GBC Explores New Frontiers in Print Finishing

DÜSSELDORF—GERMANY—May 29, 2008—GBC Commercial Laminating Solutions Group, part of ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ABD) and world market leader in print finishing equipment and consumables, is exhibiting their range of thermal laminating solutions for commercial, on-demand and wide-format finishing at drupa 2008.

Explore! GBC’s new frontiers in print finishing at drupa 2008

With this year’s drupa promising to be the biggest-ever in the fair’s history, GBC is planning a memorable show. During live demonstrations, GBC will present their equipment and consumables for a variety of printing processes and applications.

“Customers visiting drupa will be able to explore GBC’s new frontiers in print finishing thanks to the company’s extensive range of laminating and finishing solutions”, Arnout Janssen, Marketing Director of GBC Commercial Laminating Solutions Europe explains. “In the industry we work for, speed is of the essence. As the turn-around times remain under constant pressure, more and more printers are taking on the finishing process in-house. For finishers, the time pressure is even higher. With lamination at the end of the production chain, they are investing in increasingly faster lamination equipment. At the same time, the digital printers are looking for an end-to-end solution. GBC constantly strives to anticipate and find innovative solutions by adding value to meet the specific needs of its customers in high-speed lamination. At drupa, GBC will introduce several new products in the high-speed lamination range.”

Mr. Janssen continues: “We noticed that the esthetics and functionality of printed matter has become vitally important for specifiers of lamination films, like designers and publishers. With its Scuff-Free™ and Lay-Flat® films, GBC is able to offer the perfect solution to this trend. Last but not least, GBC has always taken environmental issues very seriously. This is the reason the company has invested a lot of R&D resources in developing new eco-friendly laminating solutions. As a supplier of innovative laminating and finishing solutions, the company is able to serve a very large audience by adding value and fulfilling a large range of applications and requests.”

Explore! GBC’s New frontiers in print finishing at drupa

At drupa, on June 2nd at 11 am, GBC is making an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record to achieve the fastest time for laminating 100 square metres of paper. The new GBC 8500HS Cyclone laminating system and GBC High Bonding Strength film – both debuting at drupa – will be put to the test in this first-ever laminating challenge.

The GBC 8500HS Cyclone is a commercial laminator designed for single-sided lamination of high-volume print runs. Running at speeds up to 150 m (500 ft) per minute, this system can cut production time by one-half or more without sacrificing accuracy, control, and quality. Its generous 112 cm (44 in) width offers versatility and also lets users run prints landscape-wise, further increasing productivity.

The new GBC 7580 Voyager, ideal for medium and high volume finishing of book covers, folders, brochures and bags, runs at speeds up to 60 m (200 ft.) per minute. A single operator can control all major functions from the system’s user-friendly control panel. The GBC 7580 Voyager can accommodate sheet sizes from 21.6 x 28 cm (8.5 x 11 in.) up to 81.2 x 102 cm (32 x 40 in.). It runs GBC’s high speed commercial films including Digital Lay-Flat®, Lay-Flat®, Scuff-Free™, Hi-Tac®, and AGS/GS.

The GBC 620os and GBC 5031TS laminating systems are dedicated to the digital Print-On-Demand market and are “best-in-class” solutions for finishing one-sided and double-sided narrow-format digital output.

The GBC 620os is a single-sided laminating system. As a highly cost-effective entry-level unit with automated controls, it effectively combines sophisticated technology with ease-of-operation and time-savings. The GBC 620os finishes a wide range of applications such as book covers, dust jackets, as well as sheeted gift cards, postcards and business cards. With a maximum speed of 15 m/minute and a maximum sheet size of 52 cm width x 74 cm length, it is ideally suited for short runs from color printers and offset presses.

The GBC 5031TS laminating system is easily integrated in a commercial printing or in-house production environment and delivers top quality two-sided lamination. The GBC 5031TS consists of three individual components: the 5031TS Laminator, the 5031 Feeder and the 5031 Cutter. This streamlined solution effectively functions as an in-line finishing system with minimum manual intervention. The laminator component of the GBC 5031TS features a unique dual heating system that incorporates both heat shoes and heated nip rollers, enabling the strongest possible adhesion at the fastest speeds. Edge-slitters are an added technical advantage to reduce post-process finishing. To further improve workflow, the 5031 in-line feeder connects easily to the laminator for precision sheet-feeding. The feeder incorporates a large deck and vacuum feed head to accommodate a wide range of stock types and sizes. The standalone 5031 cutter completes the integrated solution by providing in-line leading and trailing edge cuts. All the components in the GBC 5031TS system are easily controlled by a single operator.

The GBC 3052 laminating system is a compact and fully integrated machine dedicated to the commercial print finishing market. It can operate at an extended speed up to 30m/min while covering a maximum working width of 52 x 74 cm. With its ability to change stock, size and film rapidly, the GBC 3052 improves efficiency on the production line and is a speedy, user-friendly and cost-effective solution. The sheet-counter is a valuable feature that enables the user to set the machine to stop after laminating a pre-set number of sheets, therefore reducing waste and increasing productivity. The integrated slitting device eliminates the need to change film rolls for every job and slits the roll according to the correct width. The GBC 3052 laminating system is well adapted for cost-effective handling of smaller digital jobs with quick turn-around times. Suited for short runs, the GBC 3052 is able to rapidly accommodate changes in stock sizes and film while offering high quality performance.

