Shine Baby Shine

Coatings are used for a multitude of purposes in package printing. They can provide overcoatings for aesthetic or protective finishes, undercoats that enhance ink interactions for unique looks, or anything in between. Many companies use coatings and ink/coating combinations to provide a distinct look and feel, improve product functionality, or reduce costs.

Shorewood Packaging (www.shorewoodpackaging.com) is one company that has put an emphasis on the use of inks and coatings to enhance products for its customers. Founded as a private paperboard printing and converting company in 1967, Shorewood quickly established itself as a force in the record industry when it introduced its one-piece record jacket, Shorepak®. Having established itself in the music industry, the company benefited from the dynamic evolution of the industry from LPs to cassettes and CDs.

Shorewood Packaging became a public company in 1986 and, through a series of acquisitions, diversified its markets to include in pharmaceuticals, personal care, cosmetics, and food. International Paper acquired Shorewood in 2000 and it became part of the Consumer Packaging Group. Today, the company operates multiple facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia.

To compete in such highly competitivee markets, Shorewood uses what it calls "value-added packaging treatments" to its full advantage. To learn more about how the company uses its inks and coatings expertise to add value for customers, packagePRINTING talked to Linda Lombri, Shorewood's –director of marketing services.

pP: How does Shorewood Packaging use ink/coating combinations to provide enhancements for its customers?

Lombri: Shorewood Packaging has always focused on ways to enhance the packaging of our customers so that their products have high visibility and strong consumer appeal. Special inks and coatings technology is a key area when it comes to graphic embellishments. We can offer a range of special inks to add sparkle or "punch", as well as special coatings for increased visual or tactile excitement. As one of the few companies with an in-house corporate inks and coatings department, we have the ability to develop and test new inks and coating applications, working closely with suppliers, customers, and our own production staff to achieve the effect our customers want.

We originally developed high-luster Shorebrite metallic inks for the gravure printing process. Our new Shorebrite II metallic coating brings the same high level of brilliance to the offset litho and flexo/offset litho environment.

pP: What types of enhancements do you include in your "Packaging for the Senses" line of finishes?

Lombri: Our "Packaging for the Senses" line of finishes provides enhanced graphic effects that are centered around four of the five senses—sight, touch, scent, and sound.

For "sight" applications, we have a range of visual effects from special inks and coatings (like Shorebrite II, pearlescent, and metallic inks), embossing and foil stamping, holography, lenticular graphics, and metallized substrates. [The] Cast and Cure [finish] falls into this category. It is a holographic transfer process applied during printing that provides a subtle pattern. We used it to add visual excitement to the packaging for Bridgestone's e6+ golf balls.

For "touch," we have a range of effects from deep embossing to special coatings (such as rough textured or Soft Touch), thermochromatic inks, and special substrates. Soft Touch is a coating that provides a matte finish and a smooth, soft tactile effect. Two packages using this technique include Liz Claiborne's USHER fragrance for women and a DVD package for Summit Entertainment's Twilight movie.

The "scent" sensory experience is provided by applying special scented inks or coatings. This technique can provide a good rendition of a products scent or flavor. The fragrance is applied as spot or flood coat; when the image is rubbed gently, the scent is released.

"Sound" effects can also be added to packaging using LED and sound devices to produce an audio message or music. There are potential security applications as well.

pP: Can the use of inks/coatings provide opportunities for improvements in sustainability?

Lombri: Inks and coatings can be easily separated from board during the recycling process, so they do offer sustainability benefits. Shorebrite II is a case in point since it provides a greener alternative to the use of metallized board and hot foil stamping.

Our ink and coating systems are "green", with little waste generated during the manufacturing process. Our conventional offset ink formulations contain vegetable-oil-based combinations.

pP: How will Shorewood use Shorebrite II to enhance customer products?

Lombri: Our Shorebrite II metallic coating is intended to increase the brilliance and excitement of multicolor graphics on our customers' packaging, thereby attracting consumers and enhancing brand image. It has applications for several market segments, specifically cosmetics and fragrances, confectionery, sporting goods, home entertainment (home video, video games), and tobacco.

The Shorebrite II coating is applied first, followed by up to seven translucent ink colors and optional finishes. The process produces rich, high-luster colors with consistent coverage. pP