Asia-Pacific is a fast-growing region economically. Even discounting China, the region has some of the largest economies, including India, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea among others. 
 
In the last year alone, global packaging companies are making significant investments in the region. 
 
For example, Tetra Pak recently opened its eighth factory in the Asia-Pacific region, launchingVietnam’s first aseptic carton packaging material factory in Binh Duong. The company invested €120 million in the facility, which Tetra Pak reported has a capacity of 20 billion packs per year.
 
To meet India’s increasing demand for Unilever’s laundry products, Amcor opened a new flexographic printing plant in Bharuch, Gujarat in late 2018. Amcor has seven facilities in India, and 38 plants in eight countries throughout the Asia Pacific region.

“Across all home-care categories, consumers in India are choosing products with packaging that provide them with the most convenience,” said Michael Zacka, president of Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific, in announcing the move.
 
With ink sales estimated at more than $6.5 billion, the Asia-Pacific region is the biggest market for printing inks in the world. To meet increasing demand, the ink industry is also adding new facilities. For example, Siegwerk added a new blending facility in Bangladesh.
 
In 2018, the Toyo Ink Group embarked on the establishment of a new manufacturing subsidiary in Myanmar after achieving the early and stable operation of production facilities that were enhanced in Malaysia and Vietnam. Construction of the new Myanmar plant is underway with production expected to come onstream in fall 2019.
 
“In June 2018, the Group’s parent Toyo Ink SC Holdings announced the establishment of a new manufacturing subsidiary in the Thilawa economic zone in Yangon, Myanmar,” said Takashi Yamauchi, division director, global business division, Toyo Ink Co., Ltd. “The new factory broke ground in November 2018 with production expected to come on-line in November 2019.”
 
In July 2019, Sakata INX’s second Ho Chi Minh plant was built in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The original plant was used for producing solvent- and water-based inks for packaging, with water-based ink production being transferred to the new facility.
 
“We reinforced our production facility in Shiga, Japan, and built a new packaging ink technical building in Tokyo,” added Shingo Watano, GM – International Operations Department of Sakata INX. “Furthermore, we have decided to build a new plant for packaging ink in Bangladesh.”
 
“We are working on many projects to expand our business and capacities in our core growth markets,” said Masamichi Sota, executive officer of the Printing Ink Business at DIC Corporation.
 
Rajesh Bhasin, joint president, Chemicals Business, Uflex, reported that Uflex is expanding its capacities and have planned to launch a couple of projects which are currently at the drawing board stage and will be announced at an appropriate time. 
 
Charlie Lee, head of overseas sales for Daihan Ink, noted that Daihan Ink will be starting a newspaper ink factory in Pakistan as well as expanding its Vietnamese factory. 
 
“This is a joint venture project with our long term Pakistani partner,” he added. “We expect that, from July or August, we will start with news black ink. And from time to time, we will add other ink lineups soon for Pakistan’s local market and other neighboring countries. We are now installing more equipment in our Vietnam factory to have more flexibility and competition for the oversea markets. This will be done in July or August.”
 
Jason Lee, president of Kwang Myung Ink Co. Ltd (KMI), reported that Kwang Myung Ink is adding new companies to its roster. “Rather than installing new facilities in this area, we have been continually seeking to merge with local ink manufacturers with a relatively low-cost structure, whose core markets have good growth potential,” Lee noted.