GelFlex-EB inks enable to generate advanced print designs suitable for food packaging and other consumer applications
GelFlex-EB inks help to provide advanced print designs for food packaging. (Credit: Igor Ovsyannykov from Pixabay)
INX International Ink, a provider of inks and colour management technologies, has launched new GelFlex-EB gel-based inks for flexible packaging applications.
GelFlex-EB, which is a surface print ink system for CI flexo printing, offers enhanced print quality similar to gravure. It also provides a cross-linked and durable ink film to avoid the use of a lamination layer, thereby helping to minimise costs and total package weight.
GelFlex-EB gel-based inks enable to generate advanced print designs suitable for food packaging and other consumer applications.
The inks are also suitable for household, industrial, outdoor, pet food and pet care product applications.
INX stated that GelFlex-EB is sufficiently fluid for CI flexo printing as a gel-based ink and thickens rapidly for effective and high-speed wet ink trapping.
The gloss, matte and other decorative or special effect coatings will also be applied in-line as an option. The single EB dryer helps to cure the combined structure at the end of the press to produce a cross-linked polymer matrix.
According to the company, the replacement of GelFlex-EB with traditional inks will help result in a 30% weight reduction of the lamination layers.
A finer line screen and lower BCM anilox count will help provide improved tonal value, as well as higher line screen plates and contrast range.
Printers will also find smooth vignettes and solids, and offer higher details in full colour images and detailed brightness in high light zones, in addition to more predictable print quality.
INX marketing director Renee Schouten said: “We understand there are specific expectations of brand owners, converters and printers, ranging from maintaining the print quality of graphics to providing yearly cost reductions through improved efficiencies and package light-weighting.
“GelFlex-EB inks address these concerns and present several opportunities.
“Printers can reduce their overall ink consumption and experience energy savings, compared to conventional solvent or water-based flexo inks.”
In June 2020, INX International Ink completed the acquisition of German printing ink manufacturer RUCO Druckfarben for an undisclosed sum.