Adding sparkle to personalised print with special effects

With demand for personalisation on the rise, Rob Fletcher looks at how offering customers the option to add special effects to their printed work can help you win new business and expand into new markets.

Personalised print already offers something special and unique to consumers. Being able to add their own stamp to printed pieces, whether it be for a gift, marketing or otherwise, helps to make an application more valuable to the customer.
                                   
However, as consumers continue to demand even more from their printed work, it is up to the printing companies to respond and deliver something that will add even more value to personalised applications.

In this article, we speak with several manufacturers about the benefits of special effects in personalised print and find out more about the machinery and techniques that will help print companies achieve these effects.

High-impact experiences

One manufacturer that supplies solutions that can be used to add special effects to printed work is Vivid Laminating Technologies. Export director Bruce Cozens recognises that the personalisation market is evolving quickly, with a more demand for unique, memorable customer experiences.

“Consumers and brands are moving toward high-impact, personalised experiences,” he said. “Special effects in print help meet this demand by making bespoke prints feel exclusive and luxurious. Thanks to advances in digital printing and variable data printing, special effects are now easier than ever to implement, even on small runs, which was once considered costly and time-consuming.”

As to what sort of options printer should be considering, Cozens said in personalised print, the most relevant special effects are those that bring a strong visual impact, turning ordinary print materials into premium, eye-catching designs.

“These special finishes are particularly effective in applications like direct mail, bespoke packaging, business cards, and high-end marketing materials,” he said. “These effects include spot UV, foiling – available in various shades like gold, silver, and holographic – embossing and textured laminations that enhance the feel of the print.

“These effects not only improve aesthetics but also enhance the sensory experience, encouraging recipients to engage with the printed item.

Matrix MX-370MP, a laminator and foil system, is one option from the Vivid Laminating Technologies Matrix range

As to how Vivid can help, Cozens highlighted the manufacturer’s most popular solution for special effects in the form of its Matrix range. Machines in this collection enable lamination, foil and spot UV-style effects using Vivid’s digital foiling technology.

“Designed for versatility and speed, it allows users to apply high-end finishes without the need for traditional dies or plates,” Cozens said.

Picking out one machine in particular, Cozens draws attention to the Matrix MX-370MP, a laminator and foil system that he said allows users to produce eye-catching, personalised prints quickly and cost-effectively on a range of coated and uncoated stocks.

“It’s especially popular with print shops looking to expand into luxury and personalised markets,” he added.

Competitive advantage

When discussing special effects, it is also important to consider the type of object that you are printing on. The ability to actually print on something that was previously out of reach for customers can give your business an advantage over the competition.

One example of this comes from Roland DG, which, in collaboration with Chillblast, a PC manufacturer based in the UK, now offers customers the opportunity to personalise their PCs with a unique printed design.

Chillblast uses Roland DG technology to print personalised designs on PCs

Having initially started with the Roland DG VersaSTUDIO BN-20 printer, Chillblast added the TrueVIS SG3 Series large format inkjet printer to their internal line-up last year. This was in response to rising customer demand for personalisation requiring larger-scale printing capabilities and the ability to sustain longer, unmanned print runs.

“Having full customisation over the exterior of a PC is something new to the market, and the feedback so far has been absolutely phenomenal,” said Dominic Starkey, chief marketing officer at Chillblast. “With the TrueVIS SG3 Series, we can ensure perfect colour matches for every run, a critical factor when supplying batches of systems.”

Features on the TrueVIS SG3 Series that make this possible include an automatic media gap adjustment feature, which saves time and material by ensuring precise printing without the need for manual intervention, catering to every size and shape of PC. It also has FlexFire printheads and TR2 inks for flexible production, as well as a 7-inch LCD touchscreen control panel, allowing for users to easily navigate settings and monitor print jobs.

Add in the Roland DG Connect App, which provides Chillblast instant access to crucial data about print jobs and device performance, and the company has been able to produce all manner of eye-catching, personalised designs across a range of PCs.

“The integration of Roland DG printers has unmistakably set us apart from our competitors, and we eagerly anticipate unveiling more innovations alongside Roland DG in the years ahead,” Starkey said.

These are just some examples of what is possible when using special effects in personalised print work, with the reality being that there is a whole world of other options available to those in this sector.

Companies keen to learn more about these special effects, as well as gain further insight into personalisation, should consider visiting the Personalisation Experience at the FESPA Global Print Expo 2025. Attendees can engage with thought leaders, experience new solutions first-hand, and forge connections with experts from across the industry.

To register to visit the Personalisation Experience, click here.