David Savastano, Editor11.13.20
There is tremendous interest in sustainability throughout the industrial world. Not surprisingly, the ink industry is looking for ways to be more sustainable, for both environmental and financial reasons. Simply put, brand owners and their customers expect more environmentally friendly approaches, and the ability to save energy and be more efficient has financial benefits. It becomes a win-win solution.
When ink companies are sourcing raw materials, they are increasingly asking their suppliers for sustainable approaches.
“The topic of sustainability and use of ‘green’ products, as well as increasing reliance on sustainable resources and energy, is becoming an increasingly asked question,” Shamrock Technologies VP Joon Choo observed.
High bio-renewable content (BRC) comes up frequently in conversations between ink formulators and suppliers.
“We frequently get requests for products that have high bio-renewable content,” said Gene Cassidy, senior manager, corporate accounts and customer service, North American Research Center for Lawter. “We also frequently get questions about the biodegradability and/or compostability of our products. Lawter has directed a significant amount of R&D spend into the development of high BRC resins for the inks and coatings markets.”
Pamela Carney, global business director, Industrial Specialties for Ingevity, also noted the interest in bio-renewable content and observed that the industry’s evolving environmental trends and regulatory requirements continue to underscore the importance of sustainability for all players in the ink production value chain.
“To support our customers and the environment, Ingevity’s technical team maintains an ongoing commitment to finding innovative ways to increase the bio-renewable content in the ink products we offer to the marketplace,” added Carney. “Our newest line of Altaprint phenol- and formaldehyde-free products provides customers with an eco-friendly rosin resin alternative to petroleum-based phenolic modified resins without sacrificing performance.”
Chris Patterson, marketing manager Segment Printing & NIP for Clariant, said that sustainability is increasingly coming up in conversations with ink companies.
“As consumers, vendors and brand owners push for more environmentally conscious products, downstream suppliers are being challenged to offer more sustainable solutions,” Patterson continued. “Environmental standards have increased in the industry, and these standards are expected for both the end product, its performance characteristics, and for the whole development cycle, from the way it is produced to its delivery and disposal options.”
Ruth Bauer, global sustainability manager at BASF Colors & Effects, reported that sustainability is a predominant topic in inquiries from ink companies to BASF Colors & Effects.
“We do get questions on renewable raw materials and bio-renewable content,” Bauer added. “Pigments for compostable printing are frequently asked for, as are our solutions to support circularity. Another set of questions centers on certification options, like Cradle to Cradle Certified. Of course, we support these inquiries from our customers or the respective certification institutions while protecting our proprietary knowledge.
“A good basis for the need of high purity pigments is our portfolio for food contact applications,” Bauer continued. “Apart from packaging applications, we see requests for pigments supporting systems with low heat build-up or low to no halogen content. BASF Colors & Effects promotes the respective portfolios with the ‘Conscious is colorful’ approach to pro-actively inform customers and react to the increased information requests on sustainable pigment solutions.”
Dr. Nikola Juhasz, global technical director of sustainability for Sun Chemical, said that sustainability is “very important” to customers.
“Our customers continue to be driven by brand owners to provide more sustainable solutions in all of their printed applications,” Dr. Juhasz said. “This trend is pushing manufacturers, converters, brand owners and CPGs to establish realistic sustainability goals that will help in achieving a circular economy. These goals are influencing the partnerships formed in the marketplace, as many organizations are establishing relationships through industry associations with other organizations having aligned sustainability goals. The products supplied to the market increasingly utilize renewable resources and raw materials that promote bio-renewability, compostability and/or recyclability.”
“Sustainability is the focus and trend crucial to the whole industry and Trust Chem addresses these concerns on a regular basis,” said Falko Orlowski, Trust Chem NA EVP.
Emphasizing Sustainability
The interest in sustainability has been ongoing for many key suppliers to the raw material industry.
