David Savastano, Editor09.20.17
For more than 40 years, AFFORD INDUSTRIAL, S.L. has been a leader in the ink industry in Spain, growing from screen and pad printing inks to UV and inkjet inks over time while maintaining the high quality that AFFORD is known.
Headquartered in Madrid, AFFORD was founded as a screenprinting ink manufacturer. The company has branched out into new markets, mostly ahead of trends, such as its work in UV ink.
“AFFORD was founded in 1976 by my father,” Pedro J. Martinez Muneta, CEO of AFFORD INDUSTRIAL, S.L. said. “It remained as a small screen and pad printing ink manufacturer.
In 1984 he started to produce UV inks, but the technology was not quickly adopted in Spain. Until 1999, the company only sold in the local market. In 2001 we started to produce inkjet inks, and through the years we have completed an extensive ink range; in 2016, we started to produce UV flexo inks.”
Meanwhile, at a time when many screen suppliers are reducing their commitment to the market, AFFORD remains committed to its screenprinting customers, developing and refining products.
To meet increasing demand, the company has grown in size through the years. “In 2014 we increased our installations, and we have already done the same this year with a new additional 1,700 square meter unit,” Martinez noted.
Martinez reported that inkjet inks for wide format and super wide format printers are a particularly strong opportunity for the company.
“AFFORD is having high growth with inkjet inks,” he added. “Initially, we entered this market as a third party ink manufacturer. However, in the last years, we have made several OEM agreements, which have been very successful both ways.”
AFFORD sets itself apart from its competitors through quality, consistency, R&D and ability to tailor solutions for each customer.
“AFFORD’s quality control during and after manufacturing is very demanding,” said Martinez. “All our technology has been developed internally, and our flexibility in manufacturing allows us to produce products specifically suited for an application or slight differentiation in packaging or labelling.”
Customer service is also a priority, as AFFORD can produce specialized inks as well as work shoulder to shoulder with their customers.
Martinez said that AFFORD continues to seek new opportunities, with a sizable budget set aside for R&D.
“Year after year, our forecast for R&D has been increased,” said Martinez. “Today, approximately 8% of our turnover is reinvested in R&D. About 10% of our staff is in R&D activities.
As a result of this, we have been granted three support programs by the Spanish Ministry of Industry and have received the nomination as ‘Innovative SME.’”
AFFORD continues to develop products for new markets, including water-based inks.
“Traditionally, UV curable inkjet inks have been our strongest market, but we have started an intensive research for water-based technologies with the focus on textile and packaging applications,” he said.
“We have recently released thermoforming UV curable inkjet inks for several printheads,” Martinez added. “We have also released a water-based pigment ink with excellent washing resistance. In September we will introduce our low migration UV flexo inks.”
All in all, Martinez sees great possibilities ahead for AFFORD.
“We see an optimistic future,” he concluded. “Inkjet inks have a heavier weight in our portfolio. For 2018, we expect to release absolutely new products in inkjet and we plan to start the commission of a new ink factory in order to have all under one roof.”
AFFORD INDUSTRIAL, S.L.
Autovía de Fuenlabrada a Pinto, km 20,1
28946 Fuenlabrada (Madrid)
Spain
Tel: (+34) 916 421 789
Fax: (+34) 916 421 834
www.afford-inks.com
Email: general@afford-inks.com
Major Products: Inkjet, screen, pad printing, narrow web, UV and EB and custom printing inks.
Headquartered in Madrid, AFFORD was founded as a screenprinting ink manufacturer. The company has branched out into new markets, mostly ahead of trends, such as its work in UV ink.
“AFFORD was founded in 1976 by my father,” Pedro J. Martinez Muneta, CEO of AFFORD INDUSTRIAL, S.L. said. “It remained as a small screen and pad printing ink manufacturer.
In 1984 he started to produce UV inks, but the technology was not quickly adopted in Spain. Until 1999, the company only sold in the local market. In 2001 we started to produce inkjet inks, and through the years we have completed an extensive ink range; in 2016, we started to produce UV flexo inks.”
Meanwhile, at a time when many screen suppliers are reducing their commitment to the market, AFFORD remains committed to its screenprinting customers, developing and refining products.
To meet increasing demand, the company has grown in size through the years. “In 2014 we increased our installations, and we have already done the same this year with a new additional 1,700 square meter unit,” Martinez noted.
Martinez reported that inkjet inks for wide format and super wide format printers are a particularly strong opportunity for the company.
“AFFORD is having high growth with inkjet inks,” he added. “Initially, we entered this market as a third party ink manufacturer. However, in the last years, we have made several OEM agreements, which have been very successful both ways.”
AFFORD sets itself apart from its competitors through quality, consistency, R&D and ability to tailor solutions for each customer.
“AFFORD’s quality control during and after manufacturing is very demanding,” said Martinez. “All our technology has been developed internally, and our flexibility in manufacturing allows us to produce products specifically suited for an application or slight differentiation in packaging or labelling.”
Customer service is also a priority, as AFFORD can produce specialized inks as well as work shoulder to shoulder with their customers.
Martinez said that AFFORD continues to seek new opportunities, with a sizable budget set aside for R&D.
“Year after year, our forecast for R&D has been increased,” said Martinez. “Today, approximately 8% of our turnover is reinvested in R&D. About 10% of our staff is in R&D activities.
As a result of this, we have been granted three support programs by the Spanish Ministry of Industry and have received the nomination as ‘Innovative SME.’”
AFFORD continues to develop products for new markets, including water-based inks.
“Traditionally, UV curable inkjet inks have been our strongest market, but we have started an intensive research for water-based technologies with the focus on textile and packaging applications,” he said.
“We have recently released thermoforming UV curable inkjet inks for several printheads,” Martinez added. “We have also released a water-based pigment ink with excellent washing resistance. In September we will introduce our low migration UV flexo inks.”
All in all, Martinez sees great possibilities ahead for AFFORD.
“We see an optimistic future,” he concluded. “Inkjet inks have a heavier weight in our portfolio. For 2018, we expect to release absolutely new products in inkjet and we plan to start the commission of a new ink factory in order to have all under one roof.”
AFFORD INDUSTRIAL, S.L.
Autovía de Fuenlabrada a Pinto, km 20,1
28946 Fuenlabrada (Madrid)
Spain
Tel: (+34) 916 421 789
Fax: (+34) 916 421 834
www.afford-inks.com
Email: general@afford-inks.com
Major Products: Inkjet, screen, pad printing, narrow web, UV and EB and custom printing inks.
