company info

our paper

William Arthur offers all major print processes for the customer to choose from. These include:

Flat Printing - Technically known as Offset/Lithography and is recognized by clean edges and smooth print.

Thermography Printing - Freshly printed inks are dusted with a powder compound. After the excess powder on the non-printing areas is removed by vacuum, the sheet passes under a heater, which fuses the ink and powdered compound. The printing swells or raises to simulate the look of engraving.

Matte Thermography - Same as thermography printing except that an alternative powder compound is used. Matte thermography printing is not as shiny, resulting in the dull or "matte" look.

UV Thermography - Same as thermography printing except that an alternative powder compound is used. UV thermography printing is generally used on stationery paper for consumers to use in their home printers so the ink will not smudge or melt.

Engraving - Letters and designs are cut or etched into a copper plate. The plate is inked so that all sub-surfaces are filled with ink, then the surface is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the depressed (or sunken) areas of the plate. The paper is forced against the plate with tremendous pressure, drawing the ink from the depressed areas. This produces the characteristic indented or bruised impression on the back of the paper.

Blind Embossing - Similar to the Engraving process, but without ink. The plate is pressed into the paper creating a raised look to the text or design. As blind embossing requires thicker lines to produce a clear impression in the paper, it is recommended to use typestyles, monograms and designs suitable for embossing only.

Letterpress Printing - The oldest and most versatile method of printing was originally produced from cast metal type or plates on which the image or printing areas are raised above the non-printing areas of the plate. Ink touchs only the top surface of the raised areas; the surrounding (non-printing) areas are lower and do not receive ink. The inked image is transferred directly into the paper. Sometimes a slight embossing (because of denting) appears on the reverse side of the paper. The letterpress image is usually sharp and crisp.

A William Arhtur Press