SAKATA INX Group (SAKATA INX Corp., INX International Ink Co. and INX Digital EMEA) and Global Inkjet Systems (GIS) plan to collaborate on industrial inkjet projects worldwide. The two companies will work together on specific projects, leveraging SAKATA INX’s ink expertise and access to large end users and major OEMs, and GIS’s expertise in providing complete workflow solutions for industrial inkjet applications.

The two companies believe that working closely together at the early stages of large strategic projects will be beneficial to the customer. Both companies have close links with printhead manufacturers, and printhead and ink selection are critical factors during the development phase — particularly for applications such as packaging, which have very demanding print requirements and regulatory conditions.

“SAKATA INX is uniquely positioned to assist its customers with the right digital inks, consultation and service for a wide variety of applications employing an even wider array of digital printers and substrates. We selected GIS as a key partner to provide complete workflow solutions for industrial digital printing. GIS and SAKATA INX see opportunities to collaborate in several sectors and engage on projects with potential customers," said Hiroshi Morita, senior executive oOfficer, general manager, Digital & Specialty Products Division, SAKATA INX.

Debbie Thorp, Business Development Director, GIS added: “At the start of any new project, we discuss whether a suitable ink has been identified for the application and substrate. It is often an afterthought and yet is so critical to the success of a project. So, when SAKATA INX approached GIS last year to discuss a more integrated collaboration on some key projects, we were happy to agree. Together, we can offer a powerful proposition to finding solutions to complex and demanding projects — helping companies transition from analog to digital printing.”