Major Products: Water-based inks, solvent-based inks and inkjet inks and varnishes for the packaging industry. USP: comprehensive customer service package INKtelligence, Doneck Euromix dispensing systems, and C2C-certified ink technology.

Subsidiaries Doneck Network: In addition to its headquarters in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, the Doneck Network also includes Doneck Ibérica in Barcelona, Spain; Doneck UK, Milton Keynes, UK; Doneck Pronat, Százhalombatta, Hungary; Doneck Polska, Morawica, Poland; Doneck Sud-américa, Santiago, Chile; Sintigraf II S.A, Gondomar, Portugal; Doneck DCM GmbH, Merzig, Germany; Doneck USA Inc. in Lynchburg, VA.

Number of Employees: 265 worldwide.

Comments: With headquarters in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, and subsidiaries worldwide, Doneck Network is a leader in the packaging ink segment. Doneck manufactures solvent- and water-based flexo and gravure printing inks as well as inkjet inks and varnishes worldwide, with the largest printing markets being corrugated board, paper bags and sacks, and flexible packaging.

The company enjoyed growth in 2024, both through sales as well as making significant investments.

“We are on the growth path. Doneck Network performed well in 2024,” said Doneck CEO Arndt Breitbach. “Our success is based on providing customers with high-quality products that meet both current and future market requirements and extend the product life cycle.”

Doneck has subsidiaries in Spain, UK, Hungary, Poland, Chile, Germany, and Lynchburg, USA, the latter of which was the focus of a plant expansion last year when the production capacity at Doneck USA was increased by opening a state-of-the-art plant.

“This significant development enables us to provide strategic customers with excellent local support, strengthening our commitment to meeting the growing demands of the market and improving customer proximity,” Breitbach noted.

In addition, Doneck acquired Portugal-based Sintigraf II – Tintas Gráficas, S.A. This has allowed the Doneck Network to enhance its customer service offering and expand its product portfolio on the Iberian Peninsula.

In an impressive move, following its receipt of an EcoVadis Gold Medal in 2023, Doneck Euroflex improved its ranking and was awarded a Platinum Medal. Earning the EcoVadis Platinum Standard demonstrates Doneck Euroflex’s exceptional sustainability performance to all stakeholders.

“This was a real highlight for us, as it’s the highest rating in the printing ink industry. Sustainability is one of our strategic focus areas, through which we are advancing our ambitious, measurable goals,” said Breitbach.

Doneck noted that it is closely monitoring international and European trade developments, and is prepared to adapt to potential tariff changes, while continuing to support its customers reliably and responsibly. Meanwhile, all looks good for further growth in the coming years.

“Driven by our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, we are well positioned to continue our upward trajectory in the dynamic printing ink market and are poised for further growth and success in the years ahead,” Breitbach concluded.

Major Products: Water-based inks, solvent-based inks and inkjet inks and varnishes for the packaging industry. USP: comprehensive customer service package INKtelligence Doneck Euromix dispensing systems, C2C-certified ink technology.

Subsidiaries Doneck Network: In addition to Doneck Euroflex S.A., the Doneck Network includes Doneck Ibérica, Barcelona, Spain; Doneck UK, Milton Keynes, UK; Doneck Pronat, Százhalombatta, Hungary; Doneck Polska, Morawica, Poland; Doneck Sud-américa, Santiago, Chile; Doneck DCM GmbH, Merzig, Germany; Doneck USA Inc. in Lynchburg, VA.

Number of Employees: 250 in the Doneck Network.

Comments: Doneck Network is a worldwide packaging ink leader, producing solvent- and water-based flexo and gravure printing inks as well as inkjet inks and varnishes.

Doneck has its headquarters in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, as well as subsidiaries in Spain, UK, Hungary, Poland, Chile, Germany, and Lynchburg, VA USA.

“We are on the growth path. Doneck Network did well in 2023,” said Doneck CEO Arndt Breitbach. “Our worldwide growth is based on taking care of our customers’ needs and requirements.”

As a strong partner and solutions provider, Doneck focuses on the creation and development of innovative, high-quality products for the circular economy. In this way, Doneck supports customers by creating a win-win situation.

