Wide-web Ink Niche

By Susan Friedman

packagePRINTING devoted a separate survey to the ink usage trends among wide-web, flexible packaging printers. The majority of respondents reported printing flexo (75 percent), and revealed about a half and half split between solvent ink (60 percent) and water-based ink (55 percent) usage.

The general ink characteristic that carries the most weight with the wide-web segment, according to 55 percent of respondents, is compatibility with a wide range of substrates.

"Everyone would like one ink to work on all substrates," says Len Walle, marketing director at Flint Ink, "but a universal ink is not available that will provide quality performance on all substrates, thoughsolvent base inks still have the broadest operating window." At the same time, printers should strive for a balanced ink inventory, avoiding a proliferation of custom inks on the floor, he says.

"It is important that ink companies offer creative ways to reduce the number of ink systems offered to their customers," agrees Brendan Maunsell, TITLE, Coates Inks. He believes this is best achieved by supplying a range of bases for mixing with a variety of technology varnishes for specific applications, and sees nitrocellose as the most flexible resin chemistry for accomplishing this objective.

Walle also frequently hears requests for inks that can hold finer halftone dots, due to a movement toward wide-web process printing on film, typically using flexo with fine anilox line screens.

Current ink usage habits should stay firmly in place in 1999. Printers surveyed came across as resoundingly satisfied with their approach to environmental controls for solvent inks, with 90 percent expressing no need to purchase additional controls or control upgrades this year.

When asked if they expected UV ink usage to increase in '99, 75 percent of wide-web printers answered no. The key reason, said 67 percent, is that solvent inks still work best for the current business mix. There are "too many unknowns right now" to pursue UV, commented one converter.

The 25 percent of wide-web printers who do intend to step up their UV ink usage cited reasons such as customer demand for aesthetics and scuff resistance, and the emergence of better UV curing solutions on wide-web presses.

Walle sees biggest support for UV in labels and wraps. Maunsell describes wide-web UV applications as quite specific with small volumes overall. "We have, however, seen significant activity in the use of UV overprint varnishes," he notes.