For the ink industry, 2017 saw changes and new challenges. Ink inedustry leaders say they expect similar challengs ahead, but the continued growth in areas such as packaging continues to be cause for optimism.
 
“I expect 2018 will become more difficult, but we will be ready to deal with everything that comes our way,” said Rick Clendenning, president and CEO of INX International Ink Co. “We definitely plan on growing in 2018 within the markets we serve.” 
 
“We expect continuity in business and success, plus we are confident that we will continue to play a key role in the ink industry,” Robert Doerffel, head of corporate communications in Europe for hubergroup Deutschland GmbH, reported.
 
Kazuo Semba, managing director and director of the Global Business Division, Toyo Ink Co., Ltd., noted that as far as the coming year goes, the overall outlook for the Toyo Ink Group remains good in line with forecasts
 
“Growth momentum is continuing in Japan due in part to a weak currency and improved external demand,” Semba said. “However, the consequence of economic slowdowns in China and Southeast Asian markets remain a concern, and trends in currency rates and raw material pricing are still uncertain.”
 
As environmental regulations are expected to further tighten on a global level, the Toyo Ink Group is pressing forward with the development and business expansion of its eco-friendly product lines.
 
“Whether it be non-VOC sheetfed, water-based inkjet, water-based flexo and gravure, or energy curable, we are constantly assessing ways to further improve the environmental impact of our products and processes without compromising on performance,” Semba observed. “We expect to see solid growth across all sectors for UV inks, with sales of high reactivity UV offset being exceptionally strong on a global scale. The Group is also making a greater push to expand sales of UV products in Southeast Asian markets as demand in the region for low-energy technology is on the rise.”
 
Semba said that packaging and labels are growing consistently, and regulatory changes will be an important area of emphasis.
 
“With legislation related to food packaging safety growing ever tighter, we expect to see brand owners and package converters put greater emphasis on low-migration systems and technology,” Semba said. “At Toyo Ink, we work closely with our customers to help to ensure that the inks we design for them are properly formulated and offer sufficient barrier protection against migration. Digital print continues to fare well in commercial print and labels and is forecast to increase in market share, particularly in packaging. The Group continues to closely watch the digital market and focus on the development of inkjet inks for primarily on-demand, small-lot jobs for commercial or packaging applications.”
 
Siegwerk CEO Herbert Forker said he expects that packaging printing will gain further momentum in 2018. 
 
“One of the leading trends is the growing short-run demand that is driven by brand owners desiring regionalization and personalization as well as effect varnishes and special finishing of their product packaging. These opportunities will further drive growth of digital printing technologies, allowing packaging manufacturers to react more quickly to specific customer requirements,” Forker added.
 
“In addition, the speed of flexible packaging printing presses continues to increase, requiring new formulation demands on traditional ink technology,” he noted. “We will further see a lasting volume switch from conventional UV to migration-optimized UV inks during the next years. The implementation of low energy curing will gain pace while LED UV curing will continue to be one of the growth drivers in the UV ink and printing industry.”
 
Forker said that the increasing interest in PVC-, BPA- and toluene-free inks will also shape the future development in ink technology.
 
“Besides, full PUR-based ink systems for gravure printing can be expected to address expressed interest of printers,” noted Forker. “Ink technologies that help to reduce ink system complexity as well as ink stocks and therefore support cost-effectiveness effects will also be of interest to the market going forward. The growing focus of printers and brand owners on sustainable packaging solutions and the use of renewable materials in ink formulation will also drive the development activities in all ink technologies in line with the general market demand for sustainable solutions. We will continue to work closely with our customers in order to develop optimal solutions that fit their individual needs and support them with guidance and technical know-how for the best-in-class printing results they desire.
 
“By producing high quality products and providing exceptional guidance and support in terms of ink room management, color matching, and product safety, Siegwerk remains confident in 2018 and beyond,” Forker concluded.