We do ask ink manufacturers about their perspective on digital printing since in that realm the manufacturers of presses are also the main suppliers of the ink. Surprisingly some of the major ink manufacturers deny interest in digital printing inks saying that digital inks are a small part of overall ink consumption and that the core technologies are not the same. We are not entirely convinced by this argument, especially when we see the very active development work of companies such as Fuji Sericol and Sun Chemical in both digital inks and equipment.

At drupa 2008, Sun Chemical’s customer centric theme was ‘Working for You.’ Sun Chemical, which is an associate of DIC Limited and the Coates brand in India, produces a range of innovative printing inks, pigments and coatings solutions for the whole market including the packaging market. These include flexo, gravure, and energy curable, digital and offset inks as well as broader industry workflow solutions including SmartColour colour management solutions, brand protection, FastJet digital presses and new functional barrier-coating technologies.

FastJet is Sun’s single-pass inkjet printing press for corrugated packaging. It runs at a speed of one square meter a second on corrugated sheets and has been built in collaboration with Inca Digital. The press uses 500 heads and inkjet UV inks that have been designed specifically for the FastJet. The inks, produced by SunJet, are extremely stable, produce vibrant, glossy colours and are virtually odour free.

Developed for the fast growing market for multi-colour, shelf ready packaging and display applications the FastJet is aimed at short and medium run orders. SunJet is Sun Chemical’s division based in England that does the research and development for inkjet and digital toner inks. Our understanding is that many of the inks are developed jointly or in collaboration with inkjet head and OEM machine and press manufacturers. Visitors to drupa had an opportunity to attend a full demonstration of the FastJet at the site of its first beta partner IMG Digipack GmbH, based in Remscheid, Germany.