Konica Minolta and Print Panther Team up to Bring First MGI JETvarnish 3DS and iFOIL System to Canada

Innovative digital finishing technology promises to be a game changer for Canadian print, packaging and related industries

Mississauga, ON – June 1, 2016 – Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd. (Konica Minolta), a leading provider of production printing systems, is pleased to announce the first Canadian installation of MGI JETvarnish 3DS and iFOIL system at Print Panther in Oakville, Ontario. This groundbreaking technology takes advanced finishing to the next level and offers the Canadian print industry an exciting range of new market opportunities.

Using MGI's patented inkjet and hot foil stamping processes, the JETvarnish 3DS and in-line iFOIL provides digital spot UV coating in plain 2D and 3D formats, plus, embossed and foil textured effects - all in a single pass. Key highlights include:

• Digital spot UV coating process that is 100% variable-data capable, including barcode reader options enabling custom spot varnished prints with unique graphics, text and numeric data
• Integrated UV curing dries sheets instantly through a conveyor belt without ozone or required solvents in runs from one to thousands of sheets
• In-line digital hot foil and embossing functions with the varnish application process handling substrates and sheets up to 52 × 105 cm from 135 to 600 gsm
• Precise piezo (drop-on-demand) print heads allow for lines as small as 0.3 mm
• Fast start-up without plates, screens or waste running up to 2,298 A3 pages per hour

According to Chris Dewart, president and CEO, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd., "When we announced our strategic partnership with MGI back in February, we knew it wouldn't take long to start gaining traction. Bringing Print Panther on board with this particular product is very exciting as it's the first in Canada. With strong digital and specialty printing expertise, we are looking forward to seeing new and exciting applications to come from Print Panther."

Christine Yardley, VP marketing and sales, North America at Print Panther says, "Thanks to the fully digital JETvarnish 3DS spot coating integration with the personalization of the iFOIL hot foiling module, Print Panther can help its customers create stronger emotional connections to their brands. Our digital focus is really giving us an edge in the marketplace. We can now manage complex projects flexibly, more efficiently and in less time. When clients see the output from our new system, they are simply amazed!"

In April 2016, Konica Minolta announced an additional 30.5% stake investment in MGI, which increases Konica Minolta's stake in the company to 40.5% and adds full line of MGI's products for commercial print, labels and packaging to Konica Minolta's existing and growing portfolio. As with any new technology, the list of applications for MGI JETvarnish 3DS and iFOIL will significantly grow with more exposure. Some of the initial applications that Print Panther foresees include custom packaging, pocket folders, custom binders, wine labels, shopping bags, braille, business cards, brochures and others. Print Panther intends to produce personalized, vivid and tactile 3D spot coating and embossed hot foil stamping applications from its digital finishing system which were previously unattainable due to price points.

You can read about the first Canadian installation of MGI JETvarnish 3DS and iFOIL system in the next issue of Graphic Arts Magazine on June 6, 2016. The cover will showcase digital finishing from MGI JETvarnish 3DS and iFOIL system with the inside story presenting its lucrative potential for the Canadian printing industry.

About Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd. is one of the world's leaders in information management focused on enterprise content, technology optimization and cloud services. Our portfolio of offerings deliver solutions to improve our customers' speed to market, manage technology costs, and facilitate the sharing of information to increase productivity.

Konica Minolta has won numerous awards and recognition, including placement in the Leaders Quadrant of the 2014 Magic Quadrant for Managed Print Services (MPS) and Managed Content Services (MCS). Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for nine consecutive years. Konica Minolta has also been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for four years in a row. For more information, please visit: www.KonicaMinolta.ca and follow Konica Minolta onLinkedIn, Twitter @KonicaMinoltaCA, and YouTube.

About Print Panther

Print Panther prides itself on developing unique, creative print and finishing solutions. With deep industry expertise, they continually push the boundaries of the printed page offering clients the highest quality and hands-on creative support from inception to completion. Founded in 1997, the business began as Binders Galore, manufacturing eco-friendly presentation materials. Over the years, partners Alan Dryburgh and Christine Yardley found that customers increasingly asked for new and innovative ideas for their business print materials. In response to this demand, Print Panther was born in 2013. Together Dryburgh and Yardley use their combined 60+ years of experience to produce inspired work that is a step beyond the expected. For more information, please visit: www.printpanther.ca and follow Print Panther on LinkedIn.

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