Screen and digital print equipment manufacturer SPGPrints has launched a range of low-migration UV inkjet inks to comply with food safety regulations and meet growing demand for digitally printed food packaging.

The inks, which the firm launched are specially optimised for the Netherlands-based firm’s own DSI (Digital System Integration) press.  

 They meet the guidelines of the European Printing Ink Association (EuPIA) and are compliant with the Swiss Ordinance on Materials and Articles (SR 817.023.21). They also do not contain any materials that have been excluded by the Nestlé Guidance on Packaging Inks.

The new range has strong chemical and scratch resistance, coverage of over 90% of the colour gamut and, for white, 93% opacity.

The company, which was acquired by Bahrain-listed private equity group Investcorp for an enterprise value of $308.5m earlier this year, has customers in more than 100 countries worldwide and in 2013 generated revenue of $275m, a large share of which was from emerging markets.

“Until now packaging buyers in the food and pharmaceutical sectors have had to rely on toner or analogue solutions. There is a growing demand for digital printing solutions for food packaging because of the demand for shorter production runs and the opportunities it opens, such as variable data printing,” said commercial manager graphics Bas Hoijtink.

Global demand for low-migration UV inkjet inks has increased in the past few years following several food scares where standard ink used on packaging had migrated through cartonboard containers and trace elements had been found in food.

SPGPrints specialises in the design and manufacture of rotary screen and digital printing equipment for the textiles and graphics markets, including labels, packaging, security, wallcovering and industrial printing, as well as printed electronics.