Magnetic Materials’ Versatility Helps Business Growth Stick

The force of magnetism plays an essential role in our lives. We shouldn’t underestimate the virile, sometimes inexplicable, variety that makes potential partners gravitate toward one another, but the more tangible type is also vital. Remember how, in grade-school science class, you were awed when a pole magnet picked up iron shavings? How could you celebrate Caleb or Lindsay’s newest artistic creation on your refrigerator without magnets? And, above all, magnetic materials provide more grown-up solutions for customers’ branding needs.

The market’s evolution mirrors the progression of printing technology, with inkjet printers offering more vivid graphic production than offset, flexographic or screenprinted magnetic materials. Like its roll-media brethren gained years before, new-generation, printable magnetic materials contain an integral coating that enables decoration without precoating. And, an array of complementary tools assists graphic providers who apply magnetic media across myriad surfaces.

Read on as several material vendors, and a signshop that produces magnetic signage, offer product information and tips that will help customers’ brands “stick” in the minds of would-be customers.

Magnum Magnetics
Magnum Magnetics Corp. (Marietta, OH) has been applying vinyl to magnets since it opened its doors in 1991. Marketing manager Nicole Sheridan notes how the company has adapted to different printing technologies: “With screenprinting, you can print any thickness, but offset, wide-format and sheet-fed digital printing are limited as to the thickness and weight that the machines can handle.”
The company’s 30-mil SignMag® and DigiMag® materials are most commonly used for signs. They’re basically the same product, except DigiMag® is printable and SignMag® isn’t. SignMag® is ideal for overlaminates.
“We recommend the 30-mil MuscleMag® for outdoor signage because it can be exposed to wind and different weather conditions,” Sheridan said. SignMag® and DigiMag® are most suitable for inside applications, such as menuboards and POP.
“NatureMag™ has been popular with environmentally conscious customers. It’s produced to be equally as strong as our normal magnetic material. Because it has 100% post-consumer recycled paper, we don’t recommend using it outdoors; it isn’t as durable as a vinyl or polypropylene,” she adds.
“We currently offer material up to 24.375 in. wide for use with solvent, eco-solvent, UV, latex, indigo oil, water-based, conventional offset, alcohol and toner inks,” Sheridan said.
For users, Sheridan advises, “Make sure the surface that will receive the magnetic material is clean, dry and flat. Dirt and debris between the magnet and the surface create extra space that will reduce the graphics’ magnetic pull. Magnum recommends cleaning the surface of the magnet and the magnetic-receptive surface with a mild detergent soap.”
Similarly, she observes, “Many providers are nervous about printing directly on the magnetic material, so they print on a vinyl, then apply it to the magnetic material. If they apply too much tension to the magnetic material, it will curl up and not lay flat. The vinyl pulls in the opposite direction of magnet, and this reduces the magnetic pull toward the wall.”
As for the magnetic-material market, she sees the largest growth in ad specialties. Additionally, she says, “Retailers are starting to use magnetic material more and more. Many of them are new to the magnetic concept, but they like being able to put a seasonal display up and take it down quickly. The ease of changing out graphics reduces labor. Retailers also use magnets for pricing and products that change quickly.”
 

Flexmag
Flexmag Industires, the flexible-magnet division of Rochester, NY-based Arnold Magnetics, has manufactured printable sheet for approximately 25 years. The company extrudes and calenders its magnetic material, Steve McLevey, the company’s customer-service and product manager, said. Extruded magnetic sheet provides a smoother surface, while calendered sheet offer more versatility. He also noted digital-inkjet printing’s evolution as a key development.

“The resolution and color pop achievable with inkjet printing on magnetic sheet is remarkable,” he said. “There are still times when offset- or screenprinting is advantageous, such as if you need to deliver a high-volume run at a lower price point, but, digital and inkjet printing has made magnetic-sheet decoration more viable for many signage and graphics providers.”

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McLevey provided several production and handling pointers to shops new to magnetic-sheet production: “First, make sure you’re using the proper ink with the proper material for the job. If the graphic is going to spend any time outdoors, it needs to be produced with components made to handle the elements. Also, when you’re storing the material, roll the material with the print side out or lay it flat. Otherwise, the material will warp and not lay flat on a steel surface.”

He continued, “And, remember, this isn’t scrim material or paper you’re printing. You may need to adjust the printing speed. Magnetic media is thicker, and the ink takes longer to dry. It’s a heavier material, so make sure the roll isn’t too heavy for your equipment. If your customer is purchasing a vehicle graphic, make sure you’re using 0.03-in.-thick sheet, and the buyer understands how to take care of the sign. They’ll need to remove it at least once a week – more during hot, humid weather – and keep both the sign and the vehicle surface clean and dry.”

