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.
