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Caps Cases uses water-based printing inks from the Doneck Network with renewable raw material

The ink series, which is formulated with renewable raw materials and tailored to post-print, is used by Caps Cases, one of the largest independent manufacturers of corrugated cardboard packaging in Great Britain. Apart from the excellent printing results, this product innovation is characterised by outstanding running properties in the printing unit, machine stability and easy cleaning behaviour.

The project, which was managed by Stephen Walsh (Doneck UK) and Wayne Booker (Caps Cases), was accompanied intensively by Doneck UK's application technology laboratory as well as the Research & Development laboratory at Doneck Euroflex S.A.'s headquarters in Luxembourg.

"The conversion to the new Doneck inks was outstanding and the team performed very professionally! The ongoing service and support from the British ink laboratory is fantastic." Wayne Booker, Print Manager Caps Cases.

The advantages of the Doneck’s customers are quite obvious: the use of the innovative ink system reduces the respective carbon footprint for the works' own environmental balance. And the company protects both the climate and the environment.

Commenting on this step, Edgar Becker, Managing Director Sales, said: "This allows us to offer our customers a sustainable, water-based, extensively field-tested ink system with excellent colour performance for paper printing. Our customers are thus able to manufacture products for the circular economy."

Doneck has sustainable inks, blends and varnishes for the following paper applications: post-print corrugated cardboard (WKH), paper sacks and paper packaging (WPN), pastry bags (WSN), envelopes (WXN) and gloss varnishes (WUR). The product series are available now.

Photo: Jim Henshaw, Caps Cases and Wayne Booker, Print Manager Caps Cases (Doneck UK)

https://capscases.co.uk

Doneck Network's specially formulated water-based Euro-Lac WUM900056 high-gloss overprint varnish has an antimicrobial effect when applied to the appropriate surface and can even be used to print on papersand cardboard for the food industry. According to expert opinion, when applied correctly, it is suitable for direct contact with wet, dry and greasy foodstuffs.

Euro-Lac has been developed with the following properties: The primary requirement was the antimicrobial effect. The varnish also shows excellent printability on the press and improves abrasion resistance.

The varnish is equally suitable for two roll systems and for doctor blade presses. For optimum effect, use an anilox roller with a dip volume of at least 15 cm³. This applies for painted print substrates. A second coat of varnish is needed for unpainted materials.

“The varnish develops its antibacterial effect independently of light radiation, since it is not based on a photocatalytic reaction. This product’s simultaneous suitability for food packaging papers underlines Doneck Network’s special focus on innovation and customer orientation,” says Arndt Breitbach, Managing Director Doneck Network.

Photo: Doneck Network

A further building block and an important contribution to the Doneck sustainability strategy is the focus on the "Circular Economy". In April, the Doneck Network joined the consortium of the "Ceflex" shareholders. The international printing inks manufacturer is thus playing an active part in the development and establishment of the new circular economy for flexible packaging. Ceflex's aims: To make all flexible packaging in Europe circular by 2025.  

Solutions for flexible packaging such as recycling and compostability will be a must in future. This trend is being accelerated worldwide among others by the G7, the World Economy Forum, etc., and by NGOs and legislation.

In the Doneck Network, customers have an experienced partner at their side when it comes to technically mature and high-quality products in the form of compostable water-based and solvent-based printing inks as well as blends for different food packaging applications. The compostable printing inks have been in practical use since 2008! The compostable printing inks are certified according to EN 13432 as well as the "OK Compost Industrial" and "OK Compost Home" and can thus be composted in both industrial and domestic compost systems. 
  
The green product range is rounded off by newly developed water-based printing inks with a high proportion of renewable resources for different paper and carton applications. The manufacturing process at Doneck Euroflex in Luxembourg has been climate-neutral since 2018. Doneck procures electricity from hydroelectric power (since 2011) and natural eco-gas (since 2018). In addition, there are numerous internal projects in keeping with the motto "We think green", such as reusable containers instead of disposable ones, environmentally friendly vehicle fleets and the avoidance of waste, to name but a few. The Doneck Network is thus a strong partner when it comes to coping with and solving the problems of the future trends in the print shop.

"Plastic packaging must reinvent itself! We will be cooperating intensively with Ceflex to ensure that a sustainable circulation of plastics is established on this planet!" Arndt Breitbach, Managing Director of the Doneck Network

https://ceflex.eu​​​​​​​

Photo:  Ceflex/Doneck Network

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: 
• massive increase in the cost of pigments and titanium dioxide
• general shortage of petrochemical raw materials
• 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. 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.

In addition, internal Optimization programs are supporting our efforts to keep the raw material costs and prices for our customers as low as possible.

The Doneck Network will check the specific effect on all its products and will shortly be informing its customers about unavoidable and absolutely necessary price adjustments.

Photo: Doneck Network

Cooperation between Doneck and CARE Luxembourg provides long-term aid!

In October – despite the Corona crisis – the medium-sized European printing ink manufacturer signed a new cooperation contract with CARE Luxembourg. Aid now goes to one of the least developed countries in the world, Chad. In Chad, 31.9% of children under 5 years are seriously malnourished and therefore also underdeveloped. CARE will improve this situation for the children in the long term with a generous donation from Doneck. 

