Sun Chemical has announced the expansion of its nitrocellulose-alternative inks portfolio for flexible packaging applications, designed to support converters, retailers, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. The inks aim to address the challenges of solvent-based inks and coatings containing nitrocellulose while being fully compatible with recycling processes, in line with RecyClass and CEFLEX design guidelines.
The company states that while nitrocellulose (NC) has often used in solvent-based inks and coatings, it currently faces supply issues, rising costs and sustainability concerns. Sun Chemical says its thermal instability during high-temperature recycling causes odour, discolouration and contamination, affecting the quality of recyclate and reducing its potential for reuse.
Sun Chemical’s portfolio includes NC-alternative inks, coatings, primers, and adhesives, optimized to work together as a complete system and available for both flexo and gravure printing. The portfolio includes SunSpectro SolvaCycle solutions for surface printing, SunStrato DuraCycle, SunStrato Duratort, and SunStrato Duralam for lamination printing and SunUno SoliCycle, a multipurpose option that can be used for both surface and lamination printing.
Sun Chemical adds that its modular system, based on polyurethane (PU) concentrates, allows converters to make a ‘smooth transition’ from NC/PU inks to NC-free alternatives, ensuring supply continuity and stability on press. The company says the ink helps converters mitigate risks from supply chain volatility and deliver added value through total cost of goods benefits, such as lower eco-modulated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees.
The inks are also said to enable recyclability in line with packaging design guides and meet end-of-life requirements, while helping reduce regulatory costs and ensuring the availability of quality recyclate to meet plastic tax requirements.
In other news, last summer Toyo Ink Europe unveiled its Steraflex GIO flexographic printing ink, said to offer ‘superb’ print and press performance on most label substrates, sleeves and other applications where migration is a key priority. The ink apparently delivers enhanced adhesion across a range of substrates, from standard films to demanding label materials.
More recently, Mondi added white inks for brown materials to its six-colour digital printing range for corrugated board, facilitating high-contrast designs for primary and secondary packaging. According to the company, all inks are water-based, with Swiss Quality Testing Services (SQTS) testing and approving their food safety for primary packaging.
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