The status and development of plastic gravure printing inks

Plastic gravure inks are mainly used in food packaging, salt packaging, cosmetic daily product packaging, and pharmaceutical packaging. Food packaging is based on composite inking ink, some candy paper with table printing ink; cooking packaging using high temperature cooking ink, the general vacuum packaging is to use polyester ink; dairy packaging suitable water, acid, temperature resistant ink; Pharmaceutical packaging and cosmetic packaging are mainly based on polyester ink; some manufacturers use table printing inks, some manufacturers use composite printing inks, but more manufacturers use polyester inks; along with packaging market grades. There are more and more products that use composite inks and special special inks.

The application of water-based ink is the trend

At present, gravure printing inks used in China contain a large amount of organic solvents (about 50%). Toluene, ethyl acetate, butanone and other solvents have low boiling points, high volatility, aromatic hydrocarbons, and are toxic and flammable. They are the main sources of environmental pollution.

Intaglio printing inks are generally made of chlorinated polymers. In the ink production process, the chlorinated polymer needs to be dissolved using a strong solvent (such as toluene and other aromatic solvents), and the viscosity of the ink is adjusted with toluene during the printing process. Chlorofluorocarbon gases that are volatilized during the production of chlorinated polymer inks can destroy the atmospheric ozone layer. The use of aromatic solvents (toluene) in the printing process can harm workers' health and safety (fire hazards). In addition, the problem of ink solvent residue in packaging products is a concern. Benzene can easily remain in the dry ink film layer (low-speed printing requires the use of xylene to adjust the drying speed of the ink, xylene is more likely to remain), and benzene residues can contaminate the food or articles in the package. Although the gravure alcohol ester ink is the leader of the alcohol-soluble ink, although there is no benzene-free ketone, it will still pollute the environment and there will be residual solvent.

The production of plastic gravure inks is subject to laws and regulations such as Fire Protection Law, Labor Safety Law, Health Law, etc. Therefore, it is an inevitable trend to actively develop and apply water-based inks that meet the environmental protection requirements of green gravure inks. Water-based gravure ink as a solvent-based ink replacement system has attracted the attention of various sectors, and the ink-based water-based packaging film printing is also under development.

On the whole, the important reason why water-based gravure printing inks have not been popularized further is that the printing performance and quality still do not meet the standard for solvent-based gravure ink printing. Mainly due to the greater surface tension of water, resulting in difficult to wet the ink; water does not volatilize, printing speed can not go up.

If the printing speed and the printing quality of the gravure solvent ink are to be obtained, not only the aqueous ink itself needs advanced technology improvements, but the gravure printing apparatus and the printing Plate roller also need to be improved.

For example: Change the corrugated roller or engraving roller with a depth of about 38 μm to 42 μm on the printing plate to a laser plate-making roller with a depth of about 24 μm to 28 μm. The printing roller also needs to be resistant. Corrosion materials to make. There is also a need for a more powerful, effective ink drying system, and ink squeegee and other equipment components on the press, all of which require considerable investment and long time.

Since the water-based gravure ink is removed for printing on paper, plastic film printing cannot completely replace the solvent-based ink. Therefore, the ink industry has been working hard to develop alcohol-soluble inks with less environmental pollution. Alcohol ester composite plastics gravure inks have low odor, no benzene, ketone and other characteristics. Alcohol-soluble inks can help us solve toluene-based inks, and the benzene damage and benzene residue that are caused by health affect the quality of packaged foods.

The production of such environmentally friendly inks will certainly increase the competitiveness of gravure printing in the field of plastic flexible packaging printing. In Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, toluene inks have been eliminated and replaced by alcohol-based gravure inks. In Europe, it is strongly advocated that flexo printing and gravure printing use alcohol-soluble ink (benzene dissolving ink is prohibited). The development of water-based ink in the United States has taken the lead. Alcohol-soluble ink has been gradually applied in the domestic gravure printing industry. It can be foreseen that in the near future, the development trend of ink for flexible packaging in China is: benzene-soluble ink will be replaced by alcohol-soluble ink, and water-soluble ink will have great development. space.

At present, the domestic gravure printing industry is looking forward to: a single solvent (ease of recycling), surface printing, printing, compounding, cooking, all kinds of plastic films are applicable, any climate is adaptable (can reduce the production of enterprises (Cost), high-speed, medium-speed, low-speed, low-cost, universally-recognized gravure inks appear in the market.

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Advice on the use of ink manufacturers

The printing speed of foreign presses is fast, the production environment is more standardized, and the varieties are bulky and color-specific. Therefore, the requirements for inks are limited to high solid content, low viscosity, brilliant color, and strong coloring power. In China, many low- and medium-speed printers are the main products, and the domestically-made printers are uneven, with large performance gaps, small quantities of products, various types of products, relatively poor production environments, and non-standard operations. Therefore, the requirements for inks are more diverse, requiring not only strong ink adaptability, good fluidity, but also low prices. In addition, due to the operator's mentality, using imported ink, printing problems, choose to adjust the press. In reverse printing with domestic ink, problems are usually found in inks and plates.

