Encapsulation enhances and protects all types of printed material. Ideal for posters, menus, notices, business cards, fire notices etc. etc. The depth and quality of printed material is immediately improved by the process. Encapsulation is perfect for marketing flyers and giveaways such as calendar cards. People are reluctant to throw things away that look that good!

Encapsulation gives excellent protection to items which are in everyday use such as: menus, technical instruction sheets, prompt sheets etc. etc. The savings on re-print costs can be considerable in view of the extended life given to any printed material by the encapsulation process

At APE we use three grades of encapsulation film: 75 micron, 125 micron and 250 micron. Please contact us for advise on which film gauge we recommend for your application. We can encapsulate any size paper or card from credit card size to AO plus. Using the latest high speed encapsulation equipment our turnaround is very fast,

FAQ (ENCAPSULATION)

Q. I am miles away from you. How do I get my posters to you for encapsulation?
A. If you cannot deliver your posters, notices, menus etc. to our factory we can collect them from any U.K. mainland location at cost. This is currently £7.00 plus £0.30p per kilo plus VAT.

Q. I need some notices produced in A3 and A4 in black print. To save me sending the whole lot can I just send one copy for you to duplicate and encapsulate?
A. Yes. We can duplicate onto paper in black provided we receive written assurance that there is no copyright infringement.

Q. The normal edge of plastic left around the item appears to be about 3mm. Can this be made larger if necessary? Also the edges of the thick plastic seem a bit sharp can they be edged off in some way?
A. We can leave any size of plastic on the edge which may be required. However excess plastic greater than 8mm may incur an extra charge. We can also offer a round cornering service which solves them problems of sharp plastic edges.

Q. When I get my material back I am going to drill four holes so that my sheets may be put into a binder. Is this ok?
A. No. Encapsulated material has essentially been plasticised. The heat generated by a paper drill will in all probability weld the sheets together. To ensure this does not happen any holes must be punched rather than drilled. We can offer a hole punching service if required.

Q. How can I see for myself the differences in the gauges of encapsulation film?
A. We are more than happy to supply samples of the various gauges of encapsulation film. However, as the thickness of the original stock has considerable affect on the final outcome we like to encapsulate customers' material so that the precise result can be studied.

Q. I have a one off A1 poster that is very precious to me. Can you encapsulate it?
A. We do not recommend the encapsulation of precious items as it may detract from any future enjoyment or valuation. One off items are also encapsulated at the customers risk as we have no material to work with to ensure that our equipment has been 'set' correctly.

Q. Can I put my encapsulated posters outside ? Will they last forever outside?
A. Encapsulation adds considerable protection to notices displayed in the open air but it does not make them indestructible. Ultraviolet light will eventually fade any image behind the plastic and ultimately destroy the plastic itself. The length of time this takes depend upon the exposure to the elements and extremes of temperature.

Q. I am hoping that encapsulation will bring out the colours in my posters. Will this happen?
A. The process definitely enhances the work underneath the plastic. The most popular gauge (125 micron) effectively provides a window over the work which not only protects but adds depth.

Q. I like the enriched effect that the process provides but I don't like the plastic edge. Can you trim this off or will it open up like an envelope?
A. The encapsulation process sticks to the whole surface of the article so it will not peel off and may be edge trimmed. There is a small additional charge for this service. However, once the plastic has been trimmed to the edge of the article the protection will be gone as moisture can then penetrate from the very edge. It is for this reason we do not recommend the edge trimming of items such as menus.

Q. I have a collage of photographs mounted on a sheet of 130 gsm card. Can you encapsulate this kind of thing?
A. Yes. But we cannot guarantee the outcome of one off items and items with different surface tensions, such as material stuck together.

Q. Why are there no prices for encapsulation (lamination) on your site?
A. Because of the nature of the process and customers' requirements the permutations are almost endless. That is why we like to provide each enquiry with a quotation specific to that particular requirement. However, as a rough guide 250 A4 posters encapsulated in 125 micron film (giving a total thickness of 250 micron) would be £0.28p ea. + VAT. at the current rate ex-works. 

Q. I am a student doing research into plastics. Do you mind me asking for a sample and can you tell me what kind of plastic is used?
A. We are more than happy to supply samples for any purpose. The plastic used in the encapsulation process is polypropylene with a polyethylene thermal adhesive.

Q. How do I get my encapsulated material back from you?
A. If you cannot collect the finished items from our factory we can deliver to any U.K. mainland location at cost. This is currently £7.00 plus £0.30p per kilo plus VAT.

Q. I want to produce some sketch books with encapsulated (laminated) covers for protection whilst working outdoors. Can you help?
A. Most definitely.  We are frequently asked to produce personalised art pads