Printing inks Market Analysis

Global Printing Inks Market Overview

Printing inks Market Size was valued at USD 20.8 billion in 2023. The printing inks industry is projected to grow from USD 21.12 Billion in 2024 to USD 26.77 billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.80% during the forecast period (2024 - 2032).
An increase in demand from the digital printing industry and an increase in demand from the packaging and labelling sector are the key market drivers enhancing the market growth.


Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

Printing inks Market Trends

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  Increase in adoption from the packaging industry propels market growth

  
  

Packaging and labels are the most important application segments of the printing inks market CAGR, accounting for more than 47.72% of the printing inks market share in terms of volume in 2022. The increased demand for gravure inks, flexographic inks, UV blocking packaging inks, and nano graphic printing inks in flexible packaging and paper package printing applications is related to the high share.

Initially, printing inks were primarily employed in the printing of publications such as newspapers, magazines, and journals.

However, due to fast urbanization and customers' expanding digitalized needs, the application scope of printing inks has migrated from commercial printing and publication to the packaging industry. Printing inks are used in the packaging business to print on packing materials to make them appealing to customers, as it is one of the most effective ways to advertise and market items.

Flexible packaging provides more alternatives for customized packaging. The food and beverage industry is driving demand for flexible packaging, which is supported by significant growth in the snacks and confectionary segment. Furthermore, rising food demand as a result of the world's growing population is one of the important themes boosting the expansion of the flexible packaging market..

Another key factor driving the growth of the printing inks market is the increasing need for energy-curing inks in printing and packaging applications. UV-cured inks, late (resin), solvent-UV hybrid inks, and solid inks are all examples of energy-curing inks. These inks are becoming increasingly popular due to their outstanding characteristics, zero/low volatile organic content (VOC), and expanding application breadth. Energy-curing inks have better bonding properties and a shorter drying time. Furthermore, the rising use of ultraviolet and electron beam-curing inks is being driven by higher productivity, high performance, environmental benefits, and decreased energy costs.

For instance, the Flint Group has created new UV inks, such as the Ultraking XCURA label, to achieve minimal energy use during the curing process.

Printing Inks Market Segment Insights

Printing inks Process Insights

The printing inks market segmentation, based on process includes gravure, lithographic, flexographic. In terms of value, the gravure category accounted for a significant share of the entire market in 2022. Gravure printing inks are typically used for photograph printing, although they can also be used on films, thin papers, metal foils, and paper cups. "Liquid inks" are used in this method. Because of the versatility of this inks technology, these print processes can cover a wide range of applications in food packaging, tobacco goods, and cosmetics on a wide range of substrates such as cardboards, papers, plastics, foils, and labels.

Printing Inks Application Insights

The printing inks market segmentation, based on application, includes packaging & labels, corrugated cardboards. The packaging & labels segment is the largest and fastest growing inks application segment, accounting for more than 45% of total segment sales. The growth of this application has seen a flourishing trend in the last five years as a result of the growing middle-class population in emerging nations such as India and Thailand, a shift in consumer preference for the convenience of food packaging and online retailing with widespread internet penetration, and a need for bio-degradable products.

Printing Inks Resin Insights

The printing inks market is divided into resin segments, which include modified rosin and polyurethane. Polyurethane will account for more than 16% of resin revenue in 2022, making it the fastest-growing resin segment. The type of inks generated is heavily influenced by the resin composition. Lithographic solvents are made from hydrocarbons and modified rosins, whereas gravure and solvent-based flexographic products are made from polyamides and polyurethanes. Because of its rapid drying properties, availability, and low cost, acrylic is the most often used raw material for manufacturing solutions.

Figure1: Printing inks Market, by Resin, 2022 & 2032 (USD billion)Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

Printing Inks Regional Insights

By Region, the study provides the market insights into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific dominated the printing inks market, accounting for 35.60% of total revenue in 2022. Rising packaged food consumption, combined with substantial expansion in the packaging and labelling industry as a result of the emergence of numerous companies such as the food & beverage industry, consumer goods, health care sector, and e-commerce, has boosted market growth in the region.

Further, the major countries studied in the market report are The U.S., Canada, German, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and Brazil.

Figure 2: PRINTING INKS MARKET SHARE BY REGION 2022 (%)Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

Europe’s printing inks market accounts for the second-largest market share due to the rising demand for lamination, food packaging, and commercial printing industries. Further, the German printing inks market held the largest market share, and the UK printing inks market was the fastest-growing market in the European region

The North America Printing inks Market is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR from 2023 to 2032. This is due to the ongoing revolution in the fashion industry and rapid adoption of digital printing against conventional printing, Moreover, China’s printing inks market held the largest market share, and the Indianprinting inks market was the fastest-growing market in the North American region.

Printing Inks Key Market Players & Competitive Insights

Leading market players are investing heavily in R&D in order to expand their product lines, which will help the printing inks market, grow even more. Market participants are also undertaking a variety of strategic activities to expand their footprint, with important market developments including new product launches, contractual agreements, mergers and acquisitions, higher investments, and collaboration with other organizations. To expand and survive in a more competitive and rising market climate, printing inks industry must offer cost-effective items.

