ink world magzine_vol.19, no.2_2013-03

Untitled-20 1 3/1/13 3:39 PM

Untitled-15 1 2/22/13 12:18 PM

We create chemistry that makes packaging love UV curable systems.

Looking for UV curable systems for packaging applications? UV inks and overprint varnishes formulated with Irgacure LEX 201 photoinitiator provide good cure speed, low odor, very low migration and ease of use. At BASF, we create chemistry.

www.basf.us/dpsolutions

= REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF BASF CORPORATION.

Untitled-6 1 2/19/13 11:48 AM

table of contents

4 www.inkworldmagazine.com March/April 2013

feat

ures

Editorial

Fresh Ink

Market Watch

Calendar

Personnel

Suppliers Corner

Industry News

Classified

Ad Index

INK inc.

6

8

12

60

61

63

63

65

65

66

depa

rtm

ents

March/April 2013 Vol. 19, No. 2

The European Ink Review Sean MilmoEuropean ink manufacturers are navigating raw material concerns and the evolving printing market.

The Pigment Report David Savastano While leading pigment manufacturers saw improvements in sales in 2012, executives say they expect more changes to come in 2013.

The North American Top 20 Report For most North American ink manufacturers, 2012 was a relatively solid year as raw materials stabilized and the economy grew slightly, and ink industry leaders said they are cautiously optimistic about 2013.

The Conductive Ink Market David Savastano The printed electronics market is making gains as new applica-tions emerge, and conductive ink manufacturers are seeing more opportunities.

Novel Lamination Ink Resin By Chien (Charlie) Hsu and Richard Grandke

Scott Printing Ink Brings Materials Expertise to Regional Printing Market David Savastano

Cover: Laura Ragusa

14

20

29

54

56

66

29

20

54

4 toc 0313.indd 2 3/1/13 3:36 PM

Introducing the Airase Structured Siloxane Defoamer Line. The Airase Structured Siloxane Defoamer Line (SSDL) system from Air Products

is designed to provide a faster, easier way to choose a defoamer for water-based

coatings. Its the rst line of defoamers that structures the selection process,

providing a range of defoamers that can allow you to hone in on the most

e ective defoamer/compatibility balance with minimal trial and error. For

free samples, call 1-800-345-3148. Or visit our website. And see for yourself

how less guesswork makes pinpointing the right defoamer less work.

tell me more airproducts.com/airase

Solve foaming problems with pinpoint accuracy.

2013 Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Untitled-2 1 2/26/13 5:54 PM

editors desk


EDITOR David Savastano, [email protected]

VP/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Tom Branna, [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Bridget Klebaur, [email protected]

EUROPEAN EDITOR Sean Milmo

ART DEPARTMENT Michael Del Purgatorio, [email protected]

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDJoe Cichon - INX International

John Copeland - Toyo Ink AmericaLisa Fine - Joules Angstom U.V. Printing Inks

Norm Harbin - Flint GroupUrban S. Hirsch III - Ink Systems, Inc.

James La Rocca - Superior Printing InkGeoff Peters - Wikoff Color

Brad Schrader - Sun Chemical

RODMAN PUBLISHINGPRESIDENT

Rodman J. Zilenziger Jr., [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT

Matthew J. Montgomery, [email protected] PUBLISHER

Dale Pritchett, [email protected] SALES (U.S.)

Kim Clement Rafferty, [email protected] SALES

Patty Ivanov, [email protected]: (631) 642-2048; Fax: (631) 473-5694

ADVERTISING SALES (HONG KONG, TAIWAN AND CHINA) Michael R. Hay, Ringier Trade Publishing Ltd.,

401-405 4/F New Victory House, 93-103 Wing Lok Street Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Phone:

(852) 2369 8788 Fax: (852) 2869 5919 E-mail: [email protected]

EUROPEAN SALES Baudry Boisseau; Baudry Boisseau Associates, Rue J. Lebeau, 27,

B-1000, Brussels, Belgium Phone: 32-2-513-06-47 Fax: 32-2-514-17-38

E-mail: [email protected] DIRECTOR

Sharon Messner, [email protected] MANAGER

Pat Hilla, [email protected] MANAGER

Joe DiMaulo, [email protected] DIRECTOR

Paul Simansky, [email protected]

INK WORLDA Rodman Publication

70 Hilltop Road Ramsey, NJ 07446 USATel: (201) 825-2552 Fax: (201) 825-0553

www.inkworldmagazine.com

Ink World (ISSN 1093-328X) is published bi-monthly by Rodman Media Corp., 70 Hilltop Road, Ramsey, NJ 07446-0555 USA. Phone (201) 825-2552. Fax (201) 825-0553. Periodical postage paid at Ramsey, NJ 07446 USA and additional mailing offices. Publications Mail Agreement No: 40028970. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Circulation Dept., P.O. Box 1051, Fort Erie, ON L2A 6C7; [email protected]. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Ink World, 70 Hilltop Road, Ramsey, NJ 07446-0555 USA. Subscription Rates for non-qualified readers: U.S.one year, $75; two years, $105; Outside U.S. and overseasone year, $95 (U.S.); two years, $145 (U.S.); Foreign Air Mail, $195 a year; single issues $12. Missing issues: Claims for missing issues must be made within three months of the date of the issue. Printed in the USA.

Send address changes to: [email protected]

Phone: 201 825 2552 x356 Fax: 201 825 6582

Authorization to photocopy items in Ink World for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients is granted by Rodman Publishing, provided base fee of US $1 per page is paid directly to: Copyright Clearance Center, 27 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970 USA.

Opportunities Exist For Entrepreneurs

The printing ink industry has been under tremendous pressure in recent years. The reasons are well known: raw materials, the global economic downturn and changes in the printing industry have impacted the ink industry. The North American Top 20 Report, which starts on page 29, highlights these changes, as well as the gains that have been made this past year.

Ink industry suppliers have faced their own set of pressures during the past few years, and they, too, are seeing signs of change. In The Pigment Report, which starts on page 20, pigment ex-ecutives note for the most part that sales improved in 2012, while raw material costs stabilized. While there are concerns as to what 2013 holds, pigment manufacturers are emphasizing developing new products, which could be key to their own future growth.

Pigment executives and ink manufacturers alike also noted that the markets for packaging ink and digital printing remain the strongest growth areas. In The European Ink Report, which begins on page 14, European Editor Sean Milmo notes similar trends, as European ink companies diversify into new markets and services.

One area of great interest for some printers and ink manu-facturers is the printed and flexible electronics field. If electronic circuits can be printed on paper, plastic or other substrate, costs can be reduced dramatically, which would allow these circuits to be used in numerous applications where price is a factor.

There are literally billions of these systems already being printed today. Glucose test strips are just one example, and Bemis is working with Thin Film Electronics, a printed electronics spe-cialist, to develop temperature sensors for packaging by 2014.

To make these sensors a reality, conductive inks are an essen-tial ingredient, and small entrepreneurs, as well as international corporations such as Sun Chemical and DuPont, are developing new technologies for the printed electronics market. For more on this promising field, please see my story, The Conductive Ink Market, beginning on page 54, as well as our website, www.printedelectronicsnow.com.

There are opportunities for entrepreneurs in any industry, and the same is true for the ink industry and its suppliers. Companies that can develop innovative technologies in their field will likely have an advantage going forward in an increasingly complex and competitive market.

David SavastanoInk World [email protected]

6 edit 0313.indd 6 3/1/13 3:37 PM

03_13 IW_Pfade.indd 1 18.02.13 14:34Untitled-2 1 2/19/13 10:10 AM


fresh INK

Toyo Ink Announces Merger of Toyo Ink America, Toyo Ink Mfg. America

Toyo Ink SC Holdings Co., Ltd. announced that Toyo Ink America, LLC, the Groups con-solidated subsidiary, has decided to absorb another consolidated subsidiary, Toyo Ink Mfg. America, LLC. The merger was ef-fective Jan. 1, 2013.

The merging of the two companies, the Groups consolidated subsidiaries, will reinforce the management base and bolster Toyo Ink Groups competitiveness in North America through the coordina-tion of the companies functions.

Further, by merging these companies that operate in disparate business do-mains, the move aims to strengthen the ability to make proposals to customers and accelerate Toyo Ink Groups business expansion in the U.S.

The method is an absorption-type merger, with Toyo Ink America, LLC be-ing the surviving company and Toyo Ink Mfg. America, LLC dissolved.

Toyo Ink America, LLC is located at 1225 N. Michael Drive, Wood Dale, IL 60191. The company manufactures and sells printing inks, adhesives and related products, as well as imports and sells pig-ments, dispersions and specialty chemical products.

SICPA Government Security Solutions Expands in Asia Pacific, with Singapore as Regional HQSICPA Government Security Solutions has opened its new Asia Pacific region-al headquarters in Singapore. While present in Asia for many years, SICPA Government Security Solutions new premises will act as a stronger base for its activities in Asia Pacific.

