Additives are essential to the performance of printing inks. Dhiraj Kumar, senior research analyst, MarketsandMarkets, reported that the market for ink additives is projected to grow from USD $2.1 billion in 2023 to USD $2.8 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 5.2%, during the forecast period. He added that APAC was the largest market for ink additives, and that dispersing and wetting agents are the most prominent type in the ink additives market in 2022.

Additives are also the subject of regulatory issues, such as concerns over PTFE and sustainability. As a result, the industry is seeing change. For example, John Jilek Jr, president of inksolutions, said that the main focus this year has been on the removal of Teflon/PTFE. “Any POA-free material that could be a performance alternate has had opportunity,” Jilek noted.

Rich Czarnecki, vice president for Micro Powders, Inc., said that suppliers of PTFE-containing ink additives have seen a dramatic shift away from this chemistry due to developing regulatory issues around PFAS substances.

“Although PTFE has a very strong track record of safety, many customers are looking to find alternate products, with equal performance, without the use of PTFE,” Czarnecki added. “Our portfolio of PTFE-free composite waxes expanded in 2023 with the launch of MP-28AL, a value engineered wax/aluminum oxide composite that offers superior scratch resistance and lubricity with excellent economics.”

Czarnecki noted that packaging inks remains a good market.

“Packaging inks and coatings continue to be the strongest growth markets for Micro Powders,” added Czarnecki. “Our portfolio of powders, dispersions and emulsions offers superior performance with broad food contact compliance, including FDA, Swiss Ordinance, and other key end use regulations.”

“As expected, our 2023 year was down from its record 2022 year. “However, we did see some growth across various industries, such as packaging inks, and an uptick in demand for the e-commerce industry,” said Keith Condon, national sales director, Keim-Additec Surface USA, LLC. “However, we also noticed that the existence of digital marketing has brought some challenges, such as technology, digitization trends and declining demands.”

As for growth areas, Condon pointed to water- and solvent-based inks.

“We’d say water-based printing inks have had the most growth, but we have also captured a good market share in many solvent-based ink applications,” said Condon. “Our ULTRALUBE wax emulsions have been solid leaders in this category, offering excellent surface modification without compromising regulatory status…setting us apart from our competition and making us more sustainable.”

Dr. Courtney Thurau, head of global market segment printing inks for Evonik, said that Evonik saw some areas of growth, but destocking had an impact.

“Although we experienced some bright spots of growth in the second half of the year, we were strongly impacted by the destocking effect which occurred in the first half after the unprecedented economic growth in 2022,” Dr. Thurau said. “Inkjet and radiation-cured inks are showing the most growth. While both were negatively impacted in 2023 by recessionary consumer behavior, we are already seeing signs of solid recovery.”

Alex Radu, technical marketing chemist at Shamrock Technologies, noted that the market stabilized, but challenges remain.

“Although the ink additives market has stabilized, we have found that with new regulatory challenges, there is need for innovative growth to stay ahead of ink manufacturers’ requirements and consumer preferences,” added Radu.

Radu pointed to packaging and inkjet inks as areas of growth.

“The packaging ink and digital ink markets are growing the fastest because of consumer demand for packaging that is tailored to specific needs,” Radu continued. “For example, end users are buying smaller volumes and more customized items per purchase, which means more packaging of individual goods. Packaging inks, particularly water-based flexo for paper and board, continue to exhibit consistent growth. This trend is accentuated by consumer preference for more carton-based packaging and a reduction in the use of plastic.”

Non-PTFE Waxes

There is a lot of interest in eliminating PTFE from formulations, which is a point of emphasis for wax manufacturers.

“New PFOA regulations in Europe, Japan, and the United States impact the common use of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) in printing inks,” said Kumar. “In the printing industry, PTFE has historically been utilized as an additive in particular market segments.

Atul Yadav, assistant manager – market research for MarketsandMarkets, noted that the European Union has regulated PFOA-related chemicals since July 2020.

