INX Links New Tonejet and Ball Packaging Europe Collaborate on Digital Can Printing Capabilities

INX International Ink Co. has announced its collaboration with digital printing specialist Tonejet. INX will provide inks for Tonejet’s newly developed proprietary drop-on-demand digital print engine technology, to Ball Packaging Europe for the production of decorated two-piece beverage cans.

This technology, initially being implemented at Ball’s Hassloch production facility in Germany with the integration of a pilot machine in the first quarter of 2009, has been engineered by Tonejet and will enable Ball to print photo-quality 600-dpi, two-piece beverage cans in limited quantities for numerous markets. The combination of expertise from both organizations will enable INX to toll manufacture the inks to Tonejet’s specifications.

“We are delighted to play a key role in this venture,” said Rick Clendenning, INX president and CEO. “It is an exciting advance for both digital printing and metal decorating, an advance to which we bring an unsurpassed combination of ink and metal deco expertise. With Tonejet’s development of the ink technology, we look forward to our continued collaboration with Tonejet and Ball and to progressing together as this new digital technology evolves and becomes established in the industry.”

INX Digital, the digital arm of INX International Ink Co., has extensive experience in nano particle pigment dispersion technology, as well as global digital ink manufacturer expertise. INX also has developed related digital metal printing systems, and brings additional metal decorating insights from years of world leadership in providing conventional inks for metal cans. INX global manufacturing capabilities along with production-control systems further ensure consistent ink quality for the new digital-metal printing application.