The opening of this new region-al center is a response to the growing need in Asia for the services SICPA Government Security Solutions provides. Due to its incredible socioeconomic and

geographical diversity it is, perhaps, one of the regions most affected by loss of government revenues as a result of the illicit trade in excisable products. Our expanded operations bring us closer to governments in the region, providing more opportunities for dialogue and consultation with them, explained Dr. Myron Seto, SICPA regional managing director for APAC.

SICPA Government Security Solutions helps governments protect tax revenues and deliver policy objectives by giving them visibility and control of the supply chain of products suscep-tible to fraud such as alcohol and to-bacco, through its unique system called SICPATRACE. The system combines highly sophisticated secure marking of products with advanced data manage-ment and reporting, and is designed to best meet various government require-ments, including those outlined in Article 8 of the WHOs Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, adopt-ed in November 2012.

DIC to Change Fiscal Year-EndAt a meeting of its Board of Directors held on Jan. 23, 2013, DIC Corporation took the decision to change its fiscal year-end, subject to the approval of a resolution to partially amend the com-panys articles of incorporation at the 115th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled for late June 2013, as follows.

The fiscal years of DIC and its do-mestic subsidiaries, with the exception of one company, currently end on March 31, while those of its overseas subsidiaries end on Dec. 31. The decision to adopt a standard fiscal year-end across the entire Group reflects DICs desire to:

(1) Ensure more timely and ap-propriate disclosure of management

information.(2) Enhance administrative capabili-

ties (including budget compilation and corporate performance management) and improve the efficiency of business operations.

(3) Accommodate the need to align its accounts with the reporting period for consolidated corporate groups stipu-lated under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the even-tual adoption of which is currently un-der consideration in Japan.

As a result of this change, fiscal year 2013 for DIC will be a nine-month tran-sitional period (April 1, 2013 Dec. 31, 2013).

Flint Group Launches UV Offset Ink for High-Speed PrintingFlint Group recently launched an offset UV ink series designed to excel on to-days high-speed presses. These versatile Arrowstar Plus UV 8000 inks are ideal for folding carton and commercial print-ing applications.

Arrowstar Plus UV inks are ex-tremely fast-curing, making them a great choice for print jobs that involve direct finishing, backside printing for non-food applications, and more, noted Tyler Newsom, sheetfed product manager. Their performance and quality are un-wavering, even on the most challenging, high-speed presses in the market.

The secret behind the performance and functionality, including exceptional rub-resistance, is the unique resin and photoinitiator chemistry. According to Rodney Balmer, Flint Groups director of global research and product develop-ment, sheetfed, Arrowstar Plus UV 8000 inks use the latest raw material technol-ogy to push the limits of cure speed and functionality.

8-11 FRESH INK 0313.indd 8 2/28/13 3:19 PM

What makes this the worlds No.1 High Speed Disperser?

Superior quality.Priced far below all other major brands. Guaranteed.

Stainless steel shaft guard standard

XP safety switches on height and can position standard

Heavy duty drives and bearings standard

Explosion-proof inverter duty motor standard

Air/oil hydraulic lift with an ASME tank and

dual controls standard

Built and supported by Ross, the worlds largest manufacturer of mixers, blenders

and dispersers

Stainless steel wetted parts standard

Stainless lock for various size vessels standard

Sizes 1- 200 HP, dozens in stock for immediate delivery

See the Ross High Speed Disperser now: www.dispersers.com. Or call 1-800-243-ROSS.

Scan to learn more.Free Tag Reader: http://gettag.mobi

Untitled-3 1 2/5/13 11:43 AM


fresh INK

INX International Earns EcoLogo Certification for EcoTech TC II Sheetfed InksINX International Ink Companys EcoTech TC II sheetfed inks have earned certification from the environmental standard EcoLogo Program. Certified inks include four EcoTech process col-ors and 13 blending bases. EcoLogo is a government of Canada official cer-tification mark and North Americas largest, most respected environmental standard. It is exclusively managed by TerraChoice, a global leader in environ-mental certification.

The EcoLogo Programs logo and certification assures that all environmen-tal claims made by manufacturers are understandable as well as both accurate and reliable. Founded in 1988, EcoLogo awards products that demonstrate envi-ronmental leadership within their cat-egory. An ISO 14024 Type 1 program, it evaluates products against scientifically rigorous criteria to reflect the entire life cycle of the product.

Printers using EcoTech inks have an edge in the marketplace. These high per-formance inks are mineral oil- and co-balt drier-free, and offer fast start-ups and drying times and a quick return to color run after run. Besides dot sharpness and press stability, especially in light cover-age situations, printers have experienced good gloss and rub resistance and can foil stamp in 48-72 hours. EcoTech inks con-form to ISO 2846-1 standards and are suitable for GRACoL G7 certification.

Sensient Technologies Declares DividendThe Board of Directors of Sensient Technologies Corporation has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend on its common stock of $0.22 per share. The cash dividend will be paid on March 1, 2013, to shareholders of record on Feb. 8, 2013.

Sensient Technologies Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and mar-keter of colors, flavors and fragrances. Sensient employs advanced technologies at facilities around the world to develop

specialty food and beverage systems, cos-metic and pharmaceutical systems, inkjet and specialty inks and colors, and other specialty and fine chemicals.

Spanish Court Declares EFI Victorious in Patent Litigation Filed by KERAjet PresidentElectronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI) an-nounced victory in its Spanish pat-ent litigation with Jose Vicente Tomas Claramonte, the president of KERAjet, S.A., involving EFI Cretaprints ceramic digital inkjet printing systems.

Tomas Claramonte filed the lawsuit against Cretaprint in May 2011, prior to EFIs January 2012 acquisition of the ceramic inkjet printer business, alleging that Cretaprints ceramic digital ink-jet printer products infringe his patent. From the outset, EFI and EFI Cretaprint have maintained that not only are Mr. Claramontes infringement claims merit-less, but that his patent is invalid.

In a decision issued earlier this month, the Commercial Court in Valencia agreed with EFI, and rejected Mr. Claramontes infringement claims. The appeal period has not yet expired. A court in the UK issued a similar judgment of non-in-fringement late last summer.

The courts ruling vindicates what we have maintained all along: that Mr. Tomas Claramontes lawsuit was baseless and that his patent is invalid, said Bryan Ko, EFIs general counsel. We will not tolerate meritless claims being filed against us, and we will, as we always have, vigorously defend ourselves and our in-tellectual property rights.

EFI has been a leading innovator in the print industry since our founding, and we acquired Cretaprint based on their demonstrated innovation and suc-cess in the ceramic inkjet market, added Ghilad Dziesietnik, EFIs chief technol-ogy officer. The victory confirms EFI Cretaprints place as a leading innova-tor in the ceramic inkjet printer market, and we look forward to continuing to bring our innovative customer-focused printing solutions to our customers

throughout the world.

Sun Chemical Sustainability Report Highlights the Environmental Footprint of Its SuppliersSun Chemical released its 2012 Sustainability Report, which showcases Sun Chemicals leadership in eco-effi-ciency through established data-driven metrics, as well as examples of how raw material suppliers are contributing to the companys environmental foot-print. The report cites two case study examples of raw material suppliers who published sustainability reports and de-scribed their contributions and practices to eco-efficiency.

Were going beyond providing meaningful data that will help meet cus-tomer goals, said Gary Andrzejewski, Sun Chemicals corporate vice president of environmental affairs. We are show-ing concrete examples of things our raw material suppliers are doing to help Sun Chemical meet and improve upon its eco-efficiency goals. It is our goal to manufacture products that help our cus-tomers better meet their environmental goals and we can only do that by ensur-ing our suppliers are also doing their part to contribute to sustainable practices.

The report shows data collected ev-ery year since 2005 from approximately 170 Sun Chemical sites in more than 25 countries. The key sustainability metrics measured in the data include: energy con-sumption/conservation at production and non-production sites, the energy carbon footprint at the production sites, process waste reduction, water consumption, ma-terials safety and employee safety.

Providing a report that shows the on-going management and monitoring of key sustainability metrics is an important part of Sun Chemicals sustainability policy.

Our sustainability policy pushes us as a company to improve the eco-effi-ciency of our processes and products, Mr. Andrzejewski said. Our R&D ef-forts are a pivotal part of this process as we provide our customers with solutions that will be both eco-friendly and save

8-11 FRESH INK 0313.indd 10 2/28/13 3:19 PM

March/April 2013 www.inkworldmagazine.com 11

fresh INK

them money. These data-driven sustain-ability reports have played a key role in helping our customers achieve many of their eco-efficiency goals.

INX, The Oldham Group Expand Distributor AgreementINX International Ink Co. and The Oldham Group recently agreed to ex-pand their distributor partnership to in-clude UV, traditional offset and UV flexo and water flexo inks. The relationship be-tween the two Illinois-based companies dates back to 2008 when The Oldham Group began offering INX heatset, UV and conventional offset products primar-ily under a private label agreement.

