07.29.19
283-1, Chikumazawa, Miyoshi, Iruma
Saitama, Japan, 354-8577
Tel: +81-49-259-6518
Fax: +81-49-259-6045
www.tk-toka.co.jp/english/
E-mail: overseas@tk-toka.co.jp
Sales: $451 million (¥49,638 million) (consolidated).
Major Products: UV offset, UV flexo, UV letterpress, energy-saving UV ink, UV waterless ink, conventional offset ink, powder-free conventional offset ink, waterless offset ink.
Key Personnel: Ryuichi Kurimoto, marketing director; Kazuhiko Nakama, technical director; Kazuhiko Shigesu, manager, global business management; Shigetoshi Nishimori, department manager, overseas sales; Ryohei Fujiyoshi, sales representative in charge of America; Hironori Yanagase, sales representative in charge of Europe.
Number of Employees: 1,600.
Comments: The world’s largest UV printing ink specialist, T&K TOKA (the T&K in the company’s name stands for Technology and Kindness) has a good year in 2018, with sales rising 3.5% to ¥49,638 million ($450 million).
In 2017, T&K TOKA acquired Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Printing Ink Factories Van Son, which was the 16th largest global ink company in Ink World’s 2017 Top International Ink Companies report, expanding T&K TOKA’s production and distribution capabilities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and the Americas.
“Last year’s highlight was to establish a foundation, including the integration of VanSon and the establishment of TOKA USA, to capture market share in the US and Europe,” said Kazuhiko Shigesu, manager, global business management for T&K TOKA. “We will seek to expand our market share based on this activity in this fiscal year.”
Shigesu noted that T&K TOKA’s top-flight R&D team is developing new products, with an emphasis on inks that meet stricter environmental standards.
“For environmentally friendly products, we have developed a new UV ink which complies with EU health hazard guideline and also is considered de-inking property for recycling,” Shigesu reported. “In addition, we intend to focus on selling the powder-free conventional sheetfed offset ink KIREINA, which contributes to reducing the total cost of printing by effectively using existing equipment. There are various chemical regulations in each country, and in recent years, new regulations have been created in more and more countries. T & K TOKA will respond promptly, work to reduce burdens on people and the environment in each country, and provide easy-to-use inks.”
Higher raw material costs and availability issues are a concern throughout the ink industry.
“The environmental regulations and explosions of raw material plants in China influenced the supply and price of raw materials,” Shigesu observed. “Securing raw materials is a priority issue to maintain for us, as it affects user activities.”
The company anticipates further growth in 2019, as T&K TOKA will expand the market share of its competitive products, such as powder-free ink KIREINA and power-saving UV ink.
“We aim to increase our sales mainly in Europe and the US where Van Son is based through its sales channel in more than 70 countries,” Shigesu concluded.
Saitama, Japan, 354-8577
Tel: +81-49-259-6518
Fax: +81-49-259-6045
www.tk-toka.co.jp/english/
E-mail: overseas@tk-toka.co.jp
Sales: $451 million (¥49,638 million) (consolidated).
Major Products: UV offset, UV flexo, UV letterpress, energy-saving UV ink, UV waterless ink, conventional offset ink, powder-free conventional offset ink, waterless offset ink.
Key Personnel: Ryuichi Kurimoto, marketing director; Kazuhiko Nakama, technical director; Kazuhiko Shigesu, manager, global business management; Shigetoshi Nishimori, department manager, overseas sales; Ryohei Fujiyoshi, sales representative in charge of America; Hironori Yanagase, sales representative in charge of Europe.
Number of Employees: 1,600.
Comments: The world’s largest UV printing ink specialist, T&K TOKA (the T&K in the company’s name stands for Technology and Kindness) has a good year in 2018, with sales rising 3.5% to ¥49,638 million ($450 million).
In 2017, T&K TOKA acquired Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Printing Ink Factories Van Son, which was the 16th largest global ink company in Ink World’s 2017 Top International Ink Companies report, expanding T&K TOKA’s production and distribution capabilities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and the Americas.
“Last year’s highlight was to establish a foundation, including the integration of VanSon and the establishment of TOKA USA, to capture market share in the US and Europe,” said Kazuhiko Shigesu, manager, global business management for T&K TOKA. “We will seek to expand our market share based on this activity in this fiscal year.”
Shigesu noted that T&K TOKA’s top-flight R&D team is developing new products, with an emphasis on inks that meet stricter environmental standards.
“For environmentally friendly products, we have developed a new UV ink which complies with EU health hazard guideline and also is considered de-inking property for recycling,” Shigesu reported. “In addition, we intend to focus on selling the powder-free conventional sheetfed offset ink KIREINA, which contributes to reducing the total cost of printing by effectively using existing equipment. There are various chemical regulations in each country, and in recent years, new regulations have been created in more and more countries. T & K TOKA will respond promptly, work to reduce burdens on people and the environment in each country, and provide easy-to-use inks.”
Higher raw material costs and availability issues are a concern throughout the ink industry.
“The environmental regulations and explosions of raw material plants in China influenced the supply and price of raw materials,” Shigesu observed. “Securing raw materials is a priority issue to maintain for us, as it affects user activities.”
The company anticipates further growth in 2019, as T&K TOKA will expand the market share of its competitive products, such as powder-free ink KIREINA and power-saving UV ink.
“We aim to increase our sales mainly in Europe and the US where Van Son is based through its sales channel in more than 70 countries,” Shigesu concluded.
