Digitalpress has cleaned up at the NSW Printing Industry Craftmanship Awards (PICAs), collecting 15 medals at the state industry awards on 22nd May 2018. The most awarded printers on the night.

The awards held in Old Government House in Parramatta had the entries on display in an art gallery style exhibition. The coveted Highly Commended Judges Award from sponsor Ball & Doggett went to Digitalpress for it's Teneo Book designed by Toast Creative.

Digitalpress won four gold medals for its works:

•  Katrina and Tori Memorial Commemorative Book in the category Books (digital)
• Teneo Book in both Booklets, Catalogues and Magazines (offset); and Embellishments and
• Cookbook Dish in Regional/Small Business Printing.

The business also claimed an additional six silver and four bronze awards.

One of these gold medals went to a very special project: The Katrina and Tori Memorial Commemorative Book, commissioned by the NSW Government for the families of the victims of the Martin Place siege. According to Theo Pettaras, Managing Director, the book was one of the most important print jobs Digitalpress had ever produced.

"It was highly sensitive, because of the content within it we were commemorating a tragic event, and it had to be treated with great respect and dignity. We wanted to produce something beautiful for the families," he said.

The other big award winner was Dish Cookbook. Self-published and financed by Digitalpress and Kelly Shield in collaboration with 44 chefs and a local designer for charity. All profits were given to the Starlight Children's Foundation.

After the State Awards, Digitalpress went on to win another three gold awards and one silver in the National Print Awards. The three gold winning entries will be on display in the 'Print to Parliament exhibition' at Parliament House which opens at 7pm on October 17.

Digitalpress have always taken pride in the work they do, the recent success in the print awards is testament to this commitment.

Let Digitalpress create an award winning piece for you too!

We are proud to announce the purchase of new cutting edge technology, with the world's first 6 colour Dry Ink technology that brings unprecedented power of expression to digital printing. Featuring specialty colours with the shine of eye-catching metallic silver, gold, white and clear spot varnish.

We can now match virtually any Pantone metallic colour and run silver + gold, silver + white, gold + white, and spot varnish with either silver, gold or white all in one pass with CMYK, plus

• print stock thickness of up to 400gsm
• maximum sheet size 330mm x 1,200mm
• super fine print resolution 2400 x 240 dpi

Here are more examples of what we can do:

• Long format printing 330mm x 1,200mm
• Whiter than white ink printing
• Silver & Gold Metallic Ink Print
• Print up to 400gsm
• 6 colours in a single pass

PLUS

Digitalpress was featured in Proprint Magazine. The article focuses on our recent Iridesse Press purchase and our Managing Director Theo Pettaras's personal and business transformation. Click HERE to read the story.

Our new Iridesse Press is the most versatile digital printing press on the market and Digitalpress are proud to be one of the first in the country to have it commercially available.

Call us to find out more about how we can work with you.

First things first: Double-thick (duplex) paper is created by laminating two sheets together. Triple-thick (triplex) paper is created by laminating three sheets together.

1. The Classic

Customise your own classic experience. Take two of the same cover sheets and ask your printer to duplexlaminate them together. Simple.

2. Colour and Texture

Kick it up a notch and use one colour on the front of your card and a different colour on the back. Or even better, use two different textures.

3. Hide Bruising

Letterpress printing, engraving, embossing they all show their special look and feel on the front side of your card, while the back of the sheet is left with bruising or debossing. Not so bad you might think, but if you want to print on the back of the card, those blemishes might get in your way.

Print the back of the card on a separate sheet and duplex laminate both together for one smooth and very readable experience.

4. Special Effects

Oh yes, this is where you get to shine.

Take for example the card designed by Canberra agency Coordinate We were presented with a big challenge; Top sheet laser cut on Optix Jetz Black, bottom sheet white ink print on Colorplan Mandarine one side / black ink print reverse. The two sheets then duplexed. The final result was stunning.

Fusing the Papers Together

Laminating and mounting: These two words are often used interchangeably. But many printers prefer to use the term "duplex/ triplex lamination" or "duplexing/ triplexing customers" so customers do not confuse this process with the plastic protective celloglaze coating application.

