INX Color Perfection Newsmagazine Issue #4

INX International Publication, Issue 4 — inxcpmag.com

COCKTAILS IN CANS COME ALIVE PG. 8

MARKET TRENDS: PG. 4

COUNTERING COUNTERFEITING: PG. 16

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

COLORING A SAFE, SUSTAINABLE FUTURE INSIGHTS FROM JOHN HRDLICK Welcome to our fourth issue of Color Perfection Magazine!

Winding down this year of 2021, we notice consumer demands and regulatory requirements are multiplying.

And INX International is committed to enhancing and growing our leadership position in the industry by continuing to address these demands as well as the needs of brand owners and customers by improving the sustainability of our products and refining the systems that measure the sustainability impacts of our business.

From our perspective, there has never been more attention from customers,

shareholders, or employees to embrace and embed sustainability within a business’ products, services, and culture. Yet anyone who knows us knows this isn’t new to INX International; we have always taken sustainability seriously. In the course of delivering high quality products and services, we have a responsibility to do so in a manner that is sustainable and socially responsible.

And this fourth issue of Color Perfection also focuses on the metal can as art. Metal beverage cans, that is. The issue delves into the growing popularity of cocktails

in metal beverage cans, especially the resurgence of classic liquor drinks featuring craft and high-end spirits, coupled with convenience and packaging that looks anything but ordinary. Today’s ready-to-drink cocktail cans are decorated to the nines, with quality graphics and vibrant, expressive inks.

was always ready to take on something different and challenging.

So, take a look at this fall issue. We hope you enjoy it, and wish you the best as we all soon turn another page forward in our industry.

We also bid a fond farewell to an INX 50-year veteran, Dan Lombardo, Vice President of Operations who will retire at the end of this year.

Throughout this extensive tenure with us, Dan has left an indelible mark as a professional; a tenacious manager who progressed and moved into new roles as the needs arose, who

John Hrdlick, President & CEO INX International Ink Co.

14 MANY SHADES OF GREEN

16 COVERT INK TECHNOLOGY

INSIDE COLOR PERFECTION 2 INSIGHTS FROM JOHN HRDLICK 3 CAN DESIGN CONTEST WINNER 4 MARKET TRENDS 19 MEET THE INXPERT - DAN LOMBARDO

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10 COVER STORY: CAPTIVATING COCKTAILS IN CANS

Move over beer; whiskey, vodka, tequila, gin and other spirited cocktails are emerging on the market in ready-to-drink cans decked out with exciting graphics in expressive colors.

With climate change front and center in our world, sustainability initiatives are a must for all companies. We share some of the recent developments in recycling metal cans and other sustainable efforts.

Security packaging components are in big demand today.

Covert ink technology is being developed as a viable solution to brand protection. INX and VerifyMe address some of the many issues and share some of the solutions.

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‘Crushworthy’ Can Design Contest Winner Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewing Company Rocks This Global Contest

G

reat Lakes Brewing Co. captured the second-annual Colored

by INX Can Design Contest this spring after receiving 35 percent of the votes cast.

Their Crushworthy Lo-Cal Citrus Wheat entry won with 264 votes. Voting took place on the INX International.

Facebook page, and concluded on May 17.

In business since 1986, Cleveland-based Great Lakes Brewing received the INX trophy for the winning can, the new Crushworthy Lo-Cal Citrus Wheat brand, designed by Jameson Campbell, Creative Supervisor.

Campbell’s design uses three colors from the INX Metal Color Catalog. “We launched our new canning line just as the pandemic hit,” Campbell said. ”With more competition than ever, we knew our debut cans needed to have

an immediate visual impact to make our brand shine on the shelf.”

Introduced in 2019, the INX Can Design Contest has been well-received with a highly positive response from the industry. “The INX Color Catalog has been critical for establishing a consistent visual harmony among all our packaging and promotional needs,” Campbell adds.

“Using the INX Color Catalog allows us to sync can and packaging production, which has improved not only the design process from a consistency standpoint, but made for an efficient approval process with our suppliers.”

The Great Lakes Brewing Co. team, (photo below, left) from left to right: Adam Ritterspach, multimedia coordinator; Megan Monsman, graphic designer; Jameson Campbell, creative supervisor; and Marissa DeSantis, brand marketing manager.

Jameson Campbell, below right.

INX color swatches used

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MOUNTAIN DEW FLAMIN’ HOT Collaboration With Cheetos Two top-selling PepsiCo brands teamed up, giving the sweet citrus taste of Mountain Dew a spicy edge.

This edgy collaboration also resulted in eye-catching cans displaying fiery red, lime, yellow, black, and orange flame graphics.

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The fiery flame design was enough to help produce unprecedented sellout results.

