Applications
Effect pigments, aluminium pigments, gold bronze pigments, vacuum metallized pigments, press ready inks, offset inks, gravure printing inks, flexo printing ink, gold and silver effects in the printing of modern packaging
Gold and silver effects for printed cardboard, paper and plastic substrates used as packaging for beverages, cosmetics, electronics and many other items.
Printed packaging with gold and silver effects as well as polychromatic effects (which combine non-leafing aluminium pigments with transparent color pigments) is a very diverse application area for metal pigments:
SCHLENK pigments are used on cardboard (used as outer packaging for beverages, tobacco products, cosmetics, electronics and food (without direct contact with the food)). But also paper and, above all, foil packaging are printed using offset lithography, gravure and flexo printing, depending on the size of the run, desired effect or material to be printed.
Flexible packaging
Printed plastic substrates are not only used for food packaging (see food packaging), but also in the “non-food” area as outer packaging, as carrier bags, shrink wrap (including “shrink sleeves”) etc. For food packaging, compliance with the relevant regulations with respect to migration properties (no risk) is required.
Label printing
Today, metallic effects can be printed on a whole range of substrates used for labels, from the traditional papers to a variety of plastics. Flexo printing (narrow web) is used most often for this application. For large print runs, gravure printing is also used. Decomet® can be used to achieve metallic effects of particularly high quality.
Graphic arts
In the graphic arts area, aluminium and gold bronze pigments are used to create metallic effects in a wide variety of end use applications, including artists’ inks, writing inks, felt tip markers, etc. Liquid inks for painting, spraying or immersion demonstrate a crossover to the coatings industry.