HP’s PageWide True Water-Based Inks for digital corrugated printing have received a prestigious 2019 InterTech™ Technology Award from Printing Industries of America (PIA), the world’s largest graphic arts trade association.

The HP PageWide digital corrugated press portfolio uses A30 Water-Based Ink for the PageWide T1100 series pre-print corrugated presses and CV150 Water-Based Ink for the HP PageWide C500 press for post-print. HP PageWide’s true water-based inks are free of UV reactive chemistries, offering converters many environmental benefits and the ability to produce more corrugated applications digitally.

In its decision to award HP for technology innovation, the independent judges noted the HP PageWide true water-based inks deliver vibrant images on coated and uncoated corrugated boards, can be safely used for sensitive products and primary packaging with no need for any additional barrier, and have proven recyclability. Importantly, they said, there is no perceptible odor.

“This is an important development to increase the use of inkjet-printed corrugated packaging for such products as food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and infant care,” said Jim Workman, vice president, Centre for Technology and Research, PIA.“PIA recognition of HP PageWide’s water-based digital ink innovation is an additional confirmation of the value the industry sees in HP’s free of UV chemistries ink formulation that will help HP and its customers transform the corrugated industry to a more sustainable, safe and environmentally responsible industry,” said Eric Wiesner, General Manager, PageWide Industrial Division, HP Inc.

“HP’s development of true water-based inks for single pass high productivity corrugated packaging print is the fulfillment of years of investment and is a testament to our vertical integration of ink development, media coatings, and thermal inkjet printheads, which enabled us to meet strict food safety guidelines while providing the highest image quality in the digital printing corrugated market,” Wiesner continued.

Additionally, HP PageWide inks have been verified for standard recyclability. PTS, an independent testing laboratory, confirmed corrugated converters can use HP PageWide corrugated presses to supply printed packaging products suitable for recycling into new fiber-based paper for packaging, using standard processes with no need for extra steps or costly treatment.

HP PageWide true water-based inks are the only products to have fulfilled the Intertek Guidelines for the Safe Use of Printing Inks to provide safety requirements in accordance with global regulatory and industry guidance, including Swiss Ordinance, Nestlé Guidance, FDA, EU Framework, and others.