Offset Metal Lithographic Printing of RingCrown Bottle Closures

A Brief History of Printing

In 1436, in Mainz Germany, Johannes Gutenberg began to build his first printing press. By 1440 he had built a wooden printing press with innovative movable metal type. He went on to print in 1455 the Gutenberg Bible. Mainz became a centre for printers and spread their knowledge across Europe. Printing thus became established in over 250 European cities by 1499. The technology of printing remained in principle the same for the next 300 years.

Developments in 1798, in Germany, by Aloys Senefelder changed the principles of printing with the lithograph, which he patented in England, in 1801.

Lithography is based on the fact that oil and water do not mix. Different forms of lithographic printing became and still are a major influence on printing today.

Lithographic printing technology changed with the discovery in the early 20th century that a lithographic surface can transfer, or offset, ink to a rubber blanket and then to paper. This gave an improvement in image quality and made printing to other materials, such as metal, possible for the first time. This technique became known as offset lithographic printing.

Offset metal lithographic printing is the method of printing used by Finn-Korkki Oy to produce RingCrown steel bottle closures. Crown cork bottle closures, plate metal signage and (biscuit) tins are also printed by Finn-Korkki in this way.

Finn-Korkki´s pre-press produces the aluminium lithographic plates in-house, using computerised production of film positives to expose the lithographic plate. The lithographic plates are then used in the offset press to print full colour designs onto RingCrown bottle closures.

When more information is required, please contact Finn-Korkki by Sending an Enquiry.