The ink industry today is very much like the rest of the business world. Concerns over raw materials remain at a high level. There is constant price volatility, with almost all raw material prices on the rise. Availability is another problem altogether; even when key raw materials are available, there are issues over allocation as larger industries take precedence. Getting the raw materials where they are needed is another issue, as COVID-19 delays in shipping still continue, and the trucking shortage that was with us well before the pandemic is still a challenge today.

This is a challenge, as by almost all accounts, the ink industry is growing. Most of the leading ink companies reported growth in 2021, which they report is continuing into the first half of 2022. Some of that is can be attributed to their own price increases; many of the top ink companies issued announcements detailing the need for price adjustments throughout the past year, while other ink companies quietly raised their prices. Part of this is due to the continued strength of packaging, including the recovery in certain segments that had been impacted by the COVID pandemic. There is also continued growth in the digital printing field.

In this year’s Top Ink Companies Report, leading ink executives report what they are seeing in the market, and the good news is that they expect further growth this year. This comes with a caveat: there are some concerns ahead, both with raw materials as well as uncertainty over geopolitical issues. Hopefully, these concerns will be stabilized in the coming months.

The 2022 Top International Ink Companies Rankings
(Ink and Graphic Arts Sales)

DIC/Sun Chemical   $4.1 billion
Flint Group  $1.8 billion
Sakata INX  $1.57 billion
Siegwerk Group $1.38 billion
Toyo Ink  $1.22 billion
Huber Group   $742 million
Fujifilm North America  $400 million*
SICPA  $400 million*
ALTANA AG $390 million*
T&K Toka  $386 million
Kao $300 million*
Dainichiseika Color  $241 million
EFI  $200 million*
Nazdar  $200 million*
Wikoff Color  $200 million*
Yip’s Chemical  $192 million
DuPont  $185 million*
CRT, a Division of Quad Graphics  $150 million*
UFlex $136 million
Sanchez SA de CV $128 million
HP  $120 million*
Marabu GmbH & Co. KG $105 million *
Zeller+Gmelin $100 million*
Tokyo Printing Ink  $98 million
DEERS I/Daihan Ink  $90 million*
Doneck Euroflex S.A.   $80 million
Central Ink  $58 million
Ink Systems  $50 million*
International Paper   $50 million*
Letong Chemical  $50 million*
Epple Druckfarben $48 million*


* Ink World estimate