Catherine Diamond, Associate Editor01.23.15
Thanks to a strengthening global economy and stabilizing raw material costs, the ink industry has been making gains. As customers are seeing an improvement in their bottom lines, milling manufacturers hope to see that translate to capital investments.
Overall, suppliers report an increase in the printing ink industries last year.
According to Christine Banaszek, application engineer at Charles Ross & Son Company, 2014 “saw an improvement in terms of capital expenditure from various process industries including the specialty inks and coatings market, which showed significant growth.”
“In the packaging segment a strong increase was visible, whereas the trend in the publication segment continued to decline,” said Felix Luterbacher, Buhler market segment manager, Grinding and Dispersing Technologies. “We also recognized an ongoing consolidation in the publication segment on the producer side.”
Ashlee Storie, sales and marketing administrator at Custom Milling & Consulting, Inc. (CMC), reported “a definite increase in equipment spending over 2013. Many of our large customers have purchased and upgraded equipment in 2014, and the level of quoting is increasing, so it appears the trend will continue into 2015.”
Leo Gurovich, general manager of STR Industries, said that the recent drop in oil prices will inevitably lead to a drop in raw material prices, “leading to a net cash savings and freed up money for capital investments.”
Tim Milligan, marketing director at EXAKT Technologies, said that his company saw “significant” increases in new projects. Moving into the new year, Milligan said that he hopes the trend will continue.
“Interest has increased, and more capital seems to be available for new projects,” he said.
Similarly, suppliers reported an increase in equipment-specific capital investments.
“The investments are shifting between the segments,” said Luterbacher of Buhler, “but an overall improvement was clearly visible in 2014. We expect this growth to continue in 2015.”
Areas of Growth
Several markets showed growth in 2014. Luterbacher said that in the packaging inks market, Europe and NAM showed growth in nitrocellulose-based flexo inks. In Asia, gravure packaging inks showed growth.
Milligan said that specialty inks, conductive inks, ceramic inks and thick film inks for electronics, photovoltaics, ESD and fuel cells all showed growth in 2014.
In terms of new milling and mixing equipment in 2015, suppliers predict that customers will look for new and innovative features. Milligan said that he predicts customers will look for a product’s ability to “achieve dispersion fineness consistently, ease of operation and easy cleanup using minimal cleaning liquid.”
More generally, Luterbacher said that customers will continue to demand performance, productivity and the right price from suppliers.
STR Industries’ Gurovich added that production capabilities – specifically, automation – is critical. “Ink manufacturers are looking for reduction in maintenance and increase in production,” he said.
New Products
To meet the needs of customers in the coming year, suppliers have rolled out new, feature-rich equipment.
“The classic High Speed Disperser is still used for straightforward powder wet-out requirements with viscosities up to around 50,000 centipoise and the Bow Tie Mixer remains popular for more viscous applications such as offset, lithographic and other paste inks,” Banaszek said.
“However, there is a niche demand too for Double Planetary Mixers with High Viscosity Blades for the processing of extremely viscous inks, as well as Ultra-High Shear Mixers and Automated Powder Injection Systems, which offer more efficient methods of particle size reduction, eliminating the need for downstream milling or reducing the number of mill passes,” Banaszek noted.
“Manufacturers are looking for mixing technologies that increase productivity, reduce waste and simplify maintenance.”
Banaszek added that Ross recently introduced its new high-efficiency charging hopper for its line of High Shear Mixers with Solids/Liquid Injection Manifold (SLIM) Technology.
Luterbacher said that Buhler’s high-performance bead mill, the MicroMedia X, is “the new industry standard for low viscous packaging inks.
“Its capability of using micro beads (typical bead size ranges from 0.3 – 0.03 mm) enables ink producers to achieve new quality standards while maintaining high productivity and efficiency,” he said.
CMC has recently launched its SHRED inline roto/stator device. Storie said that these devices are “a great combination of versatility, durability, and economy. They are very popular. Our Batch (basket) Mills are very popular for basic inks, and we have had great success with our Supermill Plus horizontal mills for both high viscosity and inkjet inks.”
Gurovich said that STR has introduced high-density ceramics with “improved wear resistances and significant reduction mill abrasion.”
EXAKT has introduced its 50 I three roll mill. According to Milligan, “This mill has modular roller sets that can be easily and quickly swapped for easier cleaning. And the modular roller sets allow users to quickly change roller materials. The EXAKT 50 I is compact, efficient, feature-rich and user friendly.”