“As a brand, Dew has a rich history of experimenting with new flavors our fans love,” says Matt Nielsten, senior director, marketing, for Mountain Dew. “We certainly had them in mind when we

developed the Flamin’ Hot beverage. This is one of our most provocative beverages yet, and we’re excited for DEW Nation to taste the unique blend of spicy and classic sweet citrus flavor.”

This hot-selling beverage is only available to purchase online PepsiCo announced.

INX Color Perfection Magazine

METAL PACK DECORATION

As Art

Metal package decorating trends for beverage applications are becoming more dramatic and eye-catching, from geometric color blocking to finely-detailed ink drawings and fleshed-out characters.

Graphic designs are moving beyond the “commercial,” to looks that resemble pieces of art. That’s because metal cans provide marketers with more visual real estate — a 360-degree canvas — providing branding opportunities and innovations that are practically endless.

They also play a pivotal role in e-commerce, which is a part of our everyday lives.

But by using e-commerce, we sacrifice the experience of walking through a retail store, being surrounded by a curated brand ambience, something even the most immersive website can’t produce. To meet the challenge, many packaging designers and brand owners are upping the ante to deliver a piece of branding that creates a new, more immersive experience through uniquely decorated packaging.

Whether for e-commerce or retail, the graphics featured on today’s metal beverage cans provide a new look that is not intended to replace the in-store experience, but to meet customers where they are now, and where they will be tomorrow. inxcpmag.com

GORDON RAMSAY’S New Line Of Seltzers Gordon Ramsay’s Hell's Seltzer will be sold in 11 U.S. states by producer Brew Pipeline.

The hard seltzer was launched earlier this year and distribution will now be expanded to more states.

Hell’s Seltzer, which comes in four Hell’s Kitchen-inspired flavours including: Berry Inferno, Knicker Twist, Mean Green and That’s Forked, will now be available in: New York/New Jersey;

Massachusetts; Rhode Island; North Carolina; Virginia; Michigan; Illinois; Arizona; Missouri; Colorado and Nevada.

Brew Pipeline and flavor consultants, Lift Bridge Brewing Co., worked with Ramsay on the development of each drink, which is a 5.6% ABV all-natural, glutenfree, hard seltzer.

“We are extremely excited and proud to be extending the availability of Hell’s Seltzer

to partners and consumers across the country,” notes Scott Ebert, president of Brew Pipeline.

“The early reviews by consumers, along with the success in markets by our partners and retailers, is driving demand and the need for expansion with increased production. Everyone is loving the unique flavor profiles inspired by Gordon’s restaurants. It truly is one Hell of a Seltzer.”

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JACKIE O’S BREWERY Woodcut Designs

Ale from craft brewer Jackie O’s Brewery, Athens, Ohio.

The can for this hoppy and fruity brew features a stormy scene with rain clouds, raindrops, lightning strikes, umbrellas and a blue possum.

Whimsical story-driven graphics and quirky characters, vintage-inspired designs and expressive colors are hot for 2022. The retro look of the “hippy” days likely inspired the bohemianstyle aesthetics for a number of intricate woodcut designs for Under a Cloud Hazy Pale

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Other can artwork stems from ideas the brewery’s design team and brewers provide to artist Bryn Perrott (@deerjerk), who creates the woodcut designs.

Extensions of the colorful, detailed woodcut graphics

were also applied to Jackie O’s aromatic raspberry Razz Wheat Ale, New Growth Summer Spruce, Mystic Mamma and Wildflower ale flavors.

This trend seems to merge the past with the present, just like Jackie O’s brewing techniques, which marry traditional methods and influences with contemporary elements to create a most diverse beer portfolio, focused on barrel/ wood aging and blending.

A WORK OF ART,

Crafted Inside And Out

For craft breweries, their products are an expression of creativity, tradition, experimentation, and good taste. If their beer is an artform, the brand owners reason, why not make the packaging look like art? With the help of talented designers and savvy marketers, the can labels and packaging have become a place where identities are developed and stories are told.

The variety is endless. There are geometric and technical drawings, organicallyshaped color blocking, finely illustrated vintagelook designs that resemble artworks, and solid, allover color with pithy copy.

Craft beer can labels have become an artist’s canvas.

It is an opportunity on the outside of the can to express the artisanal quality on the inside of the can. With so many innovative inks and advanced printing methods available, brewers and artists can achieve almost any look that brings their vision to life.

BLENDING Old World And New World Styles Breweries and distilleries that blend Old World and New World styles in their products are employing sophisticated in-house graphic designers for their packaging.

Justin Longoz creates labels for Four Winds Brewery, Delta, B.C., that are distinctive, colorful and heavily patterned.

Many of the Four Winds cans wear jewel-toned, geometric weaves and wallpaper-like designs, "Craft beer is an art form unto itself," Longoz says.

