Holographic Embellishment Without the Foil · Tim Cain · President · Breit Technologies
Embellishment gets attention.
But it can also add material, cost, complexity, and questions about recyclability.
At LOUPE Americas in Chicago, Pat McGrew meets Tim Cain, President and Founder of Breit Technologies, to look at a technology that approaches embellishment very differently: Cast & Cure.
The concept has actually been around for around 20 years, but the process remains surprisingly unfamiliar to many printers and converters.
Rather than transferring a metallic or holographic layer onto the printed product, Cast & Cure uses a micro-embossed film to create a structure in a UV coating.
The coating is applied to the substrate, the film is brought into contact with it, the UV coating is cured, and then the film is removed again.
What remains is the microscopic structure within the cured coating, which refracts light and creates the holographic effect.
And the film is rewound and used again.
That reusability changes both the economics and the sustainability story. According to Tim, one roll of Cast & Cure film can potentially replace many rolls of traditional decorative material because nothing from the film itself is permanently transferred to the product.
The process can also preserve a package’s underlying recyclability because no metalized film is laminated onto the substrate. As Tim puts it, Cast & Cure can’t make a non-recyclable product recyclable — but if the original structure is recyclable, the process doesn’t inherently change that. Breit similarly describes the process as avoiding laminated metalized films and using a reusable casting film.
And the applications go far beyond labels.
Breit has used Cast & Cure for publishing, folding cartons, tubes, gift wrap, prime labels, and numerous other applications, creating everything from holographic effects to high-gloss, matte, and tactile surfaces.
One particularly interesting development is its work with Industrial Inkjet to bring high-resolution Cast & Cure effects onto uncoated papers, including kraft — extending the technology into substrates traditionally more difficult to embellish while maintaining production speeds.
In this INKISH film, Pat talks with Tim about micro-embossing, holographic effects, reusable consumables, sustainability, cost, uncoated papers, and why Cast & Cure offers converters another route to creating high-value embellishment without simply adding more material to the package.
Sometimes creating more visual impact actually means transferring less material.
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Fri September 18th
Building a Bigger Future Around Hybrid Printi...
Vinsak is becoming much more than Vinsak. At LOUPE Americas in Chicago, Pat McGrew catches up with Ranesh Bajaj to talk about the expanding Vinsak Group — including Rotatek, new technologies, new markets, and a much stronger push into North America. One of the technologies attracting attention is the Rotatek Universal 850. The 850 mm platform has been developed for packaging applications and combines technologies such as offset and flexo in a highly configurable architecture. Rotatek itself describes customization as a core part of its philosophy, with presses designed around individual customer requirements rather than a single fixed configuration. And that fits perfectly with Ranesh's view of hybrid printing. Why force one printing technology to do everything? Offset can deliver extremely strong graphics and CMYK reproduction. Flexo can add whites, coatings, and other functional layers. Gravure can bring metallic effects, lacquers, and specialist applications. Put the technologies together in the right configuration, and the press can be engineered around the product rather than forcing the product around the press. In-mold labels are another major focus. Vinsak and Rotatek see strong opportunities in IML as brands look for durable decoration, lower production costs, and packaging structures that can perform across applications ranging from food and household products to containers exposed to moisture and freezing conditions. The Universal platform is already being positioned across applications including in-mold labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons, and other packaging segments. But perhaps the bigger story is geographical. Vinsak already has a strong presence across India, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. North America is now becoming a major strategic focus. Ranesh explains that the company is building its own US organization, including service infrastructure, and expects to significantly expand the North American team. An important first step is already underway, with a large 12-unit, 34-inch press destined for a customer in the Philadelphia region. That local presence matters. Selling sophisticated, custom-engineered printing equipment into the US isn't simply about shipping a press from overseas. Customers need service, parts, technical expertise, and confidence that support will be available long after installation. And that is exactly what Vinsak intends to build. In this INKISH film, Pat talks with Ranesh Bajaj about the expanding Vinsak Group, Rotatek, hybrid production, in-mold labels, sustainability, custom engineering, and why North America is becoming an increasingly important part of the group's future. Because sometimes differentiation doesn't come from choosing between offset, flexo, or gravure. It comes from combining them.