German manufacturer Siegwerk launches "the first range of nitrocellulose (NC) free surface inks" specifically designed for printing on polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) plastic packaging. Intended for flexo and gravure processes, these new inks are part of a drive to improve the recyclability of flexible packaging.
A breakthrough for flexible packaging recycling
Nitrocellulose, commonly used in packaging inks, has certain limitations in terms of recycling and safety. Siegwerk has therefore developed NC-free ink solutions, promoting better material circularity. With an exclusive formulation based on polyurethane binders, these inks reduce contaminants and improve the quality of recycled materials, says Siegwerk.
These new inks are designed to comply with the Design for Recycling (D4R) directives, guaranteeing their compatibility with existing recycling channels, while offering optimized adhesion to PE and PP substrates and excellent rub and light resistance.
An integrated solution in Siegwerk's NC-free toolbox
These inks complete Siegwerk's existing range of NC-free inks. The company now offers a NC-free toolbox of different solutions for laminating and surface printing.
"We've been offering NC-free inks for laminating for a long time", says Björn Ewig, Head of Flexible Packaging Technology EMEA at Siegwerk. " With our new NC-free toolbox, we now enable printers and converters to better meet the demand for NC-free flexible packaging, guaranteeing excellent recycling quality in line with the latest Design for Recycling (D4R) guidelines without compromising printing or packaging performance."