Known as Oldham Graphic Supply when the business began in 1951, the company has grown significantly. The Oldham Group now operates in 15 states with offices in Chicago, Dallas and North

Canton, OH, in addition to its headquar-ters in Springfield, IL. Distribution and service coverage range from Houston to Milwaukee and east to Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

The Oldham Group has a magnifi-cent history and a solid customer base, said Michael Brice, director of business development for INX International. As we have learned since we formed a strate-gic relationship four years ago, they have a great understanding on how to leverage their multiple offerings to deliver a total value proposition to their customers. By expanding our channel program, this will give them and their customers access to more of the best products in the industry.

Mike Garrison, director of sales for The Oldham Group, said Oldham cus-tomers have acknowledged their approv-al since the company embraced INX Internationals significant R&D capabili-ties and robust technical support.

The combined technical support of our companies is unparalleled in the industry, Mr. Garrison said. The posi-tive impact has been immediate with the brand recognition of INX products, and the opportunity to bring a strong brand to our customers was paramount in our decision. INX compliments our portfo-lio and significantly enhances our ability to provide bundled purchasing efficiency to our customers business.

ClarificationPrismacolor was inadvertently left off of the U.S. Ink Directory. Its information is as follows:Prismacolor Ink & Varnish120 E. Halsey RoadParsippany, NJ 07054Phone: (973) 887-5344Fax: (973) 887-5936Products: Offset, Letterpress, Specialty Inks, Graphic Arts Coatings

8-11 FRESH INK 0313.indd 11 2/28/13 3:19 PM

market watch

Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI) announced its results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012.

For the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2012, the company reported record revenue of $174.1 million, up 7% compared to fourth quarter 2011 revenue of $163.1 million. Fourth quarter 2012 non-GAAP net income was $19.8 million or $0.42 per diluted share compared to non-GAAP net income of $16.6 million or $0.36 per diluted share for the same period in 2011, up 19% and 17%, re-spectively. GAAP net income was $56.6 million or $1.19 per diluted share, com-pared to $11.5 million or $0.25 per di-luted share for the same period in 2011, up 393% and 376%, respectively.

For the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2012, the company reported revenue of $652.1 million, up 10% year-over-year compared to $591.6 million for the same period in 2011. GAAP net income was $83.3 mil-lion or $1.74 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $27.5 million or $0.58 per diluted share for the same period in 2011, up 203% and 200%, respectively.

We finished 2012 with a very strong quarter that marked a record year for EFI. The fourth quarter again demon-strated tremendous execution and com-mitment by our team, solidifying our third consecutive year of double-digit growth, said Guy Gecht, CEO of EFI. We are excited about 2013 and the growth opportunities ahead for EFI and our customers.

Sensient Technologies Corporation reported record revenue and earnings per share for 2012. Consolidated rev-enue was $1.5 billion in 2012, com-pared to $1.4 billion in 2011. Diluted earnings per share increased to $2.49 for the year, up from $2.41 reported in 2011. Consolidated operating income

was $191.2 million in 2012 compared to $190.8 million reported in 2011.

Consolidated revenue for the fourth quarter of 2012 was $356.2 million, a fourth quarter record and an increase of 4.7% over the $340.4 million reported in last years fourth quarter.

The company is initiating a broad strategic and restructuring plan in the first quarter of 2013. One component of the plan will focus on relocating the Flavors & Fragrances Group head-quarters, technical groups, and North American management to Chicago.

The second component of the plan will generate operating efficiencies throughout the company. The company expects to reduce its global headcount by more than 200 employees, and consoli-date several manufacturing sites during the next twelve months. The Color Group reported record revenue of $494.1 million in 2012, up from $491.9 million in 2011. Operating income grew to $94.1 million, an all-time high and an increase of 4.3% over the $90.2 million reported in 2011. The Color Groups operating margin was 19.0% in 2012, an increase of 70 basis points over the 2011 result of 18.3%. The record results for 2012 were driven by strong performances from the North American food and beverage business and the digital inks business.

The Color Group reported revenue of $114.3 million in the fourth quarter, up from $112.8 million reported in last years fourth quarter. Operating income was $19.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, compared to $20.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2011.

We achieved record revenues and earnings for a third consecutive year de-spite a very challenging environment, said Kenneth P. Manning, chairman and CEO of Sensient Technologies. We in-creased our dividend, repurchased shares

and continued to reinvest in our busi-ness during 2012. The company is strong and the 2013 restructuring activities will give us better access to our customers, increase our efficiencies and improve our operating margins. We continue to see growth opportunities, and I am very optimistic about the companys future.

Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group L.P. has completed its acquisition of DuPont Performance Coatings for $4.9 billion and an-nounced that the company is being re-named Axalta Coating Systems.

Axalta Coating Systems is a global supplier of coatings to the transportation and industrial sectors. The investment was funded primarily with equity from Carlyle Partners V and Carlyle Europe Partners III.

We are excited to invest in Axalta Coating Systems and believe its strong market position and global footprint will enable the company to capitalize on op-portunities in rapidly emerging markets such as China and Brazil. As experienced investors in the industrial and transporta-tion sectors, the One Carlyle global net-work can help Axalta Coating Systems grow and create value, said Martin Sumner, principal of The Carlyle Group.

Charlie Shaver, the companys chair-man and CEO added, We look forward to this exciting next chapter for Axalta Coating Systems. Our global scale with 35 plants and seven technology cen-ters around the world, combined with Carlyles industrial focus and global net-work, position us well for the future.

As an independent company, Axalta Coating Systems will build on a founda-tion of more than 90 years in the coat-ings industry. The company serves more than 120,000 customers in 130 countries and provides customers with a full range of coating systems.


EFI, Sensient Announce 2012 Results

12 Market Watch0313.indd 12 2/28/13 3:22 PM

Test print your ink and paper on a Little Joe Proof Press.

Check offset ink for printability, color, gloss, light fastness and fade, rub and scratch resistance, etc.

Print on any substrate: paper, board, plastic, or metal.

Essential for the offset ink, pigment, printing, and paper industries or any industry that must test their product with a printed sheet.

Quick and simple to use.

Use Grind Gages more consistently.

The ADM Automatic Draw Down Machine from Little Joe Industriesprovides the most consistent use of grind gages available.

Allows less operator training while providing more consistent results.

Smooth motorized scraper movement.

Consistent scraper angle.

Accurate scraper force.

Fast and easy to use.

ADM - 1

Automatic Draw Down Machine

OFFSET PROOFING PRESS

Little Joe Industries10 Ilene Court, Suite 4

Hillsborough, NJ 08844Tel: (908)359-5213Fax: (908)[email protected]

Project2:Layout 1 1/20/09 11:29 AM Page 1


The European Ink Review

BY Sean MilmoEuropean Editor

The European Ink ReviewEuropean ink manufacturers are navigating raw material concerns and the evolving printing market

In the face of prospects of a long-term shrinking in the size of Europes print media, companies in the sectors supply chain have been restructuring their operations to cut costs and to expand into more profitable business areas.

So far, ink businesses have tended to avoid any major up-heavals, mainly because outside of conventional publishing inks for newspapers, magazines and books, there are still growth seg-ments, such as packaging and digital printing.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) faces another dif-ficult year economically in 2013 despite a partial resolution of the crisis in confidence in the euro currency.

In 2012, GDP in the EU shrank by 0.3%, with a 0.6% de-crease in the euro zone, according to the European Commission, the Brussels-based EU executive.

The commission was predicting in late 2012 slight growth in the 17-nation euro area this year, but because of worsening economic conditions, including a fall in output in Germany in the fourth quarter, it predicted in February that the euro zone would experience a further decline in 2013 of 0.3%, while the 27 nations of the EU would grow by a marginal 0.1%. However, forecasters are expecting to see signs of a general pick-up in Europe in the second half of this year.

Raw Material CostsInk producers in Europe have been hoping that with the European economies going through yet another downturn, they would at least benefit from an easing of the persistent rise in raw materials costs that has been affecting downstream sec-tors in the region over the last two to three years.

Price increases across a broad range of organic and inorganic chemicals have been leveling out since last summer, with de-creases in some toward the end of the year.

With titanium dioxide, which has had capacity reductions in Europe since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been more of an equilibrium between the supply and demand of TiO

2 lead-

ing to a softening of prices for the pigment.

Major players in the European TiO2 market, such as

Huntsman, DuPont and Rockwood Holdings, owners of Sachtleben of Germany, announced declines in sales or profit-ability in the second half of last year.

In the fourth quarter, Rockwood reported that while sales from Sachtleben, which specializes in TiO

2 for packaging inks,

rose by 14%, EBITDA profits plunged by 90% as margins col-lapsed from 33% a year ago to 3%. It blamed the profits fall on lower selling prices, higher raw material costs and a decrease in production to reduce inventories.

Despite widespread decreases in TiO2 prices in late 2012

and early 2013, they are expected to go up again later in the year mainly because of stronger demand in decorative paints.

In its latest review of the raw materials market, Flint Group warns that although in some chemical sectors prices should continue to stabilize, they will be remaining at high levels com-pared to previous years.

With other raw materials, prices may fluctuate between de-creases and increases, while in segments like carbon black and or-ganic pigments they will continue to rise, particularly because of environmental controls on production of intermediates in China.

There is also a danger that the supply of some chemicals will recede in the face of falling demand, which has become a prevalent feature in inks, coatings and other formulator sectors in recent years.

