Avecia and Xaar have announced an extension of their ink licensing agreement, which dates back to 1994. Avecia were Xaar’s original ink licensee partner and they have worked together closely over the last eight years to develop and launch a range of oil and UV cure based inks dedicated for use in Xaar’s printheads. The extended agreement covers product R&D and material supply on a rolling basis into the future. The new agreement also underlines the joint intention to continue and enhance their partnership to accelerate delivery of further innovative inks for the growing number of Xaar printhead users. With the rapid global adoption of inkjet technology and the continuing advancement in printhead technology, demonstrated by Xaar’s launch of the Leopard greyscale printhead, there is growing demand for high performance inks that are customised for applications ranging from packaging through to electronic fabrication. Avecia has a research and development capability with a track record in developing novel materials, such as dyes, resins, pigment dispersants and organic light emitting polymers, and formulating them into inkjet inks. Combined with one of the world’s largest inkjet ink manufacturing facilities, Avecia is well placed to work with Xaar and its customers to develop novel printing solutions. Dr Mike Nicholds, Director of Business Development for Avecia Ink Jet Printing Materials, commented, "We see the extension and deepening of our relationship with Xaar as a key part of our strategy to becoming the leading supplier of inkjet inks for the emerging non-desktop market. Avecia’s widely-respected expertise in novel material invention and integration with customers’ performance requirements enables us to offer Xaar and its customers superior solutions at the forefront of printing technologies." Xaar’s Chief Executive, Jan Fineman, added, "Avecia is a long term partner of Xaar’s and a valued licensee. We recognise their leadership in the supply of digital inkjet inks to the industrial printing markets and see major opportunities arising from this partnership for our customers in these markets."