Schaumburg, IL – With an international audience anticipating the latest and best products for the metal decorating industry, INX International is ready to answer the call.  The company (Hall 3, Booth B25) will feature its EVOLVE Advanced Digital Solutions and a pair of new inks at METPACK 2011, which runs from May 10-14 in Essen, Germany.

The new metal decorating inks making their debut will no doubt leave an impression on show visitors. TP UV Fusion is the first UV hybrid low migration ink available in the market for 3-piece metal decorating, and the TP LEC base system of thermoset inks represents the latest in high quality, earth friendly low energy cure products.  

"We are glad to be back at METPACK and looking forward to seeing a sizeable number of people in our booth.  The metal decorating business has a good vibe to it right now," said Rick Clendenning, President and CEO of INX International.  "Our two new inks are exactly what the industry is looking for.  With the advances our EVOLVE brand is making in short-run production, I'm very optimistic. The timing is right for printers to move their businesses forward."

The TP UV Fusion hybrid inks offer several distinct advantages. Specifically formulated for indirect food packaging applications that require low migration and low odor inks, these unique inks conform to Nestle requirements for packaging inks.  They also qualify for the ASA Soy Ink Seal since they are environmentally friendly without VOC solvents, in addition to being both ITX and Benzophenone free.  With exceptional adhesion to a wide variety of base coated metal substrates, TP UV Fusion offers excellent press stability and color balance that is comparable to the best conventional litho inks on the market.

INX International's outstanding Research & Development capabilities played a significant role in the development process of TP UV Fusion, using an independent laboratory to conduct a migration analysis.  The lab confirmed the migration limit of 10ppb in 95% ethanol, with the overall migration conditions meeting the requirements specified in Directive 85/572/EC.  The sample material for these hybrid inks also was exposed to 95% ethanol for 10 days at 40° Celsius.  It was determined the overall migration values were far below the limit of 10 mg/dm?, and by using LC-MS/MS no photo initiators or acrylates were detectable.  By using GC-MS, no significant identified signals above 10ug/kg (10 ppb) were observed.

The TP LEC base system thermoset inks for 3-piece metal decorating are formulated for fast make-ready and low temperature bake.  With outstanding printability, these bright, low energy cure inks offer excellent adhesion and fabrication and abrasion resistance, while producing good gloss and a clean, sharp image.  An environmentally conscious product, nearly one-fifth of the LEC base system consists of soy and vegetable oil contents and is formulated VOC free.

EVOLVE Advance Digital Solutions is a brand concept designed to help traditional printers and converters evolve to digital printing with industrial inkjet systems.  A full range of resources is available, including integrated systems, chemistry, parts, service and consulting.  Some of the best known products are designed for the metal decorating industry, including the CP100 UV digital cylindrical printer and the MD series of UV flatbed printers.

The CP100 uses Xaar patented through-flow technology that is available only through INX.  Designed for short-run cylindrical printing and packaging work, it is extremely cost effective.  Like the CP100, the MD series offers best in class performance and image quality.  The MD660 and MD1000 printers quickly and inexpensively deliver real-metal sample proofs in just minutes for the short-run production of items such as decorative tins, general line containers and aerosols.  They print on coated or uncoated aluminum or steel substrates at speeds ranging from 65' to 120' per minute with exceptional resolution in excess of 1000 dpi.