INX International Ink Co. is showcasing advanced ink, coating and digital printing solutions in booth 129 Labelexpo. Considered a hometown show for INX – corporate headquarters in Schaumburg is a 20 minute drive from the convention center – Labelexpo attendees will have several ink and coating solutions in the booth to consider.

Renee Schouten, INX Vice President of Marketing, says 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,” she remarks. “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.”

Sustainable Shrink Sleeve Innovations
Schouten says 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 to produce stunning sleeve labels, 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,” explains Schouten. “One benefit is it provides 70% 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 Security Inks
Schouten says brand owners looking to reduce losses due to marketplace counterfeiting can protect their products using VerifyInk. The covert taggant technology 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 is versatile so it 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.

Solutions for Digital Printing
INX offers a full range of digital printing solutions. One example is XJL UV Curable pigmented inks, which produce remarkable consistency and unparalleled quality to achieve GRACoL standards and G7 targets. In addition to a steep 35% per liter cost savings compared to OEM inks, it offers flexibility for a variety of commonly used label 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.

Schouten encourages Labelexpo attendees to schedule a meeting with INX print application specialists to learn more about these solutions and integration capabilities.