Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022
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How ink manufacturers and their suppliers are working together to achieve sustainability goals In the face of the impending consequences of climate change, many industries are facing the challenges of adapting production and their use of raw materials to the corresponding conditions. This dynamic is also being experienced by the printing industry. Raw material manufacturers in particular report that their ink customers are becoming increasingly familiar with sustainable approaches such as cradle-to-cradle product development. Companies’ efforts to operate sustainably also stem from a key customer need for sustainability. Ambitious Goals For Sustainability Strategies According to Joon Choo, president of Shamrock Technologies, ink manufacturers are showing increasing interest in sustainable production. “This is becoming more of a talking point as more customers calculate their percentage of recycled material, biodegradable and renewable materials, and their carbon footprint with the assistance of Shamrock’s technical team”, says Choo. Ink manufacturers have set high goals for their companies’ sustainability strategies. It is also due to this that many of them are now asking their
suppliers for advice on raw materials. Measures include the use of recyclable and renewable packaging and a general reduction in plastics in packaging. Despite all the ambition, of course, the goals must also be realistic, says Dr. Juhasz, Ph.D., Global Technical Director of Sustainability at Sun Chemical. Tim-Frederic Sloot, Head of Sustainability and Innovation Performance, Coating Additives at Evonik, also reports a high demand for sustainability and regulatory requirements in the printing ink industry. “Issues such as food safety of ink and coating formulations, the migration level of individual components and the reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have become the most important aspects in ink formulations,” says Sloot. There is a high interest in ink components made from renewable or recycled resources, he said. Probably one of the biggest trends, for example, is the circular economy, which actively supports circular packaging solutions.
For this reason, Evonik is a member of the CEFLEX (Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging) joint initiative. Legal Regulations Promote Change Strict standards in the procurement of raw materials worldwide are also generating a lively interest in process transformation. In particular, the relevant rules for additives and pigments in food packaging materials such as printing inks, are really forcing companies to act. This is also confirmed by Falko Orlowski, VP of Trust Chem | NA. The company has an instrumental analysis laboratory where qualitative analyses of products and quantitative detection of impurities are carried out. “In particular, this includes tests to identify contaminants prohibited by law, and we provide technical support for synthetic testing and internal quality control. Trust Chem is also involved in the coordination of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) assessment,”aays Orlowski.
