TH-INK-ING ABOUT COLOR

packagePRINTING went straight to its readers to explore trends in specialty, application-specific, and hybrid ink usage.

by Kate Tomlinson, Assistant Editor

THIS YEAR, packagePRINTING's annual ink survey spread its wings to cover more emerging usage trends. Among the findings: hybrid ink systems, while fairly new to the scene, are beginning to carve a niche for themselves. And, as printers expand their substrate capabilities, the use of application-specific inks is becoming commonplace. In addition, the tried-and-true specialty ink market continues to grow and release new products.

Despite online purchasing's growth in many segments, the numbers show package printers are still fairly hesitant about this buying method. In last year's poll, only 34 percent of responding printers said they were "very/somewhat likely" to venture onto the Internet for their ink supplies. This year, 49 percent say they would consider purchasing inks online in the future—though none have done so yet. While the numbers are slowly shifting, 51 percent still say they do not intend to place ink orders on the Web.

Another topic the pP survey explored is the choice of single or multiple ink vendors. In a close race, 60 percent of respondents reported turning to one supplier for all their ink needs. Quality, service, reputation, and price were the most common reasons behind this choice. Some of the less frequently cited reasons included: development of formulations to fit specific application needs; the supplier's ability to handle problems; and test lab availability.

Don Duncan, director of research at Wikoff Color Corp., cites several advantages to working with a single supplier. "You know who to talk to when a problem arises," he says. "And because the commitment is there from both ends, everyone feels they are getting the needed attention." Duncan adds another perk to the single-supplier set-up is usually a price discount based on volume of inks purchased.

Specialty inks stand firm

Overall, 88 percent of survey respondents reported using specialty inks during 2001. As for the most popular type, metallics are still running the show. Last year, a quarter of respondents reported putting metallic ink to work; this year, the number has risen to 33 percent. So which inks lost ground? The use of custom colors slipped from 30 percent to 17 percent. Like last year's stats, the top four types of specialty inks—metallics, fluorescents, custom colors, and pearlescents—still make up 80 percent of specialty ink usage. (The balance consists of phosphorescents, hot stamping inks, photochromics, reflectives, and thermochromics.)

"I think [88 percent usage] is very representative of today's specialty ink market," notes SICPA North America President Peter Mulheran. "Specialty inks offer printers a way to differentiate both themselves and their end-user customer products. Whether giving a bottle of chardonnay that 'no label' look, or providing value-added characteristics to a basic product, they can provide the package with a visual appeal that will get the consumer's attention."

Wikoff's Duncan agrees. He adds ink suppliers have noticed a stronger interest in specialty inks this year, especially since the economy began its downward trek. "More than ever, companies are looking for ways to make their products jump off the store shelf," he says. "Increasing gloss, adding some texture, or using off-the-wall colors make a package stand out."

According to the survey, 52 percent of respondents are using specialty inks on flexographic presses. This is followed by offset printers (19 percent) and letterpress printers (12 percent). In response to this statistic, Mulheran contends while 52 percent of printers could be using flexo presses to lay down specialty inks, a significant number of these printers probably have screen or letterpress heads in-line running in combination with flexo. "Combination presses provide printers with the flexibility to create applications with special effects," he says. "Each process has its strengths and weaknesses, and a hybrid press allows printers to combine the best that each process has to offer, resulting in a superior end-product."

Hybrid systems step in

Jim Bishop, marketing manager at Sun Chemical, was excited to hear 14 percent of survey respondents currently use a form of hybrid ink, or a system combining different types of inks: "The technology has only been commercial for about two years," he relates. "We've had a great response. But because printers can't simply convert (they may have to make a substantial capital investment in UV lamps and related equipment) right now they are a hard sell. Companies are catching on, though."

According to the survey, some of the more popular combinations being used now include: UV flexo inks and UV screen inks; water-based systems and UV coatings; and EB inks and water-based inks. The top reason printers cited for using hybrid ink is its ability to come off the press dry. These systems allow printers the option of processing in-line, speeding all aspects of the process. What used to take two or three passes can now be completed in one by setting up UV lamps after select stations, says Tony Bean, manager of energy-curable inks at Sun Chemical. "Other advantages [UV] hybrid inks offer include waste reductions, the ability to coat in-line, and in some cases, it allows a company substantial savings by eliminating the need to send sheets offsite for finishing applications," he contends.

Processing in-line not only increases the overall speed of individual jobs, but allows printers to sell value-added products. Bean explains how using these inks can save money: "Finishing jobs which many printers once had to send offsite (such as adding a high-gloss UV coat to a basic label), can now be done on a company's own print floor," he says.

Even if hybrid inks fit the objectives of your operation, integrating them could be a challenge. "Starting up a hybrid ink system is not cheap," affirms Bean. "The ink is more expensive than its conventional counterpart, upkeep on the UV lamps is essential, and retrofitting can be difficult, but printers currently using the systems report the savings incurred by the speed alone will make up for the losses elsewhere." Because the systems allow printers to switch back and forth between hybrid and conventional inks, he believes within the foreseeable future most sheetfed presses will come equipped with UV capabilities.

"You do not need special rollers to run hybrid inks, which allows you to choose either conventional inks or hybrid inks as the job requires," Bean concludes.

The number one perk to running these systems, cited by 67 percent of users, is the ability to process in-line. Seventeen percent made the purchase to up their speed capabilities, and 16 percent enjoy the reduction of VOCs. Printers not using hybrid systems most often mentioned equipment/ink prices as a hindrance to the investment, followed by a lack of knowledge about the systems and capabilities, and lack of benefit to the company.

Choosing ink for more than color

An application-specific ink is just that—an ink carefully formulated to meet specific performance requirements, under a specific set of conditions. The term "application-specific ink" is fairly new, but the concept has been around for a while. According to the survey, 38 percent of respondents specify a certain ink according to the substrate they are running; this was followed by specifying according to the print process (30 percent); and by the package's end use (19 percent). Eleven percent designate an ink according to a desired aesthetic end result.

"The typical approach most printers use to solicit ink recommendations is to define the end use, substrate, and print process," explains Flint Ink Packaging Group's VP/Market Development, Mike Impastato. "The results of the survey suggest a printer might define only one of these criteria. I think this may cause a misconception. A printer may place more emphasis on one criterion over another, but ultimately … all have to be defined before a meaningful recommendation can be made," he says.

Impastato explains, however, it is not unusual to find a press room using an over-engineered ink for an application. Situations such as this usually occur when there is an infrequent need for a specific ink. Often, instead of keeping an extra formulation on hand, the printer will use an ink already in stock, even if it is made for a higher level of performance. "In the long run this may be the most economic approach because the volume of ink needed is so low you cannot justify the added inventory cost of carrying another ink system," he says. "But a printer must always understand the application and end-use requirements; a disastrous situation can occur when an ink is chosen for a job and you find out later it doesn't meet all the end user's requirements. Although an over-engineered product may increase the cost slightly, a under-engineered ink can have a severe financial impact," he concludes.