"It only seems appropriate to put something artful in an artful vessel."

NEON RAINBOWS Making A Statement With Neon Strips It’s no longer enough to give a package a few details.

Expect to see can graphics for beer, wine, liquor and seltzer cans encompassing an entire brand experience, making use of textures, shapes, materials and above-and-beyond imagery.

Cans for the Neon Rainbows varieties of the OMG Series

of New England IPAs from Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, N.Y., are incredibly impactful, making a statement with neon strips in electric pink, royal blue, acid green and yellow and hot orange, as well as jagged lightning designs that can’t go unnoticed.

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ADVANCES IN METAL DECORATING, COLOR PERFECTION, CANMAKING Starred At Latamcan

With live and in-person events being held again this year after a long pause, LatamCan 2021 in Mexico City, Sept.

22-24, was a resounding success, especially with INX International’s substantial participation. The company’s metal decorating experts led and contributed to several metal ink presentations and panel discussions.

One highlight was the lifetime achievement award presented to INX metal decorating expert Jonathan Ellaby, who recently retired after an extensive run as Vice President of International Operations.

Ellaby spent an extraordinary 50 years in the industry – most of which at INX. Renee Schouten, INX Director of Marketing and current President of the International Metal Decorating and Packaging Association (IMDPA), kicked off the second day’s technical program with a discussion on

improvements and advances in the art of metal decorating and packaging.

Returning speaker Jack Knight, industry authority and INX Global Business Development Director of Rigid Packaging, moderated the Canmaking Forum, and led a discussion on what it takes to produce and commercialize 3-piece cans.

Knight was joined by representatives from Applied Vision, Environmental Services & Technologies, KBA MetalPrint, PPG Industries and Alex Folloso, Director of Metal Decorating Technology for INX. Folloso focused on ink technologies and requirements for printing the 3-piece can, as well as the latest regulatory issues.

For more information, visit www.latamcan.com and www.inxinternational.com.

The INX team was well represented by a large group (top). Jack Knight (above, right) points out a specific issue during the Canmaking Forum.

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INX Color Perfection Magazine

MORE RECYCLING FACILITIES Receive Grants For Can Capture Equipment

Recycling facilities in North Carolina and Texas were the initial recipients of the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI)’s aluminum beverage can capture grants earlier this year. The grants will be used to install equipment that will contribute to capturing 540 tons, more than 36 million aluminum beverage cans per year, that were previously mis-sorted. The grant program was made possible with the support of can manufacturers Ardagh Group and Crown Holdings.

CMI partnered with The Recycling Partnership to evaluate and select the grantees, execute the grant program and provide technical assistance. The program is an extension of CMI research released last year that found it critical to capture all used beverage cans (UBC) flowing through material recovery facilities (MRF). MRFs play a critical role in the U.S. recycling system of sorting recyclables.

Collectively, the grant initiative will result in nearly 40 million aluminum cans recycled annually, CMI says.

Next in line to receive a grant is a facility northeast of Orlando, Fla., according to

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Craft Brewing Business. The third can capture grant was awarded to GEL Recycling’s facility in Port Orange, Fla. A MRF facility northeast of Orlando, GEL Recycling will install additional can capture equipment as part of a larger facility upgrade. Once installed, the equipment in Port Orange will result in nearly 3.5 million more beverage cans captured at the facility that were previously mis-sorted. The GEL facility is the third MRF to receive funding from the CMI grants. Ardagh and Crown want all of the used cans back to make them into new cans. Additional grantees as part of this pilot phase of the can capture grant program will be announced later this year.

“The environmental and economic impact of recycling aluminum cans is astounding,” says CMI president Robert Budway.

“Aluminum beverage cans provide 33 percent of the revenue to MRFs in nondeposit states, which is more than any other residential recyclable. Can manufacturers like Ardagh and Crown ultimately convert billions of used beverage cans into new cans each year, which is why the aluminum beverage can is the textbook example of the circular economy.” Aluminum cans can be recycled over and over again, Budway emphasizes.

ALUMINUM CAN BE RECYCLED REPEATEDLY

For more details on the can grant initiative, visit recyclingpartnership.org/ cancapture-grant.

To learn more about the national trade association and aluminum canning, visit cancentral.com.

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Top Shelf

Mixology Travels Easily In

Stylish

Canned Cocktails Classic recipes, premium craft spirits, beautiful graphics, and new twists are shaking up – not stirring – the market in handy, totable ready-to-drink formats. Cheers!

N

ot afraid to ruffle some feathers, brand owners are launching several new breakout beverages with a retro twist, such as highballs, citrusy vodka spritzes, tequila mixes, fizzy gin & tonics and more, bedecked in eye-catching, stay-cold metal cans. Decorated to attract, cocktails in cans are the easiest way to have happy hour anywhere.