Overall, suppliers report an increase in the printing ink industries last year.
According to Christine Banaszek, application engineer at Charles Ross & Son Company, 2014 “saw an improvement in terms of capital expenditure from various process industries including the specialty inks and coatings market, which showed significant growth.”
“In the packaging segment a strong increase was visible, whereas the trend in the publication segment continued to decline,” said Felix Luterbacher, Buhler market segment manager, Grinding and Dispersing Technologies. “We also recognized an ongoing consolidation in the publication segment on the producer side.”
Ashlee Storie, sales and marketing administrator at Custom Milling & Consulting, Inc. (CMC), reported “a definite increase in equipment spending over 2013. Many of our large customers have purchased and upgraded equipment in 2014, and the level of quoting is increasing, so it appears the trend will continue into 2015.”
Leo Gurovich, general manager of STR Industries, said that the recent drop in oil prices will inevitably lead to a drop in raw material prices, “leading to a net cash savings and freed up money for capital investments.”
Tim Milligan, marketing director at EXAKT Technologies, said that his company saw “significant” increases in new projects. Moving into the new year, Milligan said that he hopes the trend will continue.
“Interest has increased, and more capital seems to be available for new projects,” he said.
Similarly, suppliers reported an increase in equipment-specific capital investments.
“The investments are shifting between the segments,” said Luterbacher of Buhler, “but an overall improvement was clearly visible in 2014. We expect this growth to continue in 2015.”
Areas of Growth
Several markets showed growth in 2014. Luterbacher said that in the packaging inks market, Europe and NAM showed growth in nitrocellulose-based flexo inks. In Asia, gravure packaging inks showed growth.
Milligan said that specialty inks, conductive inks, ceramic inks and thick film inks for electronics, photovoltaics, ESD and fuel cells all showed growth in 2014.
In terms of new milling and mixing equipment in 2015, suppliers predict that customers will look for new and innovative features. Milligan said that he predicts customers will look for a product’s ability to “achieve dispersion fineness consistently, ease of operation and easy cleanup using minimal cleaning liquid.”
More generally, Luterbacher said that customers will continue to demand performance, productivity and the right price from suppliers.
STR Industries’ Gurovich added that production capabilities – specifically, automation – is critical. “Ink manufacturers are looking for reduction in maintenance and increase in production,” he said.
New Products
To meet the needs of customers in the coming year, suppliers have rolled out new, feature-rich equipment.
“The classic High Speed Disperser is still used for straightforward powder wet-out requirements with viscosities up to around 50,000 centipoise and the Bow Tie Mixer remains popular for more viscous applications such as offset, lithographic and other paste inks,” Banaszek said.
“However, there is a niche demand too for Double Planetary Mixers with High Viscosity Blades for the processing of extremely viscous inks, as well as Ultra-High Shear Mixers and Automated Powder Injection Systems, which offer more efficient methods of particle size reduction, eliminating the need for downstream milling or reducing the number of mill passes,” Banaszek noted.
“Manufacturers are looking for mixing technologies that increase productivity, reduce waste and simplify maintenance.”
Banaszek added that Ross recently introduced its new high-efficiency charging hopper for its line of High Shear Mixers with Solids/Liquid Injection Manifold (SLIM) Technology.
Luterbacher said that Buhler’s high-performance bead mill, the MicroMedia X, is “the new industry standard for low viscous packaging inks.
“Its capability of using micro beads (typical bead size ranges from 0.3 – 0.03 mm) enables ink producers to achieve new quality standards while maintaining high productivity and efficiency,” he said.
CMC has recently launched its SHRED inline roto/stator device. Storie said that these devices are “a great combination of versatility, durability, and economy. They are very popular. Our Batch (basket) Mills are very popular for basic inks, and we have had great success with our Supermill Plus horizontal mills for both high viscosity and inkjet inks.”
Gurovich said that STR has introduced high-density ceramics with “improved wear resistances and significant reduction mill abrasion.”
EXAKT has introduced its 50 I three roll mill. According to Milligan, “This mill has modular roller sets that can be easily and quickly swapped for easier cleaning. And the modular roller sets allow users to quickly change roller materials. The EXAKT 50 I is compact, efficient, feature-rich and user friendly.”