“Sustainability is one of our strategic areas of action that helps us to drive forward our ambitious and measurable goals,” said Breitbach. “Our sustainability strategy 2Bsustainable! focuses on defined sustainability targets that are achieved with the underlying sustainability program.

“The successful implementation of the sustainability strategy was documented in 2023 by achieving EcoVadis GOLD status,” he added. “This was a highlight for us, as this is a top rating within the entire printing ink industry. This award confirms Doneck Euroflex’s commitment to sustainable business practices and social responsibility.”

Doneck Network has succeeded in further developing ink systems that support sustainable solutions.

“With regard to the circular economy, we have made significant progress with ink series that support deinking and the recycling process,” Breitbach noted. “These products are sold under the ‘Clean planet ink’ brand. Our ink series for the biological cycle ‘Green life ink’ are compostable inks that are partly made from renewable raw materials. This makes Doneck a strong partner when it comes to printing inks for the circular economy.

“In addition, there are numerous raw materials that enable the Doneck network to achieve C2C bronze status and in some cases even gold status through appropriate formulations,” Breitbach continued.

Breitbach also reported that the largest printing markets for Doneck are corrugated board, paper bags & sacks and flexible packaging.

“In 2023, we successfully expanded our production capacity with the opening of a new state-of-the-art plant in the USA,” he said. “This significant development ensures excellent local support for our strategic customers and enhances customer proximity, reinforcing our commitment to meeting the growing demands of the market.”

Major Products: Water-based inks, solvent-based inks and inkjet inks and varnishes for the packaging industry. USP: comprehensive customer service package INKtelligence and Doneck Euromix dispensing system, a C2C-certified ink technology.

Subsidiaries Doneck Network: In addition to Doneck Euroflex S.A., the Doneck Network includes Doneck Ibérica, Barcelona, Spain; Doneck UK, Milton Keynes, UK; Doneck Pronat, Százhalombatta, Hungary; Doneck Polska, Morawica, Poland; Doneck Sudamérica, Santiago, Chile; Doneck DCM GmbH, Merzig, Germany; and Doneck USA Inc., Lynchburg, VA.

Number of Employees: 250 in the Doneck Network.

Comments: Doneck Network is a worldwide packaging ink leader, producing solvent- and water-based flexo and gravure printing inks as well as inkjet inks and varnishes. Doneck has its headquarters in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, as well as subsidiaries in Spain, UK, Hungary, Poland, Chile, Germany, and Lynchburg, VA.

The packaging ink business continues to expand, and Doneck Network had an excellent 2022, with sales increasing more than 8%. Arndt Breitbach, president of the board and managing director of Doneck, said that in spite of all of the obstacles that Doneck faced, the company continues to grow worldwide.

“The global political events and the energy crisis, as well as the extreme cost increases in all areas, challenged us greatly,” Breitbach noted.

“We have had to make price adjustments on several occasions as the raw material situation has worsened significantly and transport and packaging costs have also risen enormously,” he added. “We were able to secure our supply chains and supply our customers with our printing inks on schedule. Starting from a difficult market situation, the situation has eased somewhat since the beginning of this year.”

The packaging market remains strong, and Doneck is growing with it.

“The largest printing markets for Doneck are corrugated, paper bags, flexible packaging and consumer goods. We expanded our customer portfolio in these areas last year,” Edgar Becker, managing director sales, observed. “With growing market shares, Doneck is steadily developing to become an international performer.”

Breitbach reported that Doneck gave greater attention to the area of action sustainability in its strategic alignment 2Bsustainable! last year. As a result, Doneck achieved Gold level status in EcoVadis.

“As an internationally active company, we bear great responsibility for customers, employees, suppliers and the environment,” he said. “The targets set in the areas of environmental management, ethics, labor and human rights, and sustainable procurement were achieved in 2022 and confirmed externally. In the 2022 EcoVadis sustainability ranking, Doneck achieved the silver level at the first attempt.

Today, in May 2023, Doneck has achieved the Gold level with its sustainability management goals.”

For Doneck, the biggest milestone in 2022 was to certify the entire raw material assortment to the material health of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program. Now, under the label “Clean planet ink,” customers can order the whole water-based and solvent-based ink range that is at least C2C Bronze level certified.

