Sun Chemical partners with Onlineprinters on SunLit ProPace ink development

European online print provider adopts vegetable oil-based sheetfed process inks.

L-R: Holger Wägner, deputy divisional management for offset printing at Onlineprinters; Stefan Hagen, divisional management for offset printing at Onlineprinters; Michael Gebhardt, sales representative for packaging solutions at Sun Chemical; James Buchanan, product director for sheetfed systems at Sun Chemical; Ralf Schraud, director of operations at Onlineprinters.

L-R: Holger Wägner, deputy divisional management for offset printing at Onlineprinters; Stefan Hagen, divisional management for offset printing at Onlineprinters; Michael Gebhardt, sales representative for packaging solutions at Sun Chemical; James Buchanan, product director for sheetfed systems at Sun Chemical; Ralf Schraud, director of operations at Onlineprinters.

Sun Chemical has partnered with Onlineprinters in the co-development and optimization of the SunLit ProPace ink range, a vegetable oil-based, sheetfed process ink based on the company's PACE technology platform designed to boost productivity and increase sustainability credentials in commercial publication and non-food packaging printing.

The SunLit ProPace ink range, now used across Onlineprinters' production site in Germany, was formulated in continuous consultation with Onlineprinters to meet the print quality, runnability and drying requirements specific to its operations.

'Sun Chemical's inks meet our stringent production requirements, but more importantly, the company has shown itself to be a responsive and reliable partner,' noted Stefan Hagen, divisional manager, offset printing at Onlineprinters. 'Our collaboration is about much more than the products Sun Chemical is supplying us with, it's about shared problem-solving, transparency and adaptability.'

Onlineprinters, headquartered in Germany, operates in one of the most demanding production environments in the industry, with clients requiring high-quality print at a fast turnaround rate. Sun Chemical developed the product using dedicated on-site technical support and rapid troubleshooting methods.

Hagen explained that the company values suppliers who understand the realities of its workflow, where hundreds of jobs are processed each day and any inconsistency can have a knock-on effect. Sun Chemical has addressed issues including misting and rub resistance and is working on color stability, with the inks adapted over time based on feedback.

'We see this as a long-term collaboration,' Hagen added. 'Sun Chemical brings not only the product performance we require but also the responsiveness, integrity and willingness to grow with us that the market demands.'

'Our partnership with Onlineprinters exemplifies the kind of customer relationship we strive for: transparent, forward-thinking and grounded in real-world performance,' commented James Buchanan, product director, sheetfed systems at Sun Chemical.

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