The ink industry is thriving. Thanks largely to the expansion of the packaging industry, it has enjoyed healthy growth over the last two years and is expected to continue to do so through at least 2020. In fact, Transparency Market Research reports that the global printing ink market will grow by nearly six billion dollars in that timeframe.

This year’s Labelexpo – which will be held September 29-October 2 in Brussels, Belgium – will feature more than 600 exhibitors in eight halls. Ink manufacturers are a vital part of this year’s show, as tags and labels are a considerable driver for the ink market. Here, Ink World discusses with leading ink manufacturers their plans for the show as well as their perspective on the future of the label industry.

Flint Group Narrow Web
At this year’s show, Flint Group says it will will focus on improved and recent products launched, including: UV flexo and UV offset inks for low migration, UV flexo and water-based inks for narrow web flexible packaging applications, a range of coatings specifically targeted for digital printed media, and its full range EkoCure LED UV products.

Deanna Klemesrud, global marketing manager for packaging and narrow web at Flint Group, said that the label industry as a whole is both competitive and mature.

“Growth rates have drastically stagnated the past 5-10 years,” Klemesrud said. “There is clearly a lot of over-capacity that harms profitability among printers and is causing a lot of uncertainty in the marketplace.”

Klemesrud added that labels as a product decoration method are challenged by packaging print and direct decoration methods, and innovation is the key to be able to be ahead of the game.

“The speed to market for new innovations is also very important for key market drivers – in this case, the brand owners,” she said. “That said, the future of label market belongs to innovators and entrepreneurs with structured approach, expertise and the ability to innovate, innovate and yes… innovate.”

INX International Ink Co.
INX International Ink Co. says it will focus on “tried and true” solutions for flexible packaging, folding cartons and labels at this year’s show. The NW210 inkjet UV digital narrow web press, which made its debut at Labelexpo Americas one year ago, will be demonstrated at the show and be supported by a wide range of ink products. Various water-based tag and label options, UV flexo shrink label inks, the complete product line for low migration food packaging, and Prodigy jettable fluids for industrial applications will also be on display.

According to Jim Lambert, VP and GM of INX International Ink Co’s digital division, past history is the best predictor of future trends for the label industry.

“What we have seen is acceptance of digitally printed labels and their penetration into the conventional flexo label market,” he said. “Short runs are no longer turned away by the label printers. We expect this trend to continue and will see digital enter into some of the more challenging markets like flexible packaging.  It won’t be long before the majority of label printers have digital in-house to offer as an option for their customer base.”

Pulse Roll Label Products
At this year’s show, Pulse Roll Label Products will unveil its new, high-strength UV flexo ink system, which was designed to “push the boundaries of what can be achieved in terms of ink vibrancy and color.” A range of mono-pigmented mixing bases will complement the process set. These bases help printers achieve brighter and higher color strength with substantially less ink usage.

The company will also be showcasing its best-selling UV flexo free radical release varnish for peel and read applications, as well as presenting its Digitech range of UV flexo curable varnishes for use on digital inks. Both of these products address two trends in the label and packaging market: the growth of peel-and-read labels and the increasing popularity of digital printing.

Gary Seward, managing director of Pulse Roll Label Products, said that a major trend in the industry today is consolidation.

“We certainly expect to see further consolidation in the label industry combined with much greater expectations from end users and consumer packaged goods companies for improved color consistency and greater efficiency from their label and packaging suppliers, driven by the ultimate need to reduce costs,” Seward said.

He added that, in order to be successful, ink companies need to understand the challenges that face narrow web printers and be in a position to provide solutions to support their growth and expansion.

“We see much more of an emphasis on working in partnership, particularly towards developing good color management systems and processes together, with companies working much more closely together throughout the whole supply chain,” he said.

“As label companies expand organically or through acquisition, we see a greater need for printers to ensure that they adopt standardized working practices, to create a sustainable ink management system (covering ink labs and formulations, testing procedures etc.) and use the best operating processes. With consistent and repeatable color reinforcing the integrity of a brand, good color management is essential for label producers to deliver this for their customers.”

In addition to enhancing consumer trust, standardized ink management is beneficial for multi-site label printers, Seward said. Simply put: it helps printers manage jobs more effectively when they are moved from one facility to another.

“Additionally, we also see the label industry moving towards producing to ISO 12647-6 standards – this is the standard specifically for flexographic printing – process control for the production of half-tone color separations, proofs and production prints,” Seward concluded.