“In addition, there are numerous raw materials that allow the Doneck Network to achieve Silver or Gold-status through appropriate formulations,” added Breitbach. “Our second ink series for the circular economy, ‘Green life ink,’ are compostable printing inks, some of which are made from renewable raw materials. This makes Doneck a strong partner when it comes to printing inks for the circular economy.”

Breitbach believes that the raw material market has stabilized, which is good news for the industry.

“Transport routes from Asia are steady again,” he said. “Short- and medium-term supply chains are secure and availability is good again. We venture an optimistic outlook for this year in terms of raw material availability.”

Major Products: Water-based inks, solvent-based inks and inkjet inks and varnishes for the packaging industry. USP: comprehensive customer service package INKtelligence and Doneck Euromix dispensing systems.

Subsidiaries Doneck Network: In addition to Doneck Euroflex S.A., the Doneck Network includes Doneck Ibérica, Barcelona, Spain; Doneck UK, Milton Keynes, UK; Doneck Pronat, Százhalombatta, Hungary; Doneck Polska, Morawica, Poland; Doneck Sudamérica, Santiago, Chile; Doneck Euroink, Milano, Italy; and Doneck DCM GmbH, Merzig, Germany’ Doneck USA Inc. in Richmond, VA.

Number of Employees: 220 in the Doneck Network.

Comments: A leader in the packaging ink segment, the Doneck Network manufactures solvent-based and water-based flexo and gravure printing inks as well as inkjet inks and varnishes.

The packaging segment has been doing very well, and Doneck Network had a strong year in 2021, in spite of COVID-19. Arndt Breitbach, president of the board and managing director of Doneck, noted that Doneck enjoyed growth during the past year, particularly in the corrugated and film converting packaging segments.

“Thanks to a significant increase in sales, Doneck Network achieved a good satisfying increase of market share in 2021 despite the ongoing COVID crisis,” said Breitbach. “The company is more and more developing to become a major

international supplier.

“Corrugated board continues to be the number one transport packaging due to increased demand and changes in the paper packaging market,” Breitbach added. “As a result of the trend towards replacing plastic with paper or cardboard, we were able to benefit from the general growth in this market segment. We were able to convince new corrugated board customers of our highly pigmented printing inks and win them as partners. We were also able to benefit from the growth in the plastic film market and convince some new customers of our advantages.”

Breitbach noted that Doneck was able to navigate supply chain issues, and maintained supply to its customers.

“Despite the challenging times last year, we were able to reliably maintain our ability to deliver,” Breitbach reported. “Our customers were very satisfied with this. In addition, we were even able to support packaging printers suffering from supply chain problems with their current ink supplier. This opened new doors for us.”

Another highlight came in June 2022, when Doneck launched its business in the US. “Together with the Cavalier Group and Doneck USA in Richmond, we started to supply our first US customers,” Breitbach said.

Edgar Becker, managing director sales, said that sales are returning to normal, but the raw material situation has not stabilized at all.

“The order situation in the individual areas has normalized and is slowly increasing again,” Becker added. “But we are still struggling with raw materials and extreme price increases that we must pass on to our customers. These are very, very hard times for all of us. The cost increases are in raw materials, but also in energy costs, packaging and logistics. The industry has been hit hard as supply chains around the world have been disrupted, distributors and manufacturers have been temporarily closed, and the public has stayed home and spent less time outdoors.”

Breitbach added that the availability of raw materials, inflation and logistics continue to cause Doneck problems.

“As in almost all industries in these turbulent times, we do not yet see any stabilization in the supply chain,” he noted. “Our international supply chain management is challenged when it comes to reliability and alternatives. The long and unreliable delivery times and rising costs are consuming many resources. Now we observe a general, slight improvement in the reliability of our suppliers’ delivery dates. Unfortunately, we are forced to pass on surcharges to our customers to shoulder the current situation.”

Sustainability in a key focus of Doneck, which can be seen in its emphasis on environmentally-friendly products.

“Doneck is proud to have achieved silver status on the EcoVadis sustainability platform at the first go. We are encouraged by our mission to drive forward even more far-reaching building blocks of sustainability,” said Rita Knippel, manager, marketing & communications, Doneck Euroflex. “This enables Doneck customers to manufacture products for the Circular Economy.”

