TAGS: UV/EB Technology Sustainability / Natural Coatings Inks
Flint Group Narrow Web will showcase new waste and cost-saving ink and coating products at Labelexpo Americas in September that offer improved recycling, food safety, global quality consistency and lower energy consumption (booth #5703, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL, 13-15 September 2022).
UV-flexo Coatings for Recycling
Flint Group’s Evolution series of UV-flexo coatings allow the substrates and containers they are used on to be recycled without contamination and therefore be reused more easily.
The Evolution Deinking Primer is applied to shrink sleeves to allow the ink to be released during the recycling process. The ink is removed from the sleeve material without contaminating the valuable bottle flake. The materials are then rinsed and pelletized into recycled polyester (rPET) for reuse.
The Evolution Caustic Resistant Over Print Varnish facilitates the recycling of PET bottles utilizing pressure-sensitive labels. The varnish prevents contamination of the wash-water and bottle flake in the initial recycling process by keeping the ink secured to the label substrate.
When immersed in the float-sink bath, the intact label floats to the surface where it is separated from the bottle recycling stream.
LED-UV Curing Technology with Dual Cure Inks
Flint Group Narrow Web will present its expanded range of Dual Cure UV-flexo inks that are curable under LED lamps as well as mercury lamps. Flint’s new Dual Cure products focus on ultra-clear non-yellowing performance and food contact materials (FCM) applications.
Dual Cure Ultra Cear is a UV-flexo clear overprinted coating, that does not yellow over time. Free of benzophenone, Dual Cure Ultra Clear offers assurance of long-term brand integrity and product safety.
Another addition to the Dual Cure programme is EkoCure ANCORA FCM PSL, safe UV-flexo ink for pressure-sensitive label food contact materials. It contains no bisphenol-A and is fully compliant with the latest versions of the Swiss Ordinance on Materials and Articles (SR.817.023.21) and the Nestlé Guidance on Packaging Inks.
Dual Cure inks and coatings allow label converters to embrace the environmental, low-energy and productivity advantages of LED-UV curing, while managing the financial risk associated with curing lamp conversions. Switching to LED-UV curing technology with Flint Dual Cure inks bring energy cost reductions of up to 50 percent, compared with using mercury lamps on press, as the lamp produces less heat.
Fully compatible in line with conventional inks on the printing press, Dual Cure inks allow a gradual switch to LED, at a pace that suits the converter, with minimal disruption to operations. This enables the freedom to upgrade the press one curing unit at a time, lowering the financial risk and reducing waste of existing ink inventories.
Explore UV-curable Inks from Flint Group
Source: Flint Group