Ink market demand analysis

Water-based inks have been used in corrugated cartons for a long time abroad, and they have been used domestically for several decades. With the change in market demand, printing products have evolved from simple typeface printing to hierarchical printing, dot-printing, and printing machines. Color separation machine developed into a four- and five-color connection computer control machine. The printing plate developed from the rubber plate to the resin plate. The ink used as one of the six elements of the printing is also the low-grade ink of the rosin-maleic acid modified resin series. The development of high-grade inks for acrylic resins, due to the important special position of inks in printing, the future development of ink must meet the following aspects:

(Title 1) Formula composition must be safe and environmentally friendly

With the deepening of people’s awareness of the pollution that affects environmental change, various international organizations and governments are actively taking measures to protect the environment on which human beings depend, and have successively formulated a series of laws and regulations to intensify efforts to control and reduce pollutant emissions. . With the improvement of people's environmental awareness and environmental load requirements, suppliers should ensure that the provided ink is a safe, environmentally friendly ink that must meet and meet the requirements of the “Environmental Loaded Substance Management” system. The supplied ink must meet the environmental load. The requirement is to ensure that the total amount of heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent cadmium) in inks is below 100PPM, but cadmium is prohibited below 5PPM. Now exports to Europe, the United States and other markets, the use of ink must meet the requirements of environmental loads, otherwise it is difficult to enter its market, the future will be more and more restrictive in this regard, which is also a major event for the benefit of future generations.

(First-level title) Change in ideology

The traditional concept is that suppliers try their best to make more money for their own purposes. Units use prices to reduce costs as much as possible in order to achieve their own profit. However, as the economic market develops and changes, the supply and demand sides must have long-term cooperation and must make unilateral profits. The concept changed to the concept of mutual profit. The supplier needs to change the service and sales forms, provide different products and different services, help customers solve the problems in production, and provide and help the customer to train the correct operation methods. The acquirer should also In cooperation with the supplier, both the supply and demand sides will use the other party as the client, satisfying the client's needs as much as possible to achieve a win-win situation.

(Title 1) Changes in Service Forms

As market competition becomes more and more fierce, customers' orders are gradually moving towards a trend of fewer quantities and more varieties. As a result, inks have also become more colorful and less bulky, so timely and accurate services have become extremely important. How to achieve customer satisfaction service?
It is necessary to provide 24-hour service to the factory. The working hours are the same as the units used. They are on call and service is available.
Purchasing zero-inventory as much as possible to reduce procurement and warehouse management costs.
Suppliers can help users solve practical problems in production from a professional perspective, and help guide the use of the correct operating methods.
Strengthen the communication between supply and demand, and the parties regularly review existing problems to achieve common progress.

(Title 1) Cost Considerations

Provide appropriate prices based on demand so that both parties can accept it. Now there is no huge profits in terms of ink. Demand side should be considered in terms of quality. Its proportion in the cost of the carton is relatively small, but it has a greater impact on the printing effect and must be measured in terms of overall gains and losses.

Supply and demand sides should minimize the color species. The use of ink is mainly used for actual printing and loss of upper and lower machines. Each loss of upper and lower machines consumes 1-3 kilograms of ink (not the same for different machines), which accounts for a large proportion. The reduction of colors can reduce the loss of upper and lower machines. Reduce the cost.

The supplier adjusts the formula and the demand side operating parameters appropriately to adjust, reduce the actual printing unit area ink usage, reduce the actual use of ink.

(Title 1) Quality Requirements

With the improvement of packaging requirements and the requirements of users, the requirements for ink quality are getting higher and higher. Not only do they have to meet basic requirements, but also adapt to changes in paper, changes in the environment, and the need to overcome machine anomalies. The overall development is oriented toward high concentration, low viscosity, stability, and adaptability.

(Secondary title) Basic technical performance Viscosity: Machines and environments vary from machine to machine and are generally as follows: (Note: No. 4 Chai's Cup)

Printing project full version common dot ink viscosity 23 (21 ~ 25) 21 (19 ~ 23) 19 (17 ~ 21)

PH value: 8.5~9.5
Hue: Coloring force based on color card: 95%~105%
Primability: 5~15 micron abrasion resistance: ≥70%
Fineness: ≤ 20 μm Water Repellency: ≥ 3 Shelf Life: 12 months, the ink is not easy to rise, flocculate, and precipitate during the shelf life.
Packaging: Each time the ink bucket and cover must be clean, there must be a clear label to identify the product name, serial number, weight, and date of manufacture.
Good stability, not easy to foam, a variety of patience meet the requirements.
Heavy metal and hazardous solvent content: in line with the green environmental protection standards, the printing plate, anilox roller, machine without any adverse effects.
Generally, the ink is divided into three grades: high, medium and low. At present, the low-grade ink is rarely used. The common high- and medium-grade ink determination standards are as follows:
High-grade ink (all imported acrylic resin series water-based ink) Mid-range ink (domestic acrylic resin series water-based ink)
Excellent ink dispersion, excellent printing adaptability, almost no defects in the printing process, full printing, full printing, good printing, and rare phenomenon of piled-up screen printing, full print printing, excellent general good abrasion resistance, excellent Moderate dryness moderate Moderate stability Good lightfastness Good good Waterfastness Excellent Excellent color rendering Good luster Good general water miscibility Unmatched water-miscible Water miscible Good frost resistance (For packaging printing requiring refrigeration) general

(Secondary title) Other aspects

Needs easy cleaning and no irritation.
Adapt to seasonal changes.
Has a certain degree of fitness. The need for high brightness, quick-drying, and strong abrasion resistance enables printing and coating to be completed at one time (currently, most manufacturers still have difficulties and need to be resolved by suppliers).
According to different machines to develop different formulations to meet different needs.
Maintain stability:
To ensure consistency before and after production of a batch of color consistency between different batches of color.
Attention must be paid to the specification of the production and storage of color cards, and care should be taken to replace them regularly to ensure their accuracy as standards.
The proper preparation and actual fine-tuning of ink formulation (based on changes in the environment, paper, machines, etc.).

(Title 1) Selection and evaluation of suppliers

Suppliers should try to choose the most powerful companies to ensure sufficient supply and strong technical support. In particular, the strength of technology is even more important. It is necessary to conduct regular assessments of suppliers and to understand suppliers' changes. , and can strengthen communication, the two sides upgrade each other.

China's ink market is in a stage of rapid development and differentiation, and the demand is constantly increasing. The ink production and use parties should work together and cooperate closely to improve the printing quality and meet people's needs.

Source: Global corrugated box industry