EuPIA Celebrates 10th Anniversary

The printing ink industry is a proactive, competent, trustworthy and reliable industry sector and EuPIA is the ink manufacturers’ voice in Europe. This was the brief description of the industry and its association given by Thomas Hensel, chairman of the European Printing Ink Association (EuPIA) at a reception to celebrate the 10th anniversary of EuPIA. Hensel was speaking at the Cercle Royal Gaulois Artistique et Littéraire on Dec. 12, 2013 in Brussels to a group of specially invited industry leaders.

EuPIA serves 80 member companies covering 95% of the European printing ink market, employing 12,000 people all over Europe. This voluntary industry association is an important player for the ink manufacturers and their partners along the supply chain as they form a sustainable industry community, stated Hensel. Activities like the creation and maintenance of the EuPIA Exclusion List banning CMR raw materials form the basis of the good reputation of the association.

On Nov. 6, 2003, the Board of CEPE, the European Council of Paint, Printing Ink and Artists’ Colours Industry, decided to found a specific sector association solely for its printing ink members. Ten years on and EuPIA is well-recognized by all partner industries in both the graphic and the food packaging sectors, Hensel announced.

History itself would be unimportant until recorded in indelible ink. This was one reference to the long-standing relationship between ink and print, said Lisa Kretschmann, managing director of the European Envelope Manufacturers’ Association, in her address to the guests on behalf of Beatrice Klose of INTERGRAF, who was not able to be present at the reception.

Modern print, by its very nature, could not be seen as an isolated process, she continued. The preservation and promotion of printed material should be the common goal of everyone involved in the process.

“We look forward to cooperating more in depth with EUPIA in the future and participating in each other’s meetings,” said Kretschmann. “Arguably, the most important element in preserving the future of print is ensuring that the public image of printed materials is modern, environmentally friendly and forward-looking while correcting any of the misconceptions that people may have of our industries.”

The whole supply chain for food packaging must work together. This was the most crucial message of the European Carton Makers Association (ECMA), as addressed by its managing director, Hans van Schaik. ECMA serves 500 companies in Europe covering 70% of the relevant market.

The members have very special technical needs regarding printing inks for food packaging, tobacco products or beverage containers. To meet the various requirements a close collaboration both on EU as well as national level is seen as necessary, said van Schaik. He delivered the invitation to EuPIA to continue the close cooperation “because the supply chain can only be as strong as the individual parts of the chain.”