UK deal reduces lead time for TTR rolls

Thermal Transfer Solutions (TTS) has announced a three year exclusive agreement to convert all Dai Nippon Printing products in the UK and Ireland, writes Elinor Zuke.

Dai Nippon (DNP) acquired Sony Chemical’s thermal transfer ribbon business in July last year. Sony had previously used TTS as its direct sales channel.

TTS will deliver DNP thermal transfer ribbons to re-sellers, distributors and wholesale, while DNP will continue to supply to original equipment manufacturers.

DNP Europe general manager sales and marketing Ywenco Philipsen told Labels & Labeling the deal would allow the company to expand on the UK market while increasing the service level for DNP.

Separately, TTS has extended the range of Ricoh wax and resin products it is able to convert. This now includes the resin grade B110CU, used for labels exposed to heavy solvents. TTS is the only TTR converter for Ricoh products in the UK.

TTS director Jason Asser said: ‘Both DNP and Ricoh manufacture unique, high performance and niche thermal transfer ribbon formulations for use within all types of label overprinting industries. The agreement for TTS to convert these ribbons locally in the UK makes these products more available to the UK label converters with quicker lead times and in smaller quantities.’

TTS plans to launch an ‘Extreme TTR’ package of high durability and performance ribbon grades – for use within the electronics, automotive, chemical, aerospace and healthcare industries – at the end of August.