Canned cocktails incorporating “real, quality ingredients” have become one of the hottest categories of alcoholic beverages, and their explosive growth shows no hint of slowing down. In fact, quite the opposite is taking place as the overall category of ready-to-drinks, made with spirits, malt and hard seltzers, has grown at a rate of about 80 percent, from April 2019 to April 2020, according to Nielsen. This is said to be valued at $5.5 billion. Grand View Research states that the market will continue to increase in North America well into 2028 and beyond.

CONVENIENCE MEETS CONSUMER NEEDS These cooler-ready, premixed cocktails togo are a big hit, as brand owners boost the convenience by doing “all the work of mixing and measuring.” Years ago, if you wanted a whiskey sour cocktail or a tequila and limeade for a football tailgate, a day at the beach or any other on-the-go adventure, you needed a thermos, a bag of ice, disposable cups, the mixers and the alcohol.

“While the RTD category was initially created as an on-the-go solution, a majority of buyers are turning to them as convenient in-home solutions to unwind and relax,” says a report by trend forecaster WGSN. “Prepared cocktails are the fastest growing segment,” agrees Ned Duggan, global sales senior vice president for Bacardi, which offers its own line of ready-to-drink rum cocktails. “It is a very active space in the spirits landscape.”

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Examples include Monaco Tequila Lime, Mango Peach, Cranberry, Tropical, Blue Crush and Citrus Rush Cocktails, from Miami’s Atomic Brands. The premium spirits-based, gluten- and malt-free mixed drinks are made with 100-percent, blue agave tequila or vodka, and fresh lime flavors. The tall, 12oz. cans sold in four-packs present clean, understated graphics and the Monaco logo, an emblem ablaze with a starburst of black spikes and a bright red rooster.

Atomic also offers a Classic Cocktail line of bartenderinspired varieties, including a Moscow Mule made with vodka and ginger, a bourbon and ginger beer-containing Kentucky Mule and a Classic Mai Tai—containing light and dark rum with tropical notes and orange curacao. All of the varieties feature two shots of alcohol in every 12-oz. can.

U.S. CANNED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MARKET SIZE, BY PRODUCT (USD BILLION)

20192019 2020 2021 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2022 2023 2024 20252025 RTDCocktails Cocktails WineWine RTD

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Hard Seltzers Hard Seltzers

“With the revival of classic cocktails on the rise, we are excited to bring consumers a new ready-to-drink variety that meets this growing demand for premixed premium cocktails,” explains Don Deubler, CEO of Atomic Brands. “Rum is increasing in popularity, and the launch of our Classic Mai Tai marks our first rum variety in our Craft Cocktail line. This modern twist on a retro tiki cocktail allows consumers to enjoy a classic cocktail bar experience on-the-go or at home, and transports them to an island paradise with every sip.”

The debut of the Classic Mai Tai is Monaco’s next step in expanding its Craft Cocktail line to include a rum version. Cans for the Classic Craft cocktails feature a scroll-patterned background wrapping around the can against a deeply saturated dark blue, aqua or white background and are adorned with the bright red rooster element.

BLASTS FROM THE PAST Many RTD cocktails are buying into the rampant popularity and retro/classic vibe of Martinis, Manhattans, Sidecars, Whiskey Sours and highballs of the 1950s to the 1970s. Combining tasty recipes with attractive packaging, these new libations often do one better by adding artisan spirits, which makes us wonder why these throwbacks ever went out of style. Others are offering interesting options like Bloody Mary’s, White Russians and even Mimosas, as well as simple Whiskey & Colas and Gin & Tonics.

These blast-from-the-past favorites “cater to consumers looking for convenience and canned beverages are just really, really easy,” notes Ross Graham, CEO of Miami Cocktail Co., Miami.

“Our focus is on creating authentic cocktails – we don’t produce ‘flavors,’” says Graham. “However, we do add our own twist to the classic cocktails we make, (like) adding just a hint of ginger and elderflower to our margarita spritz.

Today’s RTD’s have come a long way from what they were just a few years ago. In the past, most RTD’s were sugary, syrupy concoctions, loaded with chemical flavorings.

Today’s consumers value convenience, but they’re looking for cleaner products that allow them to enjoy a few drinks, without feeling like the health and wellness tradeoffs are too onerous.”

Another favorite is the paloma, a grapefruit concoction offered by several brands, including Two Chicks Cocktails. Two Chicks’ Sparkling Paloma in stunning, tall 12-oz. aluminum cans, blends tequila and tangy sparkling grapefruit.

