Canon has confirmed the compatibility of its water-based VarioPrint iX ink technology and the polymer used in Scodix digital embellishment presses, allowing users of the VarioPrint iX and i-series inkjet presses to take advantage of five of the enhancement options offered, in order to tackle new applications and increase margins.

VarioPrint iX-series and i-series users can use any of the Scodix Ultra range of  digital embellishment presses to apply the latter’s Sense, Foil, Glitter, VDE and Cast & Cure effects. Sense adds raised glossy ’embossed’ textures, while Foil and Glitter are self-explanatory; VDE is a variable data embellishment capability that complements the Canon presses’ ability to produce every-page-different output, while Cast & Cure enables 3D holographic effects to be achieved. Canon believes that these possibilities will also tempt existing Scodix owners who are considering a move to inkjet print and notes that its ColorGrip primer allows its cut-sheet inkjets to print on a wide range of media.

Hayco van Gaal, vice president Sales and Service, Commercial Printing EMEA at Canon Europe, commented, ‘This technological compatibility between Canon’s VarioPrint iX ink and Scodix PolySense 500 polymer gives commercial printers scope to add value and help brands differentiate their print applications with additional effects. We are constantly on the lookout for ways to enable our customers to inject further creativity into their campaigns, broaden their application portfolio and increase revenue. Using Scodix’s print embellishments, our customers can elevate the value of their products and increase the efficiency of their workflows.’

Canon’s first VarioPrint iX customer, Kampert Nauta managing director Richard Kampert said, ‘Having been the first commercial and online print operation in the world to invest in the VarioPrint iX-series, we were taken aback by its ability to achieve offset-like print quality on a variety of thicker media, essential for producing greeting cards, which is one of our core applications.  We’ve since invested in a Scodix Ultra press allowing us to streamline our workflow with this additional near-line embellishment potential. With the combination of both presses at our disposal, we’ve been able to decrease our turnaround times, produce smaller print runs more cost effectively, as well as enlarge and enhance our product portfolio. We can now respond quickly to the needs of our customers and produce print products that stand out from the crowd.’

Scodix Ultra embellishment presses are supplied and supported exclusively in the UK and Ireland by Friedheim International.