Sustainability has become an increasingly important aspect of everyday life in the ink industry. Printers are looking to show their customers that the products they make are meeting sustainability mandates. Meanwhile, ink manufacturers have their own goals in mind, whether it is the raw materials they source or how efficiently they are producing their inks and coatings.

Suppliers have a critical role to play when ink companies look to meet their sustainability goals.

“Our suppliers take sustainability very seriously and have a number of projects on-going with regards to energy reductions at their plants and tier two suppliers,” said Craig Milsted, sustainability advisor in the FUJIFILM Ink Solutions Group. “They are also looking to develop and supply products with higher percentages of bio-sourced raw materials.”

Anthony DeFrancesco, senior director of supply chain for INX International Ink Co., noted that sustainability is deeply rooted in all INX supply chain practices.

“When we collaborate with our suppliers, we keep a 360-degree view in focus,” DeFrancesco added. “We actively discuss bio-renewable product options, inventory levels, regulatory awareness, how to optimize transportation, and how to reduce our direct and indirect carbon footprint in the regions we touch. Something as simple as inventory levels can often be overlooked in terms of sustainability as an opportunity. The truth is, storing surplus materials will directly translate into higher GHG emissions through facility demand and utilization.”

“As a responsible supplier and to support our customers’ sustainability ambitions, Flint Group prioritizes building strong relationships with suppliers committed to sustainable solutions and responsible practices,” Matthew Rowland-Jones, sustainability officer for Flint Group, said. “Therefore, sustainability is a critical topic of discussion with our vendors worldwide. Furthermore, we work together with our supply base to learn more about sustainable-focused innovations and work with them to co-collaborate on developments.”

“When engaging with our raw material suppliers, the topic of sustainability arises in various ways,” Alina Marm, head of global sustainability and circular economy for Siegwerk, observed. “Some of Siegwerk’s suppliers are proactive and forward-looking, actively seeking to understand our sustainability requirements. However, there are also suppliers who need us to initiate discussions around sustainability. Regardless of the supplier group, we actively pursue collaboration to drive positive change.”

Joe Shairs, ink manager at Inkcups, noted that sustainability is something that Inkcups keeps in mind as it creates any process, product or ink.

“So naturally it is part of discussions with any supplier and raw material suppliers are no different,” added Shairs. “Compliance is an important driver for this of course, but it is also important to keep looking further down the road than just considering the regulations in place today.”

Nikola Juhasz, global technical director, sustainability, Sun Chemical, observed that sustainability requires that the entire value chain is committed to making improvements, as no single organization or segment of the chain can deliver results on its own.

“With our suppliers, we define requirements for new raw materials that we need to formulate our inks, coatings and adhesives for more sustainable performance,” Juhasz said. “We also recognize that our suppliers represent a dominant portion of Sun Chemical’s overall environmental footprint, our upstream Scope 3 emissions, so we work together with them to develop strategies for reduction of those emissions.”

Sustainability and Production

Sustainability is also an important aspect when it comes to production. For example, Juhasz said that Sun Chemical has set clear sustainable targets for production — Scope 1 and 2 emissions reductions to be achieved by 2030 (50% reduction) and 2050 (net carbon zero), respectively — consistent with the sustainability goals of Sun Chemical’s parent company, DIC Corporation.

“Flint Group is dedicated to reducing Scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions; as such we focus on reducing our carbon footprint and helping customers to reduce theirs as well,” Rowland-Jones said. “We aim to reduce GHG emissions, water, and waste to landfill and have tangible targets for each.”

INX manufacturers products using state-of-the-art production and waste recovery equipment, quality programs, and information systems that enable continuous improvement with sustainability and the environment in mind.

“INX continually reviews all energy and utility reduction projects and analyses to help better manage electricity, gas, water, and petroleum use,” said Renee Schouten, VP of marketing for INX International Ink Co. “Each utility is baselined, monitored, and targeted at our facilities for future reductions, and we index targets to ensure the data appropriately accounts for business growth.”

“INX recently achieved certified status as a ‘Great Place to Work,’” noted DeFrancesco. “It is the culmination of our daily efforts to provide a welcoming and resource rich environment for our team members. INX consciously invests in our end-to-end ability to positively affect both global and local communities, charging forward with solar energy powered facilities to minimizing waste streams through operational advancements.”

“FUJIFILM Ink Solutions Group has established ambitious objectives and KPIs to streamline our operations and reduce the environmental impact across our global operations,” said Milsted. “These include for example, reductions in water consumption, waste reduction, increase in recycling, and reduction of CO2 emissions. This includes initiatives such as on-site solar power generation, electrification of space heating, reduction of organic solvents in cleaning, zero-to-landfill.”

Marm said that when it comes to addressing sustainability holistically, it’s essential to consider not only the products themselves but also their production.

“At Siegwerk, we place a special focus on environmental protection and minimizing our impact on the environment,” Marm said. “Siegwerk prioritizes sustainability across the entire business, from product development to production. Our focus includes carbon reduction, waste reduction, conscious water usage, and community connections.”