Flint Group Packaging Inks launches ONECode Universal Bases in Europe for ultimate print flexibility and efficiency in Flexible Packaging

16 Sept 2021

September 2021: Flint Group Packaging Inks has announced the launch of a new innovative concentrate technology designed to solve many of the efficiency challenges faced by today’s Flexible Packaging converter. Part of the company’s recently announced ONECode solvent-based ink and coating range in Europe, Flint Group’s Universal Bases are designed to be utilised for surface, medium, and high-performance lamination flexible packaging printing, including sterilisation work. Flint Group is extremely excited to offer this portfolio of multi-functional nitrocellulose-free concentrates which consist of dispersions made from select pigments in a superior resin.

The company’s Universal Bases offer compatibility with a wide range of main and co-binder resins used in multiple ink formulations, including Nitrocellulose (NC), Polyurethane (PU) and other key chemistries, thereby providing a streamlined solution to ink management and ultimate flexibility. The advantage these Universal Bases offer is the ability to blend a PU-based system for high-end lamination, pouches and retort.

Being monomeric plasticiser-free (molecular weight <1.000D) to guarantee low migration characteristics, these Universal Bases are suitable for printing on a wide range of film and foil materials. Furthermore, the mono-pigmented base scheme delivers very clean shades for a maximum colour gamut.

Stephen Butler, Product Manager Packaging Inks Europe, explains “This is a breakthrough technology - a truly universal and standardised approach to ink formulation. Our ONECode Universal Bases enable printers to simplify their ink room processes, further deliver lean production principles, and drive continuous improvement across their print operations. Importantly, having only one base technology that can work with multiple ink systems facilitates improvements in overall equipment efficiency, as well as cost savings via the reduction of ink inventories and process waste.

“What we’re endeavouring to do is simplify the ink management process to create quality and consistency while enabling cost reduction for our customers. These universal bases allow converters to blend PU inks and NC inks from the same range of concentrates without duplication of products across their inventory.

“Finally, and importantly, this new range of bases meets all of today’s technical print requirements and regulatory compliance needs, as well as the future challenges of the packaging industry.”

These new innovative bases are offered for our MatrixCode UNV (mono-solvent EtAC for simplified solvent recovery for gravure print processes) and HelixCode UNV (pluri-solvent for flexographic and/or gravure printing) Flexible Packaging products.

For more information on the new Flint Group ONEcode portfolio of solvent-based inks, coatings and concentrates for Flexible Packaging in Europe, please visit www.flintgrp.com or email info.packaginginks@flintgrp.com.

About Flint Group
Flint Group is dedicated to serving the global printing and packaging industry. The company develops, manufactures and markets an extensive portfolio of printing consumables and printing equipment, including: a vast range of conventional and energy curable inks and coatings for most offset, flexographic and gravure applications; pressroom chemicals, printing blankets and sleeves for offset printing; photopolymer printing plates and sleeves, plate-making equipment and flexographic sleeve systems; pigments and additives for use in inks and other colorant applications; Flint Group also designs, develops and delivers web-fed digital color presses for labels and packaging applications, document printing, as well as commercial printing as well as platemaking equipment for the newspaper industry and computer-to-plate (CtP) solutions for the commercial printing market; With a strong customer focus, unmatched service and support, and superior products, Flint Group strives to provide exceptional value, consistent quality and continuous innovation to customers around the world. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Flint Group employs some 6200 people. Revenues for 2020 were € 1.7 billion. On a worldwide basis, the company is the number one or number two supplier in every major market segment it serves. For more information, please visit www.flintgrp.com