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Matti - Printing The Impossible: Book Edge Innovation

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Printing clean, durable artwork on the edges of a finished book sounds like magic—until you see how the right heads, inks, and control systems make it routine. We sit down with Martin Letzner and Thomas Amrein of Matti Technology to unpack how their single pass, head-agnostic approach delivers vibrant colour on three edges at up to 4,000 books per hour, straight to pallet with no smearing. The secret? High-viscosity inks that resist capillary wicking, higher pigment loads for pop, and smart transport with cameras and real-time warping to handle imperfect spines and shifting pressure in stacked books.

We walk through the journey from lab tests to turnkey machines built to slot into existing pre- and post-press lines. Thomas explains how close collaboration with ink manufacturers leads to tailored formulations that run dryer-free, while Martin highlights the operator-friendly design: traffic-light machine health, on-the-fly adjustments, and simple, one-button operation that cuts labour costs. Shorter runs are driving the roadmap toward automated format changes and, ultimately, true book-of-one capability—where every book can vary in size and edge artwork without stopping the line.

The conversation stretches beyond books. The same principles apply to products with book-like proportions—think cigar boxes, folding cartons, and flooring packs—where edge graphics and codes can unlock new branding and security options. With extended gamut on the horizon and more ink channels in development, Maty is pushing colour and consistency while keeping energy use in check by avoiding heavy drying. It’s a clear picture of how Swiss engineering turns a tricky, manual niche into a scalable competitive advantage for printers, finishers, and packaging converters.

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FuturePrint TECH: Industrial Print: 21-22 January '26, Munich, Germany


SPEAKER_00:

Welcome to the Future Print Podcast, celebrating print technology and the people behind it.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, hi there, and welcome to today's Future Print Podcast. And I'm very pleased to have two guests with me. Two I'd like to think of you guys as friends now. You've been working with us for quite a bit of time. It's Martin and Thomas from Maty Technology. Gentlemen, great to see you. Good to be speaking to you. Hi Fraser. Thanks for having us. No problem at all. For anyone who doesn't know Maty Technology, I'm going to ask you, one of you, just to intro yourself as a company. And then maybe the other one could just intro themselves. So who's going to do the Mati piece? No, I can I can do the Mati piece. So let's just let's just get Martin to introduce himself. Martin, tell us who you are and what do you do for Mati.

SPEAKER_03:

I'm Martin Letzner, and I'm the chief sales officer at Mati and uh about three years now with Mati and uh responsible for sales and marketing.

SPEAKER_01:

It seems so much longer, Martin, that you've been there. Yeah, thank you very much. And then Thomas, Thomas, just intro yourself and tell us a bit about Mati technology because it's an amazing technology.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, my name is Thomas Amrind. Um I acquired the company in 2015 and have since then been uh at the company as a CEO. And what we are doing is uh in a nutshell, we're doing single pass inkjet. Sounds very easy, is not. Um and uh and for that we have um you know um developed an approach where we um pursue an inkjet head agnostic approach. That means we work with all the major manufacturers for inkjet heads, and we basically choose the right head for the right application with the right ink and build single pass inkjet machines. Yeah, that can be a really turnkey machinery. We have all the components that are required in-house. Uh, we develop everything in-house except obviously the printheads, um, but that really puts us in a position to be a very capable turnkey machine manufacturer.

SPEAKER_01:

Got it, got it. And and therefore, as you said yourself, quite agnostic about whose technology you use. It's more, I guess, about the application, isn't it? The particular application that you're focusing on. Is that right?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that's right. That's right. So we we always start the journey in the lab. Um, we do a lot of process engineering, testing, proof of concept, till we find the right combination. And as soon as we have that, um there's no stopping us.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, of course. And you're based in Switzerland, not far from Zurich, is that right?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, it's um it's closer to the to the German border or uh to to Austria as well. We are close to the to the Lake of Konstanz, but not far from Zurich, from the airport, 45 minutes.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, not far at all.

SPEAKER_03:

Um if there is no traffic.

