Ink

Sun Chemical has released its first sustainability report which provides data-driven performance measurement for seven key sustainability metrics to help customers and consumers understand the company's environmental impact.

The first of its kind report shows data collected since 2005 from approximately 170 Sun Chemical sites in over 25 countries. The key sustainability metrics measured in the data include: energy consumption/conservation at production and non-production sites, the energy carbon footprint at the production sites, process waste reduction, water consumption, materials safety, and employee safety.

Providing a report that shows the ongoing management and monitoring of key sustainability metrics is an important part of Sun Chemical's recently updated sustainability policy that was introduced at Print '09.

"Sun Chemical's sustainability policy is different from other company policies and positioning because it is supported by data that goes far beyond that which is normally reported," said Gary Andrzejewski, Sun Chemical's corporate vice president of environmental affairs. "Our customers and the marketplace are looking for much more than the standard sustainability rhetoric. They want to know what their suppliers are doing to improve their sustainability performance. This sustainability report does just that with very specific metrics."

Sun Chemical has also initiated a project to analyze and manage the carbon footprint of its products. The project includes an assessment of eight different ink products manufactured at seven different facilities in the United States and Europe and is expected to be released during the first half of 2010. This assessment is conducted by ENVIRON International Corporation, a consultant with which Sun Chemical partners to offer its SunCare Environmental Services.

The first sustainability report is available to customers and can be requested online. Customers can also calculate the initial carbon footprint for their facility operations by visiting Sun Chemical's website.

www.sunchemical.com

www.sunchemical.com/suncare

Sun Chemical has announced changes to the structure and management of its Sun Inks Europe business. Rudi Lenz, president and CEO of Sun Chemical, will assume direct responsibility for the business, and its current business leaders will now report directly to him. Sun Inks Europe’s functional leaders, covering areas comprising human resources, purchasing, operations, finance and environment, health, safety and security will now report to their respective global functional heads.

“Our customers expect the highest levels of service, and we believe that we can enhance this and the growth of our own European business through a more global structure,” said Mr. Lenz.

David Meldram, president, Sun Inks Europe and senior vice president, Sun Chemical, is leaving the business as part of these changes and his position will not be replaced.

In paying tribute to Mr. Meldram, Mr. Lenz said, “David has been with the company since 1997 and has done a tremendous job. He has built a very successful team and we wish him all the best in the future.

“In these very challenging times for our industry, it is very important that Sun brings all its global resources to help our customers become more successful,” Mr. Lenz continued. “Sun’s commitment to quality, service and innovation will continue to differentiate us in the market.”

Working in close association with some of the worlds largest ink manufacturers, Colorific have announced a genuinely practical solution to wide format ink cartridge recycling.

Claimed to be easy to take part in, easy to integrate into your own environmental policies, and easy to manage, participation in the Colorgreen scheme is available to all by registering online at www.colorgreen.co.uk

Upon registering, Colorific will send users a box (or as many of them as they need), you then fill that box with empty cartridges, and when it’s full, you simply log on again, and request a collection. A carrier will subsequently arrive, and take your box of empty cartridges away for recycling.

Colorific stress that this is a free zero-cost service available to users of all common large format printing systems that use solvent-based cartridges

Following return the empty cartridges are then, dependent on their condition, either recycled for secondary use, or broken down for use in the production of new products that can utilise recycled materials. Disposal in landfill is thus avoided.

The Colorgreen website also has links to pertinent information including a free white paper titled Environmental Law – Overview and Guidance for Your Business, and links to relevant information published by the Health & Safety Executive, again all freely accessible at www.colorgreen.co.uk

INX International Ink Co. announced the retirement of Charlie Weinholzer, who will be feted at a company ceremony in Appleton, WI on October 29. Mr. Weinholzer has been associated with the company since 1984, holding many management positions and a member of the INX Board of Directors until last year. During his outstanding tenure at INX, he will be remembered for his uncanny ability to build a high powered team and help drive them to success.

It was 25 years ago in 1984 when Mr. Weinholzer joined Roberts & Porter, Inc. as vice president – general manager of the Ink Division. He began his career in 1961, working at Kohl Madden Printing Ink Corp. and earning promotions that led him into management. Twelve years later, he moved on to stints at Graphic Service and Anchor Paper Co.

After his first two years at Roberts & Porter, the company was acquired by Midland Color Company in 1986. Midland would later become part of INX International in 1989. By this time, Mr. Weinholzer was promoted to vice president – regional manager and worked from the West Allis, WI office. Successive promotions followed, first as senior vice president of the north central region in 1996 and as senior vice president of the Liquid Ink Division in 1999, until appointed to the executive advisor role. He joined the INX Board of Directors in 1996.

