Digital Embellishment Meets Coating: How Hybrid Technology Is Changing Print

From Coating Roots to Digital Possibilities

In a recent interview with WhatTheyThink, Nick Bruno discussed the evolution of Harris & Bruno and how coating continues to shape the future of print. With humble beginnings as a small machine shop in 1948, Harris & Bruno has grown into a global powerhouse and leading manufacturer of premium coating and embellishment technologies, helping printers deliver both protection and premium visual effects.

Coating has always been about protection and presentation. In both web and sheet-fed environments, chamber and anilox systems provide the foundation for consistent laydown, high speeds, and reliable curing. As inkjet quality and throughput demands have surged, those same fundamentals now enable a new frontier in finishing, where tactile feel and visual impact create real value.

Why Coating Still Matters in an Inkjet World

Even with advances in inks and media, print providers still face wide variability across papers and synthetic medias. Pre-coat and barrier layers help stabilize color, improve adhesion, and control dot gain. Post-coat finishes, from high gloss to soft touch matte, add durability and the looks that both brands and print buyers demand. The result is predictable image quality paired with the emotional impact that turns a good print into a premium product.

Digital Embellishment Meets Analog Coating in a Single Pass

Traditional embellishment methodologies require multiple offline processes, which add time and complexity to production. With Harris & Bruno’s new digital embellishment press, the ZRX, printers can now bring chamber-anilox flood coating and digital embellishment together in a single pass. The chamber-anilox station lays down barrier or flood coatings with precision, while inkjet heads apply spot, raised, and foil effects for dimensional detail. By uniting these technologies inline, the ZRX eliminates additional finishing steps, and creates a streamlined workflow that scales seamlessly from prototypes to full production.

The Emboss-Like Look Without Dies

One of the most striking effects uniquely offered by the ZRX is the exclusive xMatte finish. This finish allows text, logos, and patterns to appear to rise from the sheet with depth and shadow to deliver the look and feel of embossing without the need for metal dies or additional equipment. Because the effect is digitally driven, every sheet can be different, allowing for personalization, versioning, or short-run campaigns that would be impossible with traditional embossing. The result is a raised-matte tactile finish that captures attention, adds value, and opens new creative opportunities for brands and designers.

xMatte dots around Gold Foil

Uncoated Media, Elevated

Uncoated stocks are gaining popularity for their natural texture, sustainable appeal, and cost efficiency. However, digital embellishment has long struggled with these substrates because uncoated sheets absorb UV polymers, preventing full curing and creating potentially hazardous handling risks. The ZRX solves this with its chamber-anilox flood coating station, which applies a protective base layer before digital embellishment. This barrier ensures safe, complete, and reliable spot-UV curing. It also enhances the adhesion of raised coatings and foils while preserving the paper-first aesthetic that brands and designers value.

Smarter Workflows, Faster Launches

The hybrid analog-digital system of the ZRX enables rapid prototyping because you can move from a design file to a production-identical sample in hours. Combining the chamber-anilox system with digital inkjet technology allows for single pass embellishment, without the need for any additional processes. No dies, no screens, and minimal changeover. When a concept hits, scale it immediately. When a brand wants to tweak texture density or foil coverage, adjust the files and keep moving.

Sustainability Considerations

Reducing make-ready, eliminating consumable tooling, and enabling embellishment on uncoated stocks significantly decreases materials used across campaigns. Inline workflows also cut down on transport between stations or vendors, which reduces labor, energy use, and waste. Just as importantly, the ZRX eliminates the need for lamination in order to digitally embellish uncoated sheets. This not only lowers costs but also aligns with sustainability initiatives, particularly in regions like the EU where regulations are moving against plastic-based lamination. The result is a smarter, greener approach to premium print.

Are You Ready for Hybrid Embellishment?

If your team is running high speed inkjet or offset and fielding more requests for premium finishes, hybrid analog and digital coating can bridge the gap between speed and standout design. It gives you control over the base layers that ensure print quality and the digital precision that wins attention.

Ready to dive in? Reach out and let’s start the conversation.

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