INX to showcase latest coatings and ink at Labelexpo Americas

INX International Ink Co has been preparing to demonstrate how advanced ink, coating and digital printing technologies can help converters remain competitive on the market during the upcoming Labelexpo Americas 2024.

Renee Schouten, INX vice president of marketing, said sustainability and consumer-related issues are the key drivers that influenced the decision to feature Genesis washable and INXFlex Contour inks, and VerifyInk security ink technology.

‘We are excited every time Labelexpo returns to the Chicago area. Many new developments have taken place, and interest in sustainable products has grown strongly since the show was held here two years ago,’ said Schouten. ‘More industry people are embracing it, as well as with product personalization. There is also a developing trend towards shorter runs and product differentiation, and our solutions address all of these needs.’

According to Schouten, Genesis washable inks for shrink-label packaging are proving to be a highly prized asset for label providers. Sustainable and recycle-friendly, this ink system supports a circular economy with the circular reuse of recovered packaging materials.

Genesis meets or exceeds the PET-CG-02 Critical Guidance Protocol established by the Association of Plastic Recyclers for washable and recyclable PET shrink sleeve applications. It can also be used for floatable roll-fed OPP labels, so a customer can print multiple label types with one ink system.

INXFlex Contour is a high-performance UV and LED dual-cure ink system for shrink sleeve applications. These fast-drying inks offer excellent printability at high speeds and were designed to maximize shrink contouring by eliminating post-shrink adhesion loss and ink flaking. The dual-cure system provides an option to switch unit by unit, therefore increasing efficiencies and lowering costs.

‘The Shrink Sleeve market continues to expand considerably, so it is imperative to give brand owners this kind of flexibility,’ added Schouten. ‘One benefit is it provides 70 percent shrink coverage for highly contoured convex and concave bottles. Another is connected to all of the sustainability advantages. When used with a Genesis UV primer, INXFlex Contour becomes washable as well.’

Brand owners looking to reduce losses due to marketplace counterfeiting will be able to see VerifyInk, a covert taggant technology that combats counterfeiting by using time-sensitive logistics, authentication, supply chain monitoring and data-rich customer engagement features with smartphone readable codes on their products. The ink can be printed on paper, flexible packaging and shrink labels and is available in a variety of ink formulations ranging from flexo and solvent to continuous inkjet and others.

The company will also promote a full range of digital printing products, including the XJL UV range of curable pigmented inks, which produce consistency and quality to achieve GRACoL standards and G7 targets. These inks offer up to 35 percent cost savings per liter compared to OEM inks and are suitable for a range of materials such as paper, durable and VIP films and BOPP. Designed to run on Xeikon Jetrion label printers, XJL is supported by the Ink Train warranty program for INX Premium Digital inks.