“A PFOA limit of 25 parts per billion has been in place since July 5, 2022, and a C9-C14 PFCA limit of 25 parts per billion will be implemented in February 2023,” said Yadav. “Japan’s environmental agency recommended a ban on producing, importing, and using 56 PFOA-related compounds in 2022 under the country’s Chemical Substance and Control Law. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed regulation aiming to categorize PFOAs and PFOS as ‘hazardous substances’ under federal Superfund law.”

Tyler John, technical sales manager, Keim-Additec Surface USA, LLC, pointed out that as the conversation around PTFE alternatives continues, Keim Additec Surface USA, LLC has developed several new waxes, such mju:wax 2616 and mju:wax 2102FN.

“Both expand on the strengths of our popular mju:wax 2615 and mju:wax 2002FN, respectively, offering higher hardness, abrasion resistance and thermal stability,” said John. “Though many products in our portfolio have already been approved against many popular PTFE grades, we are able to offer a wider variety of premium products to address individual formulation needs.”

Czarnecki said that Micro Powders “absolutely” is seeing interest in non-PTFE products.

“We have an extensive offering of non-PTFE waxes for a multitude of applications,” said Czarnecki. “We have also had PTFE alternative additives with multinational approvals and global food contact compliance since 2019. We’re proud to say they are proven to meet the industry’s highest performance standards and our offering will continue to expand to meet our customers’ reformulation needs as regulations evolve.”

“Shamrock is excited to introduce a new product line, MaxWax, as a response to client requests for non-PTFE waxes,” Radu said. “We’ve also expanded our PFAS-free product line, which is now tailored to customers’ needs across various market segments. As a customer-centric organization, Shamrock not only develops and manufactures products but also offers technical expertise, particularly in challenging situations related to PFAS alternatives.”

Raw Materials for Additives

One area of good news can be found in raw materials for many additives, which finally is showing some stability.

Yadav said that chemical companies face three key challenges in 2024: volatile and uneven feedstock and energy prices across the region, rising competition from China’s expanding chemical production capacities, and growing demand for sustainability-driven business models and ESG compliance.

“The ink industry is well known for being reluctant to raise prices except when under pressure. The price rise is associated with the higher cost of raw materials and/or logistic impact that every manufacturer faces,” Yadav said. “The European Printing Ink Association (EuPIA) pointed out that increase in the cost of pigment raw materials, tightening of the upstream petrochemical supply chain, and increase in freight cost are the factors responsible for price fluctuation.”

“The raw material supply situation has stabilized for the majority of products,” Dr. Thurau noted. “Of course, it is yet to be seen what impact current global tensions will have on ocean transportation and lead times, especially on materials sourced from Asia.”

“We believe it has somewhat stabilized, with the supply and demand being less in 2023 compared to 2022,” Condon said. “Our overseas packing and freight costs have trended downwards in 2023 Q3 and Q4, further accelerating the flow of goods. In the past, silicones have been a concern, but with this newfound market stability, this is no longer a concern.”

“Supply chain issues that challenged manufacturers in 2022 have been resolved and there is a ready supply of all key materials, which has allowed for shortened lead times,” Czarnecki reported. “In addition, logjams with shipping and delivery logistics have been mitigated, and the flow of raw materials and finished goods is back to normal.”

“The raw material market for ink additives is in the process of establishing new norms because of fluctuating supply and shipping issues,” Radu said. “There are concerns with raw material availability due to severe delays caused by logistical changes in the EMEA area.”

Importance of Sustainability

Additive manufacturers say they are hearing a lot about sustainability from their ink customers.

“For certain, ink and coating formulators continue to seek out ingredients that add biocontent and are sustainably sourced,” Czarnecki observed. “We have been building our portfolio of natural and naturally derived additives for several years. In 2023, we launched NatureMatte C44, our most efficient cellulose-based product for gloss reduction that avoids the viscosity and stability issues seen with silica flattening agents. And for texturing, our NatureTex Series gives formulators a natural choice for gloss reduction with haptics and texturing in all types of inks and coatings.”

John noted that sustainability absolutely remains one of the top issues in the industry right now, from shifting away from materials like PFAS to simply finding ways to keep costs down.

