Catherine Diamond, Associate Editor05.22.15
Ink World publishes a wide variety of new items each year, and addresses such topics as new products, mergers and acquisitions, distributor agreements, corporate personnel, and more. This year, the staff at Ink World has decided to track its most popular news stories each quarter; in December, we will announce the most popular news story of the year.
To kick off the year in news, here are the top three stories from the first quarter of 2015:
1. Siegwerk Reports that U.S. Dollar Exchange Rate Puts Burden on Raw Material Situation
The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the euro is increasingly impacting raw material procurement in the printing ink industry. The main world suppliers, for instance in India and China, invoice their customers in dollars while the euro continues to lose value.
“This is a worrying development that generates significant cost pressure,” said Siegwerk CEO Herbert Forker.
The cost increases fueled by this development on the raw material market are growingly becoming a problem that cannot be offset with internal measures. While recent price reductions for raw oil helped to ease the situation somewhat, the development of the U.S. dollar and the connected devaluation of the euro outweigh the respective positive effects by far.
With various internal programs and along with customers and suppliers, Siegwerk will continue its efforts to compensate the cost increases via product optimization and performance boosts. However, these efficiency measures can only partially fill gaps that had already emerged due to high price volatility in recent years.
Notwithstanding further cost developments, Siegwerk’s product performance, reliable quality, product security, technical consultation and support remain safeguarded and in the focus of the company’s value promise to its customers.
2. Flint Group Sheetfed EMEA Business Unit Transfers Production of UV Inks to Trelleborg, Sweden
The continuing growth in sales of sheetfed UV inks is a key building block for the Sheetfed business unit of Flint Group. In pursuit of that, in the second half of 2014, all production of UV inks was moved from Baranzate, Italy, to a new centre of excellence in UV ink production, in Trelleborg, Sweden.
The Swedish factory has been producing UV inks for flexible packaging and narrow web applications for many years, so the move to consolidate all UV ink production in one facility makes perfect sense for Flint Group, both technologically and logistically. The sheetfed business will benefit greatly from a high level of UV manufacturing heritage and expertise in the Swedish plant.
The move is doubly significant, as it also frees up capacity in the Italian plant to scale up production of two other key product lines, sheetfed low migration inks and varnishes. Creating a centre of excellence for the technical development and increased production of food packaging compliant products is another building block in the Flint Group growth strategy. Significant gains in the growing sector of food packaging print, has made Flint Group the market leader in this area. Expansion of the production footprint is therefore vital to keep pace with demand.
The launch of the Ultraking XCURA range of highly reactive and UV LED inks and coatings in the winter of 2013 was the springboard that took Flint Group to the forefront of this technology. UV LED curing represents the most significant development in energy curing for years. It demands an evolutionary change in ink chemistry and Ultraking XCURA LED is a perfect example of Flint Group’s continuing dedication to providing innovative solutions to new trends in the printing industry.
Further evidence of Flint Group’s commitment to sheetfed UV can be seen in the quality of the people now at the centre its business development. Jim Buchanan, originally hired as business development director, EMEA for the UV range in June 2013, has now expanded his role to a global position in recognition of the importance placed on this sector. Buchanan’s background in the UK sheetfed packaging sector, with its large UV market, is seen as a perfect basis for this key strategic role in Flint Group.
To strengthen the knowledge base and add expertise in bringing the products to market, Trevor Amps joined the company in June last year as EMEA UV technical application manager. With more than 20 years technical experience, Amps brings extremely valuable expertise to support UV projects across EMEA.
In another key appointment, Richard Wilson, formerly EMEA UV product director, took over as global UV OEMs and EMEA dealers UV technical director. In his new role, Wilson coordinates OEM UV activities on a global basis and supports key UV technical projects at EMEA dealers.
As part of the globalization of the UV business, several more key appointments have been made in North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific regions, each of which underpins the long term strategy to grow business in the sector, globally.
