Ricoh Rolls out Plant-based Ink

Ricoh Rolls out Plant-based Ink

According to Ricoh, the recently launched plant-based ink is the first of its kind for mainstream graphics and packaging print, which can help brand owners and printer manufacturers further reduce their environmental impact.

Ricoh claims the ink is a derivative of the oil-based ink created for the décor printing sector as part of Ricoh’s collaboration with German equipment manufacturer Olbrich. It has been developed to deliver excellent rub resistance and set-off performance for corrugated brown and whiteboards, as well as carton boards.

The plant oil component creates a sustainable and environmentally-friendly ink that it is:

• Quick-drying, as no heat is required to fix or dry the ink. The oil penetrates porous substrates leaving the pigment near the surface. This reduces energy consumption and eliminates the need for the whole drying system.
• Odour-free with improved food compatibility, as no monomers are used.
• Biodegradable and supports deinking.
• Not water-based so no biocides are required to keep the ink usable.

The print heads are easier to clean and less likely to clog as ‘open time’ is much longer. This helps enhance jetting reliability, performance, and printhead life. Low ink consumption is also enabled as the same optical density is achievable using 50% less ink.

“Brand owners and printer manufacturers are increasingly focused on reducing their environmental impact and applying sustainable practices wherever possible. With our new plant-based ink they can seamlessly introduce positive changes that make a big difference without impacting their high quality printed results,” Said Graham Kennedy, Director Industrial Printing, Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe.

The ink is now available across EMEA.

Related:

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• Ricoh Acquisition Strengthens its Move to Digital Services
• Ricoh Discloses Sale of Tustin Property
• Ricoh Releases Two New Desktop Printers

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