Toyo Introduces New Range of PU Inks for Laminated Packaging

Toyo Ink Brasil Ltda., a member of the Toyo Ink Group of Japan, presented an upgraded lineup of high-performance polyurethane-based surface and lamination inks for flexo and gravure printing. The company offers a broad range of systems, from general-purpose snack structures to high-end retort and hot-fill packaging applications.

“With Latin America being a key segment for flexible packaging, we are looking to boost our presence in this important market,” said Sergio Pera, director of Toyo Ink Brasil. “Demand continues to grow for packaging solutions that offer greater convenience features, stronger barriers, and lighter weight materials, and for shorter print runs. For this reason, we have been working closely with our customers to improve our range of polyurethane resin-based inks to meet their requirements for greater versatility, performance.”

The new line of PU-based lamination inks offered by Toyo Ink Brasil includes the general-purpose LIOTECH™ solvent-based flexo and gravure systems. For general up to high-end retort applications that require excellent content resistence, the company has available the LIOVALUE™ solvent-based gravure series, the REXTA™ solvent-based flexo series, the AQUAECOL™ water-based gravure series and the AQUA LIONA™ water-based flexo series. Based on the Group’s unique pigment dispersion system, Toyo Ink Brasil’s PU lineup shows high color density for a wider color gamut, all the while providing excellent bond strengths.

The new range of inks also leverages the company’s advanced cross-link technology for polyurethane resins, making it possible for converters to engineer packaging structures that exhibit superior heat resistance, content resistance and low solvent retention for very low odor. These systems are well suited for printing on a wide range of substrates, such as corona treated OPP, PET, Nylon, without a primer or any other chemical treatment.

Moreover, thanks to the low glass-transition temperature of its special PU resins, Toyo Ink Brasil was able to develop inks that demonstrate excellent stress-relaxation capability. This is essential in avoiding delamination during the retort process, when the different layers of laminated packaging structures expand or contract due to temperature changes.