Ink Matters
January 2004
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Package printers want ink options for less, according to the 2004 packagePRINTING Annual Ink Usage Survey.
by Kate Sharon
PACKAGE PRINTERS WANT one ink supplier with superior products, and plenty of options, at bargain prices, according to the 2004 packagePRINTING Annual Ink Usage Survey.
That's not a novel concept, but it's one of many areas where 2004's survey results differed from last year's. Other areas where most of this year's respondents had a different point of view than last year's included the most important ink issues and capabilities, and what specialty inks they employ.
With help from industry ink suppliers, packagePRINTING set out to give some perspective on this year's ink usage survey results.
One's enough
Good ink supply management is a matter of finding which ink company's products work best and who is willing to bargain, according to this year's survey, where more than 60 percent of respondents reported working with one supplier in 2003. That's compared to 2002, when an overwhelming 84 percent of surveyed printers said they used multiple ink vendors.
Most printers surveyed cited increased consistency, customer service, and technical support as their reasons for using one supplier. However, ink vendors, who were included in the survey for the first time this year, said there's more to a one-on-one relationship with a vendor.
"The advantage of using one supplier is that it enables printers to leverage more buying power, creating increased synergy—benefiting both parties," said Don Matthiesen, marketing manager at Environmental Inks & Coatings (Morganton, N.C.). "The vendors secure more volume, which gives them the ability to better support the printer."
In addition, said John Signet, Water Ink Technologies (Lincolnton, N.C.) marketing manager: "I think one of the reasons printers focus on one or two vendors is that they are trying to realize the benefits of having a supplier who is more committed and more involved with their business. By working closely with one or two suppliers printers will, in most cases, see a consistently high level of product quality, better service, and reduced waste."
Another factor, said Akzo Nobel Inks (Plymouth, Minn.) Marketing Manager Deanna Whelan, is that more ink companies are now better able to act as a one-stop shop for printers. In addition to supplying the needed inks, ink companies can also provide complementary coatings, overprint varnishes, and adhesives, Whelan said.
This might be evidenced by the fact that nearly 90 percent of ink vendors who responded said they offered complete ink-system solutions like ink kitchens or ink/color management solutions. More than two-thirds of the suppliers who offer those products reported an increase in total sales of their systems.
by Kate Sharon
PACKAGE PRINTERS WANT one ink supplier with superior products, and plenty of options, at bargain prices, according to the 2004 packagePRINTING Annual Ink Usage Survey.
That's not a novel concept, but it's one of many areas where 2004's survey results differed from last year's. Other areas where most of this year's respondents had a different point of view than last year's included the most important ink issues and capabilities, and what specialty inks they employ.
With help from industry ink suppliers, packagePRINTING set out to give some perspective on this year's ink usage survey results.
One's enough
Good ink supply management is a matter of finding which ink company's products work best and who is willing to bargain, according to this year's survey, where more than 60 percent of respondents reported working with one supplier in 2003. That's compared to 2002, when an overwhelming 84 percent of surveyed printers said they used multiple ink vendors.
Most printers surveyed cited increased consistency, customer service, and technical support as their reasons for using one supplier. However, ink vendors, who were included in the survey for the first time this year, said there's more to a one-on-one relationship with a vendor.
"The advantage of using one supplier is that it enables printers to leverage more buying power, creating increased synergy—benefiting both parties," said Don Matthiesen, marketing manager at Environmental Inks & Coatings (Morganton, N.C.). "The vendors secure more volume, which gives them the ability to better support the printer."
In addition, said John Signet, Water Ink Technologies (Lincolnton, N.C.) marketing manager: "I think one of the reasons printers focus on one or two vendors is that they are trying to realize the benefits of having a supplier who is more committed and more involved with their business. By working closely with one or two suppliers printers will, in most cases, see a consistently high level of product quality, better service, and reduced waste."
Another factor, said Akzo Nobel Inks (Plymouth, Minn.) Marketing Manager Deanna Whelan, is that more ink companies are now better able to act as a one-stop shop for printers. In addition to supplying the needed inks, ink companies can also provide complementary coatings, overprint varnishes, and adhesives, Whelan said.
This might be evidenced by the fact that nearly 90 percent of ink vendors who responded said they offered complete ink-system solutions like ink kitchens or ink/color management solutions. More than two-thirds of the suppliers who offer those products reported an increase in total sales of their systems.
Companies Mentioned:
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