The global flexible packaging market is rapidly growing, and its value is predicted at US$ 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 market is seeing an upward swing.
The growth in the popularity of flexible packaging 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 customized to fit the product and end-user requirements.
Advances in printing technology also mean that different finishes can be applied to the packaging to help enhance the product’s appearance. In response to customers’ needs for enhanced ink adhesion on non-porous packaging in the food, consumer and pharmaceutical packaging markets, Videojet Technologies, a leader in coding and marking solutions, has launched the new Flex Solvent ink for their Thermal Ink Jet (TIJ) range of printers.
Heidi Wright, business unit manager – supplies at Videojet explains, “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 (BOPP).”
Dry time on these materials is often between 1 and 2 seconds, and is suitable for printer integration into web production processes. The ink is also a good option for customers looking for a solution that does away with the use of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK).
“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,” concludes Wright.
