Can UV Curing Inks and Coatings Exhibit Enough Technical and Economical Advantages for Flexible Packaging Applications?

This paper describes the challenges that UV curing inks and coatings still face before they can gain
major positions in the flexible packaging market from the currently dominating solvent-borne and — to a lesser extent — water-borne formulations. Can food compliance requirements be met? Can the cost/performance gap against solvent-borne systems be reduced? Can the stringent technical demands (adhesion, lamination ability, retorting and sealing resistances, etc.) of the various packaging applications be fulfilled? These are the parameters that will determine the ability of UV curing inks and coatings to significantly extend their fields of application in flexible packaging.
Technology developments that support the formulation and use of a new generation of UV-curable
inks and coatings will be presented.