Editorial

More Concerns Over Raw Materials For Ink Industry

For the past few years, the ink industry has faced a volatile raw material market. Certain key ingredients are becoming scarcer, which is leading to lack of availability and higher prices. Two years ago, titanium dioxide was the main worry. Last year…

David Savastano, Editor 09.17.19

Digital Textile Printing Continues to Expand

Digital printing continues to make inroads into the conventional printing business. The transactional printing, label and wide format fields have long been key markets for inkjet printing, and digital printers are setting their sights on other long-s…

David Savastano, Editor 07.28.19

The Growing Market For Packaging Inks

The global packaging segment is a huge market. In its report, “The Future of Global Packaging to 2022,” Smithers Pira estimated the packaging business at $851 billion in 2017, reaching $980 billion by 2022. Unlike other printing markets,…

David Savastano, Editor 05.20.19

Raw Material Concerns For Pigments and Dyes

As has become abundantly clear in recent years, raw materials have become a major challenge throughout the supply chain. As I noted in my editorial for the North American Top 20 Report, ink industry leaders are closely watching the cost and availabil…

David Savastano, Editor 03.15.19

Ink Manufacturers News | Suppliers News

The Evolution of The US Ink Industry

Every January, Ink World publishes its annual US Ink Directory, a comprehensive listing of ink manufacturers throughout the US. As always, we see ink companies that are acquired or close their operations, while also discovering new companies looking…

David Savastano, Editor 01.16.19

Ink Industry Faces Challenges From the Raw Material Market

The past 18 months have been chaotic for ink manufacturers and their suppliers. The relative stability in terms of costs and supply of key ingredients has disappeared. Now, the supply of important raw materials is erratic and pricing is constantly fl…

David Savastano, Editor 09.21.18

Breaking News | Ink Manufacturers News | Inkjet Inks and Toners | Printers News

The Growing Importance Of Digital Textile Printing

Digital printing is making significant inroads in many segments. The ability to produce customized designs or short runs economically is ideal for many markets. This is especially true in the textile field, and two leading fashion designers, Gabri…

David Savastano, Editor 07.31.18

Ink Manufacturers News | Inkjet Inks and Toners | Printers News

Digital Printing and The Packaging Market

There has been a pattern in terms of digital printing’s emergence in key printing fields. Usually, digital printing makes its initial entrance in markets as innovative printers see the potential for the technology. Once the case is made that…

David Savastano, Editor 05.11.18

A Mixed Year for the North American Ink Industry

For the ink industry, the past 12 months have been filled with mixed signals. On the one hand, the economy is growing, which is good for consumers. That translates into more goods sold, which is good news for printers and their ink suppliers. Howe…

David Savastano, Editor 03.09.18

The Changing World Of Printing Inks

Printing has changed over the years, and with it, so has the ink industry. I get a first-hand look at this every year via our annual US Ink Directory, a comprehensive list of more than 190 US ink manufacturers. I spoke with many ink manufacturers for…

David Savastano, Editor 01.19.18

Looking Back, Looking Ahead For the Ink and Printing Industries

The printing and printing ink industries have evolved over the years. Letterpress gave way to offset, flexo has become the leading technology in packaging, and digital printing has made major inroads. It is interesting to reflect on the past and take…

David Savastano, Editor 11.20.17

Ink Manufacturers News | Printers News

Overcoming the Devastation Of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma

As we head to press, the southern United States is reeling from Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. The devastation in terms of lives lost is terrible; the damage to infrastructure is incredible and, for now, incalculable. We have seen the wrecka…

David Savastano 09.20.17

Ink Manufacturers News | Suppliers News

The Global Nature Of Printing Ink

Red gets read. The fast-moving consumer goods business moves even faster, and multinationals rely on ink suppliers to get their message out quickly and effectively. As a result, printing and the ink industry are also becoming more international. P…

David Savastano, Editor 08.01.17

Low Migration, Digital Technologies Lead Discussions In Packaging Market

With the major gains being made in inkjet, printing has transformed dramatically in recent years. Transactional printing, wide format and ceramic tiles are now almost completely digitally printed, and inkjet has made major gains in label and narrow w…

David Savastano, Editor 05.15.17

Finding New Opportunities In Printing and Inks

The trends that we have seen in recent years – the growth of packaging and digital printing and the decline of the publication and commercial markets – are clearly increasing. Our annual North American Top 20 Report continues to show thes…

David Savastano, Editor 03.13.17

The Evolution of the Printing Ink Industry

Every January, Ink World publishes our annual US Ink Directory, a comprehensive listing detailing more than 190 US ink manufacturers, ranging from major manufacturers who supply a full complement of inks to specialists who successfully focus on niche…

David Savastano, Editor 01.23.17

Consolidations On the Rise In the Printing Ink Industry

In recent years, consolidation has reshaped the printing industry, with billion-dollar printers such as Quebecor World (acquired by Quad/Graphics) and Consolidated Graphics (RR Donnelley) leaving the field on the publication side and Rexam (Ball Corp…

David Savastano, Editor 11.21.16

Additives | Flushed Colors and Pigments | Resins | Suppliers News | Waxes

A Sense of Stability In Raw Materials

Stability is a wonderful word for ink industry purchasing executives, and one they haven’t had the opportunity to use very often for nearly a decade. During this period, the prices of key ink ingredients have dramatically shot up, while availab…

David Savastano, Editor 09.23.16

Inkjet Inks and Toners | Packaging Flexo Inks | Packaging Gravure Inks | Sheetfed Inks | UV and EB Inks

drupa 2016 Shows the Way Forward for Printing, Ink Industries

The printing industry is changing rapidly, and digital printing is on the rise, and the attendees at drupa 2016 saw this evolution at every turn. The growth of packaging and energy curing continues to drive expansion in printing. Printing is chang…

David Savastano, Editor 07.29.16

Inkjet Inks and Toners | Packaging Flexo Inks | Packaging Gravure Inks | UV and EB Inks

Good News in Packaging, Inkjet Ink Markets

In recent years, printing ink manufacturers have enjoyed their best results in two markets: packaging and inkjet. The packaging ink market continues to expand, with new technologies such as flexible packaging driving growth. Meanwhile, digital printi…

David Savastano, Editor 05.13.16