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Stahl metallic coatings for sustainable brilliance
What if high-brilliance metallic packaging didn't need foil?
From beverages and cosmetics and beyond, brand owners are increasingly turning to eye-catching metallic finishes to make their packaging stand out on the shelf and online.
Stahl's metallic coatings make that possible without the extra tooling, cost and waste of traditional foil stamping and cold foil application. And without compromising on premium aesthetics or regulatory compliance.
Bringing together our proven range established in North America as LustreCoat and across EMEA as Senoprint®, Stahl now offers brand owners and converters worldwide future-ready, high-brilliance metallic coatings under the united Senoprint® brand.
Benefits
Cost-effective, recyclable alternative to hot foil stamping and cold foil application
High-brilliance, mirror-like gold and silver finishes that boost shelf appeal worldwide
In-line application removes extra tooling, steps and production waste
Compatible with flexo, gravure, offset, narrow web and screen printing
Engineered for compliance across REACH, GIO, PPWR and U.S. TSCA
Backed by Stahl's Golden Hands technical service, wherever you print
Available worldwide, uniting Stahl's EMEA and North American portfolios under Senoprint®
Engineered to outshine the alternative
For years, brand owners seeking stunning metallic packaging finishes have used hot foil stamping or cold foil application. However, these traditional techniques involve costly additional manufacturing steps, specialist tooling and large volumes of plastic waste, as well as wasted metal coating.
Stahl's metallic coatings eliminate this trade-off. Applied in-line as part of the existing print run, they offer high runnability and integrate with flexo, gravure, offset, narrow web and screen printing, giving converters flexibility across their existing equipment rather than requiring investment in a dedicated line.
And because the coating goes precisely where the brilliance is wanted, brand owners avoid the added cost of overprinting or masking unwanted metallic areas that a metallised polyester substrate requires.
Sustainability, built-in
Amid rising customer demand for sustainability and changing regulations worldwide, today’s brand owners are under pressure to achieve high-brilliance shelf appeal without the waste and complexity of traditional foiling processes.
Our metallic coatings support both circularity and compliance, without compromising on the brilliance and protection brand owners expect, by:
Applying coatings only where the effect is needed, reducing waste and raw material use
Formulating UV-cured and water-based coatings that help reduce VOC emissions
Enabling full de-inking and recyclability through standard paper recycling
Holding an EcoVadis Platinum rating for five consecutive years, as well as CEFLEX membership.
Engineering formulations to meet REACH, GIO, PPWR and U.S. TSCA requirements from the outset
Assessing indirect food-contact suitability on an application- and product-specific basis
Introducing Stahl's showstopping metallic coatings technology
Stahl's metallic coatings are engineered to deliver a luxurious, mirror-like finish across a wide range of packaging and graphic applications, from cartons and direct mail to labels and flexible formats. Our Senoprint® portfolio currently offers a range of high-brilliance mirror-like silver and gold finishes, delivering:
High-brilliance, mirror-like finish: A luxurious shine that helps packaging stand out on shelf and online, with silver and gold finishes as standard.
Broader colour palette: A full metallic colour palette can be achieved by overprinting the silver base, with higher brilliance than ink-based alternatives.
Protective performance: Every metallic coating is paired with a protective topcoat, engineered to resist abrasion, handling and environmental factors without compromising brilliance.
Process flexibility: Formulated for excellent runnability across flexo, gravure, offset, narrow web and screen printing, for consistent results at scale.
Backed by Stahl’s expertise
Every customer’s substrate, press and application behaves differently. Stahl's technicians draw on a century of coatings experience, strengthened by our acquisition of Weilburger Graphics, to deliver solutions fine-tuned to fit our customers’ needs. And because we're not reliant on a third-party manufacturer, we’re steadier against raw material volatility and can respond faster to customer needs.
Backed by our Golden Hands technical service team, we bring formulation expertise directly onto the customer's press, wherever in the world that press is running.
Customers also gain access to:
Regional R&D and application labs, for faster, more relevant development
Local production and supply, reducing lead times and exposure to global disruption
Compliance guidance across REACH, the German Ink Ordinance, PPWR and U.S. TSCA
Support in strengthening customers' own sustainability pledge, backed by Stahl's ESG credentials
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Frequently Asked Questions
Please get in touch and send us your question if it is not listed below.
What are metallic coatings and how are they used in packaging?
- Metallic coatings are high-brilliance gold and silver finishes applied in-line during printing, giving packaging a mirror-like shine for beverage, cosmetics, and promotional applications worldwide.
How do metallic coatings compare to hot foil or cold foil stamping?
Are Stahl's metallic coatings recyclable and sustainable?
What markets and applications do Stahl's metallic coatings support?
Does Stahl provide technical support for implementing metallic coatings?
What is Senoprint®?
Key takeways:
Stahl metallic coatings deliver eye-catching, high-brilliance gold and silver packaging finishes to enhance brand appeal
Stahl is bringing a proven metallic coatings portfolio to brand owners and converters worldwide, uniting its established EMEA Senoprint® range with its North American range, previously sold as LustreCoat.
Stahl's formulations are engineered to deliver both performance and sustainability: Senoprint® metallic coatings include energy-cured and water-based options, and are fully recyclable.
Metallic coatings be integrated into a range of printing workflows, including flexo, gravure and offset presses, narrow-web and screen printing, as well as a vast range of substrates.
Stahl's metallic coatings are engineered to meet regulatory requirements across major markets, including REACH, GIO, PPWR and U.S. TSCA.
About the authors:
Angela Smits
Sustainability Manager Packaging Coatings
Focuses on advancing sustainability initiatives and integrating ESG principles within packaging coating solutions.
André Garber
Head of Business Development Packaging Coatings (EMEA)
Leads business development for Packaging Coatings across EMEA, focusing on driving sustainable growth through customer‑centric solutions and strategic partnerships.
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