1. Primers for Flexible Packaging
Jan Denies
May 6th, 2015

2. Agenda Introduction to Michelman Michelman in Digital Printing
Digital Printing for Flexible Packaging
Digiprime In-Line Practical

3. Michelman Headquarters
About Us
Established in 1949
Specialty chemicals
Customer focused
Family enterprise
Today, Michelman is:
Global
400 employees
Family owned
Professionally managed
Michelman Headquarters
Cincinnati, OH

4. Worldwide

5. Industry Verticals Printing & Industrial Packaging Manufacturing
Coatings

6. Printing & Packaging Flexible packaging Paper & corrugated
Digital printing
Paper & corrugated

7. Printing & Packaging – Coatings & Additives
Solutions
Heat seal coatings for film producers and converters
Additive to control coefficient of friction for film producers
Print receptive coatings for film and paper
Barrier coatings for film and paper
Extrusion primers
Overprint varnishes for converters

8. Michelman in Digital Printing
Preferred HP partner since 2006 for inline and offline primers
Manufacturer of DigiPrime®, Sapphire,
Michem® In-Line Primer products and Topaz
Products used by lots of printers, converters,
HP approved media centers and substrate
manufacturers
Network of direct sales, agents and distribution network serves Indigo customers worldwide
Developed specific inline primers for the
new HP Indigo & 30000
digital presses

9. HP Indigo 20000 Wide web digital press for Labels Flexible packaging
Integrated PUW:
Priming and unwinding unit
Gravure coater for inline priming
What is new and different:
Enabling applications that have not been done
digitally so far!

10. The challenges of Digital Printing in Flexible Packaging?
Print is just the decoration of the packaging!
Typical long run lengths
Majority is reverse printed and laminated to second
film
Lamination equipment is designed for long run lengths
Curing time of lamination up to 7 days
Requirements of packaging resistance to
Moisture
Chemicals
Oxygen
Grease
Temperature

11. DigiPrime® 050 Design & Value
Lamination bond strength is the main extra requirement!
In conventional printing special inks are used for lamination
Sealant adhesive
Outer Film
Primer
Inner film
Print

12. DigiPrime® 050 Design & Value
While keeping advantages from other primers
Developed for performance in different applications
Pre-Laminated Structures (Surface Print)
Single Film (Surface Print)
Lamination Structures (mostly reverse print)
Good adhesion to printed film (PP, PET, PE)
Good lamination bond strength when laminated to a second film
OPV adhesion for flexible packaging and label applications
Improves the transfer and adhesion to film and metalized film substrates
Suitable for food contact
Runability in the PUW
Water resistance

13. Structures – Single Film and Pre-laminating
Corona treatment on printed substrate is essential
OPV needs to be applied (Post printing) for:
Upgrading heat-seal resistance) up to 160C.
Water resistance (Refrigerator, Freezer)
Modifying coefficient of friction (Static and Dynamic)
Others
Various suppliers of OPV’s water-based, solvent-
based or 2 component solvent-based

14. Structures – Single Film Surface Print
PET
Paper
BOPP PE
(B)OPA

15. Structures – Pre-laminated Surface print
PET/PE
PET/ALU/PE
Paper/PE/ALU/PE
BOPP/PE
OPA/PE
More are under evaluation

16. Structures – Lamination Reverse Print
Corona treatment on printed substrate is essential
Corona treatment on the inks, when applying the lamination adhesive is essential
Corona treatment on the sealant film when laminating can improve the bond strength
Adhesive suppliers who can provide different lamination adhesives:
Water-based
2 component solvent-based
2 component solvent-free

17. Structures – The Pyramid Lamination
PET/ALU/CPP
PET/ALU/OPA/CPP
High Retort, 134 C
Retort Aggresive Goods Severe conditions. Pet Food
High
Performance. 10% MS
PET-AlOx or SiOx/OPA/CPP
OPA/ALU/CPP
OPA/CPP
Medium High
Performance. 10% MS
Clear Retort, 121 C, boiling Bag,
Aluminium Packaging, Food,Detergents, oil , cosmetics
PET/ALU/PE
Multi Substrates en Processes (Pouches), Hot Fill, Cosmetics, Seasoning Detergent. Process, Meat, Fish, Cheese, soup, powders
Difficulty of the packaging
Medium
Performance. 30% MS
PET/PE
OPA/PE
PET/Met CPP or Met OPP
OPP/Met CPP or Met OPP
PET/CPP or PE
OPP/OPP or CPP or PE
General
Purposes (PP/PP ), Snack Food, coffee pouches, Powders, Biscuits
General
Performance. 50% MS

18. Structures – Lamination Reverse Print
PET/PE
PET/ALU/PE
BOPP/BOPP
BOPP/Met BOPP
BOPP/PE
This covers a big part of the so called General Performance.
More are under evaluation.
Bond strength values of 3.5 N/inch and above can be obtained.

19. Why partner with Michelman?
Michelman has the expertise in the new segments
Primers developed and tested with HP
WW Distribution network with strong partners
Strong IP portfolio around primers
Only approved inline primers on Indigo
DigiPrime® In-Line Primer 050 for Indigo 20000
DigiPrime® In-Line Primer 060 for Indigo 30000
Michem® In-Line Primer 030 for WS6X00 for both paper and film
DigiPrime® In-Line Primer 680 on upgraded WS6X00 for flexible packaging

20. DigiPrime® 050 In-Line Primer: Practical
Appearance : Clear liquid
Delivered in pails of 18Kg pail Pails are used directly in the machine
Recommended coat weight
For labels: 1gsm wet
For flexible packaging: 1.6 gsm wet
Primers are available worldwide
through Michelman and its
network of agents and distributors
Water Pail
Primer Pail

21. Thank you