Digital printing has been making gains in many printing segments, including packaging, and further growth in packaging is expected. With an eye on this trend, Zeller+Gmelin GmbH & Co. KG, a UV ink specialist, began development of digital inks in 2019. The company brought on inkjet specialists, and a new inkjet printing lab was built at its headquarters in Eislingen, Germany.

In 2022, this R&D work came to fruition, as Zeller+Gmelin launched its first digital inks, UV-curable and water-based inkjet inks for labels, packaging and molded parts.

Andreas Koch, head of division printing inks at Zeller+Gmelin GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), says it is an obvious step for Z+G to direct its product diversification towards digital printing inks.

“Almost all printing press manufacturers with whom Z+G cooperates in conventional printing processes are developing digital printing units or complete printing presses,” notes Koch. “This applies to the narrow web segment, rigid plastics and the entire packaging printing for both film and fiber-based substrates.”

“The great challenge in the development and production of inkjet inks is the perfect selection of raw materials, their precise processing, the fine-tuning to the appropriate print-head specifications and the incorporation of the required physical and chemical properties of the final ink film in ink systems that are almost as thin as water,” Koch adds.

Koch said that Zeller+Gmelin’s focus is on the labels and packaging segment.

“In the development of inkjet printing inks, our focus is clearly on packaging printing,” he adds. “Here we develop UV inkjet inks for non-sensitive and water-based inkjet inks for sensitive applications. In addition, our expertise in inkjet ink development gives us access to all kinds of industrial decorative applications. Since inkjet is a non-contact printing process, it can be used to decorate or coat almost any object imaginable, giving us access to a wide range of industries.”

At present, digital label and narrow printing inks are primarily bought from the equipment OEMs. Zeller+Gmelin sees opportunities for offering alternatives to the OEMs.

“Zeller+Gmelin has been at home in these applications for many years and is familiar with the requirements and regulations,” Koch observes. “It goes without saying that Z+G will also supply press manufacturers and print users with innovative digital printing inks. In addition to our many years of experience in packaging printing with conventional inks, we have put together a team at Z+G that can look back on more than ten years of inkjet experience. This enables us to be at the cutting edge of inkjet ink technology.”

Glass and polypropylene are difficult substrates to print on, and Zeller+Gmelin has developed inks for these applications.

“One of our first products is a UV inkjet ink with excellent adhesion on difficult surfaces such as glass and polypropylene,” says Koch. “The innovation is that the adhesion is achieved without primer or pre-treatment. The ink is used for example in interior design, automotive and poster advertising. We are in the process of introducing the ink to the market worldwide for various applications.

“With the water-based inkjet technology, we develop inks for industrial applications for decoration of non-woven materials and printing on absorbent and non-absorbent packaging materials,” Koch adds.

Koch says the time is right for Zeller+Gmelin to enter the digital printing segment.

“I’m often asked if we didn’t start inkjet development too late,” Koch comments. “My answer is that we started at exactly the right time. The big learning curve has already been paid and we’re accessing market-ready technology knowledge right from the start and adding to our innovation on top. In addition, the market urgently needs another player with the necessary agility and development strength to take inkjet to the next level. We look forward to translating customer requirements into inkjet solutions with our usual professionalism.”