Becker said that Doneck is doing well during the first half of 2022.

“Doneck has developed moderately since the beginning of the year,” Becker reported. “We are satisfied with sales. We are confident and are heading into a challenging but good future with staying power and our international strategy. We will continue to focus on our sustainability strategy ‘We think green’.”

Major Products: Water-based inks, solvent-based inks and inkjet inks and varnishes for the packaging industry. USP: comprehensive customer service package INKtelligence and Doneck Euromix dispensing systems.

Subsidiaries Doneck Network: In addition to Doneck Euroflex S.A., the Doneck Network includes Doneck Ibérica, Barcelona, Spain; Doneck UK, Milton Keynes, UK; Doneck Pronat, Százhalombatta, Hungary; Doneck Polska, Morawica, Poland; Doneck Sudamérica, Santiago, Chile; Doneck Euroink, Milano, Italy; and Doneck DCM GmbH, Merzig, Germany, Doneck USA Inc. in New York.

Number of Employees: 225 in the Doneck Network.

Comments: The Doneck Network specializes in packaging inks, producing solvent-based and water-based flexo and gravure printing inks as well as inkjet inks and varnishes. Doneck is headquartered in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, and has subsidiaries in Spain, UK, Hungary, Poland, Chile, Italy and Germany, and opened its newest subsidiary in New York this past year.

COVID-19 affected many ink manufacturers, but packaging ink companies did well. Arndt Breitbach, president of the board and managing director of Doneck, reported that despite COVID-19, the Doneck Network was able to keep its sales quite stable in 2020 compared to the previous year.

“A lot of company resources had to be invested in internal programs in order to secure our staff, our daily production and our supply chain,” Breitbach noted. “The closure of borders in Europe also was a big challenge for us. We did manage these challenges excellently. We implemented digitization very quickly in the Doneck Network during the lockdown period.”

Breitbach observed that Doneck’s biggest highlight in the last 12 months was that the company and its employees came through so robustly during the crises.

“Even with a very challenging raw material situation, we have been always able to supply in time,” he added.

Edgar Becker, managing director sales, pointed to other highlights, including providing C2C certificated products.

“In terms of technical highlights, we worked very hard in order to offer C2C certificated products,” Becker said. “We are now in the situation to offer products which are at the same time OK for compost and C2C compliant. Also, in terms of Circular Economy, we did continue to support these big targets with new products.”

Another major highlight was branching out into the US.

“We started with our first steps to expand our Doneck Network in the USA and we founded our US daughter company Doneck,” Becker said.

Raw materials have been a major concern for ink suppliers. Breitbach noted that since the beginning of 2021, the Doneck Network has been struggling with strong turbulence in the global supply chain as well as the associated cost increases.

“There are various reasons for this,” Breitbach said, citing massive increases in the cost of pigments and titanium dioxide, a general shortage of petrochemical raw materials and exploding sea freight costs due to a shortage of containers.

“The interaction of these factors is having a profound effect on the cost structures of the Doneck Network,“ Breitbach noted. “Together with our suppliers, our international supply chain team is working flat out to secure the supply of raw materials and to counteract bottlenecks in transport capacities.”

Responsibility and sustainability have long been big issues at the Doneck Network. “We will continue to work on doing good for our planet,” said Rita Knippel, manager, marketing & communications, Doneck Euroflex. “An important contribution in the Doneck sustainability strategy is the focus on the Circular Economy. We continue to pursue our goal to move from a European supplier to a global challenger in the ink world market. With professional international teams, with a high technical quality standard and an incomparable customer service, we will achieve this goal.”

As we move forward in 2021, it is clear that normalization is still a long way off.

“First, we need certainty and reassurance in the raw materials markets so that plannable production and on-time delivery can continue to be ensured,“ Breitbach said. “In addition, a change is taking place in the printing industry. The food packaging market is undergoing a change: ecological and sustainable materials for the future. This affects the paper and plastic packaging industry.

