Ink Industry Hopeful, Despite Adversities

Corey Soeldner, purchasing director, Sun Chemical North American Inks, echoed that thought, adding that the cost of other materials have also hurt ink manufacturers' pocketbooks. He said, "Although the market for acrylic acid has been fairly tight, there is no shortage as the market saw in 2004-2005. Acrylic acid prices increased over 100 percent since January 2004 … (and furthermore) in the last year there have been double-digit price increases on resins that are used to manufacture printing inks. Even though acrylic acid availability is improving, there is still pressure being exerted from elevated propylene prices. Propylene reached unprecedented highs at the end of 2005 as a result of curtailed refinery capacity from the hurricanes."