Agfa Serves the Perfect Cocktail for the Leather Industry
With Agfa’s Alussa inkjet printing solution, tanneries and brands get access to a next-gen decoration solution that enables them to produce genuine leather with stunning designs as well as superior performance.
The tanning industry has a long and rich history transforming raw animal hides into finished leather, a noble process that upcycles the waste from the food industry into a luxurious product through a long chain of different mainly chemical steps. Each tannery is proud of its own tailor-made tanning formulations and recipes that are handed down and perfected from generation to generation.
Yet tanneries are innovative too, continuously looking for more environmentally friendly solutions and ways to differentiate their products from the competition. For years, the industry has been experimenting with different printing techniques to add graphical images to leather. The most commonly used technologies are screen printing, pad printing and the use of foils & transfers. Inkjet has been around for some time as well, but until recently always faced limitations in terms of flexibility, rub resistance or the kinds of leathers that could be decorated. Agfa’s Alussa is the first inkjet printing solution in the market that meets all the requirements of tanneries and their customers.
Inks and chemistry in tune with the leather production process
With Alussa, Agfa has set an inkjet printing solution in the market which targets tanneries instead of traditional print shop customers. Agfa intentionally calls Alussa a process, and not a product or a printer as after thorough research, Agfa realized that the only perfect marriage between inkjet and leather tanning could be achieved when one incorporates the tanning know-how and expertise. Adding an extra chemical ink layer to the complex combination of different leather coatings can have a considerable impact on the performance of the final product – much like changing or adding one ingredient of a cocktail can make the difference between a yucky or a yummy experience. Alussa serves the perfect cocktail that everyone involved in the leather industry will appreciate and enjoy.
To fill its know-how gap in the leather process and the chemistry involved, Agfa partnered up with TFL , a worldwide producer and supplier of specialty chemicals for the leather industry and related industries. By working together, the Alussa inks were fine-tuned with respect to the leather coating chemistry and vice versa. It resulted in an inkjet process that allows the tanner to keep control over the quality and the touch ‘n feel of the leather products. By integrating inkjet printing in the tanning workflow, tanners can expand their services offer to their customers. They will benefit from fast response times and innovative customizing options, as well from products with stunning colors, detailed graphics, and an outstanding performance, including excellent flexibility and rub resistance.
Alussa is the only good solution for the decoration of genuine leather products that require superior quality. Through the perfect balance of all chemicals involved, in combination with TFL’s expertise and support, Alussa is set up for the win. Everyone involved in the leather industry will appreciate and enjoy this next generation of leather decoration that offers the perfect mix of adhesion, colour and durability.
Alussa: integrated leather printing solution
Agfa’s Alussa solution for the decoration of leather consists of:
Agfa’s Alussa UV inkjet printer that is fully adapted to leather printing
Agfa’s in-house developed Alussa UV inkjet inks
Dedicated TFL leather base and top coatings
Agfa’s Asanti workflow and color management software to drive the printing process and warrant vivid and consistent colors.
For more information, please visit inkjet.com or contact dieter.jancart@agfa.com, Alussa Business Segment Manager at Agfa.
