel marketing strategists, has added a custom coating system to its HP T240 HD digital press suite, greatly increasing the speed and design flexibility offered for all clients. The new coater is the only one of its kind in the world, according to Tyler Grostic, lead installation engineer in charge of service and training for Harris & Bruno International, the system’s manufacturer.

Specialty Coatings for Digital Just Got Better

With 100% variable messaging and imaging, we can use known customer preferences to maximize customer response,” Ferruzza said. “Instant make-ready times and short cycle times mean that mailings reach target customers at exactly the right moment.

Carol Stream, Ill. – American Litho, one of the nation’s fastest growing print and cross-channel marketing strategists, has added a custom coating system to its HP T240 HD digital press suite, greatly increasing the speed and design flexibility offered for all clients.

The new coater is the only one of its kind in the world, according to Tyler Grostic, lead installation engineer in charge of service and training for Harris & Bruno International, the system’s manufacturer.

“This is a fully custom, high-speed system that handles a broad range of specialty coatings, including UV and aqueous coatings,” Grostic explained. “It works in duplex, applying coatings to both sides of the press sheet, and is compatible with an incredible array of paper stocks.”

The coater works with up to 7 ink colors, keeping pace with the amazing speed of HP’s digital presses, he added.

During the installation, Grostic and the ALitho team ran a full series of tests with various inks and substrates to how the system would perform under different conditions. “After making all the needed adjustments, ALitho now has a high-powered working solution,” he stated.

The team ran into a slight power source-related issue, but the system immediately sent data to HP’s support team and the matter was quickly resolved. “This speaks to the strong relationship American Litho has with HP,” Grostic added.

Harris & Bruno has been building integrated coaters and primers that are compatible with high-end presses for the last 8 years, Grostic reports. “We are seeing a lot of growth in this area as companies prepare for larger campaigns with tougher specs and more aggressive schedules,” he said. “We are here to assure American Litho can deliver on its quality promises.”

Tony Ferruzza, head of digital production for ALitho, is enthusiastic about what the new system can do for clients in retail (in-store and on-line), travel, med tech, financial services, education and more.

“In addition to speed, accuracy and design flexibility, the system lays down coatings that have better resistance to scuffing or rubbing,” Ferruzza explained. “This matters a great deal, especially for catalogs and pieces that move through the mail. You want the piece to look amazing when it reaches the customer’s hands, so durability matters.”

Ferruzza is proud that ALitho has been recognized by HP for running the highest volume of digital impressions on HP equipment of any startup printer in the nation. “We are fully committed to HP, with plans to add another T240 HD system later this year,” he noted.

Specialty coatings add incredible visual and sensory appeal, Ferruzza noted, citing studies that show a significant lift in response rates when gloss, matte and textured effects are added to direct mail pieces.

“With 100% variable messaging and imaging, we can use known customer preferences to maximize customer response,” Ferruzza said. “Instant make-ready times and short cycle times mean that mailings reach target customers at exactly the right moment.”

Recently the company added a new coater from Tec Lighting to its HP 12000 system so that all digital campaigns can incorporate specialty coatings at top speed.

“We can add a gloss on one side of the piece and a matte finish on the other. The design possibilities really are endless. And we’re very proud that we’re running these sophisticated digital jobs twice as fast as any of our competitors” Ferruzza noted.

American Litho, Inc. is a privately held company providing brand-building services for retail, insurance, financial services, manufacturing, automotive, food and beverage, non-profit development and many other industries. A talented team of hundreds work in the company’s 350,000-square-foot headquarters in Carol Stream, Illinois, with additional team members around the country. View the full roster of American Litho’s capabilities at alitho.com.

To read more about the new coater visit: https://www.alitho.com/blog/specialty-coatings-for-digital-just-got-better/.