The global flexible packaging market is rapidly growing, and its value is predicted at $248 billion by 2020 due to rising demands in consumer convenience. As more consumers lead increasingly busy lifestyles, demand for convenience products in the healthcare, personal care, food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals markets is ever increasing.
The growth in flexible packaging popularity is linked to a number of factors, including its resilience to damage and the range of packaging design options available. Flexible packaging is also the most economical method to package, preserve and distribute consumer goods, as it can be designed to fit the product and end-user requirements due to its ability to be made into a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Advances in printing technology also mean that different finishes can be applied to the packaging to help enhance the product’s appearance. Glossy substrates and flexible films are common materials used in flexible packaging. These materials are non-porous, and without inks that perform well on these substrates, customers may experience text, logos or bar codes being rubbed or scratched off after printing.
Videojet Technologies recently launched the Flex Solvent ink for its thermal inkjet (TIJ) range of printers.
Heidi Wright, Business Unit Manager, Supplies, at Videojet said, “This ink has been specifically formulated to improve adhesion on several consumer packaging substrates, particularly materials common in glossy packaging or flexible films. The new Flex Solvent ink opens up new opportunities to mark more durable codes on substrates that were previously difficult to mark, such as bi-axially oriented polypropylene.”
Dry time on these materials is often between one and two seconds, so these applications are suitable for printer integration into web production processes.
Wright added, “Extensive tests were performed on a number of substrates to verify enhanced adhesion and faster dry times. Videojet continues to invest in ink research and development, and we are very pleased that this new formula has unlocked ways to help our customers print on a wider range of materials.”
The Flex Solvent ink can be used in the current Wolke by Videojet range of TIJ printers, including the 8510, m600 touch, m600 advanced, and m600 oem printer models.
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