It is expected that many suppliers in the ink supply chain will see further shrinking of demand (so) we expect a number of suppliers to really struggle to survive, noted the Flint Group report. The large global chemical companies will decide to reduce output rather than go into the normal chemical pric-ing cycle. Given their domination, due to the last five years of consolidation, they will succeed.

Move Toward DiversificationPressure on margins from high raw material costs and sluggish demand is forcing ink producers in Europe to diversify and

14-19 Euro ink market0313.indd 14 2/28/13 3:24 PM

Untitled-16 1 2/28/13 2:39 PM



consolidate, although not to the same degree as other sectors of the regions printing industry.

Sun Chemical, the European market leader in printing inks, has, in particular, been relatively busy in expanding in new markets and restructuring in its existing activities, particularly in hard-pressed segments like publishing inks.

In March last year, Sun Chemical announced it was merging its publishing inks business in southeastern Europe with that of Greek-based Druckfarben Hellas Group. The new operation has been split into five legal entities covering Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Serbia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Montenegro and Moldova for selling publication inks and coatings, as well as sheetfed, UV, screen graphics inks and consumables.

Sun Chemical has extended its range of inks for printing of glass with the introduction of UV organic inks that can be print-ed in full color or with a thermocolor or a frosted effect.

This example of printed glass demonstrates the packaging quality and possibilities that brands can achieve through us-ing UV organic inks, said Robin McMillan, Sun Chemicals European marketing manager industrial inks.

With its parent company DIC of Japan, Sun Chemical has also been extending its activities in printed electronics. At the recent European Photovoltaic Solar Energy conference and ex-hibition at Frankfurt, Sun Chemical and DIC showed a range of metallization pastes, as well as aluminum, silver and graphite pastes for insulators and resists.

Sun Chemical and its parent company have also combined to take over Benda-Lutz Werke GmbH, a leading Austrian-based manufacturer of metallic-effect products. The takeover means that Sun Chemical has a global metallic pigments operation with pro-duction facilities in China, Austria, Poland, Russia and the U.S.

It will also enable Sun Chemical to accelerate the broaden-ing of the scope of its metallic pigments beyond the graphic arts market, as well as coatings and plastic sectors, into areas like printed electronics.

The Growth of Digital PrintingIn the European printing sector, digital is currently prominent in the investment programs of ink companies. In the UK, for example, where a lot of development work is being done in new printing technologies, Fujifilm of Japan has just opened a new digital ink plant at Broadstairs while upgrading an R&D unit on the same site.

The plant, with annual capacity of 6,000 tons per year, will increase output of UV ink from the site by 56%, mainly to meet demand in the growing large format market. More than 80% of Fujifilms 340 employees at Broadstairs are now in-volved in digital ink manufacture or R&D.

To stay at the forefront of digital ink technology with our range of (digital) inks, we need to work with state-of-the-art equipment and have the ability to increase production and packing volumes, said Colin Boughton, operations director at Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems, Broadstairs. Our vision is to

remain at the forefront of this technology and to re-invest ev-ery year in order to maintain that position.

At Huntingdon in east England, Xaar, a global leader in ink-jet printhead development and production, has invested 22 million ($34 million) in a manufacturing expansion which has increased the annual capacity for production of one of its latest printheads ninefold to 45,000 units. The printhead was origi-nally developed for the ceramic printing market, but is due to be launched in the graphics arts market this year.

Our resource at Huntingdon is now a showcase of British manufacturing that includes three Class 1000 clean rooms and some highly specialized and unique equipment, said Phil Lawler, chairman of Xaar, which develops inks for its print-heads in partnership with a number of ink producers.

Xaar has been raising its expenditure on R&D by maintain-ing it at an 8% share of revenues, which have been going up at double-digit rates.

Advances in digital technologies are currently achieving the big breakthroughs in research into new inks and printing processes.

The main point of discussion at last years drupa, the worlds leading printing exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany, was a digi-tal printing technology with a nano pigment ink developed by Israels Landa Corporation. The company is headed by Benny Landa, a pioneer in digital printing who developed and created the Indigo technology and business, which was taken over by Hewlett Packard 10 years.

Landa Corporations research achievement called Nanographic is based on nanotechnologies, which both considerably raise the quality of color print and substantially lower its costs.

The ink comprises billions of microscopic water-based droplets with pigment particles only tens of nanometers in size. The water evaporates as the droplets land on a heated blanket conveyor belt to form an ultra-thin dry polymeric film of 500 nanometers thickness, less that half of that of offset images.

The technology, which still has to be improved before it can be fully commercialized, has the potential to accelerate the growth of digital printing. It could also radically change the structure of the printing industry because of its ability to combine strong color concentration with low pigment loading making printing a far more economical process.

Landa Corporations strategy appears to be to license out its process technologies to press equipment manufacturers while using the inks and other consumables like blankets as its major source of revenue. The Israeli company is typical of the new generation of developers of new printing technologies in that the aim is not to restrict the application of the Nanographic knowledge just to printing. It is planning to use the nanopar-ticle innovation as a source of alternative energy through the conversion of sun light into electricity.

Some of the established players in digital printing technolo-gies are trying to avoid becoming over-dependent on revenues from the manufacture of printing presses, equipment and inks, toners and other consumables.


Project11:Layout 1 11/14/12 4:21 PM Page 1



Over the past year, some of them have been increasing their efforts to diversify into other areas of communication technol-ogy and, particularly, into services.

In the fourth quarter of last year, services accounted for 52% of Xeroxs revenues after the company had concentrated dur-ing 2012 on expanding its services businesses. It has been intro-ducing software systems embedded in multifunctional printers which are as a result able to be used as hubs to scan and upload documents to cloud repositories and to send business-critical documents directly to workflow processes.

Canon Europe launched a bid in September to take over I.R.I.S. Group, a Belgian-based software company specializing in optical text recognition (OCR) as part of Canons objective of expanding into business and consultancy services.

We will be working closely with I.R.I.S. to deliver more ad-vanced solutions and services and greater customer value, said Rokus van Iperen, Canon Europes president and chief executive.

Konica Minolta agreed in November to acquire Charterhouse PM, a UK-based specialist in document man-agement for marketing planning and sales promotion, which is in line with Konica Minoltas aim to make itself more competi-tive in the European production print market.

The trend among digital printing companies towards more diversified and more services-oriented businesses has created dif-ferent marketing policies less focused on demonstrating techno-logical prowess and more on forging direct ties with customers.

This promotional change looks likely to affect the range of exhibitors at next years IPEX, the second biggest inter-national printing exhibition after drupa. It is usually held in Birmingham, England, but next year it is moving to London. Already Xerox and HP, previously two of IPEXs leading ex-hibitors, have pulled out of the event.

Xerox said that with the marketing landscape changing so fast in the graphics communications industry, it has been re-evaluating how best to reach existing and potential customers. We listened to what our customers were saying around the globe, explained Jeff Jacobson, president of Xerox global com-munications. They wanted to connect with us in different ways with regional and personal engagements.

HP said in a statement after announcing its withdrawal from IPEX that we are shifting our marketing and sales focus to more local and application-specific events, as well as to cus-tomer business-development programs.

Press and Paper ProductionThe scale of the contraction of the print media is underlined by the amount of pulp and paper making capacity that has been closed down in the region to try to bring supply more in line with demand.

Stora Enso, one of Europes largest paper producers, an-nounced in February that it would be shutting permanent-ly 475,000 tons of annual newsprint capacity after demand for newsprint and coated magazine paper dropped by 9% in

Europe in 2012. With decreases in paper demand average 5% per year since 2007, this indicated a deepening slump in paper consumption in the two largest media-driven segments, ac-cording to the company.

This means we must accelerate capacity reduction plans to avoid running cash zero or even negative businesses, said Jouko Karvinen, Stora Ensos chief executive.

UPM, another of Europes major paper makers, revealed at the beginning of this year plans to close 580,000 tons of graphic paper capacity in Europe. In addition to closures al-ready announced, the company will be shutting down a total of 850,000 tons of graphic capacity paper capacity.

In the overcapacity situation we need to adjust our capac-ity to the level of profitable demand, said Jyrki Ovaska, presi-dent of the UPM Paper Business Group.

Norwegian-based Norske Skog reduced capacity over the past year by around 18% to 3.7 million tons, mainly newsprint and magazine paper. This helped to maintain capacity utilization at nearly 90% and to achieve a 36-fold increase in operating profit.

Cutbacks in production by press equipment manufacturers are also improving their profitability and increasing utilization rates by slimming down and concentrating production capacity.

Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA), the second largest printing press maker behind Heidelberg and the leader in newspaper presses, disclosed late last year that it would be transferring web-press production at Trennfield, Germany, to its main site 16 miles away at Wurzburg.

From any economic point of view, keeping only two partly utilized plants open does not make sense, said Claus Botza-Schuenemann, KBA chief executive. Our web business can only look positively into the future when all employees, space and equipment available are fully utilized.