Now a key sponsor of Print UV in North America and a member of the LED Association, Flint Group demonstrates a serious commitment to the technology. Doug Aldred, president of the Packaging and Narrow Web Division, EMEA and North America, explains some of the strategy behind the sharpened focus on Sheetfed UV in Flint Group.
“Energy curing technology is clearly an area of intense activity in our industry, and we in Flint Group fully support this trend,” Aldred said. “We appreciate the strategic importance and the environmental and cost benefits EC brings, which is why we are investing so heavily in our R&D facility in Ypsilanti, (MI, USA) in our production platforms and in bringing top class people into the organization. Our global alignment of EC operations and technical support provides a consistent specialized platform regardless of where our customers are located. This means we can respond to the dynamic trends of the technology, like the current global advance of UV LED, efficiently and with the same professionalism around the world. By partnering with key OEMs we are also in the privileged position of helping shape the technology and the future of print.”
3. Kustom Group Acquires Lubrizol’s Wax Compound, Ink Vehicle and Lithographic Overprint Business
Kustom Group announced the purchase of the principal assets of Lubrizol’s Wax Compound, Ink Vehicle and Lithographic Overprint Business effective Dec. 16, 2014. Kustom Group will acquire Lubrizol formulations and processing equipment and will continue to supply, service and support Lubrizol customers.
There will be a short transition period where the affected Lubrizol customers can continue to order their product through their traditional channels, but as of Feb. 1, 2015, Kustom Group will be accepting orders via their order department at kustorders@kustomgroup.com or at +1 859 485-8600 ext. 10. Kustom representatives will be contacting the Lubrizol customers quickly to answer any questions that they may have as a result of this transaction.
“We wish to make the integration of the Lubrizol businesses happen as smoothly as possible for the Lubrizol customers,” said David Aynessazian, vice president, Kustom Group. “Many of these customers are already customers of Kustom Group. For these customers, we believe that this transaction is a benefit in allowing them to consolidate their purchases. For those customers who are new to Kustom Group as a supplier, it is our goal to show them the same level of product quality and service that they have counted on and received through their relationship with Lubrizol.”
To kick off the year in news, here are the top three stories from the first quarter of 2015:
1. Siegwerk Reports that U.S. Dollar Exchange Rate Puts Burden on Raw Material Situation
The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the euro is increasingly impacting raw material procurement in the printing ink industry. The main world suppliers, for instance in India and China, invoice their customers in dollars while the euro continues to lose value.
“This is a worrying development that generates significant cost pressure,” said Siegwerk CEO Herbert Forker.
The cost increases fueled by this development on the raw material market are growingly becoming a problem that cannot be offset with internal measures. While recent price reductions for raw oil helped to ease the situation somewhat, the development of the U.S. dollar and the connected devaluation of the euro outweigh the respective positive effects by far.
With various internal programs and along with customers and suppliers, Siegwerk will continue its efforts to compensate the cost increases via product optimization and performance boosts. However, these efficiency measures can only partially fill gaps that had already emerged due to high price volatility in recent years.
Notwithstanding further cost developments, Siegwerk’s product performance, reliable quality, product security, technical consultation and support remain safeguarded and in the focus of the company’s value promise to its customers.
2. Flint Group Sheetfed EMEA Business Unit Transfers Production of UV Inks to Trelleborg, Sweden
The continuing growth in sales of sheetfed UV inks is a key building block for the Sheetfed business unit of Flint Group. In pursuit of that, in the second half of 2014, all production of UV inks was moved from Baranzate, Italy, to a new centre of excellence in UV ink production, in Trelleborg, Sweden.
The Swedish factory has been producing UV inks for flexible packaging and narrow web applications for many years, so the move to consolidate all UV ink production in one facility makes perfect sense for Flint Group, both technologically and logistically. The sheetfed business will benefit greatly from a high level of UV manufacturing heritage and expertise in the Swedish plant.
