Manufacturing & Technology

Ricoh Launches First-to-Market Plant-Based Printer Ink

Japan’s based Ricoh, one of the major international manufacturers of production printing systems, has revealed its first plant-based inkjet ink in what the company describes as “the first of its kind for mainstream graphics and packaging print”.

According to Ricoh, the plant-based ink is suitable for brand owners and printer manufacturers who are looking to reduce their environmental impact, stating its aim is to contribute towards a plant-based shift in the printing business across EMEA.

Advantages of Plant-Based Ink

Ricoh’s plant-based ink is made with plant oil as a substitute for petroleum, which reduces the amount of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) emitted into the air while printing. Therefore, the plant oil component creates a sustainable ink that is biodegradable and supports deinking.

The plant-based ink is claimed to dry quickly as it lacks the requirement to fix or dry the ink with heat. Moreover, the plant-based ink is odour-free, reduces energy consumption, and no biocides are required to keep the ink usable.

Ricoh HQ
©Ricoh

Ricoh’s plant-based ink will support brand owners and printer manufacturers to reduce their environmental impact. According to Ricoh, 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 board.

“Brand owners and printer manufacturers are increasingly focused on reducing their environmental impact and applying sustainable practices wherever possible,” said Graham Kennedy, director of industrial printing, graphic communications, Ricoh Europe. “With our new plant-based ink, they can seamlessly introduce positive changes that make a big difference without impacting their high-quality printed results.”

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