The KBA group, which has a 40% global market share for newspaper presses, is the only major press manufacturer whose financial results have remained in the black since 2009. This has been mainly because of its presence in non-media sectors such as packaging and security printing.

During its current financial year to the end of March, Heidelberg has been increasing sales and cash flow after boost-ing its orders at last years drupa.

In the third quarter ending on Dec. 31, 2012, sales went up 9% while operating profit excluding special items rose 11 fold to 25 million ($33 million). However over the nine months in which sales rose by 5% to 1.9 billion, operating loss was 68% higher at 32 million.

Like other printing press makers, the company is attempting to diversify its activities to raise profitability. One area of expan-sion has been the distribution of inks and other consumables. In October it took over the Swiss distributor OFS Group so that after being merged with Heidelbergs existing distribu-tion operation in Switzerland, it has become a leading dealer in consumables in the graphics industry.

Just like our successful customers, we must be dynamic




in focusing our portfolio on profitable segments, said Gerold Linzbach, Heidelbergs chief executive.

However, in areas like food packaging, there is likely to be a trend away from the supplying of inks and consumables through distributors to more direct links with producers.

A food scare across Europe in January and February this year over horse meat being found in a relatively high number of packages labeled as beef products is forcing food produc-ers and retailers to become much stricter about the safety and contents standards of their brands.

Brand owners, including supermarket chains with private brands, are now be-ginning to monitor even more closely the quality of food packaging, including the long-standing issue of food migration. The horse meat scandal has raised public anxi-ety about other possible sources of food contamination, such as chemicals migrating from the packaging material into food.

In response to public concerns, food processors and retailers are demanding more direct contact between the key points of the supply chain, particularly between ink and packaging producers. This year, tighter regulations will provide an even bigger impetus for closer controls on pack-aging supply chains.

The German government is due this year to introduce a Consumer Goods Ordinance covering the quality of food packaging inks, including limits on migra-tion. The Ordinance is likely to become a new standard not only in the European Union but across Europe.

It will certainly lead to an official en-forcement of migration limits e.g. for photoinitiators and binders in the field of UV printing, which should be taken ex-tremely seriously, said Sandro Leuenberger, senior manager global HSE at Siegwerk. The new ordinance is expected to be published in the course of 2013 and will provide a legal basis for ordering product recalls and material impoundments.

Tougher regulations on food migration will be just be one of a number of challeng-es in HSE facing ink producers in Europe this year.

Compliance with REACH the EU legislation on the registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals will be-come more difficult as it is extended to

the content of safety data sheets (SDSs). Also the European Commission is stepping up its efforts to enlarge the official EU list of substances of very high concern (SVHC), which ink producers and other formulators will only be able to use if they cannot find safer alternatives.

European Editor Sean Milmo is an Essex, UK-based writer special-izing in coverage of the chemical industry.



The Pigment ReportWhile leading pigment manufacturers saw improvements in sales in 2012, executives say they expect more changes to come in 2013.

BY DAVID [email protected]

Much like the ink industry, pigment manufacturers have gone through some challenging times in recent years. Raw material costs and supply have been con-cerns, and changes in the printing market combined with the global economic downturn also impacted pigment companies. The economy has improved somewhat, and in general, pigment executives reported that they enjoyed some growth in 2012.

Sun Chemical Performance Pigments saw a positive up-swing in the global pigments market in 2012, but still not to pre-recession levels, said Mehran Yazdani, vice president, mar-keting, Performance Pigments, Sun Chemical. That being said, we faced lower demand in Europe due to the economic down-turn and stronger demand in the U.S., South America and Asia. As a leading global pigment manufacturer, we are optimistic that Sun Chemical Performance Pigments will overcome glob-al economic challenges and see continued growth for the pig-ments market in 2013.

Don McBride, chief operating officer for Heucotech Ltd.

(a Heubach company), noted that Heubach had a good year in 2012, and continued to introduce new products to the market.

Heubach introduced two new high performance organic pigments in 2012 (PY 151 and PV 19) to increase our color palette, said Mr. McBride. Sales of pigments and pigment preparations in 2012 exceeded the prior year, and the same is expected for 2013. Competition within pigment, preparation and ink industries remains ever present, and new technology to meet our customers needs is the best path to growth.

Overall, Emeralds business was strong, with new product offerings and an expansion of business in our traditional busi-ness markets, said John Erbeck, product line manager, Emerald Performance Materials.

While the publication offset and gravure markets have suf-fered declines, sales of packaging and digital inks have grown.

LANSCO Colors grew in 2012 as our customers continued to be successful with our products, said Frank Lavieri, general manager and executive vice president for LANSCO Colors.

20-28 Pigment Report0313.indd 20 3/1/13 1:06 PM

working for you.

who can formulate copper free ink with ease?

you can.

Contaminate metal regulations at the national, state, and

municipal levels have never been more diffi cult to navigate.

This is especially true for copper in water based ink

applications. The need to maintain fastness properties while

eliminating copper in your ink, effl uent, and end applications

is a challenging task. Sun Chemicals breakthrough aluminum

phthalocyanine blue pigment and dispersions is the tailor-

made solution that delivers superior quality, excellent value,

and regulatory peace of mind.

Call us today! 1-800-543-2323

Untitled-17 1 2/28/13 3:04 PM


The Pigment Report

We experienced strong growth in 2012 in the packaging ink market, which continues to look for new pigments to make attractive consumer packaging.

Business was steady for us in 2012, said Andy Grabacki, vice president of sales for General Press Colors. We started to see signs of a slight pickup towards the end of 2012, but 2013 has gotten off to a rough start and doesnt show signs of picking up at least during the first half of the year.

For the printing ink industry, Trust Chem saw an even big-ger drop in demand than expected for publication gravure inks worldwide, said Li Wu, co-owner and technical director of Trust Chem China. Trust Chem worked hard despite this to over-come with new business and increased market share in sales for other types of inks. We have had special success with niche pig-ments and high performance pigments for specialty inks.

Sincol USA experience significant growth in 2012, said Bill Gray, business manager, Sincol USA. Packaging inks continue as our first target segment of the ink industry. Consolidation of manufacturers and suppliers to the corru-gated industry also proved beneficial to Sincol. Overall, we are quite pleased with our overall growth in 2012.

In 2012, pigment manufacturers were struggling due to the decrease in the market, said Sam Lui, president of Hangzhou Colorful Pigment Co., Ltd./Yancheng Trusty Pigment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. We found that most customers are de-veloping new technology to produce ink for the market.

Meghmani Organics Ltd.s Pigment Division achieved a 5% increase in terms of value, said Yash Chitnis, head, interna-tional business - pigments and additives, Meghmani Organics Ltd. The phthalocyanine pigment industry in India in general during 2012 was under severe pressure due to stringent environ-mental norms, thereby causing substantial reduction in produc-tion capacities, and reduced demands from the ink industry.

Metallic and specialty pigment manufacturers also reported that they enjoyed strong years in 2012.

As a supplier of special effect pigments and finished inks, ECKART had a relatively good year in 2012, said Neil Hersh, business line manager, graphic arts, ECKART America Corporation. We did see more variability than usual in month-to-month activity throughout the year, with some soft-ness towards the end of 2012. It was more difficult than usual to plan the year due to the unpredictability in the economic and political climate both domestically in the U.S. and globally.

Brilliant had yet another very strong year of growth in 2012, said Darren Bianchi, president of Brilliant Group. We are seeing a rapid rise in demand for fluorescent pigments and inks globally. For us, 2013 has already started out far beyond plan, and we expect this to continue due to current fashion trends. Fluorescents are hot with designers and the textile and athletic wear markets are driving demand, and products weve recently developed for UV inks are also experiencing substan-tial growth. Weve worked to develop a global distribution net-work and it has served us well.

Signs of Improvement in the Ink IndustryPigment executives said that overall, there were improvements in the ink industry, though some markets did not fare as well as others.

There were some areas of improvement, but this was very market segment specific, Mr. Hersh said. The publication and commercial printing markets continue to struggle due to struc-tural changes in the printing industry as a result of electronic media and digital, while the label and flexible packaging mar-kets continue to show positive signs as these growth markets are linked more to population and product consumption.

Based on our interaction with key ink manufacturers, the publication segment is very sluggish and chances of recovery are slim, while there will be steady growth in the packaging segment, Mr. Chitnis said.

Trust Chem expects to see significant growth in 2013, es-pecially in applications other than printing ink and especially in our growing range of niche and high performance pig-ments, Mr. Wu said. We do not expect that the ink industry worldwide will see much growth in 2013. We are expecting price competition, especially for commodity pigments for ink, to continue to be intense.

We are expecting steady growth within packaging inks, Mr. Gray said. On the pigment side, our parent company Sincol Corp. is just now undergoing a significant expansion in our overall capacity, along with a major investment in water treatment and environmental controls. We are convinced the future growth and supply of organic pigments will hinge on ever increasing environmental demands.

We are seeing increased internalization of product in the ink industry, while greater competitive threats are commoditiz-ing many areas of the ink market, Mr. Erbeck said. Finding new value by offering innovative products with specialized features are allowing us to remain strong in the ink industry.