Hot or cold lamination solutions for every application and level

At drupa 2008, GBC will demonstrate the entry-level GBC Arctic 1064WFc and the GBC Falcon 3064WF for semi-professionals as well as new innovative films and consumables for the wide format printing market.

The GBC Arctic 1064WFc is a wide format cold laminator with a heat-assisted top roller that delivers high performance and cost-effective lamination solutions for the signage, photographic, copy shop and screen print market. It is ideally suited for print-for-pay companies and service providers looking for an entry-level professional machine to produce quality in-house lamination. In addition, with its extreme ease of use, the GBC Arctic 1064WFc is the perfect machine to use alongside wide format inkjet printers as it affords greater control and saves time.

Offering superior lamination with virtually wave-free output, the professional thermal GBC Falcon 3046WF lamination system offers bi-directional operation and is able to run thermal and cold finishing jobs consecutively for maximum productivity.

All of GBC’s wide format laminating systems are extremely modular and equipped with an Advanced Electrical Safety System to protect fingers while feeding the laminator and are, therefore, the safest solutions on the market.

GBC offers high-quality film solutions

Unique and clever laminating solutions enable printers to present compelling advantages to their customers. With its luxurious finishes, GBC Digital LAY-FLAT® film is the ideal digital on-demand laminating solution providing superior adhesion and flat output for electro-photographic prints. It allows for immediate lamination after printing and is therefore ideally suited for high-volume print shops requiring fast turnaround times to meet customers’ demands. After years of testing, GBC has developed improved adhesion technology and processes that have resulted in a 10% greater bond strength in comparison to its closest competitors. Extensive testing has been carried out on fresh prints including CMYK black, and at various lamination speeds and temperatures on both entry-level and high-speed laminators. GBC Digital LAY-FLAT film is available in gloss and matte finishes.

The GBC’s Scuff-FreeTM Matte film offers a unique combination of polypropylene and an abrasion-resistant coating that protects and enhances the look of books, packages and other printed materials. Its matte finish minimizes glare while preserving image color and providing a durable, scratch-resistant surface to protect book covers, brochures and packaging applications. With its acceptance of UV spot coating, GBC Scuff-FreeTM Matte film can create an even greater visual impact. The matte finish gives a luxurious appearance that attracts the buyer’s attention and increases the perceived value of the finished product.

GBC Accushield® Clear is the perfect alternative to liquid coating

GBC Accushield Clear is an ultra-thin coating for single-sided finishing. It uses a dry-transfer coating process to protect and enhance banners, signs and digital photographs. Designed to withstand high temperatures and UV light, it is ideally suited for the long-term protection of outdoor graphics, POP displays and other indoor applications. Accushield is compatible with thermal and solvent inkjet, electrostatic transfer and screen printed material, providing professional quality finishing. It is odourless, wrinkle-free and does not shrink to heat contact. Available in clear and matte finishes in widths of up to 1550 mm, the new version of Accushield is completely clear while helping prints resist fading and yellowing.

GBC Introduces 8500HS Cyclone for Ultra High-speed Lamination

GBC Commercial Laminating Solutions Group, part of ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ABD) and world market leader in print finishing equipment and consumables, is unveiling their fastest and most advanced commercial laminating system at drupa 2008 in Dusseldorf, May 29 – June 11. Running at speeds up to 500 ft. (150 m) per minute, the GBC 8500HS Cyclone offers greater productivity than any other system in this market.

Besides its astounding speed, the 8500HS Cyclone can accommodate sheet widths up to 44 in. (112 cm). Three models are available for sheet lengths of 31 in. (79 cm), 44 in. (112 cm), and 56 in. (142 cm). At drupa 2008, GBC will be running the 56 in. model.

The technologically advanced 8500HS Cyclone includes an integrated high-speed MABEG® feeder that can run up to 18,000 sheets per hour. MABEG feeders are known worldwide for their reliability and accuracy.

State-of-the-art engineering developed GBC’s new Advanced Adhesion Mechanism that will be seen for the first time at drupa ’08. Located in the lamination unit of the 8500HS Cyclone, this mechanism is designed to improve bonding at all speeds.

After prints are laminated, they are separated with the aid of a track-mounted snapping assembly that remains stationary while running and maintaining its grip over the entire sheet. The result is clean and accurate separation of prints before they enter the stacker.

A single operator can easily control all critical functions of the 8500HS Cyclone from one of the two touch-screen monitors that have been strategically placed on the system. At the main screen, the operator can quickly configure job settings including sheet length, speed ratios, film tension and separation. Job parameters can be stored in memory for recurring jobs.

GBC Commercial Laminating Solutions Group

GBC Commercial Laminating Solutions Group, a division of the American multinational ACCO Brands Corporation, specializes in manufacturing, marketing and distribution of thermal and pressure-sensitive laminating film and equipment. The company offers a wide range of quality films for laminating offset prints, such as book covers and luxury packaging, wide format prints for indoor and outdoor usage, encapsulation applications, etc.