The cans are decorated in an atypical shade of pink, adorned with floral graphic INX Color Perfection Magazine

horizontally across the length of the cans.

elements. This women-owned brand also produces eclectic sparkling cocktails like an Apple Gimlet or a citrusy New Fashioned. Currently, Two Chicks offers six canned craft cocktails across 40 states and counting. In addition to the sparkling paloma, there is a citrus margarita and vodka, gin and whiskey-based classic cocktails, all at five percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

Likewise, San Diego-based Cutwater Spirits Tequila Grapefruit Paloma with house-made grapefruit soda puts its own spin on the south of the border favorite.

The Tequila and agave nectar give a smooth, floral aroma that complement the sweet flavors of house-made grapefruit soda. Like Monaco, the Cutwater Paloma joins Cutwater Spirits’ roster of 18 canned cocktails, which include a Tiki Rum Mai Tai, an Elderflower Vodka Spritz, a Spicy Bloody Mary, a Vodka Mule and more.

Beam Suntory’s Hornitos® Tequila Seltzer ready-todrink beverages, made with leading premium Plata tequila brand, Hornitos, hits store shelves in the U.S. in March.

A refreshing choice for those seeking a convenient cocktail for their high-energy moments, Hornitos Tequila Seltzer is available in Lime and Mango flavors without any artificial sweeteners. The tall 12-oz. cans feature a green agave leaf and a bright color-coded green or orange and white color scheme with the large brand name placed inxcpmag.com

“The tequila and ready-todrink cocktail segments are two of the fastest-growing segments in the spirits category right now, with hard seltzer retail sales up 225% in the last year alone,” reports Rashidi Hodari, Managing Director of Tequila at Chicago-based Beam Suntory. “With our pioneering history, we’re excited to seize this momentum and bring tequila and seltzer together to deliver a whole new Hornitos Tequila experience for those looking for a refreshing, premium readyto-drink beverage.” Beam also offers canned highball whiskey cocktails available in Bourbon & Seltzer and Bourbon & Ginger Ale.

VIVACIOUS VODKA COCKTAILS While a tasty whisky drink or a smooth beer are always a fall favorite, vodka enthusiasts love all the flavor of a much-loved vodka & soda (or tonic) for its crisp, simple, citrusy taste. 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, Ore., recently launched a refreshingly light Lemongrass Lime Vodka & Soda cocktail and Blood Orange Vodka & Soda in 12-oz. cans that convey the clean taste of its premium craft spirits, citrus flavors and pure water from the Cascade Mountains.

The attractive can graphics feature slices of bright green limes or deep blood

red oranges on a satiny white background. The brewery also offers canned margaritas, a Bloody Mary, Moscow Mules and more.

Pumping up the volume, Canada’s Remix Beverages has a Canadian craft vodka and soda combination with natural flavors that are gluten-free, 100 calories per 12-oz. can and less than 1 g. of pure cane sugar per can.

Created in East Vancouver and currently available in British Columbia and Alberta, the four flavors include Blood Orange Tangerine, Raspberry Lemon, Peach Nectarine and Guava Lime, with more hitting shelves soon. The can graphics have a musical, dance floor/club-scene vibe, as a DJ’s digital volume level pulses on the base of the cans, in colors corresponding to the cocktail flavors inside.

Available in eight-packs and 12-pack multi-flavor assortments, REMIX can be enjoyed chilled, poured over ice, or as a mixer for a personalized cocktail creation.

Though the trend of canned cocktails featuring high-end spirits is more recent in the U.S., it’s a popular way to drink cocktails anywhere, and will only continue to feature more luxurious packaging. “In other places of the world, this is the primary way people drink cocktails,” Duggan says. “If we look to Western Europe and Asia, which has had a thriving readyto-drink audience, in many ways, we’re seeing the U.S. catching up.”

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Aluminum Cans & INX: A Synergy Of Sustainability INX answers the call for enviro-friendly can decorating products that complement the sustainability advantages of aluminum.

A

s brand owners expand their everincreasing use and development of sustainable products, packaging and materials, suppliers are working more than ever to address this need, and drive this important change. Sustainability concepts continue to gain traction, and have translated into thinner, down-gauged, lightweighted materials, the increased use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, and other developments that support recycling/efforts.

Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies and retailers recognize how recyclable the metal beverage can is, and have increased their use of such recycled materials to support

"Through innovation, INX is helping brand owners deliver a more environmentally friendly experience to consumers.”

John Hrdlick, CEO of INX International Ink Co.

these efforts. In addition, the nonferrous metal can is convenient, offers optimum production protection, is lightweight and reduces CO² emissions in shipping.

Some suppliers are developing closed-loop systems for reclaiming packaging material waste, diverting tons of it from landfills each year. Others are making their cans increasingly thinner and lighter to meet sustainability targets and promote the metal packaging industry’s move to a circular economy. Lightweighting helps canmakers produce more aluminum containers from the same amount of material, requiring fewer resources and energy in their production.