The Raw Materials MarketRaw materials have been a huge concern for pigment manu-facturers for the past few years, as prices have skyrocketed and some key ingredients have been in short supply. The good news is that 2012 brought a more stable market for these materials.

Mr. McBride noted that 2012 was much more stable for most of the raw materials then in recent history with respect to supply and cost.

We still need to stay diligent with respect to forecasting for materials with a long pipeline, but this past year was not com-parable to the instability of 2010-2011, Mr. McBride added.

Mr. Erbeck agreed that staying on top of the raw material situation is key to maintaining supply. This is always a chal-lenge, he said. Our procurement teams are always negotiating in advance of any increases and getting ahead of the curve on supply issues.

Overall, raw material prices and supply were stable in 2012, Mr. Gray said. Spot shortages continue, again mostly


The ECKART Effect Ink not Foil.Eckart is a leading supplier of special effects pigments and inks for the graphic arts industry. Products are designed to create the best printed effect possible for brilliance, shine and quality; allowing designers and brand owners to differentiate their products on retail store shelves. Eckart special effect pigments and inks serve a variety of market segments, including labels pressure sensitive, wrap around and wet glue; flexible packaging films, shrink sleeves and pouches; folding cartons and commercial printing.ECKART take the brilliant way. www.eckart.net

For further information please contact:

Eckart america corporation 830 East Erie Street Painesville, Ohio 44077 USa

tel +1 440 954-7600 Fax +1 440 354-6224 toll-free 800-556-1111 [email protected]

13-0262_AZ_GA_InkWorld_WineWaterSplash_02_RZic.indd 1 25.02.13 11:37Untitled-27 1 2/26/13 2:29 PM


The Pigment Report

connected to increasing environmental requirements in all in-dustries in China.

Mr. Hersh said that metallic pigment manufacturers also saw more stability in their key raw materials.

Overall, the specialty chemical industry saw more stable raw material prices and availability than in the previous few years, and the same was true for our largest materials aluminum and copper, Mr. Hersh said. There is still ongoing concern about future raw material supply, but that tends to be more specific to supply source as manufacturers continue to rationalize their product portfolios and also look to further consolidate.

Environmental regulations are causing some shortages.In 2012, the strict environmental norms compelled many

manufacturing companies to cut down production by almost 30% to 50%, Mr. Chitnis said. Further, the continuous up-ward fluctuation in copper prices, the recent anti-dumping im-posed in India on phthalic anhydride and increase in the cost of waste water treatment has increased the prices of finished phthalocyanine pigments substantially.

It was a headache, Mr. Lui said. Short supply and price changes are the problems we have to face and overcome.

Even though raw material costs stabilized, they did so at high levels.

One key trend and challenge we saw in 2012 was the sustained high costs of raw materials, Mr. Yazdani said. Sun Chemical Performance Pigments anticipates that the raw ma-terial prices will remain at their current high levels. However, we are certainly aware of the high degree of volatility in the global economy. Therefore, we will continue to monitor the key raw material indexes and focus our manufacturing team on process and raw material productivity. In addition, we continue to see increases in regulatory compliance costs.

At the moment, there is not significant instability in pricing or tight supplies for organic pigment, Mr. Wu said. However, there is certainly a chance this will change later in 2013 as de-mand increases and petrochemical prices continue to rise. In 2012 and maybe again in 2013, currency instability worldwide may have an effect on pricing. Competition has reduced mar-gins, so increased cost would have to be pushed through quickly.

New ProductsNew products are the lifeblood of any industry, and pigment manufacturers have launched a wide range of new products for the ink industry.

Sun Chemical has a wide variety of new pigments for the ink industry. With its acquisition of Benda-Lutz, Sun Chemical now offers Benda-Lutz Metallic Effects, which are tailored for market-leading metallic brilliance, coverage, adhesion prop-erties, low migration and sustainability. Sun Chemical has introduced its Flexiverse and Sunsperse APE-Free Blue 79 Dispersions for water, based on breakthrough pigment man-ufacturing technology. These water-based aluminum phtha-locyanine blue dispersions allow for copper-free formulation

without the molybdenum, selenium and solvent residuals com-monly associated with conventional aluminum blue.

Sun Chemicals expansion of regulatory-friendly products continues with Sunsperse ECO. These APEO-, VOC- and resin-free aqueous pigment dispersions are formulated for wa-ter-based applications requiring fastness, durability and narrow color specifications.

Sunbrite Yellow 74 Pigment is designed for aqueous sys-tems. This monoarylide pigment is a popular choice for digital inkjet ink designers and provides the properties that are critical to quality. This pigment reduces pigment loading requirements, improves viscosity and particle size stability, optical density with the color consistency and purity for aqueous digital inkjet applications.

Heubach remains committed to bringing new innovation and technologies to our customers and markets, Mr. McBride said. Ongoing R&D for organic and inorganic pigments and pigment preparations is a mainstay for our organization. We are looking for increased strength and lower TSR values for our CICPs, several more organic high performance pigments and dry and wet preparations which address resistance properties and unique color space.

ECKART has been active on the R&D front, introducing new inks and pigments.

RotoStar UV FP66 is a series of UV flexo inks that can be printed on paper and film, offering much longer shelf-life stability than existing UV flexo products in the market, as well as creating superior metallic brilliance with increasing press speeds, Mr. Hersh said. We have introduced several new products for shrink sleeves: RotoStar UV Shrink Silver FP68-41002 for UV flexo and PlatinStar GX-2902 Silver for solvent flexo and gravure.

Luxan glass flakes have been created to provide a range of cleaner, smoother colors for the printing industry, Mr. Hersh noted. Due to stricter European regulations, we have intro-duced our FPG series of low migration offset inks, manufac-tured under GMP guidelines in a dedicated manufacturing facility to prevent contamination and which meet the most stringent migration requirements. MetalStar Supereco 10 is a cobalt- and mineral oil-free range of offset inks that have also been introduced to meet specific packaging requirements.

For the ink industry, we have launched our new line of energy cure colors called Lucida Colors ECF for flexographic and screen applications and Lucida Colors ECS for offset ap-plications, Mr. Erbeck noted. These products are designed to offer increased functionality, imparting adhesion and excellent cure to the ink maker. The chemistry allows for wide compat-ibility with many ink formulations and gives the user a low odor product to work with. In addition to the energy cure products, we are launching our new line of inkjet dispersions called Lucida Colors IJ SDP. These self-dispersed pigments specifically designed for water-based inkjet inks that offer higher optical density on black, great stability and the best light


-BVODIFEJO1SJOUFE&MFDUSPOJDT/PXIBTCFDPNFUIFJOEFQFOEFOUWPJDFJOUIFJOEVTUSZ5IFXFCTJUFJTUIFPOMJOFTPVSDFGPSOFXTGFBUVSFTSFTFBSDIQBQFSTFWFOUTQSPEVDUTDPNQBOJFTBOEPQQPSUVOJUJFTJOQSJOUFEFMFDUSPOJDT0VSXFFLMZFOFXTMFUUFSPGGFSTCSFBLJOHOFXTJOEVTUSZOFXTGFBUVSFBSUJDMFTBOEFWFSZUIJOHZPVOFFEUPTUBZDVSSFOUXJUIUIJTGBTUQBDFEUFDIOPMPHZ

-PHPOBOETJHOVQUPEBZ

XXXQSJOUFEFMFDUSPOJDTOPXDPN



The Pigment Report

stability in the market for our Pigment Yellow 180.Mr. Wu noted that Trust Chem is developing new high per-

formance pigments.Trust Chem has already successfully developed some

new HPPs (high performance pigments) with a reasonable price, Mr. Wu said. At the same time, we have started acquir-ing some new market share and we believe that we will get more in future. Trust Chem is especially excited about our new improved quality, low cost Yellow 155 that we have developed with special grades for water and solvent inks. We think our Yellow 155 may eventually replace hansa yellows in selected printing ink applications.

Mr. Wu noted that In Europe, the REACH registration pro-cess continues to be a big topic,

May 31, 2013 is the deadline for the registration of high volume products (100 metric tons per year), Mr. Wu said. Trust Chem expects to have about 30 different pigment chemistry registered by this deadline. We believe this will be more than any other Asian supplier of organic pigment. We expect at least some of our competitors will have to stop selling some or even all of their pigment after May 31 in the European market.

Expectations for the Coming YearDespite the improvements that many pigment manufacturers saw in 2012, pigment executives said they expect more changes in 2013.

In the graphic arts market, the increasing use of non-impact printing methods such as inkjet means increased de-mand for high performance pigments at the expense of those conventional pigments used in traditional printing inks, Mr. Yazdani said. Overall, we expect flat to declining demand for publication offset by continued growth in packaging.

From the market segment viewpoint, we expect continued growth in automotive, architecture, fiber, nylon, specialties, and niche markets, Mr. Yazdani added. The automotive market has seen an increase in demand for unique color and effects. This trend continues to help fuel the continued growth in high performance and effect pigments.

Mr. Grabacki said that the offset printing market is changing.The industry appears to still be shrinking, coinciding with

the consolidation of printers, foreign competition, the econ-omy, digital media and in general, less demand for print, Mr. Grabacki said. It does not look good for the offset market.

