Flint Group Packaging Inks in India prepared for new government mandates with toluene-free inks
Flint Group Packaging Inks, a leading supplier of printing consumables for India’s packaging and labels manufacturing sectors, has confirmed its range of solvent-based inks has solved production problems for printers endeavouring to comply with the latest food packaging safety legislation.
Effective July 2020, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) revised the Printing Ink for food packaging Code of Practice IS 15495:2004 standard and implemented IS 15495:2020 banning the use of toluene as a solvent in inks destined for food packaging applications.
Upal Roy, Managing Director – Packaging Inks, India, Middle East, Africa at Flint Group, commented: “As a responsible supplier, Flint Group Packaging Inks offers toluene-free gravure and flexo inks manufactured at our facility in Vadodara, Gujarat. We have been gearing up for the introduction of these inks for the last few years and have set up a dedicated NT NK facility at Baroda.
“We have been working to support our customers over the past 18 months to ensure their smooth transition to our new range– ArrowFlex Plus and ArrowBond NT for gravure printers and VarioLam INA for flexo printers. As the use of Toluene has now been banned in India, we are keen for our customers to understand that they do not need to invest in new equipment to comply with the legislation and that these inks have been successfully used in the country since 2017.
“We’ve seen fantastic results at a number of sites where customers easily transitioned. They are achieving high quality print, particularly in fine vignette areas, along with high speed printing. For example, ArrowBond NT inks are now being used at 450-500m/min on the highest speed press in the country. This is all with safe, non-toluene based inks and with no requirement to replace their gravure cylinders, saving our customers time and unnecessary costs.”
Flint Group Packaging Inks offers comprehensive technical support to those printers considering a move to the new range, which includes:
ArrowFlex Plus - a high end PU based non-toluene and non-ketone ink range. It is suitable for general purpose mid to high end Gravure presses commonly printing PET and BOPP. It is compatible with solvent based, solvent less and extrusion lamination processes. The range is ideal for challenging food packaging designs, including retort and boil applications, and offers very good lamination bond strengths, as well as very low odour levels. Customers report excellent half tone reproduction at high speeds and very good colour strength.
ArrowBond NT - a PU modified non-toluene ink suitable for low and high speed Gravure presses, typically printing PET and BOPP. The range is compatible with general purpose solvent based, solvent less and extrusion lamination processes. ArrowBond NT offers very good lamination bond strengths, as well as very low odour levels. Customers have confirmed excellent half tone reproduction at high press speeds and very good colour strength. Importantly, with ArrowBond NT there is no need to modify cylinders or any other printing related equipment making it the perfect replacement for conventional vinyl inks without any issues or compromises. Importantly, the cost difference with Toluene based inks is minimal.
VarioLam INA – a high end PU based, alcohol dilutable, non-toluene and non-ketone ink range for high end CI flexo printing. Suitable for mid to high end CI flexo presses commonly printing PET and BOPP, it is compatible with solvent based, solvent less and extrusion lamination processes. VarioLam INA is ideal for general purpose to high end food packaging printing applications, including retort and boil, and has very good lamination bond strengths and very low odour levels. Customers report excellent half tone reproduction at high speeds and very good colour density at fine Anilox (400 LPCm or more).
For support on transitioning smoothly to a toluene-free ink range, please contact your local Flint Group Packaging Inks representative or for more information, please email info.packaginginks@flintgrp.com.