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Specialty inks are the cherry on top. Just like cherries add a little something extra to a gooey hot fudge sundae, specialty inks give consumers a special treat that enhances an already attention-grabbing package.
“Packaging converters in today’s marketplace are routinely looking for innovative ways to attract consumers to the shelves,” says Joe Schlinkert, technical director, Color Resolutions International. “Increasingly the converters are asking their ink suppliers to develop inks that truly stand out and grab the consumer’s attention.” He explains that some approaches being used include phosphorescent inks that glow in the dark, high luster metallic inks, pearlescent inks that change color based on the viewing angle, ultra-high-strength fluorescent inks, and thermochromatic inks that change color with temperature.
But looks aren’t everything. Tactile varnishes and specialty coatings can give a package a soft touch, easy-to-grip, or heat-resistant surface, says Rick Gloeckler, VP director of sales, Environmental Inks & Coatings, North America. “Shampoo and cosmetic packaging utilize the ‘printable foil’ specialty inks that are currently available in UV, solvent, and water systems.”
Manual Rivas, director of technology, Siegwerk, explains that specialty inks can also serve practical purposes. “In the example of thermochromatic inks in the beverage labels, they impart another dimension to the consumer experience,” he says. “Instead of touching the bottle to feel that the product is cold they can now see when the product is ready.”
The most recent, high-profile example of this is Coors Light’s Cold Activated Bottle, developed by Hallcrest, a Chicago-based manufacturer of temperature-sensitive, color-changing inks. Hallcrest created a label that changes the color of Coors’ signature mountains from white to blue, indicating that the beverage is cold enough to drink.
Another trend is using thermochromic, black light detectable, and IR readable inks as a means to protect products, says John Signet, Water Ink Technologies. “These specialty inks are part of numerous anticounterfeiting measures implemented by brand owners that include covert and overt applications of inks in combination with other security features,” he says.
With a great deal of emphasis placed on visual appeal and security, speciality inks are in high demand. And, as demand for these inks increases, they become more of a necessity than a novelty, according to Gloeckler. “Inks initially considered as ‘specialty’ products can evolve into mainstream product lines based upon their demand,” he says. “Examples of these inks would include water and UV flexographic shrink inks for flexible packaging. Water-based and UV metallic inks and water-based fluorescent inks are all considered to be standard product offerings.”
“Packaging converters in today’s marketplace are routinely looking for innovative ways to attract consumers to the shelves,” says Joe Schlinkert, technical director, Color Resolutions International. “Increasingly the converters are asking their ink suppliers to develop inks that truly stand out and grab the consumer’s attention.” He explains that some approaches being used include phosphorescent inks that glow in the dark, high luster metallic inks, pearlescent inks that change color based on the viewing angle, ultra-high-strength fluorescent inks, and thermochromatic inks that change color with temperature.
But looks aren’t everything. Tactile varnishes and specialty coatings can give a package a soft touch, easy-to-grip, or heat-resistant surface, says Rick Gloeckler, VP director of sales, Environmental Inks & Coatings, North America. “Shampoo and cosmetic packaging utilize the ‘printable foil’ specialty inks that are currently available in UV, solvent, and water systems.”
Manual Rivas, director of technology, Siegwerk, explains that specialty inks can also serve practical purposes. “In the example of thermochromatic inks in the beverage labels, they impart another dimension to the consumer experience,” he says. “Instead of touching the bottle to feel that the product is cold they can now see when the product is ready.”
The most recent, high-profile example of this is Coors Light’s Cold Activated Bottle, developed by Hallcrest, a Chicago-based manufacturer of temperature-sensitive, color-changing inks. Hallcrest created a label that changes the color of Coors’ signature mountains from white to blue, indicating that the beverage is cold enough to drink.
Another trend is using thermochromic, black light detectable, and IR readable inks as a means to protect products, says John Signet, Water Ink Technologies. “These specialty inks are part of numerous anticounterfeiting measures implemented by brand owners that include covert and overt applications of inks in combination with other security features,” he says.
With a great deal of emphasis placed on visual appeal and security, speciality inks are in high demand. And, as demand for these inks increases, they become more of a necessity than a novelty, according to Gloeckler. “Inks initially considered as ‘specialty’ products can evolve into mainstream product lines based upon their demand,” he says. “Examples of these inks would include water and UV flexographic shrink inks for flexible packaging. Water-based and UV metallic inks and water-based fluorescent inks are all considered to be standard product offerings.”
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