INX Color Perfection Magazine

EcoCan’s DEVELOPMENT Like the beverage companies, INX is developing new products and sustainable technologies and solutions to enhance its twodecade-long commitment to sustainable and corporate social responsibility practices and products. INX has identified and aligned the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with its own three main areas of impact: product design, process design, and social responsibility (visit greeninx.com).

Building on its research and development commitment to develop products with a minimal negative impact on the environment, INX created the AP EcoCan sustainable ink option for high-speed, two-piece metal decorating that offers low VOCs, BPANI, excellent transfer, good mobility, low misting and abrasion resistance.

The first to receive a Material Health Certificate at the Gold level from the Cradle-to-Cradle Products Innovation Institute, EcoCan was developed as a direct result of conversations with brand owners about their sustainability efforts and the contribution of metal packaging to a circular economy. The formulations are manufactured using materials that are inert to the environment and safe for human health. Enabling use in a closed biological loop system, these inks incorporate only optimized materials that do not contain any X or greyassessed materials.

INX also assists brand owners and customers in making products easier to recycle by improving functional barriers to enable the use of mono material structures, sourcing sustainably natural-based inks, and inks and coatings designed to be highly robust inxcpmag.com

for multiple re-use and returnable applications. Its product stewardship program works to understand the potential life cycle impacts of chemistries, and to fulfill regulatory requirements and industry-specific standards.

“Our approach is to consider the end-of-life scenarios of our inks and coatings — how they interact with recycling processes — by assisting customers in making products easier to recycle and promoting the development of circular economies," says Shane Bertsch, Vice President of Stratetgic Planning and Innovation for INX. “Our complete line of conventional and digital ink and coating solutions offers customers myriad choices that include environmentally sensitive and sustainable inks.”

CIRCULAR PACKAGING Recognizing how beneficial metal beverage packaging is for a variety of products, brand owners and retailers are increasingly choosing them, says the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI). “It’s important to recycle aluminum beverage cans,” the CMI notes on its cancentral.com website.

“Making an aluminum beverage can from recycled aluminum reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions more than 80 percent compared to using primary (virgin) aluminum."

In fact, a new analysis published by Metabolic in the Netherlands finds that aluminum cans show the highest circular performance and potential of U.S. beverage packages compared with glass and plastic PET bottles.

What's more, the energy saved from recycling all (100-percent) aluminum cans could power 4.1 million homes for a full year.

The CMI goes on to point out that metal recycles practically forever. “In fact, 75 percent of all aluminum and 80 to 90 percent of all steel ever produced are still in circulation,” the institute says. “In other words, it’s possible that the aluminum and steel in your beverage or food can date back to the 1800s, and has been used many times. These cans can be recycled again and again, saving energy each time.”

Scott Breen, Vice President of Sustainability for the CMI, says that in 2019 in the U.S., the amount of aluminum beverage cans recycled equaled 11 12-packs per person. “Recycled cans are the textbook example of a circular economy. The recycled content of aluminum cans in the U.S. averages a whopping 73 percent.”

Recycling and sustainability are priorities at INX, summarizes John Hrdlick, president and CEO of INX International Ink Co. “Everything we do is heavily focused on our long term plan. Most of it involves providing new and improved sustainable products to all markets we are involved in.

Through innovation, INX is helping brand owners deliver a more environmentally friendly experience to consumers.”

COLORING A SAFE & SUSTAINABLE FUTURE (CSSF) MODEL

VISUALLY APPEALING SUSTAINABLE INK TECHNOLOGIES Beverage manufacturers and brand owners also favor metal packaging for its adaptability to continued innovation of new packaging and decorating formats and graphic designs while meeting their practical and economic demands.

Aluminum beverage cans, for example, offer 360 degrees of branding real estate. When stacked together, decorated cans may be printed with graphics that tell a story from can to can.

Metal packaging has been a value under circumstances such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Changing consumer behaviors toward more home-based activities have driven demand for existing and new canned beverages like teas, enhanced beers, waters and seltzers, juices, cocktails and coffee, which have all gained market share.

CSSF MODEL

Process Design for the nvironment E

Product Design for the nvironment E

Social Responsibility

To learn more about INX’s approach, CSSF Model or Sustainable Products, Services and Resources, visit inxinternational.com/sustainability

INX's EcoCan has C2C® Certification.To learn more, visit inxecocan.com

COUNTERING COUNTERFEITING “If a product is produced, it’s counterfeited somewhere, sometime.”

