While digital printing makes gains, the screenprinting industry is continuing to flourish in its own markets, including textiles. With its Wilflex™ brand of inks as well as its recent acquisition of Rutland, PolyOne Corporation is positioning itself for a strong future in the screenprinting ink field.
 
With $3.3 billion in sales in 2016, PolyOne focuses on specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, advanced composities and polymer distribution. Color, Additives and Inks is one of PolyOne’s four core businesses.
 
The addition of Rutland, which includes well-known brands such as Rutland, PRINTOP, QCM and Union Ink, adds to PolyOne’s strength in the marketplace. Scott Craig, who is leading the inks business for PolyOne, anticipates continued investments in its businesses while bringing together the knowledge of both companies to best serve customers.
 
“PolyOne has a history of investing to grow the technologies we own and the businesses we operate, and we’ll continue this strategy with Rutland,” Craig noted. “The combination of these two organizations will allow a focused effort on providing solutions to the industry.”
 
PolyOne Corporation and the Screen Ink Industry
 
The Wilflex brand of inks first emerged in the early 1960s, at first specializing in the t-shirt market. The company quickly followed up with a number of innovations, from introducing the first plastisol mixing system, which allowed hundreds of color options, in the 1980s, to being the first in the textile printing industry to launch automated ink dispensing equipment in the early 1990s.
 
In the late 1990s, the Geon Company acquired the Wilflex Inks business, and within a few years, Geon consolidated with the M.A. Hanna Company to form PolyOne. PolyOne’s Specialty Inks division continues to develop and market Wilflex brand inks to this day, with a focus on textiles, especially sports and other types of printable apparel, using plastisol and water-based inks. Above all, the company stresses quality and service, with support that goes past developing inks.
 
“We have always offered premier ink products of the highest quality, but we are more than simply a textile ink provider,” Craig said. “We’ve focused on total ink-room management, providing the most efficient, cost-effective environment possible to help customers win in competitive marketplaces.”
 
Adding Rutland
 
The addition of Rutland in June 2017 reinforces the company’s expertise in customizing formulations for consumer goods.
 
“Color and technology play an increasingly pivotal role for our customers in the apparel industry who have demanding performance expectations for how products look and feel,” said Robert M. Patterson, chairman, president and CEO, PolyOne Corporation. “We have long distinguished ourselves in the industry as more than just a product provider, and we are thrilled to welcome Rutland to the PolyOne family as they share our passion for innovation and customer service.”
 
Craig said that the ability to bring the two companies together, with their R&D and service capabilities, will benefit customers.
 
“Initially, I believe we’ll see benefits when it comes to ink formulation consistency and customer technical support,” he said. “We’re able to combine technical know-how from both companies with customer service so that both improve. Longer term, I believe the combined company will be faster in developing innovative new products, and better at supporting customers in the industry.
 
“We’ll better serve customers with our enhanced capabilities and with our strong brands, because we now offer a broader product range and greater development resources that combine both technical and field support,” Craig added. “As we evaluate the needs of textile printers going forward, we plan to deliver the best product solutions to our customers through their desired channels. Our goal is to provide printers with the best inks that suit their needs.”
 
Craig sees excellent opportunities ahead for the screenprinting market, and expects PolyOne to excel in helping customers meet future needs.
 
“While digital printing has definitely had an impact on our industry, we believe screen printing technology will always have a place in the market, and we are committed to serving this technology,” Craig concluded.