Dr. Mohammad Farahat, director of Sun Chemical’s Novel Device Laboratory, received the 2024 National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers’ (NAPIM) Printing Ink Pioneer Award.

Considered one of the most prestigious honors in the ink manufacturing industry, the Printing Ink Pioneer Award honors those who have given more than 20 years of service to the printing ink industry through their work with one or several printing ink companies or suppliers, in addition to service work with ink associations, production clubs and other committees. NAPIM also considers technical contributions in the areas of laboratory, engineering, production or product development.

When Farahat joined Sun Chemical in 2004, he initially worked on brand protection solutions, but his technical depth and expertise in material science, optics and chemical sensors made him the natural choice to lead the Novel Device Lab, an innovation initiative that also required understanding of electronics, machine learning and an ability to move concepts from lab to production. He quickly began developing creative solutions to complex problems, gaining several patents in the field.

For example, Farahat was instrumental in the recent launch of Sun Chemical’s SunScreen technology, which accurately measures the thickness of deposited coatings in real time, thus reducing the required coat weights and greatly improving quality and consistency during print jobs.

“Equally important to Mohammad’s unquestionable technical acumen are his outstanding leadership qualities, including empathy, listening skills, a work ethic that allows him to lead by example, and a sense of humor that puts people at ease and creates an inclusive and enjoyable work environment,” says Russ Schwartz, chief technology officer, Sun Chemical. “In fact, his supervisor once told me that he can transform a dysfunctional group into a highly functioning team faster than anyone he has ever known. We’re excited for Mohammad on receiving this well-earned honor.”

Farahat holds a Ph.D. in photo chemistry from Boston University and both a master’s degree in chemistry and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The award was presented during NAPIM’s 2024 annual convention/technical conference, which was held on October 1 at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, WI. Farahat joins a long list of Sun Chemical employees over the company’s 200+ year history to be recognized for important industry accomplishments.