The move is doubly significant, as it also frees up capacity in the Italian plant to scale up production of two other key product lines, sheetfed low migration inks and varnishes. Creating a centre of excellence for the technical development and increased production of food packaging compliant products is another building block in the Flint Group growth strategy. Significant gains in the growing sector of food packaging print, has made Flint Group the market leader in this area. Expansion of the production footprint is therefore vital to keep pace with demand.
The launch of the Ultraking XCURA range of highly reactive and UV LED inks and coatings in the winter of 2013 was the springboard that took Flint Group to the forefront of this technology. UV LED curing represents the most significant development in energy curing for years. It demands an evolutionary change in ink chemistry and Ultraking XCURA LED is a perfect example of Flint Group’s continuing dedication to providing innovative solutions to new trends in the printing industry.
Further evidence of Flint Group’s commitment to sheetfed UV can be seen in the quality of the people now at the centre its business development. Jim Buchanan, originally hired as business development director, EMEA for the UV range in June 2013, has now expanded his role to a global position in recognition of the importance placed on this sector. Buchanan’s background in the UK sheetfed packaging sector, with its large UV market, is seen as a perfect basis for this key strategic role in Flint Group.
To strengthen the knowledge base and add expertise in bringing the products to market, Trevor Amps joined the company in June last year as EMEA UV technical application manager. With more than 20 years technical experience, Amps brings extremely valuable expertise to support UV projects across EMEA.
In another key appointment, Richard Wilson, formerly EMEA UV product director, took over as global UV OEMs and EMEA dealers UV technical director. In his new role, Wilson coordinates OEM UV activities on a global basis and supports key UV technical projects at EMEA dealers.
As part of the globalization of the UV business, several more key appointments have been made in North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific regions, each of which underpins the long term strategy to grow business in the sector, globally.
Now a key sponsor of Print UV in North America and a member of the LED Association, Flint Group demonstrates a serious commitment to the technology. Doug Aldred, president of the Packaging and Narrow Web Division, EMEA and North America, explains some of the strategy behind the sharpened focus on Sheetfed UV in Flint Group.
“Energy curing technology is clearly an area of intense activity in our industry, and we in Flint Group fully support this trend,” Aldred said. “We appreciate the strategic importance and the environmental and cost benefits EC brings, which is why we are investing so heavily in our R&D facility in Ypsilanti, (MI, USA) in our production platforms and in bringing top class people into the organization. Our global alignment of EC operations and technical support provides a consistent specialized platform regardless of where our customers are located. This means we can respond to the dynamic trends of the technology, like the current global advance of UV LED, efficiently and with the same professionalism around the world. By partnering with key OEMs we are also in the privileged position of helping shape the technology and the future of print.”
3. Kustom Group Acquires Lubrizol’s Wax Compound, Ink Vehicle and Lithographic Overprint Business
Kustom Group announced the purchase of the principal assets of Lubrizol’s Wax Compound, Ink Vehicle and Lithographic Overprint Business effective Dec. 16, 2014. Kustom Group will acquire Lubrizol formulations and processing equipment and will continue to supply, service and support Lubrizol customers.
There will be a short transition period where the affected Lubrizol customers can continue to order their product through their traditional channels, but as of Feb. 1, 2015, Kustom Group will be accepting orders via their order department at kustorders@kustomgroup.com or at +1 859 485-8600 ext. 10. Kustom representatives will be contacting the Lubrizol customers quickly to answer any questions that they may have as a result of this transaction.
“We wish to make the integration of the Lubrizol businesses happen as smoothly as possible for the Lubrizol customers,” said David Aynessazian, vice president, Kustom Group. “Many of these customers are already customers of Kustom Group. For these customers, we believe that this transaction is a benefit in allowing them to consolidate their purchases. For those customers who are new to Kustom Group as a supplier, it is our goal to show them the same level of product quality and service that they have counted on and received through their relationship with Lubrizol.”