McLevey also reminds inkjet-printer users to verify whether their printers have steel components that could make magnetic sheets stick. If so, he said the user needs to conceal the parts with Teflon® tape or non-magnetic material. The alternative is to print with unmagnetized material, and then magnetize post-print.
McLevey noted that eco- and full-solvent inks yield a high-quality print, and UV-ink printing also creates a good product. However, he said the company was still undergoing testing for latex-ink applications.

The company’s most recent magnetic-sheet product, Flexcoat-EZ™, features a printable, coated-surface sheet that’s compatible with most printing processes and reportedly eliminates curling and lamination issues. According to the company, it’s fully recyclable and contains no phthalates (plasticizers that some studies claim can lead to endocrine-system and metabolic-process disruption with heavy exposure).

Although ad specialties – such as refrigerator magnets and printed logos – remain the most common magnetic-media applications, he said vehicle graphics, banner add-ons and POP are growing in use.
The company also offers flexible strip extrusions, which are designed for POP and exhibit displays, up to 6 in. wide and 0.375 in. thick.

MagX America
MagX America, Inc. (Cincinnati) has produced flexible magnetic sheeting since 1965. Its product repertoire includes XTRUmag, an all-purpose product available in 24.375- or 40-in. widths that may be screenprinted or inkjet-printed; SOLVmag, 0.02- or 0.03-in.-thick, 40-in.-wide material designed expressly for solvent-inkjet printing; Inkjet PAPERmag, a 24.375-in.-wide, indoor-grade material designed for water-based-ink printing; and Pitaemon, a 6-mil material that’s designed for desktop, inkjet printing.

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John Kanis, the company’s executive VP and general manager, said shops that offer magnetic products should familiarize themselves with the material.“With so many vendors on the market today, many compete solely on price,” he said. “Many products aren’t the equivalent of what was universally available on the market 30 years ago. Poor-quality fillers, binders and other components will migrate into a vehicle’s finish and cause staining and sticking that damage a vehicle’s surface.”

Kanis continued, “Inkjet printing is ideal for short- to medium-run, magnetic-media projects, but for high-volume projects, screen-printing is more cost-effective.”

To prepare vehicles for magnetic signage, Kanis recommends following MagX’s cleaning and care guidelines that accompany every roll. For interior walls, Kanis recommends using semi-gloss or gloss paints before application; he noted that flat- or matte-finish paints don’t provide enough surface energy to provide an optimal bond.

He said the most common mistakes magnetic-media users make is selecting too thin of a magnet product for an application. The thicker the media, the stronger its pull. For example, according to MagX’s website, its 30-mil media offers approximately double the pull strength of its 15-mil material, and roughly 40% more than the 20-mil substrate.

“The cost of rework and the loss of business dwarf the small difference in price between a thicker and thinner product,” he said.

Regarding magnetic-media’s market prognosis, Kanis said, “Even through recessions, there’s demand for advertising, and the cost-effective messages that can be delivered through magnetic media will remain strong.”

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Considering product developments in the market, he said, stronger ferrite powders currently in development will yield a stronger and thinner, yet more affordable, magnetic-sheet product.

Master Magnetics
Master Magnetics (Castle Rock, CO) offers 12 to 42.125-in.-wide rolls of 0.12-in.-thick PrintMagnet paper-stock material for interior applications, and PrintMagnetVinyl outdoor-grade material sold in 12- to 60-mil thicknesses. According to Melissa Thompson, the company’s sales manager, the indoor material can be printed with most aqueous, dye- or pigment-based inks. PrintMagnetVinyl, an outdoor-grade media, is greenlighted for use with Mutoh, HP, Gerber Scientific Products, EFI-VUTEk, Océ and many others.

In addition to storing the material print side out, she also said it’s important to not unfurl or install magnetic media outside of its intended temperature range: “Installing the product in conditions under 60ºF isn’t recommended. Like any other plastic- or rubber-based material, cold will cause stiffness and make the product less pliable.”

She added, “We’ve seen a lot of growth in the vehicle-graphic market, because magnetic material offers an effective, low-cost option compared to wraps or handpainted graphics. Its improving ink retention and flexibility have also made it more effective.”

Master Magnetics also produces FlexIron™, a magnetically receptive sheet media that may either be decorated or serve as a backing layer for PrintMagnet material that can be finished on a punch press or scissor-, knife- or die-cut. Common applications include POP displays and exhibit graphics, surface-mounted signs and messageboards. Vinyl-coated FlexIron products, designed for indoor or outdoor use, may be imprinted directly with solvent, eco-solvent, UV and latex inks, or screenprinted.

For long-term installations, or if the customers wants to create a writable surface, the material may be laminated with pressure or low-thermal topcoats where lamination doesn’t exceed 180°F. The company also offers magnetic sheeting and strips, designed for POP applications, and 25-lb.-pull-strength magnets that secure graphics during vehicle-wrap installations.

