Making a Statement

Printers' feedback on specialty inks' performance included comments about fluorescent inks' tendency to fade, and instability between press runs.

Suppliers don't deny these inks' unpredictability. "Many of these pigments are quite delicate," Duncan says. "There is a limited group of carriers and binders that are compatible with each specialty pigment, and this limited selection of ingredients is not as optimized for press performance [as conventional inks]."