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As a leader in providing next generation marketing solutions, Cohber defines the future. We're on the cutting edge of the industry and we're constantly generating buzz. Here is Cohber in action:

Sustainable Printing

(Rochester, NY)
FSC certified – Member of the Rainforest Allianced

In many forests around the world, logging still contributes to habitat destruction, water pollution, displacement of indigenous peoples and violence against people who work in the forest and the wildlife that dwells there.

Many consumers of wood and paper, and many forest products companies believe that the link between logging and these negative impacts can be broken, and that forests can be managed and protected at the same time.

Cohber agrees, and has become one of the elite communications companies to receive an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council certification).

Cohber also is a member of the Rainforest Alliance with the mission to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.

UV Inks

For years Cohber has been using exclusively Vegetable and Soy based printing inks for their Environmentally Friendly impact and to be a responsible “Green” printer. Recently Cohber added to their repertoire of products a Greener and more Sustainable printing process with the use of UV Curable Inks for paper. 

With the addition of the UV capable 8 color Heidelberg Speedmaster Cohber has offered High Gloss Liquid Lamination and the capabilities to print on metallics and plastics.  Only recently though in an effort to react to extremely quick turnarounds on uncoated papers have we begun to use the UV Inks as a solution.

What sets UV inks apart from conventional inks in an offset environment is the drying time. When printing with conventional solvent based offset inks the drying time to handle coated papers is measured in hours and increases depending on the volume of ink on the printed sheet.  Heavy coverage printing on uncoated papers can take days to dry.  With UV inks the printing process is the same except when the “wet inks” pass by a UV emitting light they dry in seconds.  The UV light creates a chemical reaction that turns the wet ink (fluid) into a dry solid. In contrast Conventional Inks contain resins and solvents (VOC’s or Volatile Organic Compounds) that dry via a combination of absorption and evaporation for drying to occur.  That process can take a fair amount of time and it releases VOC’s in the process.

Greener Solutions – Environmentally Friendly

When conventional petroleum, vegetable or soy based inks all contain a varying amount of solvent in their formulas as they dry the solvents evaporate and release VOC’s.  Volatile Organic Compounds are identified as a contributing reactive agent that will harm the earth’s Ozone layer.  UV Inks are truly a step in a greener direction as they contain NO VOC’s that contribute to Ozone degradation.

Higher Quality – Higher Durability- Higher Productivity

Because the ink dries immediately when exposed to UV light the ink does not have the time to soak into the paper as conventional inks do.  This benefit produces sharper images and is highly evident when printing on Uncoated Papers.  The results on uncoated papers are outstanding and rival the results you typically see on coated stocks. Because the ink dries immediately the typical restrictions and fears from using too much ink and causing set off and marking are gone.  The sharper printing and the ability to run increased ink volumes without drying or marking issues translates into cleaner brighter more saturated colors with greater overall print contrast.

Now with the opportunity to obtain outstanding results on uncoated papers also means that you can access more environmentally friendly recycled paper stocks that contain significantly higher percentages of Post Consumer Waste (PCW).  We still have not see a 100% PCW coated paper but there are several very nice 100% PCW uncoated papers available and many more coming.

Heavy coverage, high quality printing with up to 8 colors makes this process a perfect fit for Fashion Advertising, Annual Reports and Art and Museum work and now possible using stocks with 100% PCW.

Since all of the ink film that is transferred to the substrate is cured into a solid and not reduced via absorption and evaporation the resulting layer of ink is much thicker and results in a more durable finish. When using conventional inks on uncoated paper it is almost a necessity to use a varnish to seal ink film as much of the fluids and solvents in the ink are sucked into the paper and mostly loose pigment is left on the surface.  With UV Ink dry what’s left on the top of the substrate surface is a solid ink film not compromised by absorption or evaporation making the dry printed surface less susceptible to marking, abrasion, and the typical knife burns that you see with conventional vegetable or soy inks.

When you have an impossible deadline with demanding high quality job that has no margin for compromise this is the process that can deliver the positive outcome you need. Heavy coverage with rich deep color that can come off the press dry that and be immediately be backed up or go to post-production that’s a huge productivity gain than can make all the difference.

IT IS POSITIVELY GREEN!

About Cohber
Cohber is a full-service printing and marketing communications company specializing in solutions from direct-to-plate printing to full service marketing solutions. From ink on paper and digital asset management to variable document composition, variable email blasts, and personalized URL development (pURL), Cohber provides customers with solutions that have earned the company award-winning recognition as an invaluable partner in the communication process.