Growing digital heat transfer decoration

In 2001 CDigital, based in Baltimore, Maryland, set out to revolutionize the optical media market with digitally printed heat transfer decoration for CDs and DVDs. Heat transfer decoration uses a combination of heat and pressure to carry an image onto a product via film liner. However, the target market was too mature to adopt a new technology.

In 2006 the company needed to find alternate markets to fill its printing assets. Therefore, CDigital hired a full-time chemist to assist in developing the films, adhesives and decorating process that would allow the business to expand its decoration capabilities outside polycarbonate materials. And, it wanted to use transfers to decorate non-flat or shaped products. Today CDigital uses 24 proprietary adhesives and nine patented film constructions to embellish most plastics and metals, glass and ceramics.

The converter believes it has a purely digital mission. Says CDigital CEO, Paul Smith, ‘Like many companies, we produce transfers. The difference is that we believe that transfer customers increasingly want the digital advantages of affordable full color decoration on a fast turn basis regardless of the run size. They may also want to go digital for shorter runs for inventory control or some sort of variable data decoration element. As the world becomes more digital, brands are recognizing the value of incorporating the technology into their various decoration programs.’