Deal Offers Customers Global Innovation and Service Capabilities
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. & COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Size and innovation are combining forces in a joint cooperation agreement which includes the impressive reach of INX International Ink Co. and the brand innovation capabilities of Chromatic Technologies (CTI). The global agreement is designed to offer the can manufacturing and packaging industries world-class customer service and specialty ink innovation.
Working in concert, the two companies will be a formidable presence: INX is the global leader in inks for beer and beverage cans, while Chromatic Technologies Inc. produces a variety of color changing ink and labels, such as thermochromic, photochromic, ‘Reveal’ and security inks. CTI invented both how to apply thermochromic ink at high speeds to cans and the chemistry behind Coors Light’s cold refreshment guarantee: When the Mountains Turn Blue, It’s As Cold as the Rockies!™
“The new agreement between our two companies will help the packaging world see the most exciting ideas in specialty ink technologies,” said Rick Clendenning, president and CEO of INX International Ink Co.“ Bringing together two companies with strong technical and service teams will create an atmosphere where we deliver new, innovative ideas and technologies to our customers in a timely and efficient manner.”
“As a leader in the two-piece ink market, INX International looks to align itself with other market leaders,” remarked Jonathan Ellaby, vice president of International Operations. “This agreement with CTI, which has long been the pre-eminent provider of color-change technology to the can industry, gives INX access to leading edge color change technology and CTI faster access to new markets.”
Lyle Small, president and founder of CTI, added: “Thanks to CTI’s aggressive R&D efforts to invent a range of new technologies, we’re now in an excellent position to partner with a company of INX’s caliber, global reach and technical support.
“INX and CTI seek to offer brands a new source of innovation supported on the international stage with world-class service and technical support,” Small emphasized.
The announcement comes as CTI launches its ‘High Velocity Inks,’ following three years of research and development. These inks are a new invention in thermochromic chemistry that delivers more durable and powerful color in a smaller particle size. High Velocity Inks run at higher speeds, resulting in less waste while producing better yields (wherein one pound of ink prints more cans with the same artwork). By mid-2015, all of CTI’s thermochromic inks will have the advantages of high velocity technology.
“High Velocity Inks offer customers improved operational efficiency, better color and can be stretched across various packaging formats. We anticipate this will obsolete all existing, first generation thermochromic inks,” added CTI’s Small.
INX and CTI will collaborate to bring new ideas to customers across diverse industries: beverages, dairy, security, children’s products, food safety and a range of consumer package goods. In addition to thermochromic technology, INX and their customers will benefit from CTI’s expertise in photochromic (light-sensitive inks) and other chemistry advancements that will allow packaging to help differentiate brands.
The innovation and services between the two companies will extend across multiple industries within the packaging and converting fields: cans, labels, film, folding cartons, tabs, crowns, closures and plastics to mention a few, and printing in a variety of ways including offset, gravure, and with conventional and ultraviolet printing ink technologies.
CTI and INX will also provide “Innovation Incubator” services for select customers that offer access to proprietary consumer research, design services, and ideation for pipeline development. The two companies will continue to be owned and operated independently and negotiate separate long-term supply agreements.
About INX International Ink Co.
INX International Ink Co. is the third-largest producer of inks in North America with over 15 facilities in the U.S. and Canada, and is a global supplier as part of Sakata INX worldwide operations. INX offers a complete line of ink and coating solutions technology for commercial, packaging and digital applications. As a leading global manufacturer of inkjet inks, INX provides a full palette of digital ink systems, advanced technologies and integrated services. For more information, visit the web sites at www.inxinternational.com and www.inxdigital.com.
About Chromatic Technologies Inc.
Since its founding in 1993, CTI (www.ctiinks.com) has been dedicated to improving lives “through chemistry that alerts, protects and surprises.” As the world’s
largest manufacturer of thermochromic inks, CTI uses its ink technology to convey messaging, be it an indication of hot or cold temperatures, or an extension of the product’s brand. CTI chemistry also provides photochromic, black light, glow-in-the- dark, social media activation, security protection, and is also inventing new methods for bacteria detection and cancer treatment.
CTI’s innovations can be found on products from such companies as Anheuser- Busch, Coca-Cola, Coors, Fanta, Hallmark, Heineken, Monster Energy, Mountain Dew, Pizza Hut, The Smart Lid and Tuaca Liqueurs.
CTI Media Contact:
Don Shook MERIT Media Relations 3375 E. Tompkins Avenue,
# 153 Las Vegas, Nevada 89121 U.S.A.
(702) 260-7600 ds@MMRpr.com
www.MMRpr.com
INX Media Contact:
Bob Wolff
The Drucker Group
1440 N. Dayton Street,
#305 Chicago, Illinois 60642
(224) 532-1808
bob@druckergroup.com
www.druckergroup.com