Coming out of the non-ferrous metal refining industry before heading into the ink industry is not the typical route for an ink chemist, but for Glenn Webster, it proved to be a perfect stepping stone.

Webster, technical manager, functional materials applications for Sun Chemical, received the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers’ (NAPIM) Technical Achievement Award at NAPIM’s 2023 Fall Technical Conference, and the insights he gained from his time in refining helped pave the way for his career in inks.

“I joined the ink industry in 1989 as a development chemist working with UV curable inks and coatings at BASF Coatings & Inks Ltd. in the UK,” Webster recalled. “My previous nine years of experience in the non-ferrous metal refining industry taught me the value and importance of understanding raw material properties and interactions for optimizing refining performance and outcomes in a commodity marketplace.

“One of my first tasks as a UV ink chemist was to build an electronic database of UV raw materials, structures, and properties, which became a foundational formulating tool for developing new and improved UV inks and coatings in a specialty chemical industry,” he added.

Since then, Webster has been responsible for numerous innovations, including the development of UV litho inks with improved high-speed printability and performance using rheology modified oligomers and inert resins; development of Mirrortech energy-curable primer technology to enhance metallic ink appearance to enable foil-board replacement with mirror-like inks; introduction of barrier coatings technology to enhance packaged product shelf-life with lightweight packaging materials; development of monoweb coatings for lamination replacement and improved label and package recycling; and contributions to industry textbooks on energy curable technology, including “UV & EB Formulation for Coatings, Inks, and Paints.” In addition, he holds three patents.

Webster said it is an honor to be nominated for the Technical Achievement Award and an even greater honor to receive it and is thankful for his colleagues along the way.

“Many people have collaborated and worked closely with me throughout my career who have also contributed to my achievements,” Webster added. “Their hands are on this award as well, and I’m immensely appreciative for their contributions toward my winning this.”

As for key influences, Webster said he has had many, and mentioned a few in particular. They include Dr. Richard Holman, technical manager radiation curing at Fishburn Ink, Inmont and BASF and head of research at the Paint Research Association UK; Ray Pierce, European technical director at Fishburn Ink, Inmont and BASF and editor of the Printing Ink Manual 5th edition; Bob Lorenz, VP of business development at Sun Chemical; Dr. Juanita Parris, global director of material science at Sun Chemical; and Dr. Philippe Schottland, global director of functional materials technology at Sun Chemical.

His colleagues note that Webster is extremely deserving of the Technical Achievement Award.

“Glenn is more than deserving of this honor from NAPIM,” said Dr. Schottland. “During his career in the printing ink industry, he has developed and commercialized hundreds of products which have had a significant commercial impact for Sun Chemical and our customers. The result of his work and contributions can be found today in many commercial products found on the shelves in applications ranging from beverage labels and folding cartons to flexible packaging offered by a wide range of brand owners.”

“Glenn embodies all that our research and development team aims to accomplish at Sun Chemical,” said Russell Schwartz, CTO, Sun Chemical. “From the get-go, he was committed to creating solutions that improve customer productivity, offering new revenue opportunities for our customers and contributing to a more sustainable future. We’re pleased that he has been honored with this well-deserved recognition.”

Outside of work, Webster loves spending time with family and grandchildren, walking and hiking, and is also an avid follower of Formula 1 racing.

Webster noted that he has seen a lot of technology changes during his 34 years in the ink industry.

“The industry undergoes constant change with ever-faster, more efficient, and automated processes; to the extent that physics, surface science, and physical properties of inks and coatings are equally as important – if not more so – than the fundamental chemical properties that are often taken for granted,” he observed.

“The packaging industry and CPG brand owners are the primary drivers for most new technology in our industry today,” added Webster. “Updated environmental and regulatory standards are now at the forefront of new formulary strategies and must be factored into experimental designs, whereas these drivers were historically only a secondary requirement in many cases. New, safer, more efficient, and renewable raw materials continue to be developed, allowing ongoing formula development to meet the demand for change. The global supply chain has become an immovable fixture, as it has in many industries, that must be factored in with everything else when formulating, developing, and launching new products.”