Mr. Hersh said that ECKART hopes that there will be more stability in the market. This would allow us to better serve our customers and to plan our activities more efficiently, he added. As more brand owners and consumer packaging com-panies look to differentiate their products, metallic inks present cost effective, decorative solutions. We are looking forward to a successful 2013, and see potential growth for special effects using printed metallic inks versus alternative technologies such as metalized substrates and foil stamping.

Heucotech Ltd., a Heubach company, is looking for sus-tained growth again in 2013 despite the tough business cli-mate, Mr. McBride said.

Mr. Gray said he expects that 2013 will continue to see both consolidation and elimination of traditional pigment suppliers.

The cost to meet the new and newly enforced envi-ronmental regulation inside China will result in a significant number of traditional pigment sources closing their doors, Mr. Gray added. Sincol Corporation is well placed with its expanded plant capacity and commitment to environmental consciousness.

Pigment company leaders say that developing innovative new pigments are one way to ensure that their company moves forward in the coming years.

This year will continue to challenge us in a very competi-tive market, but our forward thinking and innovation will al-low us to overcome these challenges, Mr. Erbeck said. New market offerings in energy cure and inkjet will only solidify our reach in the ink industry and keep Emerald Performance Materials strong for years to come.

While we are hopeful for improvement in the economy in 2013, we are not relying on it, Mr. Lavieri said. We have launched several exciting new products 2012 and will launch more in 2013. We have also added more personnel and labora-tory equipment to continue to find new ways to bring value to our customers.

We expect pigment demand in the ink industry to be flat in 2013, especially in Europe, and expect slight improvement in the U.S., said Mr. Wu. However, at Trust Chem, we are much more optimistic that we will see good growth with our significant number of new products introduced over the past two years.

For more information on The Pigment Report, please see www.ink-worldmagazine.com.

New PigmentsThe following listing includes new pigment products intro-duced to the ink industry last year.

Emerald Performance Materials Specialties Business Group 2235 Langdon Farm RoadCincinnati, OH 45237Phone: (800) 477-1022Fax: (513) 841-3771Web: www.emeraldmaterials.comE-mail: [email protected]

New Products: Lucida Colors Energy Curable ColorantsComments: Lucida Colors Energy Curable colorants were launched in 2012, and have been well received. The new en-ergy curable dispersions are designed to address some critical



The Pigment Report

needs - low odor, high functionality combined with high pigment solids and color strength while maintaining pourability and excellent handling. They are available in full palette for flexographic and screen applications and CMYK for offset printing applications. CMYK Inkjet Dispersions Comments: The company plans to expand its products for digital printing in 2013. In addition to its Hilton Davis dyes for digital printing such as DB-19, CMYK inkjet dispersions are being designed to provide outstanding perfor-mance, such as unparalleled stability, high optical density and light fastness.

Heucotech Ltd. (a Heubach company)99 Newbold Road Fairless Hills, PA 19030Phone: (215) 736-0712 ext. 117 Fax: (215) 736-2249Web: www.heubachcolor.comE-mail: [email protected]

New Products: Monolite Red 301901 PV 19 Comment: Monolite Red 301901 is the bluish red shade PV 19. It ex-hibits excellent durability and lightfastness, making it useful for a variety of applications. Monolite Yellow 115101 PY 151Comment: Monolite Yellow 115101 is a green shade yellow pigment of-fering excellent lightfastness, weatherfastness and opacity. It is completely resistant to major organic solvents and is used in applications where high per-formance is required. Aquis Plus RWP1460 PR 146 PreparationComment: RWP1460 is a highly pigmented naphthol red aqueous disper-sion that can be used in both specialty ink and coatings applications. Aquis Plus OWP1601 PO 16 PreparationComment: OWP1601 is highly pigmented diarylide orange aqueous disper-sion that is used in packaging and specialty inks.

LANSCO ColorsOne Blue Hill PlazaPearl River, NYPhone: 1-888-4-LANSCOFax: (845) 735-2787 Web: www.pigments.comE-mail: [email protected]

New Products: 522 BON Maroon Red 52:2 Comments: This pigment is a blue shade red with mid-range fastness prop-erties that can be a cost effective option for various coatings. It is commonly used in coatings that are designed to freshen up the appearance of items that are frequently repainted due to high levels of wear and tear. Bon Maroon is used in formulating brush coatings as well as low cost aerosol spray paints. 1073 DPP Orange 73 Comments: This is a high performance orange pigment with excellent fastness properties that can be the most cost effective choice where outdoor

How can I improve the stability of my

water-based carbon black pigment dispersion?

Ask the Expert

Jeanine SnyderSenior Development Chemist

QA stable pigment disper-sion is critical to application performance. Formulating issues such as shock, floc-culation, floating or flood-

ing can develop when improperly stabi-lized pigment dispersions are let down into ink or coating systems. Air Products has developed Carbowet 300 surfactant, specifically designed to achieve excellent wetting of hydrophobic materials leading to rapid incorporation of dry pigments and improved milling efficiency during the dispersion process. Carbowet 300 surfactant is designed to provide strong particle affinity and robust stabilization, minimizing stability problems in your system. Using Carbowet 300 surfactant in combination with a grinding resin can improve the viscosity stability of carbon black dispersions. Dispersions containing Carbowet 300 surfactant offer improved initial viscosities as well as better viscosity and dispersion stability after three weeks at 50 C when compared with disper-sions prepared with a grind resin alone. Solvent- and APE-free, this cost-effective surfactant offers improved dispersion and viscosity stability in resinated pigment dispersions where it functions as an environmentally preferable alternative to APEs and other surfactants used to provide color stability in printing inks and coatings.

A

tell me morewww.airproducts.com/

surfactants

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2012 (34595) N15



The Pigment Report

durability is needed.

Sun Chemical Performance Pigment Group5020 Spring Grove Ave.Cincinnati, OH 45232Phone: (513) 681-5950Fax: 513-632-1316Web: www.sunchemical.com/performancepigments/ E-mail: [email protected]

New Products: Benda-Lutz Metallic Effects Comments: Sun Chemical is rapidly expanding this new brand of metallic pigments for graphic arts. Benda-Lutz Metallic Effects are tailored for market-leading metallic brilliance, cov-erage, adhesion properties, low migration and sustainability. Flexiverse and Sunsperse APE-Free Blue 79 Dispersions for WaterComments: Based on breakthrough pigment manufacturing technology, these water-based aluminum phthalocyanine blue dispersions allow for copper-free formulation without the mo-lybdenum, selenium and solvent residuals commonly associated with conventional aluminum blue. Sun Chemical Performance Pigments growing line of aluminum blue preparations delivers superior quality, excellent value and regulatory peace of mind. Sunsperse ECOComments: These APEO-, VOC- and resin-free aqueous pigment dispersions are formulated for water-based applica-tions requiring fastness, durability and narrow color specifi-cations. Sunsperse ECO combines performance and stability while meeting regulatory and reporting needs. Sunbrite Yellow 74 Pigment for Aqueous SystemsComments: This monoarylide pigment is a popular choice for digital inkjet ink designers and provides the properties that are critical to quality. It reduces pigment loading requirements, improves viscosity and particle size stability, optical density with the color consistency, and purity for aqueous digital ink-jet applications.

Trust Chem USA LLC 1050 Main St., Suite 22 East Greenwich, RI 02818 Phone: (401) 398-7301 Fax: (401) 398-7321 Web: www.trustchemusa.comE-mail: [email protected]

New Products: Pigment Yellow 185 Comments: Pigment Yellow 185 is an isoindoline yellow, a high performance yellow of special interest for solvent inks with good transparency and color strength. Pigment Red 242 Comments: Pigment Red 242 is a disazo red, high quality

yellow shade red for specialty inks. Pigment Yellow 180 Comments: Pigment Yellow 180 is a benzimidazolone yellow, offering high heat stability and a new lower cost grade for ink. Pigment Yellow 155 Comments: Pigment Yellow 155 is a disazo yellow, offering high tinting strength, excellent properties and new lower cost grades for printing ink, as well as excellent soap and butter resistance. Pigment Yellow 93 Comments: Pigment Yellow 93 is an azo condensation yel-low, ideal for plastics and as a niche product in ink. Pigment Yellow 95 Comments: Pigment Yellow 95 is an azo condensation yel-low, ideal for plastics and as a niche product in ink.

