UV inkjet ink market analysis

The UV inkjet ink market continues to expand and the ink industry has found a new way of growth.

Although UV ink-jet ink is still relatively new technology, it has been put on the market many times and has made continuous progress due to its great role in wide-image printing.

Jason Oliver, Jetrion's marketing and business development manager, said: "The demand for UV inkjet inks has increased since the first launch of UV inkjet inks in the 1990s, but the use of high volume inks is still relatively small."

According to Oliver, the largest demand for UV inkjet inks is wide-image printing. He said: “According to IT strategies, experts estimate that the UV inkjet inks used for wide format printing will exceed 600,000 liters in 2005. They predict that the demand for UV inkjet inks in 2009 will exceed 200. The number of megaliters, the market demand for UV inkjet inks in digital printing, including direct mail and greeting cards, as well as barcode and commercial logo printing on labels and packaging, but these markets can now consume nearly 50,000 liters of UV jets each year. Inks, the growth rate is estimated to be between 20% and 30%."

Ed Sayers, Fujifilm Sericol’s sales manager, said: “The UV digital inkjet ink system that costs more than 200,000 US dollars, North America has more than 300 digital flat panels and hybrid printers, and there are more than 1,000 presses in the world.”

Growth potential

Dr. Michael Stoudt, president of Aellora Digital, believes that UV solvent inkjet inks supplement both free radical and cationic types and have inestimable growth potential.

According to Oliver, "Every day we see more and more demand being confirmed by digital print, from simple product labels to complex label-less labels. The key to growth is the continued growth of more precise printing and the satisfaction it provides. Increased demand for ink systems. Inks for glass, metal, and ceramics do not require pretreatment of the substrate and will help expand the application of inkjet ink technology in decorative and other industries." More and more Printers see the benefits of using UV technology, and the market for UV inkjet inks is continuing to grow.

He said: "UV inkjet inks have the advantages of long image durability, improved printhead runability, and wider choice of substrates in wide format printing. This is also true in today's labeling and packaging business. The printer relies on low-speed, off-line, high-cost thermal transfer ribbons, and the UV inkjet ink printers, such as the Jetrion 3025, are the only high-speed, on-line printers that can indeed replace the thermal transfer printer. On the other hand, UV inkjet ink printers have just entered the market and are only used as replacements for short and medium-length labels and packaging printing."

Sayers said, “UV digital inkjet inks are the most widely used point-of-sale advertising (POP) that prints directly onto rigid substrates. UV technology is also used for outdoor advertising and poster posters.”

Improving the performance of digital printing has become crucial for printers.

Sayers said, “The CAGR rate will exceed 25% in the next three years, and many graphic arts companies who have not purchased UV digital ink jet printers understand that they must buy to survive the competition. Most graphic artists are selecting them. The type needed, then go to buy it."

UV inkjet ink advantages

UV inkjet ink technology is being used in many printers to improve their performance. UV technology offers many benefits to users, including rapid switching and printing directly on the substrate.

Sayers said, “The fast switching provided by UV digital inkjet inks is a big advantage for our 'immediacy response' that we are admiring. It can be printed directly on the substrate, eliminating the need for many subsequent printing processes and saving costs.” And switching time. This technology also increases the capabilities of the machine and opens up new markets for graphic arts suppliers."

Sayers also said, “The new technology has opened the door for the increase in the production capacity of graphic arts. By observing the results of this technology for screen printing applications, we can see the benefits and cost savings.”

He also pointed out that “they can print in small batches, which is more economical than using the original screen printing technology. UV digital inkjet inks provide users with the flexibility, efficiency and profitability that other current technologies cannot replace.”

Dr. Stoudt pointed out, “Obviously, compared with solvent-based inkjet inks, the benefits of UV inkjet inks are VOC-free. When users focus on the VOC content in the workshop, solvent-based UV inkjet inks will become more At the same time, we feel that solvent-based UV inkjet inks will outperform solvent inkjet inks, and another key point to point out is that solvent-based UV inkjet inks come in many different types. Ink and hybrid UV inkjet inks.Compared with liquid UV inkjet inks, the advantages of hybrid UV inkjet inks are also demonstrated by the substrate's adaptability, high system flexibility, off-line cure, and cure at the end of printing.

UV inkjet ink new market

Ink manufacturers point out that UV inkjet inks are beginning to enter new areas.

Sayers said, "UV digital inkjet inks have attracted a great deal of attention in the industry. This technology has been adopted by screen printing shops, digital labs, industrial printing and lithography."

Dr. Stoudt said: “In addition to the use of UV in wide-format equipment, we have seen UV in the current target area - pad printing and screen printing, ranging from industrial applications to advertising prints and slogans."

Color printing has also attracted greater market attention. Oliver said: "The new market for UV inkjet inks will require color. Many markets based on labels and merchandise packaging will see the advantages of digital printing combined with UV inks. We see a few years later, when costs are reduced." ,Industrial market and label market and film packaging market will soon turn to color UV inkjet ink technology.Advertising products and special products market is beginning to use UV inkjet ink as the best solution because of its durability on various substrates. , printing quality and other advantages."

In order for this technology to continue to develop in emerging markets, the training of manufacturers on the advantages and correct operation of UV will ultimately be critical.

Oliver said: "Using UV light to cure inks is somewhat common in the traditional offset and flexo fields, but it is rare in many publishing companies. Manufacturers must spend time training users on UV inkjet inks.

Dr. Stoudt said, “The manufacturer of the equipment that found these inks attractive is bound to be willing to improve the printing equipment or find partners. I feel that the complete solution will be satisfactory for both ink and printer but will need to Investing in more sophisticated ink systems. At the same time, end-users want to digitize their current systems, rather than consider how to save money and invest in better solutions for digital advantage."

Information Source: Coatings & Inks