SPEAKER_01:

Of course. Uh I I'm gonna talk to you about the Chrono Edge Book Edge printing technology because that's what you're focusing on, and that's what you'll be talking about at our event in Munich in January. So, Martin, just explain. We we we may have been we've looked at this a little bit before. This technology is really interesting. A lot of people are blown away by it. So explain it a little bit to us.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so so the Chromo H system um has really started from as as with most of our projects, uh, customers know um what we can do, and they you know come with all sorts of ideas, very interesting ideas, sometimes even crazy ideas, where where we're the ones who have to say no. But uh, also here we had a very significant customer approaching us and um asking us to build a solution that can handle um a lot of books printed on the sides until today is a very manual process. And um, yeah, we accepted the challenge. We then sort of went into us and uh developed a really nice concept, and from there uh we took it to uh to to a first prototype to a product that we are now selling on the market.

SPEAKER_01:

Sure, got it. Um for me to understand this, I I just want to ask you because it's quite difficult to print on an edge, isn't it? So so that's quite a challenging thing to do. Martin, do you do you want to explain what the challenges are for this kind of application?

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, um, yeah, the the main challenge was uh to bring all the disciplines uh named by uh speed of handle the books, quality, and uh the the handling of different book types and implementation in existing pre- and post-processing systems of the customer. Sure. These disciplines all together is uh really challenged us, really, but yeah, in the end, commission approved. Accomplished.

SPEAKER_02:

And may maybe to add to that, I think um that that is really um one aspect where this um inkjet head agnostic approach comes to play. So when printing on an on a on a on a cut edge, uh of course you have a capillary effect from the pages. So um with a normal ink, with a low viscosity ink, um this ink would be pulled into the pages and it would sort of leave a not so nice image inside the book. And um here we explicitly used um the uh high viscosity approach. That means our ink is uh thicker than normal inks are, and you don't have this capillary effect. On the other hand, um when you are using a printhead that has uh capability to jet such a high viscosity ink, you can put more pigment in, and more pigment will give much more vibrant colors than you will have with a low viscosity ink, where there is typically less ink inside. And on the other hand, you have the possibility to even reduce humectans, which um allows us to print these books without the drying system at the end. So that means these books are coming out of our machine in line and um you know have a dry and uh crash-proof, if you will. Um I mean they're handled in a way they're running into palletizers and whatnot, they're bumping into each other and there's no smear on the book. So that is another um uh benefit of having this high viscosity approach, and uh that comes with the uh inkjet head agnostic approach.

SPEAKER_01:

Sure. Uh just just before we move to the next question, I'm just interested. Um so as you said yourself, that that's quite it's quite challenging, but it gives you opportunities, doesn't it? Um do you work very closely with the ink manufacturers, or or do you just have to select the kind of the right ink for this particular application?

SPEAKER_02:

No, we we work very closely with the ink manufacturers. That is also we think one a benefit to work closely with them because that means you have a very tailored ink towards the application. Typically, an ink manufacturer will work with an ink platform that they have available. Um, we work with all of them, we know what they have, what they're capable of, and then we select that platform that works best and we iterate towards optimizing it for the use case at hand. So that means in this case with Chromo Edge, we have optimized the ink towards no drying and also uh towards a better colory production.

SPEAKER_01:

So I'm interested, you you obviously every time you do these kind of things, you kind of learn from doing it, don't you? This particular application from the lab to creation of the technology to application and to making it happen. You're learning quite a lot there. So so what comes next?

SPEAKER_02:

Um what comes next? That's a good idea. So um let's put that that that's sort of has two two uh sides of the medal. Um this question, but what comes next for Chromo Edge? I would uh rephrase. Sorry. Um, so so of course um working with book manufacturers, we see that um they have challenges towards um run lengths being shorter and shorter. Of course, um that can even go to um single copies, so that means um at the end we will definitely um have um a unit that can automatically change formats. Um very important today. Um, first machines that we have in the field are manual, um not really a problem in the with the customers we have because uh they have quite long, let's say, um comfortable run lengths for this, but um, we are in discussion with customers that have way shorter run lengths, so that means um being able to adapt to formats and to design changes um without manual intervention on the machine is definitely a priority at the moment. So um we're working on this. Um we have a much longer roadmap, even um, we also say book of one is a topic that we get confronted with um a lot. So that means um further down the roadmap uh we will have a book of one solution. That means purely that every single book can have a different format. Wow, can have different um um um uh artwork on the sides, and um yeah, we do a lot of compensation already today, um, meaning that we can adapt for you know not so perfectly straight spines, curved spines, and we do that all in real time, by the way. We morph um distort images in real time, we take pictures with a camera in in inline. Um we we have 0.3 seconds to to warp an image and to print it um as the book comes along. Uh these these things we will optimize. We see a lot of potential also for extended gamut. Uh, we have we have a possibility to extend uh the amount of printheads in the system, the amount of ink channels in the system. So I think we have down the road very interesting um features that we are working on with a lot of high pressure. And um these will pop up within uh I would say probably first half already of the next year, and then and then we keep the roadmap a bit secretive because we have some many great ideas still still on the radar. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_01:

Makes sense. Um Martin, just did you want to add anything to uh how does this kind of the Chrome edge stand out from other other systems? Is there anything you wanted to add?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, we we have many advantages, but uh to to highlight some of uh of the main main advantages, uh for sure the speed, the speed of 4,000 books in an hour printing on all three edges is uh for sure uh uh one game changer besides uh the color brightness, as Thomas Thomas mentioned, and uh the quality, uh the cost reduction because of the highlight high viscosity ink, um is besides uh the factors, uh lower labor costs, um, because you know it's it's a one one green button operation system. And these are some uh some highlights to mention, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I just just before we kind of get to uh wrapping this this bit of conversation up, uh what what do you feel you've learnt from doing this? And and are there other applications that you can see this uh slotting into that that what you've learned? You know, do you think that it's obviously you're printing on a direct uh kind of direct onto shape, aren't you? It's a shape.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

So what have you learnt from this? What are you and what might be possible future applications that you think if we show them this, people might think, oh, actually, that's just what we need for this type of application?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, I think there was a or several disciplines comes together. Uh for this project, the the book edges are a living, let's call it a living substrate. Of course. Uh what you have to handle uh proper. And then with the ink, the high viscosity ink to uh to bring together with the with the best matching uh print head and this of 7.5 meters to build a system what uh the book edge printers uh or the book printers can implement in their uh existing system. I think this is yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, and and maybe maybe other thing that we have learned is um or actually we we knew that, and our systems are designed in that way, but it has shown again. I mean, there is uh a book. Um when you look at the different formats, A, when you look at uh B, uh the different papers that can be used, and when you look at C, um that a book uh is maybe stored for some days before it gets um further processed. Yeah um the a book on a palette, uh for instance, can have more pressure on the book when the book is low in the palette, when it is up in the palette, there's less pressure to it. So you need to have a flow that constantly monitors, even if it's the same book or same book series, um, the never one single book will be the same as the as the next one. And that means you need to have a really a very operator-centric um way of uh uh controlling the machine. That means you need to, in a way, show the operator if the machine is happy or not. Um, so that means we have, for instance, in our machine sensors that monitor pressure on the book because that's very critical. We we we have learned that these uh sides, these uh sides are nicely compressed, that the image is perfect, and uh the operator needs to see if everything is healthy on the machine, and we have um put implemented ways to, in a very simple way, show the operator um you know everything green, something may turn orange, you need to intervene, uh adjust slightly, can be done uh while running, or if it gets red, you really really need to stop and do some maintenance or whatever. So, really this customer-centric way of operating machine, we think is very vital.

SPEAKER_01:

Did you want to add anything, Martin? On that?

SPEAKER_03:

No, it's I think all is all important is said by Thomas.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, and maybe maybe also not all Thomas has got something extra to say. No, and and you know, I think what is interesting is that uh there is also other things you can do with such a machine. For instance, if you think cigar box boxes, yeah, I mean that is also really interesting to uh bring this sort of in a in the next level, not only for books, but for let's say um products that have similar proportions to books.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so like a box, as you said, like a sort of rectangular box shapes, yeah. Yeah, so if you want if you want something printed on the side of that, yeah, this then this is this what you've learned is is something similar, isn't it? So yeah, absolutely. Um so I guess that leads us quite nicely to what you think are the plans for Matty going forward. What what what's next for you guys? Obviously, focusing a lot on on this particular product, but what else? What else are you looking at? What are you thinking about? What segments are you interested in? Gentlemen, either of you.