Choo noted that Shamrock started growing its business with the recycling of PTFE more than 40 years ago. “We are continuing our investment and focus on supporting the circular economy as well as focusing on developing products and solutions for customers supporting the sustainability goals,” added Choo.
“Shamrock’s focused use of recycled PTFE in preference of prime or virgin-based resin has helped prevent the release of about 10 metric tons (mt) of CO2 emissions for every mt of recycled PTFE we use to make our micronized powders for the industry,” Choo observed. “This also reduces the amount of post-industrial PTFE which would otherwise have been landfilled. As for other wax raw materials, we have been supplying plant-based waxes such as micronized carnauba and palm-based materials such as stearic acid derivatives for several decades, and we continue to expand our lines of powder as well as pre-dispersed offerings using similar types of raw materials.”
“Lawter and our parent company, Harima Chemicals Group, consider sustainability to be a very high priority on a global basis,” Cassidy said. “Every division sets annual goals to continuously reduce environmental loads and implement environmental conservation activities.”
“Sustainability is critically important to Trust Chem and our company has made numerous investments over the years into sustainable development procedures,” said Orlowski.
Patterson said that sustainability is a strategic pillar of Clariant’s business strategy.
“Several years ago, we initiated ‘Sustainability@Clariant’, to embed sustainability fully within our operations,” Patterson added. “As a strong driver of our profitable growth strategy, sustainability is becoming more and more an integral part of the way we work.
“Our approach continues to be multi-faceted,” Patterson said. “In addition to discrete plant reduction targets for energy usage, emission and waste reduction, we are also focused on utilizing bio-renewable content where feasible, e.g. bio-succinic acid derivatives in PR 122, PR 254 can result in up to 28% bio-renewable content into the finished product. We are adapting production technologies to reduce and, when possible, remove resource-intensive steps such as salt kneading or solvent finishing, in favor of more environmentally friendly technologies like our newest PY 155/Inkjet Yellow 4GD.”
Dr. Juhasz said that Sun Chemical considers sustainability fundamental in how they design products, services and internal operational processes.
“It is an imperative that has propelled many initiatives throughout the company over the years,” Dr. Juhasz noted. “For our operations, we have set internal goals and are implementing specific measures to reduce energy consumption, waste production, CO2 emissions and water usage. For example, at our Carlstadt, NJ R&D facility, we’ve installed a solar panel array, which allows the facility to be self-sustaining in terms of energy use and to contribute to the local community by putting excess energy back into the grid.”
Carney noted that sustainability is not a new concept at Ingevity.
“It is inherent just by the nature of the products we make. More importantly, sustainability is woven into the fabric of our culture and our mission to purify, protect and enhance the world around us. Our sustainability initiative is helping to drive our business forward by taking a holistic approach to manage our company, ultimately aiding the long-term viability of our company while meeting short-term challenges,” Carney said.
Carney observed that sustainability is a competitive advantage for Ingevity.
“It is at the core of what enables us to operate safely, leveraging unique customer relationships, connect strongly with our people and communities, and drive strong financial results,” Carney added. “We define sustainable products with a model used by corporate sustainability assessments, particularly the S&P Corporate Sustainability Assessment. The model considers products that reduce waste, energy, water and greenhouse gasses, and increase lifetime, biodegradability or efficiency. Through this assessment, we determined 78% of our raw materials used in products are renewable, with 77% of our revenue coming from sustainable products in 2019. As we look into the future, we will build on our track record of successful development of sustainable products.”
“Under the motto ‘We create chemistry for a sustainable future’, BASF wants to contribute to a world that provides a viable future with enhanced quality of life for everyone,” said Bauer. “With anchoring the sustainable solutions in the core of its business strategy, BASF regards sustainability as a driver for growth.
“With sustainable solution steering and the determination of the CO2 footprint of all sales products, BASF actively shapes its sustainable product portfolio and supports customers to estimate their products’ contribution to sustainability within various markets and industries,” added Bauer. “As a supporter of the United Nations Global Compact and their Sustainable Development Goals, BASF aims to achieve CO2-neutral growth until 2030 and fosters circular economy.”
