Propyls from Oxea boosts printing quality

With minimal-to-no technical effort, print shops can simultaneously achieve greater print quality and produce more economically by using n-propanol / n-propyl acetate (Propyls) in their printing processes. This is the result of recent studies conducted by the international chemical company Oxea, one of the world's leading manufacturers of so-called “oxo chemicals” (including solvents for the paint and printing industries).

Oxea will present these results at the Drupa trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany, at exhibition booth E12 in Hall 7. A daily presentation will also be held at 15:00h at the DIP! stage in Hall 7 where visitors can discuss their print applications and solvent-related needs in package printing with the experts from Oxea.

"Compared to conventional ethanol / ethyl acetate blends (Ethyls), Propyls offer lower consumption of solvents, less solvent residues in the dried ink film, and consistently better evaporation behavior during printing. These advantages allow for an overall more stable printing process. The end results are higher printing speeds, measurably better print quality, and significant savings in the consumption of printing inks in special applications. The study results show tremendous economic efficiency and an overall positive impact on the entire printing process. The substitution of Ethyls with Propyls is very easy and technically straightforward," says Dr. Jens Klabunde, Applications and Product Development Manager - Global Marketing at Oxea.

During a month-long study in Brazil, more than 1.5 million meters of film was printed on during a total of 25 different print jobs. The considerable amount of time and number of jobs in the study allowed Oxea to observe reliable results despite fluctuations in density, temperature, and humidity.

Oxea is a global manufacturer of oxo intermediates and oxo derivatives, such as alcohols, polyols, carboxylic acids, specialty esters, and amines. These products are used for the production of high-quality coatings, lubricants, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, flavorings and fragrances, printing inks and plastics.