Manufacturing locally to minimize operational costs is one of the key business tactics used by manufacturers in the printing inks industry to benefit clients and increase the market sector. In recent years, the printing inks industry has offered some of the most significant advantages to medicine. Major players in the printing inks market, including T&K Toka (Japan). Wikoff Color Corporation (U.S.), Sun Chemicals (U.S.), Zeller+Gmelin GmbH Co. KG (Germany) and others, are attempting to increase market demand by investing in R&D operations.

With its SureColor line, which includes the hybrid SureColor F2270 and the high-production SureColor F3070 garment printer, Epson has led the way in digital textile printing. However, there was a gap, much like with many small-scale printers trying to produce one-offs. That gap is filled by the new SureColor F1070. Positive feedback was received at the preview of the new direct-to-garment (DTG) and direct-to-film (DTFilm) printer at Impressions Expo in Long Beach, CA, at the 2023 Printing United Expo.

Hubergroup introduces web offset inks for food packaging in 2023. Because paper packaging is easily recycled, it is becoming more and more common in the food industry. Hubergroup Print Solutions has released its first coldset and heatset inks for food-compliant applications, so web offset printers can now also profit from this growing need.

Kao Collins has declared the opening of a new website for its flexographic and industrial inkjet inks in 2021. As a multinational company that supplies an international network of industrial printers, packagers, and distributors, Kao aims to give sustainability initiatives top priority along the whole supply chain. In order to encourage fairness in markets and competition, the company is dedicated to developing ink solutions that lessen the environmental impact of industrial printing processes and diversifying its network of distributors. Kao takes great satisfaction in offering its clients technical support that helps them achieve their environmental objectives.

Sun Chemical, headquartered in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, is the world's largest producer of printing inks and pigments. It was founded in 1945. The company began in 1818 as Lorilleux & Cie. Paris, but was established under the Sun name in 1945. The Daniel J. Carlick Technical Centre is located in Carlstadt, New Jersey. Sun Chemical is a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate DIC Corporation. Electronic materials, functional and speciality coatings, trademark protection, and product authentication technologies are among the materials offered by the company to the packaging, publishing, coatings, plastics, cosmetics, and other industrial markets. In January 2022, Sun Chemical bought SAPICI, which strengthened the company's supply strategy and added skills to develop and create novel polymers for its whole range of inks, coatings, and laminating adhesives.

DIC Corporation is a Japanese chemical firm that develops, manufactures, and sells inks, pigments, polymers, speciality plastics, compounds, and biochemicals. It was founded in 1908 as Kawamura inks Manufactory, renamed Kawamura Kijuro Shoten in 1915, incorporated in 1937 as Dainippon Printing inks Manufacturing, and renamed Dainippon inks and Chemicals (DIC) in 1962 before being renamed DIC Corporation in 2008 to commemorate its 100th anniversary. The brand tagline "Colour & Comfort By Chemistry" implies that DIC products should provide colour and comfort in everyday life. Sun Chemical Corporation, situated in the Americas and Europe, is part of the company's operations (through 176 subsidiary and affiliate firms in 62 countries). In October 2020 DIC Corporation announced that its subsidiary Sun Chemical Corporation has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the entire share capital of Sensient Imaging Technologies. With this acquisition, DIC Corporation has added a new product group to its jet inks portfolio, allowing it to expand its geographical presence and product portfolio of printing inks.

Key Companies in the printing inks market include

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  Sun Chemicals

  
  


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  Flint Group

  
  


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  Sakata Inx Corporation

  
  


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  Toyo inks SC Holdings Co. Ltd

  
  


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  Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co

  
  

Printing Inks Industry Developments

In December 2019, Schmid Rhyner AG, an Overprint Varnish Specialist, was purchased by ALTANA.

In June 2019, Toyo inks Brazil Ltd. has launched a new line of polyurethane-based inks for laminated packaging. The company's new line of PU-based lamination inks includes general-purpose LOTECH solvent-based gravure and flexo systems.

In January 2022, Encres DUBUIT acquired POLY-inks strengthening its product portfolio by adding conductive inks. The company has combined nanomaterial scientific competence with application engineering capabilities through this acquisition.

Printing Inks Market Segmentation

Printing Inks Market By Process Outlook

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  Gravure

  
  


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  Lithographic

  
  


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  Flexographic

  
  

Printing Inks Market By Application Outlook

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  Packaging & Labels

  
  


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  Corrugated cardboards

  
  

Printing Inks Market By Resin Outlook

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  Modified rosin

  
  


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  Polyurethane

  
  

Printing Inks Regional Outlook

• North America
  
  
  
  • US
  
  
  • Canada
  
  
  
  


• Europe
  
  
  
  • Germany
  
  
  • France
  
  
  • UK
  
  
  • Italy
  
  
  • Spain
  
  
  • Rest of Europe
  
  
  
  


• Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  • China
  
  
  • Japan
  
  
  • India
  
  
  • Australia
  
  
  • South Korea
  
  
  • Australia
  
  
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  


• Rest of the World
  
  
  
  • Middle East
  
  
  • Africa
  
  
  • Latin America