The technique of producing a printing on a foil in a thermal printing operation during a packaging operation in which the foil is used as a packaging foil or as an information foil sheet to be applied to or below a wrap around or packaging foil for packaging a product being an organic or inorganic product. The examples of products relevant in the present context are unlimited ranging from toys, cosmetics, consumer products, foodstuffs, drugs etc. In general, any product which is to be packed in a foil or to be applied with an information printing after the product has been included in a separate package may be relevant in the present context. High speed printing and packaging operations in which the foil on which the printing is to be applied is moved at a speed up to several hundred millimetres per second.

A thermal printer for producing a printing on the surface of a foil in an ink transfer operation. The thermal transfer ribbon is moved relative to an energizable printing device along a specific direction of motion for causing the ink of the thermal transfer ribbon to be transferred at the specific locations to the foil at specific areas thereof constituting the printing so as to smear the ink of the thermal transfer ribbon at the specific locations onto the foil through the motion of the thermal transfer ribbon relative to the foil.