No matter what you call it, this thick to super-thick paper effect is achieved by fusing two or more layers of paper together to achieve the desired thickness and quality.

How it Works

How your printer adheres these layers together at the finishing level comes down to two choices: white glue or hot melt glue.

Commonly called white glue, polyvinyl resin glue is a close relative of the white stuff we used in schools. Being a member of the solvent-based adhesive family, as the solvent evaporates, the adhesive hardens.

We use white glues when we duplex laminate non-porous substrates like plastics or coated/ calendared stocks. We use hot melts on the majority of our projects, depending on how porous the substrate is and the type of material being bonded together.

Hot melt adhesive, also known as hot glue, is commonly supplied in a solid form in various diameters, designed to be melted in a hot electric environment think of the glue gun concept.

Hot melt adhesives provide several advantages over solvent-based ones. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are reduced or eliminated, and the drying or curing step is eliminated. Hot melt adhesives have a long shelf life and usually can be disposed of without special precautions.

Even within the hot melt adhesive varieties, it requires testing and trial and error, but it's important to find the correct adhesive, otherwise the sheets will eventually delaminate. Factors to consider include the weight of the sheets, the finish of the sheets, and the size of the area to be duplexed.

Whether you are content with a classic double-thick card or want to use this technique to push the creative envelope, talk to your printer about duplex/ triplex laminating. Don't just limit it to business cards think of the other possibilities such as invitations and book covers etc.

For more information visit our website

Source: Paperspec

Digitalpress Print Masterclass Series how to choose the right printer

Maker & Co bespoke creds document white ink print and singer sewn

Building a strong relationship with your printer is more important today than it has ever been. When choosing and developing a relationship with your printer, price certainly plays an important part. However, there are also other important key factors such as;

• Flexible and approachable service
• Ability to adapt to change
• Introduce new and innovative technology
• Clear understanding of marketing and design
• Demonstrate skills in multi-channel marketing

These key factors should be an essential part of the selection criteria we also have a few more suggestions to further help you with your choice;

• Ensure the printer is experienced in the types of jobs you'll require of them.
• Match your company's culture to that of your printer. You must be comfortable with the people and company you're dealing with frequently. Companies generally prefer doing business with companies they can identify with culturally. Also, consider the size of the printing company. The very large printing companies have tremendous capabilities and resources, but whether they're structured to provide the level of service your company needs may be questionable. Sometimes bigger isn't always better.
• Determine your long-term prospects with your printer. If your intentions are to work on a regular basis with them how will you feel? Is this something that can be maintained long term? How will you consider your printer as a large creditor?
• Make sure your printer clearly understands your companies needs and business culture. The printer needs to be able to grow along side your companies' growth. This is to best achieve long-term goals for both.
• Financial stability. It's a good idea to get a good understanding of your printers financial situation. You are investing in a long term business relationship, one based on trust and professionalism. You need to be assured that they will be in business for a long time. Ask for their top ten customers and ratio spend to confirm they are not overly exposed in the event they lose a major customer. Also make sure they are fully up to date with all legally required insurance requirements.
• Don't be shy to ask for references or testimonials that are up to date. Ideally contact details are preferable so you can speak to the current customer directly.
• Don't go out for multiple quotes unless you're willing to change printers. Printing companies are not necessarily open to this. If they think you're shopping around to get the best price from your current printer, they will not always quote their best price for you. It can also affect credibility. Printers as most suppliers need to know they are valued. If you are serious about selecting a new preferred printer they need to know that you are serious about switching companies for all the right reasons.
• Set some strong KPI's. It's essential you make it very clear that there are some fundamental KPI's to set. This will ensure both parties maintain a clear undertaking that standards, pricing and procedures will be maintained. This can be reviewed bi-annual or annually.
• Most importantly and in our opinion possibly the most significant factor when choosing a printer is that they should be able to consistently demonstrate a proactive approach. This will ultimately provide you with the best possible outcomes.

We hope these suggestions help you when you next decide to choose your printer. It may also be useful to contact the Printing Industries Association of Australia 1800 277 425