In the Wadi Fira region in Chad (east) an increase in poor harvests is leading to food supply shortages. The result is widespread malnutrition of children. Malnutrition means that the children have a weak immune system and are susceptible to disease. This puts them at extreme risk in the current situation. Each year, therefore, CARE examines the children in this region to spot malnutrition early and provide treatment. Together with the village council, CARE is using this sponsorship to build 10 nutrition schools in the region in Chad. With the aid of CARE, nutritional behaviour can be changed and improved in the long term.

In 2018 CARE developed and implemented this nutrition project very successfully in Nigeria in an exclusive partnership with Doneck.

"Based on the very successful project in Nigeria in 2018 we have once again chosen this approach to tackle hunger. To aid in one of the poorest regions in the world makes great sense to us. The positive feedback to this nutrition project in Nigeria also convinced us.", Arndt Breitbach, Managing Director Doneck Network

"The aid given in Nigeria in 2018 was the first project that we could implement, thanks to the support of Doneck. We are really proud of the unique results which we have achieved together in the fight against hunger in infants." Frédéric Haupert, Managing director CARE Luxembourg. "What we are particularly happy about is that we have uncovered a deep energy and conviction for this social engagement within our management and our workforce. We feel very proud about what Doneck and CARE are achieving together. We are now putting this successful approach to work in Chad, to fight hunger in infants in the long term."

Editors: Care Luxembourg and Doneck Euroflex

https://www.care.lu

Photo: CARE Luxemburg

The Doneck Network appears for the first time in the current rankings of INK World magazine.

After a good three decades of steady growth, the Doneck Network is now one of the largest printing ink manufacturers in the world and is listed for the first time in the TOP 20 of the rankings determined by INK World magazine.

"We are very proud that we are now also being noticed more and more on the global stage!" says Arndt Breitbach, majority owner and Managing Director of Doneck Euroflex S.A.

The success story of the Doneck Network began 43 years ago as a one-man enterprise in the kitchen of a private house.

With a consistent Europeanisation process at the beginning of the new millennium, we were able to gain many new business partners with our customer and service-oriented corporate philosophy.

Due to continuous goal-oriented investment in the further development of the company and constant support of technical progress, the company is nowadays equipped with state-of-the-art production technology and laboratory analytics.

"The most important factor for such success is and remains our employees. Our Doneck family is proving its worth in these difficult COVID-19 times and sticking together. My express thanks go to every single employee for making this development possible at all!" says Arndt Breitbach. "And of course we also thank all of our loyal and new customers, who continually inspire and challenge us! It's fun for all of us to join in and to be able to make our own contribution to increasing sustainability in the packaging industry. We look forward to the future – we've still got quite a lot to do together!"

INK World magazine is the world's largest trade journal reporting on the global printing ink industry. The magazine is published every two months in printed and online editions. The publishing house Rodman Publishing is based in New Jersey in the USA.

You can find the detailed report on the Doneck Network here: https://www.inkworldmagazine.com/heaps/view/7462/6/343015

Photo: Logo ink world (Ink World Magazine)

"Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400" water-based dispersion varnish from Epple Druckfarben AG in the product range

In an era dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic, products that previously had received little attention can sometimes gain importance. For example, there are currently enquiries about printing, packaging or advertising materials with an antimicrobial and antiviral coating.

One solution for this is the water-based printing ink "Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400" developed by the medium-sized printing ink manufacturer Epple Druckfarben AG. This varnish technology can be applied amongst other things in flexographic and/or gravure printing and is used on different paper substrates.

The antimicrobial and antiviral effect is achieved through an active ingredient that remains active for a long time. Positively charged silver ions are released that actively contribute to the reduction of bacteria and viruses on the surface of the varnish.

The functionality of the active ingredient in the varnish against various bacteria has been tested on print samples according to ISO 22196 and a reduction of up to 99.99% was recorded.

Very recently, a large packaging company used this functional varnish for the coating of protective walls made of corrugated cardboard, which are used as barriers in schools and training establishments where the minimum distance for avoiding droplet infections cannot be maintained.

Photo: Doneck Euroflex (Doneck Network)

Our company stands for the peaceful cooperation of the European nations!

The spirit of Europe, which the citizens of different nationalities daily practice in the Schengen area, must not become the victim of national and absurd political strategies!

The Doneck Network will levy solvent surcharges on solvent-based flexo and gravure inks as of 01.04.2020.

In order to secure our supply for the coming weeks, we had to accept price increases from our solvent suppliers. As of April 1, 2020, we will 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. The surcharge will be updated in line with the development of costs and will be automatically waived when the base price for March 2020 is reached.

Due to the corona crisis, there is a relevant shortage of solvents, especially ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, as the latter are used in pharmaceutical and disinfection products.

The DONECK NETWORK team is working under high pressure with its suppliers to secure the solvent quantities required to counteract the shortage and bottlenecks in transport capacities. In addition, internal optimization programs support our efforts to keep the cost burdens for our customers as low as possible.

Photo: Doneck Network