The gravure printing system of domestic gravure printing presses is poor (except for high-speed printing presses that deliver ink), and there are many small and medium-sized packaging printing plants that do not even use ink circulation systems. Some operators do not understand the law of ink on gravure printing. Little is known about the performance of inks. Ink dilution is not in place. According to the observation, the wastage rate of ink is an average of 25% to 30%. There are many small-scale packaging printing plants and even wasteful rates. 40% to 50%). Therefore, it is more necessary to popularize the basic knowledge education of the production technology of plastic flexible packaging, as well as technical services after ink sales.

Gravure ink industry status and development

At present, in the domestic plastic flexible packaging industry, large-scale enterprises account for only about 10%, while small and medium-sized enterprises account for more than 90%.

Large-scale plastic packaging companies have advanced printing presses and fast printing speeds (high-speed printing presses); high grades, large batches, special varieties, high quality inks, and large amounts of usage, are generally fixed up to two to three ink manufacturers Ink.

However, in many small and medium-sized plastic packaging companies, although many printers have been updated in recent years, medium- and low-speed printers still account for the majority of them. The equipment and conditions are relatively poor, but the varieties produced are numerous, and the batch size is small and the quantity is small. As a result, the variety of inks is relatively large and the purchase of inks is also more diversified. In general, low-price inks are preferred.

Large-scale plastic packaging companies are large users of ink, but they are small markets in the domestic ink market. Medium-sized plastic packaging companies are users of ink, and they are the ideal market for ink manufacturers. Many small plastic packaging Enterprises are small users of ink, but in the current domestic market is a large market for ink sales.

Over the years, China's ink production companies have continued to increase. The various inks used in gravure printing can be produced in China. Both the quality and quantity can meet the needs of gravure printing production. In addition, the quality of inks has generally improved, and the gap with foreign products is getting smaller and smaller.

Manufacturers of plastic intaglio printing inks must first understand the current situation and needs of the market, and then according to the company's own characteristics and advantages, strengthen enterprise management and formulate a series of really feasible marketing strategies. Second, to avoid their own shortcomings, training to improve the overall quality of all marketing staff, to cultivate the belief in teamwork and increase the intensity of market services. Then the production personnel must closely cooperate with each other, based on the product quality first, increase production and save for the purpose of steady development for survival.

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Intensified ink market competition

At present, the competition in the domestic plastic intaglio printing ink market continues to intensify and is still in an oversupply situation. The reduction in sales of high-priced inks and the sales of mid-priced inks are services, and the low-priced inks are nearly saturated. Alcohol ester inks have become a trend to replace benzene dissolving inks. Although water-soluble inks are environmentally friendly, they are not yet mature. Production packaging companies want: a single solvent, a wide range of applications, table printing, printing, compounding, cooking one, the price is moderate, the ideal gravure ink, which is the current domestic ink production companies dedicated research topics.

In view of large users' large amounts of ink, large price rebates, large amounts of money, and long pay-back periods, ink manufacturers need strong funds, certain strengths, and large initial and late risks when doing business with these large users. Big.

The user is convenient for sales management and is an ideal target for sales, but the ink factory needs the support of sales policies and long-term patient human input.

Many small users in the current domestic market is a large market for ink sales, it requires a lot of manpower investment, relying on after-sales service.

Marketing strategies should be used to control the use of large ink users, the development of ink in the household, the development of small ink users. Priority is given to the production of high-profit varieties, plans to produce micro-profitable varieties, and to reduce or not produce loss-making varieties. Users and distributors of cash payments must ensure and satisfy supply. The users of the reconciliation payment plan to supply. For users with poor operating conditions, poor creditworthiness, and large defaults, they must be cautious and eliminate supply. Only by concentrating the limited capital of the company can the risk be reduced to the minimum and the greatest economic benefit can be achieved.

The rapid expansion of the domestic plastic packaging industry, the soft plastic packaging market, the continued rise in the price of petrochemical products. Intensified competition in the ink market, difficult marketing, and reduced sales profit margins, some varieties are not profitable. A large number of sales will cause losses to the company, and production companies will have to make strenuous efforts. In particular, the manufacturer of medium price inks will be more difficult.

Due to the soaring global crude oil prices in 2004, the prices of raw materials needed for the manufacture of inks from solvents, titanium dioxide, pigments, additives, and containers in the second half of 2004 have also been rising all the way to the present and have become a major factor in rising costs. What is more, some of the major raw materials are under-supplyed. From the standpoint of ink manufacturers, it is undoubtedly an increase in the burden on on-time shipments, and the profit margin is reduced. From the perspective of future developments, oil prices may still remain at high prices for some time, but the price of plastic gravure inks is difficult to adjust. Therefore, ink manufacturers need to tap into their internal potential and reduce costs. While maintaining their low profits, they must consider more for their customers, consider social issues, and contribute to the stability of the Chinese gravure printing market.

At present, gravure printing inks used in China contain a large amount of organic solvents (about 50%), which are both toxic and flammable, causing hidden dangers to the environment and safety. Therefore, it is an inevitable trend to actively develop and apply green inks that meet the requirements of environmental protection.

Source: Global Flexible Packaging Industry