Inkcups, a Danvers, Massachusetts-based supplier and manufacturer of printing and product decoration equipment, announced that it will showcase new direct-to-object digital and pad printing technology at the PRINTING United Expo in Las Vegas.
Direct-to-object printing allows decorators and suppliers to print onto cylindrical products like tumblers, glasses, drinkware, candle holders and more without the need to fill the product with a UV-blocking substance.
“Inkcups strives to continually innovate and push boundaries with our technology, and we love being able to showcase that to the wider industry,” Matthew Medford, vice president of engineering for Inkcups, said in a press statement. “With growing interest from the packaging world in our direct-to-object printing technology, we anticipate a lot of interest surrounding Nano Pin Curing technology on the Helix line.”
It’s that Nano Pin Curing technology (patent pending) that allows printers to eschew the UV-blocking substance, which is commonly used in decorating methods like screen printing or direct-to-film printing
Inkcups is also hoping to capture the attention of some of the distributors on site who might be interested in print-on-demand capabilities, especially those who might be going from the traditional print world and dipping their toes into decorated hard goods, too.
“Personalization and print-on-demand are real areas of opportunity for so much of the industry, it will be great to demonstrate those possibilities,” Benjamin Adner, chief innovation officer and founder of Inkcups, said in the press release. “Earlier this year, we demonstrated a similar print-on-demand workflow at FESPA Amsterdam, receiving exceptionally positive feedback, and expect the same response stateside.”
Among decorators and distributors who outsource some printing jobs, drinkware is one of the most commonly outsourced jobs. ASI research found that among decorators who decorate in-house and also contract out certain jobs, 73% said they outsourced drinkware jobs over the last year. It was second only to bags (76%) and tied with writing instruments.
Being that drinkware is also one of the most popular product categories within promo, having the capability to print on demand and remove some steps from the printing process by printing directly to the cylindrical object could make the process more appealing to decorators and distributors alike.
