David Savastano, Ink World Editor03.24.10
Dr. Sushil Bhatia, president of JMD Manufacturing, Inc. |
In particular, Dr. Bhatia takes an interest in security issues and product identification. JMD Manufacturing, which he started in 1993, is a specialist in developing environmentally-friendly products for document destruction and prevention of I.D. theft.
Among its security solutions, the company manufactures a wide variety of inks for specialty applications, including sheetfed, flexo and inkjet formulations. The company’s key markets include food and beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals; its customers include some of the largest global corporations, including Kraft, Johnson & Johnson and Bayer.
“Our tagline is ‘JMD saves lives,’ because you don’t want to use products like pharmaceuticals without the proper marking,” Dr. Bhatia said.
Innovation is critical in the field of security. JMD has developed a series of products for coding and marking, including code daters, conveyor line markers and case coders. The company launched its M-1 Miniature Palm Top Coder, which is the size of a computer mouse. The M-1 Palm Top has gained wide acceptance in the food, drug and cosmetic industries. JMD also created the DocuPulper, a light-weight unit for destruction of sensitive and confidential documents.
“What sets us apart is our ability to develop new technologies,” Dr. Bhatia said. “We enjoy coming up with new ways to solve our customers’ problems.”
Dr. Bhatia emphasizes the use of environmentally friendly processes. “Everything we make is green tech and clean tech,” he said.
In conjunction with its emphasis on the environment, JMD has developed a solution to address the issue of unused ink. JMD is creating an ink exchange website where companies will list their unused ink, and will test to certify the ink. JMD will then find a buyer and sell the ink for a commission.
“The cost of disposing unused ink is very high because it is treated as waste,” Dr. Bhatia said. “Everyone benefits. The seller makes money on the ink and reduces its waste disposal cost, which is a double benefit, while the buyer is able to get the certified ink at a lower cost, thus saving money.”
On the paste ink side, JMD offers a sheetfed ink for stamping products, which is ideal for non-porous substrates. Its flexo inks are ideal for packaging applications, such as PVC or PE coated materials. Its inkjet inks are used for non-porous materials.
Not surprisingly considering its emphasis on security, JMD has made strides in the RFID and conductive adhesive field. JMD developed a conductive adhesive which can be placed in the seam of packing materials, and is working with the U.S. government on developing RFID systems to track down toxic waste coming into the U.S. from Mexico. Dr. Bhatia also sees opportunities for RFID in pharmaceuticals.
“Counterfeit drugs are a huge problem, and with our experience in coding as well as conductive adhesives, we are working on solutions,” Dr. Bhatia said. “Companies are coming to us with projects and problems to solve.”
Dr. Bhatia noted that the company is working on a host of new ink products, and is excited about these opportunities.
“For us, the ink market will continue to grow,” Dr. Bhatia said. “There is a serious need to bring more innovation to the ink market on an ongoing basis. We must keep developing new products. At JMD, R&D is the name of the game.”