When ink companies are sourcing raw materials, they are increasingly asking their suppliers for sustainable approaches.
“The topic of sustainability and use of ‘green’ products, as well as increasing reliance on sustainable resources and energy, is becoming an increasingly asked question,” Shamrock Technologies VP Joon Choo observed.
High bio-renewable content (BRC) comes up frequently in conversations between ink formulators and suppliers.
“We frequently get requests for products that have high bio-renewable content,” said Gene Cassidy, senior manager, corporate accounts and customer service, North American Research Center for Lawter. “We also frequently get questions about the biodegradability and/or compostability of our products. Lawter has directed a significant amount of R&D spend into the development of high BRC resins for the inks and coatings markets.”
Pamela Carney, global business director, Industrial Specialties for Ingevity, also noted the interest in bio-renewable content and observed that the industry’s evolving environmental trends and regulatory requirements continue to underscore the importance of sustainability for all players in the ink production value chain.
“To support our customers and the environment, Ingevity’s technical team maintains an ongoing commitment to finding innovative ways to increase the bio-renewable content in the ink products we offer to the marketplace,” added Carney. “Our newest line of Altaprint phenol- and formaldehyde-free products provides customers with an eco-friendly rosin resin alternative to petroleum-based phenolic modified resins without sacrificing performance.”
Chris Patterson, marketing manager Segment Printing & NIP for Clariant, said that sustainability is increasingly coming up in conversations with ink companies.
“As consumers, vendors and brand owners push for more environmentally conscious products, downstream suppliers are being challenged to offer more sustainable solutions,” Patterson continued. “Environmental standards have increased in the industry, and these standards are expected for both the end product, its performance characteristics, and for the whole development cycle, from the way it is produced to its delivery and disposal options.”
Ruth Bauer, global sustainability manager at BASF Colors & Effects, reported that sustainability is a predominant topic in inquiries from ink companies to BASF Colors & Effects.
“We do get questions on renewable raw materials and bio-renewable content,” Bauer added. “Pigments for compostable printing are frequently asked for, as are our solutions to support circularity. Another set of questions centers on certification options, like Cradle to Cradle Certified. Of course, we support these inquiries from our customers or the respective certification institutions while protecting our proprietary knowledge.
“A good basis for the need of high purity pigments is our portfolio for food contact applications,” Bauer continued. “Apart from packaging applications, we see requests for pigments supporting systems with low heat build-up or low to no halogen content. BASF Colors & Effects promotes the respective portfolios with the ‘Conscious is colorful’ approach to pro-actively inform customers and react to the increased information requests on sustainable pigment solutions.”
Dr. Nikola Juhasz, global technical director of sustainability for Sun Chemical, said that sustainability is “very important” to customers.
“Our customers continue to be driven by brand owners to provide more sustainable solutions in all of their printed applications,” Dr. Juhasz said. “This trend is pushing manufacturers, converters, brand owners and CPGs to establish realistic sustainability goals that will help in achieving a circular economy. These goals are influencing the partnerships formed in the marketplace, as many organizations are establishing relationships through industry associations with other organizations having aligned sustainability goals. The products supplied to the market increasingly utilize renewable resources and raw materials that promote bio-renewability, compostability and/or recyclability.”
“Sustainability is the focus and trend crucial to the whole industry and Trust Chem addresses these concerns on a regular basis,” said Falko Orlowski, Trust Chem NA EVP.
Emphasizing Sustainability
The interest in sustainability has been ongoing for many key suppliers to the raw material industry.
Choo noted that Shamrock started growing its business with the recycling of PTFE more than 40 years ago. “We are continuing our investment and focus on supporting the circular economy as well as focusing on developing products and solutions for customers supporting the sustainability goals,” added Choo.
