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16 Q U I C K P R I N T I N G / A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 w w w. M y P R I N T R e s o u r c e . c o m or handle that task offline, draws differing responses from experts. Chris Calomino, marketing manager for Delran, NJ-based ACTEGA Kelstar, said from a coating standpoint, "it's a matter of how creative you want to be with a project. Eye-catching special effect designs are achieved using inline spot application coating systems, while most offline systems are limited to flood-coat- ing a sheet. "The imagery and piece you are pro- ducing could determine which system would be right for you," Calomino added. "Having said that, the offline market understands the need for spot application. We foresee this technology progressing in the next couple years. This will open opportunity for PSPs who use offline coating systems due to space limitations or special busi- ness needs. Our product portfo- lio has both general and special- ty coatings that work on both inline and offline solutions." At MGI, the tendency always has been to favor offline pro- cesses, Abergel reported. "In our experience, coming from the digital side, even our spot UV coating is digital," he said. "The problems with doing anything inline is that if the printing goes down you can't use the varnish- ing, and if the varnishing goes down you can't use the printing. MGI sees that it is a safer bet to go offline." Added Haley: "Offline coat- ing ensures that all your eggs are not in one basket and helps diversify your risk. If one of your machines goes down, you can use other machines to do your coating." Chiaramonte says due to cost, inline is easily the preferred method used by PSPs who have the appropriate equipment avail- able. "Offline does allow for more dramatic effect than does inline, because it's over a dry surface, not a wet surface," he explained. "I'm specifically speaking about offline screen application." For her part, Midlik believes the choice depends on the equipment being used. But she added, "Inline is just another unit on a web press. And that is the most cost- efficient way to apply a UV coating, inline on a web press." PSPs can do 200 sheets per minute (fpm) running through an offline coater, she said. That is a fraction of the 1,500 fpm achievable on a web press. "The speed differential is enormous," Midlik asserted. Pricing Coatings MGI's Abergel is among those con- vinced coatings make it possible to charge much higher prices. MGI's machine, the JetVarnish 3D, is digital and handles regu- lar spot UV coating or an embossed 3D raised coating, he said. "What we know is, in the market, the pricing for 2D coating has been set by screen printers and finishers, and has been standard for years," he reported, noting that it can be bought for $350 to $450 per thousand. "But when you speak of the tactile raised varnish, it's the wild west of pricing. You can price it almost any way you want, because you're sell- ing emotion. And it's easy to charge your final customer what you want for that emotional response." The pricing is upwardly elastic because what is being sold is not just paper but more than that, he argues. "You're selling something that delights the end user," Abergel observed. "You're selling a sensa- tion or an emotion." Chiaramonte also has observed the ability to dramatically raise prices. Basic coating, he said, can cost $3 to $4 a pound. "Putting a particular pigment into the coating might result in five times the price," he explained. "These are niche markets that [PSPs] need to iden- tify. They are segments of the market like cosmetics and higher-end advertising of specialty-type products, that in turn [gen- erate] higher pricing." Specialty Finishes: Pros and Cons Specialty finishes have a tremendous upside and offer more reward than risk, Calomino contends. "In a highly competitive mar- ket, the ability to capture a customer's attention with finishes such as MiraFoil Silver, Raised, Pearlescent, or Soft Touch coatings cre- ates a lasting impact. Studies show a higher retention and return on investment when using specialty products." Still, the downsides can- not be waved away. Spe- cialty finishes do require specific equipment and a significant investment. "However, we have some of the brightest people in the industry assisting customers in these types of decisions— regarding manufacturer or equipment recommenda- tions, based on their focus and strategy," Calomino said, adding that as for pric- ing, "I always like to say it's important to remember that coatings are the last thing down on a piece of paper and the first thing a cus- tomer sees." Chiaramonte, too, feels PSPs must rec- ognize the downsides of specialty fin- ishes. "The specialty types of products do require research on the part of PSPs," he noted. "They need to research the products they intend to use and the com- patibility of their equipment, working in concert with their vendors." ◗◗ Scodix on Top @ GRAPH EXPO 14: Pop artist Tom Zotos will display "psyche- delic" rock-icon posters enhanced for the Jimi Hendrix Foundation.