NAPIM’s Technical Achievement Award honors recipients for their contributions to the science of printing ink formulation, manufacture or application. Kim Hill, VP of R&D liquid solvent technology for INX International Ink Co., is definitely a deserving recipient.

Hill began her ink career with INX in 2004 as an R&D chemist at INX International’s solvent manufacturing plant in Appleton, WI, where she quickly made her mark developing and improving technologies for solvent-based inks and coatings for surface printing and lamination applications.

“Early in my career in 2006, I spent a month in Japan at INX’s parent company, Sakata INX, to aid in the transfer of new solvent lamination technology to the United States,” Hill recalled. “This was an incredible learning experience, and I was completely immersed in the Japanese culture. I quickly realized that ink formulation, flexible packaging applications, and testing requirements are the same regardless of where you are in the world.

“I currently lead the development team that designed patent pending technologies in the area of washable inks for shrinkable PET labels,” she added. “The de-inking technology allows the label and PET bottle to be recycled together, producing clean recovered PET resin with no discoloration of the recycled plastic per the recyclability design guidelines. I also work on developing control systems for synthesizing INX in-house proprietary resin systems, which are unique to the market.”

Hill was promoted to lab manager in 2009 and technical director in 2012, before being named to VP of R&D liquid solvent technology for INX earlier this year.

Looking back on her mentors, Hill said there are so many people who have had a significant influence on her career at INX, but there are two people in particular who stand out.

“Mark Hill, INX SVP of R&D, has been in the industry for more than 30 years,” said Hill. “His mentorship was key to helping me gain the confidence I needed to navigate the ink business in areas such as ink formulation, manufacturing, operations, and establishing customer relationships. Rick Westrom, who was INX’s SVP of strategic sourcing before his retirement in 2023, helped me build a strong network of people in the industry through supplier relationships and are key to delivering new technologies to INX R&D.

“One of the keys to my success and one thing I am most proud of is the impressive solvent R&D team I have helped to build,” added Hill. “As flexible packaging continues to advance with a focus on new packaging applications and sustainability, we are innovating faster than ever and answering the needs of our customers. This includes high speed technologies, high performance laminating inks, washable ink technologies, nitrocellulose free inks for recycling, and inks with bio-renewable content.”

Her team’s ability to work closely with customers has been essential in dealing with the changing industry.

“The ink industry has experienced remarkable changes driven by the latest market trends, including a growing emphasis on sustainability and shifts in consumer preferences,” Hill observed. “The INX R&D team works closely with our customers to innovate and deliver products that not only meet their end use performance requirements but aid their sustainability objectives.” 

Outside of work, Hill has numerous interests, including the outdoors and sports.

“I love spending time at the lake in Wisconsin in the summer with my family and friends,” Hill said. “I enjoy the outdoors including boating, hiking, gardening, and running. I also love sports and have played volleyball my entire life. I enjoy watching NCAA women’s volleyball, college basketball, and NFL and MLB games.”

Hill said it is a tremendous honor to be selected to receive the Technical Achievement Award.

“I am honored to be recognized by my peers and those in the industry,” Hill said. “For that, I would like to thank NAPIM. I would also like to thank INX for always supporting me. I am fortunate to work with a very talented R&D team that is key to innovation in our company.”

Hill’s colleagues say she is most deserving of the recognition.

“Having known and worked with Kim for 10 years now, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the NAPIM Technical Achievement Award,” said Sarah Jacks, solutions sales representative at INX. “Her expertise in the industry is truly unmatched. Kim’s impressive educational background, combined with 20+ years of experience in the industry, makes her a key asset to our R&D efforts and assisting with the needs of our customers, day in and day out.”

Alex Folloso, INX vice president of R&D metal decorating technology, said that Hill is likely the most technically knowledgeable person for INX’s liquid solvent ink product lines.

“Kim is the go-to person in the division for any technical questions, and is very well respected by our customers who deal with her,” Folloso observed. “Throughout the raw material and supply chain crises after the COVID-19 pandemic began, she and her team helped keep a continuous supply of ink get to our customers. Her knowledge of the ink chemistry and experience in the print process allows her to guide our technical team to develop new products, or modify existing solutions the market requires. Kim’s work ethic makes her a good role model for the younger chemists not only in her group, but across all divisions.”

“Early in my career at INX, I worked on a project where I had several polymer questions and someone said I should ask Kim,” Natasha Banke, INX director of analytical R&D, noted. “She spent most of her time in Appleton, but that week she was at the R&D campus. Her time was limited but she answered my questions in detail.

“What struck me as unique was a few hours later, she said she was stumped and needed to read more into the topic,” Banke added. “She circled back later with more information for me and I instantly related to Kim’s drive to answer a question. Not only did I appreciate her wanting to know more about a topic and finding information, she was willing to take time to help teach me about polymers.

“While I can point to some of Kim’s accomplishments as a chemist or technical director, I feel some of her more significant achievements are passing on information to help grow chemists and the people she works with. I’ve been fortunate to be of those chemists she has taught along the way,” Banke concluded.