The French manufacturer showed a prototype inline hot foil option for the JETvarnish at this week’s Graphitec show in Paris.

The foiling system works at the same speed as the JETvarnish and lays down an inkjet varnish layer as the ‘glue’ base for the foil, with heated rollers that move in or out of position to apply the foil.

In standard spot coating mode the JETvarnish can produce up to 3,000sph in B2 format.

MGI marketing director Kevin Abergel said the system did not require special consumables, and worked with standard "market available" foils.

"It means we can produce variable data hot foil stamping, so it’s potentially massive," he said. "We’re getting a good result already for our first try at this, but it will look better."

The current foiling system is in prototype form, but MGI hopes to have it ready for commercial launch by the Print exhibition in Chicago in September.

Pricing is not available for the foiling unit at this stage.

This week the French manufacturer also showed a new higher-speed version of the JETvarnish 3D, using a second inkjet engine. It produces raised, "digitally embossed" effects at twice the speed that was possible before, meaning a 30 micron 3D coating can now be applied to A3 sheets at 3,150sph rather than 1,575sph. 

"With the twin option we can either double the thickness of the coating, for applications such as Braille, or double the speed," explained Abergel.

Existing users can upgrade to the faster version for around €50,000 (£42,500).

MGI also previewed a new flood UV coater for its Meteor digital presses, the Nova UV, at the event. It can work inline or as a standalone unit.