The North American printing ink industry is really a story of very different segments. Packaging and digital are growing, while publication and commercial are contracting.
 
These changes can also be seen in construction of new facilities in the industry. Ink manufacturers are adding new manufacturing and testing facilities to meet increasing demand in key areas such as solvent production.
 
INX International Ink Co. made a notable addition, opening its new 63,000 square foot packaging ink plant in Lebanon, OH in March 2015. The new facility will primarily produce solvent-based liquid inks, but also manufactures three-piece metal deco, UV/EB and water-based flexo inks.
 
“We wanted our manufacturing capacity to be at a level where we could ensure that our current and future volumes could be easily met,” said INX COO John Hrdlick. “The new building more than doubles the current amount of space we have in that market, and the design will allow us to expand the property in the future.” The new facility will allow INX to produce more than 77 million pounds of ink annually.
 
Toyo Ink America added to its U.S. manufacturing capabilities, building a new East Coast plant in New Jersey.
   
“Our new plant opening in Carlstadt, NJ is one of the highlights for the year,” said John Copeland, Toyo Ink America’s president and COO. “This new site houses production for liquid, paste and digital ink manufacturing with 70,000 square feet of space.”
 
Having completed its acquisition of Color Resolutions International, American Inks & Coatings (AIC) focused some attention on its Canadian operations.
 
“Opening a second plant in Canada is a highlight, as is our continued growth in the markets we serve,” said Jerry Mosley, American Inks and Coatings’ CEO. “We moved into a larger facility in Ontario, Canada, and we have two plants in Shreveport, one for our coatings operation, Progressive Coatings.”
 
Meanwhile, Siegwerk EIC completed its expansion into more automated facilities, and Wikoff Color converted a space in its Fort Mill, SC manufacturing plant into a state-of-the-art energy-cure inkjet ink manufacturing facility and cleanroom.
 
Ink industry leaders are adding new demonstration centers to showcase their capabilities. Sun Chemical added a new customer demonstration center for digital inks in Northlake, IL in the past year. Flint Group and Siegwerk added new demonstration centers. Siegwerk’s Center for Printing Excellence, located at its Des Moines, IA headquarters, opened in late 2013, and features a pilot press with flexo and gravure capabilities for use with solvent-based or water-based ink technology.
 
FUJIFILM has been the most active company in terms of setting up customer demonstration centers. In 2013, FUJIFILM IMAGING Colorants (FFIC) opened its new Ink Technology Center (ITC) in Delaware, which is developing aqueous pigmented ink formulations for industrial applications. In 2014, FUJIFILM North America, Graphics Systems Division revamped its Chicago Technology Center in Hanover Park, IL.
 
“A key success factor in our future growth is to showcase and demonstrate all of our innovative solutions at a centrally located Technology Center,” said Todd Zimmerman, SVP and GM, FUJFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “This substantial renovation reinforces our dedication and commitment to inkjet leadership and innovations in print technology.”
 
The addition of new facilities offers a clear sign that certain markets are continuing to grow, and in manufacturers are looking to grow their business in these fields.