The FXIJ-1 AQUA water-based flexible packaging inkjet printer
Under two separate agreements, Japanese chemical firm Kao has bought two inkjet companies to drive growth.
Spanish Chimigraf produces flexo and inkjet inks, and employs 180 staff. Ohio-based Collins Inkjet specialises in the development of inkjet ink and has a staff of 90.
The two firms will be integrated into Kao’s specialty chemicals division as part of a move to commercialise its water-based inkjet technology. The company has a nano-dispersion pigment technology, which uses functional polymers to encapsulate nano-sized pigments and enables a water-based ink to be used for printing films. It has developed a printer for this application in cooperation with Think Laboratories.
The current management of Collins will remain in place. The company will continue to operate out of its facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Berlin, Germany.