Dave Sandello, VerifyMe’s Director of Sales & Business Development

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INX Color Perfection Magazine

A new INX partnership offers a smart trackand-trace solution for packaging, labels and more with groundbreaking invisible ink technology, used in ink formulations for metal can decorating, ink-jet and other printing methods.

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oday, counterfeit products are ubiquitous. They’re a significant and growing problem that impacts the security of just about every supply chain, as well as consumer safety and the balance sheet of many fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies.

In the printing and packaging industries, the need exists for more sophisticated supply chain security technology that can provide authentication, serialization and track-and-trace functions to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated product counterfeiters. Yet for every company with an established brand protection program and strategy, there are just as many companies that are ill-equipped to deal with counterfeiting.

INX International and technology solutions provider VerifyMe, Inc., believe they have the answer. Based in Rochester N.Y., VerifyMe specializes in counterfeit prevention for brand protection, labels, packaging and products as well as customer engagement solutions that combine product smartphone authentication, track-andinxcpmag.com

trace, and customized engagement strategies.

INX formed a partnership with VerifyMe in January 2019, whereby INX supplies conventional and ink-jet inks incorporating VerifyMe’s VerifyInk™ invisible ink marking technology to VerifyMe for resale to customers. The inks can be used for metal can decorating, dry offset printing, gravure shrink sleeves, and flexographic printing. The technology also includes serialization and track-andtrace software known as VerifyMe Track & Trace™, that allows both consumers and brand inspectors to verify authenticity with their smartphones. VerifyMe Track & Trace is the delivery method that can be implemented in various types of ink, including those for ink-jet printing, flexographic label and packaging or roll-fed presses.

ENSURING PRODUCT SECURITY AND INTEGRITY The INX collaboration will help many customers combat counterfeiting and market diversion, which is also a challenge because offenders constantly alter their strategies to avoid detection. Together, INX and VerifyMe are dedicated to providing smart packaging solutions and cuttingedge technologies – such as security inks – to support brand protection programs that protect brand reputations, the bottomline and customers. The collaboration began when VerifyMe was looking to expand its portfolio of print deposition methods.

“VerifyMe needed an ink company with a global footprint and the ability to research, formulate and manufacture inks for all print mediums,” says Michael Brice, Vice President of Sales and Business Development for INX International Ink Co.

Brice points out that metal bottle caps featuring VerifyMe’s VerifyInk invisible ink technology are already commercially available. In fact, VerifyMe and INX tested the jointly developed new ink technology with a major beverage brand owner seeking a deterrent to counterfeiting and brand protection issues.

INX matched the ink used on the metal cap incorporating VerifyMe’s marking technology, and the beverage cap tested successfully, demonstrating proof of concept.

DETECT, DECODE AND AUTHENTICATE VerifyMe’s multiple levels of protection include ultrasecure pigments and invisible inks developed by INX. The collaboration with INX provides customers with a much more secure pigment and a non-invasive, turnkey implementation.

For track-and-trace applications, the inks work with VerifyMe’s proprietary security pigment and patented detection devices that are operated via cloud-based authentication. “The technology can combine both covert and overt codes that are either static or dynamic,” adds Brice. “The codes can be authenticated via patented devices, decoded and used with geo-location for trackand-trace on a secure cloud server. The pigment used in VerifyInk is inorganic, with great lightfastness, that illuminates at a particular wavelength. INX has formulated inks with this pigment for metal deco, rigid plastic, offset, piezoelectric inkjet, continuous ink-jet, ultraviolet (UV) flexo, solvent gravure and flexo. Product development is ongoing, depending on the brand owner and the application.”

“Our invisible codes make it impossible for bad actors to destroy or replace these tracking codes,” says Keith Goldstein, Chief Operating Officer for VerifyMe. “By integrating our highly secure, invisible pigments into product

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Track & Trace™ allows both consumers and brand inspectors to verify authenticity with their smartphones.

labels, or by embedding them into the product itself at the point of manufacture, they are impossible to identify and remove. The inks also don’t fade easily, making them appropriate for covert applications.”

Since the secure mark can be printed either covertly or overtly, and in either a static or dynamic (variable) code, brand owners would determine what level of brand protection they require, as well as their data capture and track-and-trace needs before engaging with their printer/ converter partner, Brice emphasizes. “INX would then supply the ink based on their needs and the type of printing process used. Brand owners would use detection equipment supplied by VerifyMe to ensure product security and integrity. That could simply be a matter of detecting the presence of the taggant or full track-andtrace: detection, decoding and authenticating.”

INX maintains a global footprint with world-class research and development and manufacturing capabilities. “We also maintain a commitment to consistent quality, sustainability, safety and employee welfare,” Brice continues. “INX is the only ink manufacturer in North America to achieve a certified Business Management System accreditation by the ABS Group’s Quality Evaluations Assessment Organization. The certification includes three integrated standards: ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018. All were key factors for VerifyMe in choosing an ink supplier.”

