SunJet, the global inkjet division of Sun Chemical, has received an Innovation Excellence Award for the second consecutive year at the 2016 Stationers’ Company Awards ceremony.

SunJet was honored with the Innovation Excellence Award for the development of Aquacure, its next generation functional aqueous inkjet ink. The ink, which represents a totally new concept in ink development, is based on aqueous chemistry that combines the best of water-based and UV curing ink technology. This gives digital printers an ink that delivers the highest quality output with a host of environmental benefits for a range of applications, including printing graphics, labels, folding cartons, narrow web and flexible packaging.

According to Sun Chemical, Aquacure delivers excellent adhesion to a wide range of media, offers superb flexibility and has an extensive color gamut. It is also a low-odor, low migration ink that is fully compliant for primary food packaging.

Unlike 100% solid UV curing inkjet inks, Aquacure is able to produce low film weights similar to those in conventional print processes and thus achieves a look and feel that converters and brand owners demand. Aquacure also has a very good health and safety and environmental profile.

“Printers and brand owners are always keen to use environmentally-friendly inks, but are not prepared to accept the drop in performance that typically comes with these products,” says Peter Saunders, business director at SunJet. “With Aquacure, which is the result of several years of dedicated research and development, we have introduced a real alternative to traditional inkjet inks in that it delivers on both performance and in terms of the environment. Innovation is a necessity in digital printing and has always been a driving force in the development of SunJet inks, and this award highlights our dedication to delivering the strongest technologies possible.”

In 2015, the SunJet team received the “Innovator of the Year Award” for developing compliant low-migration inkjet inks for food packaging.