“Shamrock’s focused use of recycled PTFE in preference of prime or virgin-based resin has helped prevent the release of about 10 metric tons (mt) of CO2 emissions for every mt of recycled PTFE we use to make our micronized powders for the industry,” Choo observed. “This also reduces the amount of post-industrial PTFE which would otherwise have been landfilled. As for other wax raw materials, we have been supplying plant-based waxes such as micronized carnauba and palm-based materials such as stearic acid derivatives for several decades, and we continue to expand our lines of powder as well as pre-dispersed offerings using similar types of raw materials.”
“Lawter and our parent company, Harima Chemicals Group, consider sustainability to be a very high priority on a global basis,” Cassidy said. “Every division sets annual goals to continuously reduce environmental loads and implement environmental conservation activities.”
“Sustainability is critically important to Trust Chem and our company has made numerous investments over the years into sustainable development procedures,” said Orlowski.
Patterson said that sustainability is a strategic pillar of Clariant’s business strategy.
“Several years ago, we initiated ‘Sustainability@Clariant’, to embed sustainability fully within our operations,” Patterson added. “As a strong driver of our profitable growth strategy, sustainability is becoming more and more an integral part of the way we work.
“Our approach continues to be multi-faceted,” Patterson said. “In addition to discrete plant reduction targets for energy usage, emission and waste reduction, we are also focused on utilizing bio-renewable content where feasible, e.g. bio-succinic acid derivatives in PR 122, PR 254 can result in up to 28% bio-renewable content into the finished product. We are adapting production technologies to reduce and, when possible, remove resource-intensive steps such as salt kneading or solvent finishing, in favor of more environmentally friendly technologies like our newest PY 155/Inkjet Yellow 4GD.”
Dr. Juhasz said that Sun Chemical considers sustainability fundamental in how they design products, services and internal operational processes.
“It is an imperative that has propelled many initiatives throughout the company over the years,” Dr. Juhasz noted. “For our operations, we have set internal goals and are implementing specific measures to reduce energy consumption, waste production, CO2 emissions and water usage. For example, at our Carlstadt, NJ R&D facility, we’ve installed a solar panel array, which allows the facility to be self-sustaining in terms of energy use and to contribute to the local community by putting excess energy back into the grid.”
Carney noted that sustainability is not a new concept at Ingevity.
“It is inherent just by the nature of the products we make. More importantly, sustainability is woven into the fabric of our culture and our mission to purify, protect and enhance the world around us. Our sustainability initiative is helping to drive our business forward by taking a holistic approach to manage our company, ultimately aiding the long-term viability of our company while meeting short-term challenges,” Carney said.
Carney observed that sustainability is a competitive advantage for Ingevity.
“It is at the core of what enables us to operate safely, leveraging unique customer relationships, connect strongly with our people and communities, and drive strong financial results,” Carney added. “We define sustainable products with a model used by corporate sustainability assessments, particularly the S&P Corporate Sustainability Assessment. The model considers products that reduce waste, energy, water and greenhouse gasses, and increase lifetime, biodegradability or efficiency. Through this assessment, we determined 78% of our raw materials used in products are renewable, with 77% of our revenue coming from sustainable products in 2019. As we look into the future, we will build on our track record of successful development of sustainable products.”
“Under the motto ‘We create chemistry for a sustainable future’, BASF wants to contribute to a world that provides a viable future with enhanced quality of life for everyone,” said Bauer. “With anchoring the sustainable solutions in the core of its business strategy, BASF regards sustainability as a driver for growth.
“With sustainable solution steering and the determination of the CO2 footprint of all sales products, BASF actively shapes its sustainable product portfolio and supports customers to estimate their products’ contribution to sustainability within various markets and industries,” added Bauer. “As a supporter of the United Nations Global Compact and their Sustainable Development Goals, BASF aims to achieve CO2-neutral growth until 2030 and fosters circular economy.”