“If a product is produced, it’s counterfeited somewhere,

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“By integrating our highly secure, invisible pigments into product labels, or by embedding them into the product itself at the point of manufacture, they are impossible to identify and remove."

Keith Goldstein, COO for VerifyMe

sometime,” adds Dave Sandello, VerifyMe’s Director of Sales & Business Development. “Counterfeiting costs brands more than $30 billion in 2020 sales.

And depending upon the product being counterfeited or diverted, there can be serious health and safety concerns for consumers.”

All of this is why INX is enthusiastic about the collaboration. “We are very excited to bring VerifyMe’s proprietary technology to brand owners and manufacturers around the world,” notes John Hrdlick, INX president and CEO, “With the huge demand for brand protection and anticounterfeiting, we are pleased to work with VerifyMe’s team to bring new solutions to market.”

To learn more on how INX can help your business or security, contact your local rep or visit INXinternational.com

INX Color Perfection Magazine

D

an Lombardo, Vice President of Operations, is a rarity in business. He has been a devoted member of the INX family for an incredible 50 years.

Throughout this extensive career, Dan has faced many challenges head-on, and has seen it all. After high school, he began his technical path by spending time at Michigan State University and Chicago Graphic Arts School. He joined Acme Printing Ink in Chicago in 1970, where he worked in Quality Control and color matching through 1975.

From 1976 through March of 1993, Dan began flourishing in Acme’s Carroll Ave. lab while holding in-plant and production manager positions. During that time, Acme became part of INX International Ink Co. “My career started with a summer job while waiting for my low draft number to be called,” Dan remembers.

“I never got the call, so I stayed, learned about the business, and here I am 51 years later!”

Dan recalls back in the late 70’s being deeply involved in the introduction of graphics for two-piece cans. “Cans were printed at about 400 per minute, so we thought changing colors on the fly during a production run was an art,” he says. “Today, the canmakers can complete three label changes in the time it took to get Quality Control to approve one color back then. Now, can lines exceed 3,000 per minute. To see how that product line has evolved to where it is today is amazing.”

MOVING UP THE LADDER In April 1997, Dan went from a Corporate Technical Sales Representative to Metal Division Manager, and the following year was promoted to Vice President Metal Decorating. In March of 1999, he added the responsibility inxcpmag.com

container line. That keeps me involved in corporate sales and day to day plant issues, from contingency plans to overall production and equipment needs. This also includes the technical responsibility for each metal product line and the plants that manufacture them.”

Each time Dan was tasked with tackling more responsibility and bigger roles, he succeeded, notes John Hrdlick, INX International’s President and CEO. “Dan has a high capacity for managing multiple responsibilities, and we are very grateful for his service and dedication.”

With an outstanding career spanning 50 years, Dan Lombardo leaves a legacy of leadership and innovation.

An especially proud moment for Dan was in 2010 when he received the Printing Ink Pioneer award from the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM).

The award recognized his achievements and service in the ink industry and the association, among his peers.

“This award was most satisfying because it was chosen by my peers,” he says.

CHASING THE SUN

DAN LOMBARDO, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS for all Metal Operations.

In December of 1999, Dan’s position became Vice President of Metal Decorating Operations.

Dan didn’t stop at metal decorating operations. In 2005, he added ultraviolet and electron beam ink operations to his responsibilities, and was given the additional role of Technical

Director for INX Metal Decorating product lines the next year.

“With INX, you always have the opportunity to advance your skills and knowledge,” he points out. “And you can wear a lot of hats. Presently, I oversee metal operations, which includes twoand three-piece metal decorating, along with our rigid

After a long and productive career, Dan has decided to retire at the end of 2021, which will open the door to new experiences for Dan and his family. There are plenty of home improvements to keep him busy, at least for a while, and after that, he wants to chase the sun. “We want to be snowbirds for a few years until my wife and I find what we are looking for,” he says.

From everyone at INX International, congratulations, Dan, and best wishes in this new chapter in your life.

You will be missed. Adds Hrdlick, “Dan and his wife, Joanie, have both worked very hard for a long time, and now deserve to move into a time where they can enjoy retirement.”

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INX International Ink Co. 150 North Martingale Road, Suite 700 Schaumburg, IL 60173 800-631-7956 inxcolorperfection.com

GET YOUR CAN LABELS TO MARKET QUICKER The INX 2-Piece Metal Color Catalog is the industry’s only true color standard for 2-piece metal can design.

The Advanced Color Communication tool contains over 600 removable color swatches printed on metal; not paper.

Brand owners, designers, and metal decorators have a true representation of color, and can select, communicate, and approve color efficiently­—reducing lead times getting labels to market quicker.

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