Frimpeks is a leader in the development and manufacturing of inks, varnishes and coatings. A relative newcomer in the low migration arena, this specialist product category will be a major topic of discussion at the forthcoming “drupa” international trade fair in Dusseldorf.  From May 31 to June 10, our technical staff will be on hand at drupa to discuss the science behind this important shift in the ink and packaging industries.

But what do we mean by low migration?

The term “low migration” packaging is used to describe materials used in the packaging industry whose chemicals will not migrate, or move, from the packaging into the product. In the interest of food, pharmaceutical, beverage and healthcare sectors particularly.

Materials include printing inks, coatings and adhesives which must not have any migratory chemicals which would affect the odor, flavor, appearance, taste, or the safety of the product contained within the packaging.

When printing a job that requires low-migration properties, there’s far more to consider than just loading up the press with a low-migration ink. In general, the term low migration ink refers to ink formulated without use of raw materials that have been identified as being able to pass through a substrate. Given there are so many different combinations of inks, print processes, and applications. Therefore, printers are advised to work closely with their ink supplier to match up the substrate, process and application.

Frimpeks technical team offers open access to decades of experience and the laboratories in order to deliver a bespoke service to our customers. A substantial amount of research and testing is required to ensure our products are fit for purpose, in turn providing peace of mind. Our partnership approach means our customers are encouraged to apply best practice manufacturing techniques. Understanding substrates, print speeds and the curing process are the keys to making sure the low-migration ink is fit for the application purpose.

Industry commentators interpret the concept of low migration in different ways. One view is it refers to the transfer of various components from the finished package into the food product. Low migration inks really refer to products that have been developed by ink suppliers to help the printer achieve desired results in accordance with current regulations. Others focus purely on producing inks that are formulated to limit migration to the minimum parts-per-billion levels through their chemical composition.

Frimpeks’ prefers to look at the complete supply chain on a product by product basis. We spend time understanding the materials, production process and storage of the products. Right through to end use. We consider barrier properties, penetration through packaging layers, before and after filling. Set-off migration, curing variations, gas migration, condensation, heated packaging and work with our customers on their equipment cleaning processes.

Frimpeks specializes in products for the print and packaging industries. With operations in several countries including Germany, Turkey, UK, Russia and the USA, we know a few things about the global labelstocks and ink market. Frimpeks Coatings Division has been manufacturing UV based varnishes, coatings, and inks since 1990 and we pride ourselves on product innovation.

This manufacturing capability is backed up by a professional and knowledgeable customer service, technical support and product development teams. In-house laboratories and technicians work tirelessly on developing formulations for customer lead applications. We are seeing real change in the market place and a desire to develop specialist ink, varnish and substrate combinations while driving down costs. This challenge is not particular to our business, however, with the global infrastructure behind us we are equipped to respond efficiently and where possible anticipate the areas for growth with proactive NPD projects. Our approach is very much one of partnership; engaging, listening and understanding the needs and challenges of our customers has been key to our continued success.


About the author: Emre Sayer is Group Managing Director and co-owner of the Frimpeks Group