“The emerging circular economy is very important for the future of our planet, “ added Breitbach. “We want to provide global packaging manufacturers and brand owners with the broadest possible product portfolio to implement sustainability strategies, such as circular economy approach.”

Major Products: Water-based inks, solvent-based inks and inkjet inks and varnishes for the packaging industry; comprehensive customer service package INKtelligence and Doneck Euromix dispensing systems.

Subsidiaries: In addition to Doneck Euroflex S.A., the Doneck Network includes Doneck Ibérica, Barcelona, Spain; Doneck UK, Milton Keynes, UK; Doneck Pronat, Százhalombatta, Hungary; Doneck Polska, Morawica, Poland; Doneck Sudamérica, Santiago, Chile; Doneck Euroink, Milano, Italy; and Doneck DCM GmbH, Merzig, Germany.

Number of Employees: 220 in the Doneck Network.

Comments: Founded in 1977 by Hans Gerd Doneck, the Doneck Network has grown into a packaging ink specialist, manufacturing solvent-based and water-based flexo and gravure printing inks, as well as inkjet inks and varnishes. Headquartered in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, Doneck has subsidiaries in Spain, UK, Hungary, Poland, Chile, Italy and Germany.

Rita Knippel, manager, marketing & communications, Doneck Euroflex, reported that Doneck had an excellent year in 2019, adding sales as well as a new subsidiary in Germany.

“In 2019, the Doneck Network again was able to increase its sales over the previous year and continued to expand in the global market,” Knippel added. “The Doneck Network could welcome a new network member in 2019 with Doneck DCM GmbH in Germany, which could be the backup plant in case of a business contingency plan.”

As a packaging ink specialist with sizable positions in the food and hygiene markets, Doneck is playing a significant role in the battle against COVID-19.

“As a relevant supplier for the food and hygiene industry, we have been able to produce continuously during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Knippel noted. “Our Doneck Network never stood still at any time during this period. We were among the first companies in February to permanently raise hygiene standards and protective measures at all our subsidiaries. The Doneck management and the Doneck crisis management team are working intensively and with motivation/dedication to ensure that the Doneck Network will manage this challenging time.”

Doneck Network is growing, investing in two new plants in Hungary and in Germany in 2019.

“With the new plant in Hungary, Doneck Network provides a robust platform for the Central European market and further expansions are therefore ensured. The new plant of Doneck Pronat corresponds to the highest environmental, safety and efficiency measures,” Knippel said.

“The German production location for solvent-based inks for packaging was also in operation since late 2019,” she said. “With Doneck DCM in Merzig, the first German location of the Doneck Network has been opened. With its production location for solvent-based printing inks in Germany, the Doneck Network now has additional production capacities in order to meet the demands of the packaging industry, which has been growing for years.”

Knippel noted that the Doneck Network team has worked extremely hard to secure the supply chain.

“We are in constant contact with our suppliers and alternative suppliers,” Knippel observed. “We continuously check/monitor our current requirements as well as forecast material movements, taking appropriate countermeasures if necessary. Increased need for action currently exists for raw materials from China, Italy and India. Due to the current corona crisis, there is a relevant shortage of solvents, especially ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, as the latter is used in pharmaceutical and disinfection products.

“In order to secure our supply for the coming months, we had to accept price increases from our solvent suppliers,” added Knippel. “As of April 1, 2020, we had to levy a product-specific solvent surcharge in accordance with the proportion of the ink used, which is shown separately in the amount of the increase. In addition, internal optimization programs support our efforts to keep the cost burdens for our customers as low as possible.”
Doneck is not resting on its laurels, as its R&D teams are developing new products for their packaging ink customers.

“We want to face the challenges of the packaging industry, which is under big pressure, with a host of small and large innovations in the existing printing ink systems,” Knippel said. “Projects such as mono-material laminates and the INKjet area are subject to constant development in our laboratories, and inks series based on renewable raw materials are coming more into the picture.”

With all that is happening in the world, Doneck Network is positioning itself for future development.

“First of all, we have to secure the raw material supply chain and all the safety of our workers. As we expect an economic downturn throughout Europe, one priority is to stabilize and secure our business. We want to achieve a dynamic and innovative development with our Doneck Network,” Arndt Breitbach, managing director, concluded.