Mr. Weinholzer’s distinguished career led him to being awarded the prestigious National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM) Pioneer Award in 1993. This award is given by the members and directors in grateful recognition of long and meritorious service to the industry and the association. He also served as a Gravure Association of America board member.

“Charlie’s knowledge of the industry and our customers has served us well for many years,” said Rick Clendenning, president and CEO of INX International Ink Co. “He was well respected throughout our industry, even by our competition. His vast knowledge and experience will be missed by all of us at INX. We wish him well as he starts winding down and enjoying his retirement.”

Get colour-matched inks for your Roland AdvancedJet printer for only £49, by taking advantage of the Colorific '2 for 1' launch promotion.

Created specifically to meet increasing customer demand for a lower-cost yet high-quality alternative ink for users of the AdvancedJet series of production printers from Roland, Colorific PRO-AJ inks offer complete plug and play compatibility with Roland Eco-Extreme original inks.

As with the recently launched Colorific PRO-J3 ink for Mimaki printers, substantial cost savings are the primary incentive for the customer, without having to sacrifice quality, reliability or indeed backwards colour compatibility with previously printed jobs.

Formulated as a ‘Mix & Match’ solution for users of OEM Roland AdvancedJet inks, the colour and physical properties of the original OEM inks have been matched so that existing profiles and printer settings can be used.

Mix and Match means the ink is an accurate colour match - no reprofiling is required - and can be used without flushing of the previous inks - PRO-AJ inks can be used in your printer alongside your existing Roland inks, making it an easily adopted and completely plug and play ink solution.

Based on extended field testing, in all vital areas of ink performance, Colorific claim their PRO-AJ ink is a viable and highly cost-effective alternative for AdvancedJet users.

"For users looking to reduce the running costs on their AdvancedJet printer, and its OEM derivatives such as the Uniform Grenadier GFX and beDigital Turbejet PS-2600, we believe our Colorific PRO-AJ ink can deliver the reliable performance that you have come to expect from your printer, at greatly reduced cost."

With a suggested resale price of £98 for a 1 litre cartridge, the PRO-AJ inks already offer substantial potential savings for the user of what is invariably a productive workhorse printer - this value has been further enhanced with an introductory offer that will allow users, for a limited time, to buy on a '2 for 1' basis, effectively reducing the price to only £49 per cartridge.

Colm Garvey, European Sales Director of Colorific suggests there has been a real demand from customers for this ink "The AdvancedJet is a fast printer that is often found in a busy production environment, accordingly it can use significant volumes of ink, so we can help the users to realise significant and tangible cost savings".

The '2 for 1' deal will run across Europe, to encourage users to try the inks, and see for themselves the seamless integration that is made possible by the 'mix and match' Colorific PRO ink series. Garvey adds "We have evey confidence that once users have tried these inks, they will remain Colorific users long-term, that is the thinking behind the '2 for 1' launch offer."

Garvey was also keen to stress that Colorific inks are fully backed by the company "We can offer our UK customers comprehensive warranty cover, that aims to meet or exceed the scope of any manufacturer provided warranty".

The Colorific ink range is sold in sixteen countries across four continents and is rapidly gaining a reputation for trouble-free reliability.

Supplier details can be requested from info@colorificink.eu

You can also find further information on the Colorific website at www.colorificink.eu

The National Printing Ink Research Institute’s (NPIRI), the research arm of the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM), honored Maurice Carruthers of Sun Chemical Performance Pigments  and Rodney Balmer of Flint Group with major industry awards.

Mr. Carruthers received the Technical Associate Member (TAM) Service Award, which honors outstanding individuals who, as suppliers, have played a significant role in the progress of printing ink technology or have contributed outstanding service to NAPIM and the printing ink industry. Mr. Carruthers has been involved with the ink industry for more than 40 years, starting at Ciba Geigy in the early 1970s as a dry color technician. He joined Sun Chemical in 1978 as dispersion manager, rising to director of manufacturing and his current position as vice president and general manager.

Mr. Balmer, Flint Group’s technical director for sheetfed inks, received NAPIM’s Technical Achievement Award (TAA), which honors a printing ink scientist who has contributed to the ink industry.

After receiving a degree in printing ink technology and also in chemistry from the University of Manchester Mr. Balmer joined Sun Chemical. In 2000, he joined Flint Ink as technical director paste ink and is a leader in the company’s energy cure and sheetfed ink research efforts.

In addition, Gary Deeter of BASF Resins received first place honors in the NPIRI Lecture Series, sponsored by Hexion Specialty Chemicals, while Don Henderson of Sun Chemical earned second-place honors.

Rich Czarnecki of Superior Printing Ink, Bemly Randeniya of Arizona State University, and Jeanine Snyder of Air Products & Chemicals each received honorariums from Lubrizol Advanced Materials, which sponsors the Best of Show Poster Boards awards.