Yancheng Trusty Pigment Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Chenjiagang Chemical ZoneXiangshui,YanchengJiangsu, ChinaPhone:+86 571-2285-2802 Fax: +86 571-8265-2855Web: www.pigment.cnE-mail: [email protected]

New Products: HC Yellow 1203 (Y.12)Comments: HC Yellow 1203 (Y.12) is ideal for coldset ink. HC Yellow 1205 (Y.12)Comments: HC Yellow 1205 (Y.12) is ideal for matching DHG. HC Yellow 1303 (Y.13)Comments: HC Yellow 1303 (Y.13) is designed for solvent-based ink and offers good transparence and good flow. HC Yellow 1303F (Y.13)Comments: HC Yellow 1303F(Y.13) is designed for sol-vent-based ink, with better flow than Yellow 1303 and good transparence. HC Yellow 8302 (Y.83)Comments: HC Yellow 8302 (Y.83) for solvent-based ink provides good transparence and good flow. HC Red 5313 (R53:1)Comments: HC Red 5313 (R53:1) for solvent-based ink offers good transparence and good flow. HC Rubine 5702 (R57:1)Comments: HC Rubine 5702 (R57:1) for solvent-based ink offers good transparence and flow. HC Rubine 5709 (R57:1)Comments: HC Rubine 5709 (R57:1) is ideal for heatset ink. It offers good gloss, transparence and flow. HC Rubine 5710 (R57:1)Comments: HC Rubine 5710 (R57:1) for heatset ink offers good gloss, transparence and flow.


NORTH AMERICANTOP 20 REPORT

March/April 2013 www.INKWORLDMAGAZINE.com 29

The past few years have been challenging for most printing ink manufacturers, particularly on the publication and com-mercial side. They have been forced to contend with the di cult combination of a global economic downturn and a dramatically changing printing market where consumers are increasing turning to other sources such as the Internet for their information. Meanwhile, raw material prices soared, particularly crude oil, leaving ink companies at a loss, in many cases quite literally, as they tried to get their own price increases from printer customers.

As we proceed into 2013, things seem somewhat quieter for the moment. The worldwide economy is growing slightly, al-though that could change quickly. Raw material costs have stabilized for the most part, although at much higher levels that previ-ously seen. Raw material supply has stabilized.

Unfortunately, the publication and commercial printing markets have not improved, which is bad news for ink manufacturers who specialize in these markets, as overcapacity continues to put pressure on margins.

For ink companies primarily in the packaging and digital elds, the news is much better. These markets have proved to be recession resistant, and continue to grow.

In this years North American Top 20 Report, the ink executives we spoke with reported that stable raw material prices are allowing them to catch their breath and contemplate what needs to be done next, including trying to improve depressed margins.

In most cases, these leaders are cautiously optimistic about 2013, although these executives remain wary, knowing that changes can come quickly. If recent years are a guide, 2013 will likely hold more challenges to come.

David SavastanoInk World [email protected]

North American Top 20 Report

29 IW TOP 20 EDIT0313.indd 29 3/1/13 4:17 PM

North American Top 20


The North American Top 20 Rankings

1. Sun Chemical $1,500* $3,500 (Sun Chemical)** 12. Flint Group $1,000* $3,000 (Flint Group) 23. INX International $335 $1,410 (Sakata INX) 34. CR/T $240* 55. Siegwerk $222 $1,160 (Siegwerk Group) 46. DuPont Ink Jet $175* 67. Wikoff Color $165* 78. Hostmann-Steinberg $140* $1,030 (Huber Group) 89. Sanchez SA de CV $131 910. Toyo Ink America $112 $1,670 (Toyo Ink) 1011. EFI, Inc. $95* 1212. Fujifilm North America, GSD $90* $366 (Fujifilm) 1113. American Inks & Coatings $85 1314. Nazdar $75* 1415. Central Ink $65 1516. SICPA Securink $60* $400* (SICPA Group) 1516. Superior Ink $60 1516. Van Son $60* $140* (Royal Dutch Van Son) 1519. Color Resolutions $55* 19 19. Ink Systems $55 1919. Sensient Technologies $55 19 * Ink World estimate ** Parent company DIC Corporation has global ink sales of $4.52 billion

Company North American Ink Sales Global Ink Sales (Parent) Last Year (in millions) (in millions)

American Inks & Coatings ...................................... p. 48Central Ink ............................................................ p. 49Chemical Research/Technology .............................. p. 38Color Resolutions ................................................... p. 51DuPont ................................................................... p. 41EFI, Inc. ................................................................. p. 45Flint Group ............................................................ p. 36Fujifilm North America .......................................... p. 46Hostmann-Steinberg ............................................... p. 43Ink Systems ............................................................. p. 52INX International .................................................. p. 37

Nazdar ................................................................... p. 48Sanchez SA de CV ................................................. p. 44Sensient ................................................................. p. 53SICPA ................................................................... p. 50Siegwerk ................................................................ p. 40Sun Chemical ......................................................... p. 32Superior Printing Ink .............................................. p. 50Toyo Ink ................................................................. p. 45Van Son .................................................................. p. 51Wikoff Color ......................................................... p. 42

Companies Listed By Page Number

30 The North American Top 20 Rankings.indd 30 3/1/13 4:18 PM

!

"##$%$&!!'!('!)!!

#*+,%,-.%,/-0$

1



North American Top 20

1Sun ChemiCal Corporation35 Waterview Blvd.Parsippany, NJ 07054Phone: (973) 404-6000Fax: (973) 404-6001www.sunchemical.comSales: Sun Chemical had annual sales of $3.5 billion in print-ing inks and colorants worldwide. North American Ink Sales: $1.5 billion (Ink World estimate).

major products: Broad product portfolio with capabilities in web heatset and sheetfed offset; publication and packaging gravure; news ink and publication coldset; flexographic pack-aging inks; corrugated packaging inks; energy curable inks and coatings; screen inks, label and narrow web inks, toner, inkjet materials, adhesives for packaging, overprint varnishes, specialty coatings, effect inks, flexographic printing plates, digital artwork file management, color software and brand color management, printed electronics, security inks and coatings, and organic colorants for inks, plastics, paints, coat-ings and cosmetics.

Key personnel: Rudi Lenz, president and CEO, Sun Chemical and Board member

Key leaders (in alphabetical order): Martin Cellerier, VP, corporate strategy; Robert Fitzka, group managing director, Europe Central Region; John Gowlett, VP, global operations; Greg Hayes, group man-aging director, Europe Northern Region; Gregory Lawson, president, Sun Chemical Latin America; John McKeown, senior VP, chief administration officer; Felipe Mellado, chief marketing officer and Board member; Charles Murray, president, North American Inks; Carlo Musso, group managing director, Europe Southern Region; Myron Petruch, president, Performance Pigments; Bradley Schrader, VP, corporate planning; Edward Pruitt, chief procurement officer; Russell Schwartz, chief technology officer; Mehran Yazdani, GM DIC America & Electronic Materials.

number of employees: More than 8,000 worldwide.

operating Facilities: Sun Chemical has more than 300 manufacturing and service locations worldwide and more than 200 customer in-plant locations in the U.S. alone.

Comments: Sun Chemical had a comparable year to 2011, as the company continued to recover volume in all of its sectors, but the company continues to face the same challenges as it moves ahead.

In particular, Charles Murray, president, North American Inks for Sun Chemical, noted that the publication and com-mercial sheetfed markets continue to struggle, adding that the shift in the publications market has been drastic. Sales in this market have not recovered to pre-recession levels and we dont expect that they will, Mr. Murray said.

By contrast, Mr. Murray reported that Sun Chemical en-joyed moderate growth in 2012, led by flexible packaging, and the company is working with brand owners and major packaging groups to provide solutions for specialized packag-ing. He added that Sun Chemical will continue to see growth in the flexible packaging segment, particularly in value-added packaging, as the market moves toward functional and sensory packaging. He believes that further growth will come from the narrow web, tag, and label businesses, as well as the folding carton segment.

To meet the needs of their customers, Sun Chemical is in-vesting in manufacturing, processes and products, despite the challenging economy.

In July, Sun Chemical Performance Pigments acquired Benda-Lutz Werke GmbH, a leading manufacturer of metal-lic effect products based in Austria. The acquisition allows Sun Chemical to purchase 100% of the shares, assets and business from Benda-Lutz and would expand its product portfolio in metallic effects. With the acquisition, Sun Chemical adds pro-duction facilities in Austria, Poland, Russia and the U.S. to ac-company its aluminum pigment manufacturing site in China, forming the basis of a new global Metallics Business Unit as part of Sun Chemicals Performance Pigments Division.

The company also opened two major new facilities. In June, Sun Chemical reinforced its commitment to customers in Montreal and the Province of Quebec with the opening of its new 50,000 square foot state-of-the-art ink manufactur-ing plant in Laval, a $3.1 million (CAD) investment designed to provide stronger customer service, improve efficiency and reduce costs.

The new facility consolidates four manufacturing plants lo-cated in Ottawa, Quebec City and two buildings located in the Montreal suburbs of Boucherville and Anjou.

Also in 2012, Sun Chemical invested $9.1 million to build a brand new printing ink manufacturing plant in San Bernardo, Chile, a suburb of Santiago. Primarily a manufacturer of packaging inks, the facility is expected to produce 10,500 tons of inks an-nually that serve its principal domestic customers as well as other locations across South America, including Brazil and Argentina.

Sun Chemical received numerous honors this year. In September, Sun Chemicals UK and Ireland Customer Service Center, based in Trafford Park, was awarded the 2012 Customer Service Excellence Award by the British Printing Industries

Charles Murray

32-53 IW

ink world magzine_vol.19, no.2_2013-03

Documents