INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
26 January 2010, Sheraton Hotel, Warsaw

On 26th of January 2010, in Warsaw, the international conference "The latest technologies of printing on plastics" took place. The world leaders in printing on plastic technologies, as well as experts and specialists presented the latest solutions in the use of plastics in advertisement. The conference main topics were environment friendly technologies and biodegradable products..


The participants were greeted by Argo Card, Ltd., Company President, Mr. Remigiusz Montwiłł who also officially opened the conference. In his speech, Mr. Montwiłł emphasized that environment protection and ecology is a very important factor in Argo Card's activity and is based on environment friendly technologies and biodegradable products.

The first speaker was Mr. Fabio Rossi from Italy who presented a complete innovation on the Polish market - biodegradable PVC. A few weeks after its premiere in Paris a LUC-BIO material of the Italian concern Gallazzi is launched on the Polish market. The main characteristic of LUC-BIO is the fact that it disintegrates completely during only 39-month-long biodegradation process. Plastic cards made of traditional PVC disintegrate within approximately 1000 years. This is a huge ecological revolution in the plastic card market and Argo Card has already started production of biodegradable cards.


The second speaker was Mrs. Martina Mejzlikova from Germany who presented waterless printing - the latest technology of printing on plastics. This innovative offset printing technology without moistening requires using special offset plates with oleo phobic silicone layer. In the procedure of producing these printing plates laser exposure device is used which eliminates the necessity of film exposure and then developing and saving pictures on film which generates chemical waste. The main ecological aspect of the waterless technology is elimination of water and isopropyl alcohol from the printing process and a significant reduction of material waste during starting production with a new graphic design. Waterless technology guarantees greater printing contrast, colour intensity and larger printing mechanical resistance. Argo Card is the only Polish plastic card manufacturer that uses this innovative technology.

The next expert was Mr. Philip Cooper from Great Britain who presented practical aspects of lamination and die cutting of plastics. It was a very interested and useful lecture, especially for those participants who were looking for non-standard solutions. Lamination process allows to create different structures of external surfaces and to laminate elements of RFID technologies in proximity cards.


The last speaker was Mr. Andrzej Drożdż from Poland who discussed the latest methods of personalization of plastic cards and other identification elements. It was the first time for most of the participants to acquaint themselves with such a wide range of possibilities of transmitting individual characteristics to particular products. The latest personalization technology called DOD (drop on demand) attracted special attention. It is currently ousting the embossing method that is inscription pressing. The DOD method allows a permanent overprint of any shape on a card. Unfortunately, the method has colour limitations as at present it is only possible to print in black. Compared to embossing, the DOD method permits any kind of overprint and personalizes up to even 40000 cards per hour.

Argo Card Development and Marketing Manager, Mr. Grzegorz GÅ‚owacki, concluded the meeting highlighting the essential aspects of the expert speeches and presented ecological policy in the area of plastics advertising materials production. The participants were informed that Argo Card has already started production of plastic cards made of biodegradable PVC and in order to prove that, all attendees were presented with Argo Card products made of LUC-BIO which visually are no different from traditional PVC.

At the end of the conference everybody was assured that ecological activities of Argo Card and its Partners will continue as there is a strong emphasis on environmentally friendly production activities.