Sustainability with a method: Hubergroup starts a water-based ink mixing system
HYDRO-X Green Line Premium
More enhanced sustainability and flexibility for printers and packaging producers is the promise of HYDRO-X Green Line Premium, the new water-based ink mixing method from hubergroup Print Solutions. Customers can use the modular strategy to select precisely those components from the portfolio that their products require. All parts are Cradle to Cradle Certified at the Bronze level to create packaging to be both sustainable and colorful.
When developing HYDRO-X Green Line Premium, a wide color gamut and a broad field of application combined with sustainability was hubergroup’s goal.
Water Based Ink
“It was necessary to us to develop more than just one sustainable, water-based product. We needed to make our entire range sustainable and give customers the flexibility to select those ingredients from it that suit their packaging,” says Dr. Christian Schirrmacher, Global Project Manager Water-Based Inks at hubergroup, about the primary thought behind the new modular system.
Flexo and Gravure Printing Process
Since all ink analyzes, blends and additives are matched to each other and can be easily connected, HYDRO-X Green Line Premium includes a wide range of flexo and gravure printing appeals of flexible packaging created of paper aluminum or plastic film to fluted board or folding cartons.
To study and improve the environmental impact of all components of the ink mixing method holistically, hubergroup partnered, including the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. The Institute is empowered to powering discovery for a circular economy and prizes certifications based on its Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard reaching comprehensive standards in material healthfulness, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, also social fairness. Every HYDRO-X Green Line Premium ink mixing system parts are Cradle to Cradle Certified at the Bronze level.
“Within the external evaluation, we need to give our customers transparency and security about the environmental impact of our inks. Though, it was also necessary to us that the certification does not influence the application of our products. So, printers who want to apply Cradle to Cradle Certified products of our HYDRO-X order do not have to change their processes and demand similarly good performance and shelf life as ahead. Brand purchasers can use the same designs and packaging modes as before, only more sustainable,” says Dr. Christian Schirrmacher.
