Carton, Board and Paper
Ink technology: The crucial differentiator for Paper, Carton, and Board printing
Kari Raassina, Senior Director of Product Management Europe at Flint Group
fi lm substrates were ill-suited for water-based ink technology, resulting in prints with low scuff and scratch resistance. Modern water-based formulations can deliver increased durability, unlocking the benefi ts of this sustainable ink technology for aseptic packaging, food-contact applications, and more.
P
aper & Board printers and converters seek solutions to address market trends and challenges. These include achieving sustainability objectives, reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, increasing print effi ciencies, meeting regulatory requirements, and ensuring high-quality printing on both traditional and new substrates.
The need for sustainable packaging is driving demand for recyclable solutions. In this competitive landscape, diff erentiation is more important than ever. Printers are under pressure to deliver superb print effi ciently and sustainably, even for complex short-run work. Ultimately, they aim to position brands at the forefront of their sector. Ink technology is one area where small but critical changes can signifi cantly enhance performance and diff erentiation. With sustainability and effi ciency highly prized in Paper & Board printing, the benefi ts of water-based products are well known. Free of harmful solvents and without compromising on colour strength or press performance, today’s water-based inks and coatings enable Paper & Board converters to achieve quality printing without compromising their environmental credentials. These solutions typically contain signifi cantly fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than
solvent-based inks, making them safer to work with and dispose of, resulting in less environmental harm. Their aqueous formulation makes them ideal for high-absorbency substrates. Some are also formulated with high bio-renewable content from sustainably managed sources, further minimising their impact on the planet.
Aside from VOC reductions, various characteristics can maximise the performance of water-based inks on carton, paper, board, and fi lm materials. Understanding these diff erences and selecting the right formulation for each job can be instrumental in maximising the benefi ts of aqueous formulations.
Modern water-based products provide high strength and excellent stability, ensuring maximised production effi ciency and reduced waste. Formulations with high resolubility enable Paper & Board converters to minimise downtime, avoiding sudden stops on press that lead to signifi cant waste when restarting, thus saving time and money. Similarly, high on-press stability ensures presses continue to run smoothly with high colour strength, which is critical for producing vibrant, stand-out prints on absorbent substrates. Advances in technology have enabled water- based inks to overcome long-standing challenges in printing on fi lm. Historically, non-absorbent
Finding inks and coatings with these necessary characteristics can be challenging. Thankfully, Flint Group’s AQUACode series off ers a suite of water- based solutions tailored to specifi c packaging and print applications. The series delivers operational and quality advantages for everything from fi lm to corrugated board, while helping converters strengthen their sustainability strategy. With three ink series and a selection of coatings and additives, AQUACode provides a solution for every requirement. HexaCode off ers improved coverage and mileage, making it ideal for post- print corrugated board applications and paper bags. The high strength and water resistance of OctaCode provides the required durability for aseptic, food service, pre-print corrugated, and fl exible fi lm applications. TerraCode Bio supports ink selection with a series of extenders, that enable ink formulations to contain up to 90% bio-renewable or recycled raw materials, which is an enormous sustainability advantage for corrugated packaging converters focused on circularity. This technology can also reduce CO2 emissions of Flint Group extenders for corrugated packaging by up to 40% This functionality is further expanded by DecaCode, which protects and promotes products with durable water-based coatings, and TriaCode, which complements the series with special eff ect inks and a range of additives. When converters struggle to diff erentiate themselves in a crowded market, ink and coating choices can help them stand out. Next-generation water-based ink technology from Flint Group enables brands and their packaging converters to tell a strong sustainability narrative while off ering the high performance needed to succeed in today’s Paper & Board sector.
16
June 2024
www.convertermag.com
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