“At Keim-Additec Surface, we have always prioritized sustainability, pushing for very high regulatory-compliant materials across all industries we serve,” John added. “We have recently expanded this initiative by streamlining our portfolio to keep our supply chain as stable as possible, allowing us to stay flexible in customizing solutions for clients’ specific needs.”

Radu pointed out that sustainability has very deep roots in the non-durables market and is driven by consumer awareness of environmental impact.

“Shamrock’s focus on sustainability is evident in our new product line, BioSLIP,” he said. “Environmental concerns have led to innovations in non-petroleum based, PFAS-free alternatives while delivering performance additives needed to fulfil market demands.”

Dr. Thurau said sustainability is an important topic for the ink industry.

“As a global leader in sustainable ink additives, it is a key discussion point with many of our global and regional customers,” said Dr. Thurau. “With all of our product innovation, we continue to support customers in developing more environmentally friendly and resource-efficient ink formulations.”

Regulatory Concerns

Regulatory issues are also becoming more of an issue, and additive manufacturers are responding to these concerns.

“The impact of PFAS regulations has been a huge challenge, but also a great opportunity to innovate new approaches to surface protection,” said Czarnecki. “One gap we have seen with the inks and coatings industry is a PTFE replacement that provides high lubricity with high heat resistance. NatureMatte C44 is showing great success for applications where many PTFE alternative products do not have the temperature resistance needed for certain end uses.”

“As regulatory issues evolve, Shamrock Technologies has invested in new processes to ensure compliance with upcoming regulations,” said Radu. “Navigating diverse regulatory requirements is crucial for a global supplier like Shamrock, especially when customizing products for different geographic markets. The company remains committed to adapting to these challenges and maintaining regulatory compliance.”

Dr. Thurau noted that in response to regulatory concerns in the food packaging industry, Evonik developed a tool for customers to determine specific migration limits, according to the Swiss Ordinance rules.

“In addition, Evonik continues to provide new additives which don’t contain substances under scrutiny including TEGO Foamex solutions, which can help formulators replace mineral oil-based defoamers,” Dr. Thurau added.

John noted that regulatory compliance is always a topic when interacting with customers, especially because regulations are constantly changing.

“We have rolled out several initiatives to address this that include developing an all-new series of PTFE-free additives for water- and solvent-based inks as well as expanding our portfolio of products for direct food contact,” John added.

New Products

New products are the lifeblood of any industry. Dr. Thurau noted that Evonik continues to launch new products, including its new TEGO Foamex 8880 defoamer emulsion, which is built on unique hybrid technology that combines the power of siloxanes with bio-based materials for a high bio-renewable content and favorable food contact compliance.

Developed for easy incorporation into waterborne inks at any stage of ink manufacture or even for press-side addition, it offers excellent foam prevention and superior foam knockdown, Dr. Thurau reported, adding it is an ideal choice for pigmented, waterborne flexographic and gravure inks that are printed on paper or cardboard.

In addition, TEGO Rad 2550 effectively reduces static and dynamic surface tension in both conventional UV- and LED-cured formulations. Key attributes include low coefficient of friction (COF), high scratch resistance, good defoaming and the ability to create hydrophobic surfaces. TEGO Rad 2550 is ideal for use in matte varnishes and pigmented inks. TEGO Rad 2330 enables excellent wetting and slip with low foaming, anti-cratering and release efficacy with the lowest possible migration. It is ideal for use in a wide range of ink and varnish applications.

“Shamrock is dedicated to innovation with a focus on regulatory compliance, sustainability, and performance,” said Radu. “The company recently introduced MaxWAX 70 and CeraSPERSE 70F, designed for use in web, offset, heatset, and high-speed presses. MaxWAX 70 is a PFAS-free micronized wax alloy designed to provide an optimum combination of rub resistance and slip. CeraSPERSE 70F is a dispersion of the PFAS-free micronized wax alloy in a general-use lithographic vehicle for ease of use.”

“We do see that customers want to build more flexibility in their manufacturing operations,” said Czarnecki. “For customers who would like to purchase dry powders and disperse in-house, we have had great success with our new Microspersion EZ-2, a unique surfactant blend that is optimized to efficiently disperse wax powders for water-based formulations.”