By David Savastano, Editor03.29.16
850 Central Ave.
Hanover Park, IL 60133
Phone:(630) 259-7200
Fax: (630) 259-7078
www.fujifilmgraphics.com
FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants, Inc.
233 Cherry Lane
New Castle, DE 19720
(800) 552-1609
www.fujifilmimagingcolorants.com
U.S. Sales: $90 million (Ink World estimate).
Major Products: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division manufactures offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services. FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC) develops and supplies novel, high performance inkjet colorants – including dyes and pigment dispersions - and inkjet inks for the digital print market. FFIC also offers contract/toll manufacturing of aqueous inkjet inks.
Key Personnel: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division: Todd Zimmerman, SVP and GM; Terry Mitchell, VP, marketing; Chris Lomas, VP, sales wide format. FFIC: Brian J. Meldrum, president; Kevin Myers, commercial GM, new business; John Spych, North American sales manager.
Number of Employees: 600 (Ink World estimate).
Comments: FUJIFILM offers a complete digital solution to its customers, from presses to workflow solutions and ink consumables.
FUJIFILM has two divisions that manufacture inks: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division and FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC). Paul Ewing, director, new business and technology, Fujifilm FFIC, said that 2015 was a major year for Fujifilm, as the company continued to branch out into new markets.
“We addressed the opportunities for inkjet printing both on the desktop and beyond the desktop,” Ewing noted. “We announced our entry into the textile printing market at the ITMA trade show, offering dye- and pigment-based inks. We also made good progress in several OEM programs on the back of our Reactive Dispersant (RxDTM) technology and novel aqueous ink formulations.”
Numerous printing segments are clearly moving in the direction of inkjet, and FUJIFILM is positioned to make gains in these fields.
“The end markets for inkjet printing are expanding from Consumer, Office and Wide Format graphics to industrial markets, including Commercial Print, Textiles, Décor and Packaging,” Ewing reported. “This is driven by a need for more agile print technology capable of cost effective short run print and personalization.
“Inkjet technology is now in a position to offer scalable and robust solutions for many of these markets,” Ewing added. “However, innovation is still required to drive growth. This is where Fujifilm has a major role to play. At Fujifilm, we have the full breadth of inkjet technologies – from novel materials development, ink formulation, printhead technologies and system integration capability – so we are one of the few companies capable of delivering wide ranging solutions to meet the evolving needs of these new markets.”
For example, FFIC is strong in aqueous inkjet inks, which is leading to new opportunities.
“Within FFIC, we have a particular focus on aqueous inkjet ink technology, and we see great opportunity for aqueous inks as innovations in materials and ink formulation deliver highly performance aqueous inks,” Ewing said. “This improved functionality combined with a favorable environmental and safety profile, means that aqueous inks will continue to be a preferred ink class as new applications develop.
“In addition to technology, we see great opportunities to build new partnerships to accelerate business growth in some of these new markets,” he added.
There is a steady increase in regulatory efforts in areas such as packaging, and Fujifilm is working to help their customers navigate these issues.
“Fujifilm takes regulatory compliance seriously, and we have dedicated regulatory affairs experts who work collaboratively with our customers to ensure that regulatory issues are treated in an appropriate way to meet the requirements of customer applications,” Ewing noted.
Fujifilm sees excellent potential ahead for the aqueous inkjet field.
“In the aqueous inkjet market, we see two major trends: continued strong growth in the Office, Commercial Print, Textile and other industrial inkjet markets, and declining demand in the Consumer space,” Ewing concluded. “With all the technologies we have within Fujifilm, there is no shortage of opportunity: the challenge is in selecting the best growth opportunities and then delivering on these.”
Hanover Park, IL 60133
Phone:(630) 259-7200
Fax: (630) 259-7078
www.fujifilmgraphics.com
FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants, Inc.
233 Cherry Lane
New Castle, DE 19720
(800) 552-1609
www.fujifilmimagingcolorants.com
U.S. Sales: $90 million (Ink World estimate).
Major Products: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division manufactures offset printing plates; offset, screen, flexo and inkjet inks; digital print and wide format print equipment; workflow, color management and proofing solutions; pressroom supplies; technical services and consulting services. FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC) develops and supplies novel, high performance inkjet colorants – including dyes and pigment dispersions - and inkjet inks for the digital print market. FFIC also offers contract/toll manufacturing of aqueous inkjet inks.
Key Personnel: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division: Todd Zimmerman, SVP and GM; Terry Mitchell, VP, marketing; Chris Lomas, VP, sales wide format. FFIC: Brian J. Meldrum, president; Kevin Myers, commercial GM, new business; John Spych, North American sales manager.
Number of Employees: 600 (Ink World estimate).
Comments: FUJIFILM offers a complete digital solution to its customers, from presses to workflow solutions and ink consumables.
FUJIFILM has two divisions that manufacture inks: FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphics Systems Division and FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants (FFIC). Paul Ewing, director, new business and technology, Fujifilm FFIC, said that 2015 was a major year for Fujifilm, as the company continued to branch out into new markets.
“We addressed the opportunities for inkjet printing both on the desktop and beyond the desktop,” Ewing noted. “We announced our entry into the textile printing market at the ITMA trade show, offering dye- and pigment-based inks. We also made good progress in several OEM programs on the back of our Reactive Dispersant (RxDTM) technology and novel aqueous ink formulations.”
Numerous printing segments are clearly moving in the direction of inkjet, and FUJIFILM is positioned to make gains in these fields.
“The end markets for inkjet printing are expanding from Consumer, Office and Wide Format graphics to industrial markets, including Commercial Print, Textiles, Décor and Packaging,” Ewing reported. “This is driven by a need for more agile print technology capable of cost effective short run print and personalization.
“Inkjet technology is now in a position to offer scalable and robust solutions for many of these markets,” Ewing added. “However, innovation is still required to drive growth. This is where Fujifilm has a major role to play. At Fujifilm, we have the full breadth of inkjet technologies – from novel materials development, ink formulation, printhead technologies and system integration capability – so we are one of the few companies capable of delivering wide ranging solutions to meet the evolving needs of these new markets.”
For example, FFIC is strong in aqueous inkjet inks, which is leading to new opportunities.
“Within FFIC, we have a particular focus on aqueous inkjet ink technology, and we see great opportunity for aqueous inks as innovations in materials and ink formulation deliver highly performance aqueous inks,” Ewing said. “This improved functionality combined with a favorable environmental and safety profile, means that aqueous inks will continue to be a preferred ink class as new applications develop.
“In addition to technology, we see great opportunities to build new partnerships to accelerate business growth in some of these new markets,” he added.
There is a steady increase in regulatory efforts in areas such as packaging, and Fujifilm is working to help their customers navigate these issues.
“Fujifilm takes regulatory compliance seriously, and we have dedicated regulatory affairs experts who work collaboratively with our customers to ensure that regulatory issues are treated in an appropriate way to meet the requirements of customer applications,” Ewing noted.
Fujifilm sees excellent potential ahead for the aqueous inkjet field.
“In the aqueous inkjet market, we see two major trends: continued strong growth in the Office, Commercial Print, Textile and other industrial inkjet markets, and declining demand in the Consumer space,” Ewing concluded. “With all the technologies we have within Fujifilm, there is no shortage of opportunity: the challenge is in selecting the best growth opportunities and then delivering on these.”