Schaumburg, IL – INX International’s status as North America’s leading supplier of metal decorating ink for the 2-piece metal can market continues to grow ahead of the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, being held April 21-24 in Las Vegas at the Venetian Convention & Expo Center.

A recent expansion to the INX Color Catalog now provides brand owners, metal decorators, design agencies and marketers with more ways to streamline the color management process. From concept design to the shelf, they are experiencing substantial cost savings and the benefits of brand consistency, color accuracy, and getting a product to market quicker. This news, combined with the success craft brewers have enjoyed by using the color catalog, has INX officials excited to meet with attendees in booth 372.

“There have been so many positive developments since last year’s conference. We had about 350 of the color catalogs in the market a year ago and our market penetration continues to grow,” said Renee Schouten, INX Vice President of Marketing.

“It is now over 400, and I anticipate there will be greater interest since we recently added 28 new metal swatches to the 600-plus that were already available. More than 50% of the catalogs belong to brand owners, many of whom support the annual Colored By INX Can Design Contest that craft brewers have won in the last three years.”

The INX Color Catalog is a critical element of INX Color Perfection, the color management system that builds brand consistency and ensures color accuracy. Regarded as the only true color standard for metal decorating, it helps increase the shelf appeal of cans with consistent color available anywhere in the world.

Schouten and other INX experts will be promoting the can design contest in Las Vegas since the event takes place one week before this year’s deadline. Eligible participants must have produced a commercial can design before January 1, 2024, and used at least one color from the INX Color Catalog. All submission forms, including the electronic design and actual printed can, must be sent and postmarked no later than April 29.

The design entry from Shiner Beer and Ball Corporation’s Shiner Texhex Bruja’s Brew IPA, won last year’s contest, the third consecutive win by a craft brewer. The result ended a challenge from Cleveland-based Great Lakes Brewing Company, which won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022 and was one of the five finalists last year.

“The colors of the design and the complex graphics, combined with Ball Corporation’s EYERIS color separation technology, presented an outstanding design with a standout visual impact,’ said Levi Boss. The Graphics Center of Excellence Director at Ball Corporation, he said the INX Color Catalog was instrumental to the success of their winning entry.

“Catching the luminescence of the metallic substrate, the complement of the inks next to each other in swatch form, then rendered into the production can, showcased INX’s unparalleled understanding of printing on aluminum through the dry offset process.”

Complete contest information is available regarding contest dates and times, how to submit a design entry, and to view the official INX contest rules.