Inks and coatings manufacturer, Siegwerk, has launched an NC-free ink toolbox designed to help customers and brand owners create recyclable flexible packaging across the full-range of application segments.
The new offering – initially available in the EMEA region – bundles together all the company’s nitrocellulose (NC) -free ink solutions for flexible packaging applications, including solutions for lamination.
‘Focused on further improving packaging recyclability in the sense of a circular economy, the packaging regulatory landscape is continuously evolving, particularly in the European Union,’ explained Björn Ewig, head of technology flexible packaging EMEA at Siegwerk. ‘In this context, packaging structures with NC-based inks are getting increasingly under pressure.’
Despite the benefits of nitrocellulose – high resistance, fast drying and excellent adhesion – it can also hinder the material recycling process with its unpleasant odours and discoloration reducing the strength of recyclates. This is where the NC-toolbox comes into play.
Mr Ewig described the new solution as a milestone in the development of NC replacement. The inks, which are based on a new generation of polyurethane (PU) resins, enables Siegwerk customers to achieve a higher performance in lamination and surface applications, he added.
The toolbox offers customers the full range of colour, white, and overprint varnishes for both lamination and surface applications in gravure and flexo printing. All the solutions are fully compliant with current recycling guidelines and are available as either ready-to-use ink or masterbatch system, explained Siegwerk.
‘With our toolbox, customers can now easily find the right NC-free solution they need to realize recyclable PE and PP structures but without compromising on packaging or process performance,’ added Hanns Martin Kaiser, vice president flexible packaging EMEA at Siegwerk.
He also highlighted the company’s proprietary PU resin technology as key to the replacement of NC.
