PARSIPPANY, N.J. – During FTA INFO*FLEX 2017, Sun Chemical will introduce a new portfolio of eco-friendly inks and showcase how its coatings, inks and HD plate technology can produce packaging that pops off the shelf while enhancing pressroom efficiency.

“With more high-speed/high-quality printing demands, tighter regulations on food contact packaging and brand owner requirements for packaging that is unique, brand owners need solutions to meet the changing demands of the industry,” said Penny Holland, Vice President of Marketing, North American Inks, Sun Chemical. “During INFO*FLEX, we look forward to showcasing how our ‘Brighter Ideas’ can help take our customers from concept to shelf to meet their unique packaging needs.” 

New Renewable, Compostable, Eco-Friendly Inks and Plates

Visitors of booth #301 will be introduced to a new portfolio of eco-friendly inks that provide printers with an expanded offering in the marketplace as current trends move toward greener living, including a new solvent-based ink for lamination applications as well as water- and solvent-based inks for surface printing applications.

Flexographic printers looking to integrate sustainable practices into their workflow can also consider SunGraphics^® SunLite In-Position Plates. Shown to reduce a printer’s carbon footprint, these alternatives to conventional mounted plates are produced using up to 50 percent less photopolymer, eliminating solvents, VOCs and PVC materials. Printers using the SunLite In-Position plates can take advantage of accurate color-to-color registration and improved safety in handling and durability due to a 70 percent lower weight than conventional plates.

Ink Systems that Enhance Productivity and Meet Print Quality Requirements

Sun Chemical will highlight a variety of ink systems designed to enhance productivity and meet print quality requirements, including SunUno Solimax. Suitable for surface print applications on a number of the commonly used flexible packaging substrates, this multi-purpose ink system maximizes press room efficiency while simplifying the overall print production process by providing a single platform that can cover multiple end use applications and produce the shelf stand out and high quality packaging needed for today’s competitive industry. 

Designed for flexographic printing on polypropylene and polyethylene films at high speeds, Sun Chemical’s SunStrato^® Sunester^® laminating solvent-based family of inks offer maximum color strength, low solvent retention, excellent adhesive and extrusion bonds, clean printing, film versatility, and are suitable for use with conventional and high-performance printing plates. 

Sun Chemical’s SunStrato Flexo Pure Ultra White for multi-film, high bonds lamination applications, as well as SunSpectro^® Sunsharp^® White for surface print applications, are opaque white inks that provide the high opacity needed for improved package appeal.

Developed for high-speed flexographic printing on polyethylene film, SunSpectro Sunsharp HR water- and solvent-based inks provide moderate heat resistance of up to 350 degrees, maintain excellent gloss, and are suitable for use with conventional and high-performance printing plates.

Sun Chemical’s water-based ink product portfolio addresses the growing use of water-based products for a variety of flexible packaging applications, ranging from surface print on polyethylene and polypropylene to complex lamination structures.

Formulated to match GCMI X color standards, Sun Chemical’s SunVisto^® water-based inks portfolio for paper and paperboard applications are PH stable with excellent coverage and mileage. The low-VOC inks meet the requirements of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG) and provide consistent viscosity with excellent press stability to meet the print needs used on a wide range of substrates.

Coatings Offer Benefits Ranging from Special Effects to Barrier Protection

Sun Chemical’s wide range of coatings will be on display during the show, including a variety of options for satin, matte and gloss printing, in addition to its SunInspire sensory coatings line which offer special effects that allow a customers’ product packaging to stand out on store shelves visually through high luster metallic, fluorescent, glitter, pearlescent, as well as iridescent finishes. SunInspire tactile coatings, ranging from coarse and gritty to soft and smooth, appeal to the sense of touch. Other coatings in the line can create an interactive experience with color shifting, reticulating, and other aromatic coatings. 

Designed to enable lightweighting of packaging by removing EVOH polymer layers from packaging, as well as offering improved laminate flexibility, Sun Chemical’s SunBar^® (Aerobloc) oxygen barrier coatings provide a smooth, homogenous, pinhole-free layer that can be easily overprinted with inks and laminated to a variety of secondary films. SunBar (Aerobloc) is cost-effective, recyclable, biodegradable and press-ready, allowing for lighter-weight packaging, a reduced carbon footprint, and easy application with few changes to current equipment.

Through its partnership with acpo, ltd., Sun Chemical can also deliver SunBar (Aerobloc) pre-coated films to converters. acpo, ltd. specializes in coating thin films with state of the art equipment, and customers now have alternative barrier films at an economical price with improved barrier protection without needing to make capital investments in a coating unit.

HD Quality Products that Produce Packaging that Pops and Powerful Consumable Technology

Certified by ESKO through a rigorous process, Sun Chemical’s SunGraphics high definition flexographic plate technology, with Esko HD software and CDI high resolution imaging, allows for printing an image quality of up to 4,000 PPI resulting in expanded tonal range and wider color gamut to produce sharper, more vibrant images and colors. Printers will also see Flat-Top Dot technology that prints with 30-60 percent less impression sensitivity compared to standard digital plates, which allows for longer, cleaner, more consistent runs from beginning to end.

Booth visitors can also learn about SunVisto Anilox Renew and SunVisto Power Scrub. These highly concentrated cleaners bring heavily soiled plates and anilox rollers back to their “like new” condition and minimizes or eliminates the need for sending anilox rollers out for cleaning.