For the past few years, the ink industry has faced a volatile raw material market. Certain key ingredients are becoming scarcer, which is leading to lack of availability and higher prices. Two years ago, titanium dioxide was the main worry. Last year, photoinitiators were the major issue, as a key precursor was in very short supply. This year, pigments – particularly Pigment Yellow 74 – are a major topic.

As was the case in the last two years, when fires destroyed a key titanium dioxide plant and the precursor facility, respectively, a plant explosion triggered the Pigment Yellow 74 shortage. On March 19, 2019, a tragic explosion at the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical pesticide plant in China killed more than 78 people.

For the ink industry and its suppliers, the industrial park that housed the pesticide plant included two key suppliers of PNOA, an intermediate required for the manufacture of Pigment Yellow 74. They were immediately and permanently closed, and the cost of what was left in the market skyrocketed due to scarcity. Some key chemicals associated with photoinitiators also were impacted.

In “The 2019 Raw Material Report,” which begins on page 20, leading purchasing executives in the ink industry talked about the Pigment Yellow 74 situation, as well as photoinitiators, solvents and more. As if that isn’t enough, the current uncertainty over the US-China tariffs is adding a sense of confusion to the already volatile raw material market. Ink industry purchasing executives have a lot to juggle in the coming year.

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The highlight of the September/October issue is Ink World’s annual Buyers’ Guide, the most complete listing of raw materials, equipment and services, distributors and trade associations for the global printing ink industry. In addition to the issue, our Buyers’ Guide is available online at www.inkworldmagazine.com. We hope you find it very useful!

David Savastano
Ink World Editor
dsavastano@rodmanmedia.com