SPEAKER_02:

So so so I think the segments that we're that uh many are looking at, of course, uh is is packaging. I think we have some uh unique, very unique approaches to packaging. I'm not gonna go into specifics here because we want to um sort of keep uh keep uh keep uh some some pieces covered, but uh, but uh also there. I mean uh packaging is a growing market. Um I think everyone is uh on the same line regarding that. Um I think there is um uh technology advances in packaging that make things possible that have not been possible a few months ago. Um, we have done a lot of you know um basic uh uh process engineering in that regard, and we have come up with some yeah, very spectacular, in my opinion, results to um leverage uh these technologies on the market. So so so uh definitely in the next year you will see more from us. Um, but I think we're gonna sort of try and keep that competitive.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not I'm not I'm not wanting you to give me your secrets, I just want you to suggest marketplaces that might be interesting to you to explore. Martin, did you want to add anything to that?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, and in in addition, of course, the cardboard is something what we can also handle with a high viscosity ink approach and uh security printing. There is definitely this is uh uh specific thematic where we can not talk more about because they will kill us, and um many other special systems for specific market and applications we have.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I get I guess what you've learned from book edge printing is possibly uh, as you said, wherever there is a box, a a kind of box with an edge, or or something with an edge that they want to print on the edge, that you can do something very clever.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, it can also be for flooring. We have uh we have people asking for this for flooring applications. Um there's really a lot of things that you you know only when when you uh when you um deliberately look around you will see how many how many of uh so forth formatted um objects you encounter every day. And that is actually quite interesting. It sort of uh gives us ideas.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I think that's right. Um and and hopefully, you know, without kind of leading on to uh what we're obviously focusing on, which is our event in in Munich, hopefully what we'll find with the audience who come through there is that they will be looking at this kind of technology with a project that maybe is undiscovered so far. Yeah. And and that's kind of where we're at with it. And that and and genuinely, I think, if nothing else, what Matty represents is you know, you've done some really exciting stuff, and there might just be that person that walks through going, I can't solve this problem, and have a conversation with you, and you say, Well, we think we can solve that for you. You know, that's the kind of that's the that's the kind of perfect world for us, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, and and and you know, that is um something that um maybe it's not always seen, but uh Switzerland is a is a very small country. Um we're only roughly I think eight eight point five million, ten, ten. Ten already. Okay, ten million people, but switzerland has been since 15 years um in a row without one single gap, the most innovative country worldwide. I knew that was coming. But it's it's I think that is just amazing, and um, I think that reflects in what we do. Um we have we have people um that you know have capability of doing things in a very theoretical way, but also in a very hands-on way, and that is um sort of uh owned by this uh dual education system we have. So, yes, we're uh up to those challenges. We we always say if it's within the limits of physics, we can do it.

SPEAKER_01:

I I always interestingly, I often use that global index, uh global innovation index as a way of identifying um kind of what are the traits of great innovators and companies that innovate, but actually countries that innovate. And as you said yourselves, Switzerland always comes up as if not top, certainly up there. Always, always on the first. And I like that. That's interesting because not many people guess that. They if I do it as a quiz, I you know, I always say, who do you think the most innovative country in the world? And people say, gotta be America or China or whatever. And everyone is like completely bowled over by the fact that it's Switzerland. Yeah. But actually, you've said it yourself. You have all you have a lot of the resources, you have the education system, you have the finance available. There are so many things and the freedom to try these things, which is great news. Gentlemen, listen, we've come to the end of our podcast. Um, it's always fun having a chat with you. Um, I will definitely see whether next year Switzerland remains the greatest innovation company. Who knows? Um, maybe with the tariffs being so high, it won't be quite the same. But anyway, um, it's been a pleasure talking to you, gentlemen. Um, look forward to seeing you in Munich. And um, thank you very much. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03:

Thank you very much. Take care. Bye. Bye bye.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, you can subscribe now for more great audio content coming up. And visit futureprint.tech, related news, partner interviews, in-depth industry research, and the capital content from future print events go for you next time under futureprint podcast.

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Frazer Chesterman

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Marcus Timson

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