Siegwerk USA
Siegwerk USA will show its latest products at the show, which include: the printing ink series in the Sicura Nutri family, designed for safe UV printing on food packaging; the Sicura series for non-food packaging; products for the increasingly important energy-saving UV and LED process; and FastMatch, a formulation tool for mixed colors.

Siegwerk’s Enno Urbeinz said that there are two key points for the future of the label industry: low migration and LED.

“In Europe, we can see a continuing trend towards low migration ink systems, which is driven by legislations and brand owner requirements,” he said. “We see as well a switch of jobs from wider flexible packaging presses towards narrow web due to smaller runs higher variety of designs.”

The development of LED, Urbeinz added, will depend on the availability of low migration ink systems. “The investment in this new technology only makes sense if the same range of product is available as it is in standard UV,” he said.

Sun Chemical
At this year’s Labelexpo, Sun Chemical will present its latest products and innovations for the label, narrow web, and flexible packaging markets, including compliant packaging solutions, a new dispensing system, digital inkjet inks, brand protection solutions, color management and specialty coatings.

Jonathan Sexton, sales and marketing director, Narrow Web and Screen, Sun Chemical Europe, said that the company will focus on the theme ‘From Concept to Consumer,’ at this year’s show.

“We will be demonstrating our commitment to innovation by taking visitors on a journey through our full-capability product portfolio,” Sexton said. “This spans the entire packaging and labeling workflow – from initial package design concept to prepress, coatings, inks and consumables, brand integrity and compliant packaging solutions, through conversion and beyond to final point of sale.”

Sun Chemical will launch its SolarFlex UV Flexo opaque white ink, an extension to the highly successful SolarFlex Neutron White ink launched at Labelexpo in 2013. The company will also introduce Polare, a new ink dispenser for the label and narrow web market. Developed in partnership with Inkmaker to meet the requirements for lower volume consumption, this compact dispensing solution has 20 printheads configured for both low and high viscosity inks, which has been designed to deliver the exact amount of ink required, minimizing waste and maximizing overall production output.

Sun Chemical’s digital inkjet division, SunJet, will highlight its latest capabilities and expertise in UV curing inks, which provide optimum image quality and reliability on a wide range of substrates. Demonstrating its understanding and expertise of food safety regulations, SunJet will also present its range of compliant inkjet solutions for printing onto the non-contact side of primary and secondary food packaging applications.

Regarding the future of the label industry, Sexton said that the demand for labels and packaging printing is at an all-time high and this growth is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

“This growth is being driven by a renewed increase in manufacturing output following the recent economic downturn, advances in consumer spending on packaged goods especially in developing countries, and advances in technology,” he said.

“With the increase in volumes comes the ever increasing demands from brand owners and supply chain stakeholders. To ensure their product stands out on crowded store shelves, brand owners need their packaging to be visually powerful. It also has to comply with regulations, deliver brand integrity and protection, maintain color consistency, as well as strive to be eco-friendly.

“As a result,” Sexton continued, “label printers and converters are looking for greater quality, faster turnaround times, shorter personalized print runs and more innovative substrates, all delivered with optimum operational efficiency.”

Sexton added that innovation continues to drive technological advances in both hardware and consumables. Recently, there has also been development of smarter inks and coatings, such as the introduction of special effect and anti-counterfeit inks where traceable taggants are present within the ink.

“By exploring the full potential of these wide ranging latest generation inks, coatings, varnishes and specialty solutions, label printers will be able to offer something different or unique to their clients, that will give them that all important competitive edge.”

There is also an increased interest in energy curing inks, coatings and consumables, including standard UV, LED and EB solutions, especially in the narrow and mid web label market, he said. And while UV technology isn’t new, advances in this area are still having an impact.

“I believe it will be the further development of LED UV curing inks that will play a significant role in the future of the label printing sector, especially with its mercury-free environmental benefits and the offer of greater efficiencies,” he said. “Sun Chemical is broadening their offer in this area through the introduction of compliant UV flexo LED inks suitable for food and sensitive product packaging. The challenge for us moving forward is to formulate cost effective and high performance LED products for a wide range of applications, in particular UV varnishes, whites and further advances in compliant inks for food packaging.” – See more at: http://nitesh_ink.rodpub.com/contents/view_online-exclusives/2015-09-24/ink-manufacturers-to-debut-new-products-technologies-at-labelexpo-europe/#sthash.fJyceI70.dpuf