SignARama (Carmel, IN)
Joel and Mary Hall founded SignARama’s Carmel, IN location in March 2000. He said digitally printed graphics comprise 28% of his shop’s business; within that subset, he noted magnetics represent approximately 7% of its printed materials.

“For most of our magnetic projects, we print on a Roland SolJet 5400 with 3M material, and apply it to the magnetic material after printing,” he said. “The Roland printer is older, but it’s a workhorse that gives us good results. When we’ve had to produce larger graphics, we direct print on Magnum Magnetics’ DigiMag [30-mil] material. We sometimes cut vinyl on a Graphtec FC-8000 plotter before we apply the magnetic layer.”

Hall said owners of small building-contractor companies and start-up, home-based businesses represent most of his magnetic-sign customers. Moreover, he noted that spring is when customers are most likely to purchase magnetic materials, when home-repair and renovation business spikes. Hall also emphasized shops should be prepared for extensive graphic manipulation for logo creation or clean-up.

“Medium- and large-sized businesses, which have their own graphic-design professionals, or partner with a well-qualified firm, are better prepared to create high-resolution or vector art,” he said. “However, the smaller businesses that order magnetic signs are typically using [Microsoft] Publisher or PowerPoint, which often create low-resolution graphics that present challenges. To clean up these images, we generally use CorelDraw, and occasionally Adobe Illustrator or [SA Intl.’s] FlexiSign.”

After the shop finishes the design phase, it uses Roland’s VersaWorks RIP software to prep the graphics for printing, or FlexiSign Pro, if the graphics are being plotter cut. For all magnetic material that will be applied to vehicles, it shapes the material with a corner rounder because square edges are more prone to trap moisture and cause the edges to lose adhesion.

“When our customers pick up the graphics, we walk them through cleaning, installation and care for the material,” Hall said. “We advise them to avoid placing it in contoured areas that could create a gap between the surface and the graphic, and to clean the vehicle and graphic at least once a month if it’s to be kept long-term. And, of course, don’t run a magnet-clad vehicle through a car wash.”

And, he said, make sure the customer plans to install the material on a magnetic surface – steel. “If it’s being applied to a car, ask the user if it’s a steel surface. We had a customer order a magnetic sign, show up in his truck with fiberglass door panels, and be shocked when the magnetic graphic fell off each time he tried to put it on. Now, we always make sure beforehand.”

Visual Magnetics
Visual Magnetics LP (Mendon, MA) unveiled the collection in its MagnaMedia® magnetic-receptive, interior-wallcovering system at GlobalShop, a retail-design tradeshow and conference, in 2007. Dan Halkyard, the company’s director of marketing and product management, said retail graphics remained the company’s strongest market, but noted its products were also gaining traction in hospitality and educational environments. The system includes the ActiveWall® “micro-iron” wall coating (it contains iron pigment) that actives a surface’s magnetic receptivity, an InvisiLock magnet that’s applied to painted surfaces, and the MagnaMedia fabric on which images are printed.

Its offerings include, among other media, POLYgloss®, a 10-mil, glossy, photographic-quality polyester film designed for full- or eco-solvent-ink printing; POLYeight®, a 12-mil, satin-finish, white polyester film designed for screen, lithographic and digital printing (a glossy, UV-cure-ink version is also available); and, POLYfive, a 9-mil, satin-finish, polyester film made from up to 50% post-consumer soda bottles that’s inkjet, screen and lithographic-printable. Before the substrates were introduced on the market, the company subjected them to fire-safety and recyclability testing, as well as real-time application trials at various beta-testing sites. The company offers a printer-compatibility chart for the materials on its website.

“The product’s intended application is dictated by the base material,” Halkyard said. “For example, polyester films withstand heat better than polypropylene materials, and are thus better suited for projects that will be exposed to heat and indirect sunlight. Similarly, fabrics are better suited to images with texture than smooth films.”

Halkyard said the wall-decoration system is relatively straightforward, and application problems, if they occur, often stem from insufficiently cleaning the wall surface prior to application, or applying too-thin coats of primer. He said lamination is only required in high-traffic areas where the material will be frequently touched, or where it will encounter frequent or extreme environmental hazards.

Regarding future enhancements, Halkyard said, “Some key product innovations will include media with enhanced textures and constructed from sustainable materials. Eco-friendly substrates are in demand from our customers, and they’re a good business practice whenever possible. Also, enhancements with magnetic technology will enhance layering possibilities and augment the types of surfaces to which our products can be applied.”

The company also offers a system for “retired” MagnaMedia graphics. The company invites customers to send the spent graphics to its Mendon address. The company subsequently delivers them to Covanta Energy Inc., which recycled 85% of the material back into steel production, and converts the remainder into electricity.