Resino Inks is a globally active company that specializes in printing inks, where there are strict requirements for innovation, quality, compliance, and safety. The company offers water-based, solvent-based and UV curing inks.
The inks can be used for flexographic, gravure and inkjet printing. Resino focuses on the markets for direct food contact materials, meat casing and non-woven hygiene products.
Interview with Niels Nielsen, V.P. Commercial Director at Resino.
Easy Engineering: Which are the most futuristic products / solutions from your portfolio?
Niels Nielsen: We have developed varnishes for direct food contact materials that can replace the plastic coating on disposable tableware and food packaging.
Our varnishes create new opportunities for minimizing the plastic consumption.
E.E: What are the characteristics of these products / solutions?
N.N: The varnishes create a protective surface preventing the disposable tableware and packaging from being attacked by moisture and grease from the food as well as liquids.
For example, many consumers experience that their paper straw goes soft during normal use. For this purpose, the varnishes prevent the straw from collapsing.
The varnishes also protect the food from components in the paper or migration of components from the print.
Most of the interest is for water-based varnishes, but if desired, we can also offer solvent-based vanishes which can be used for the same applications.
The varnishes of natural materials present an important milestone within Resino as they are also compostable.
E.E: Tell us about the company’s long-term goals / prospects?
N.N: We want to be the first-choice solution provider for sensitive applications concerning food safety & Ecotex certified etc.
E.E: Tell us about product innovation and how does it impact the future?
N.N: We need to develop innovative solutions benefiting the environment which emphasizes the importance of product innovation. Plastic consumption is an obstacle for our ecosystems. Therefore, it is important that alternatives for plastic are developed which our varnish contributes to.
E.E: How will product innovation help the customers?
N.N: The great focus on reducing plastic waste has created a great need in the market to reduce plastic-coated food packaging. Furthermore, the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive determines that companies cannot use plastic for disposable tableware. Therefore, many companies desire to switch from plastic to paper and board.
However, choosing paper and board can be challenging. Plastic has protective functions, which does not appear in paper and board packaging. For instance, plastic is a great barrier, protecting food and prolonging the shelf-life of the food. At the same time plastic is only rarely attacked by the food content. Lastly, plastic can act as a barrier allowing printing on the outside safely. Therefore, eliminating plastic calls for an alternative barrier to take on this protective function, and we support our customers in finding an alternative barrier to take on this protective function.
We have worked hard in close cooperation with a customer to find a solution, and we have found a natural varnish, which replaces the plastic coating for disposable tableware and food packaging.
E.E: How do employees shape your company’s future orientation?
N.N: A common phrase is: your employees create the foundation of your company, hence it is important to stimulate the creativity of your employees (for the company to be successful).
E.E: How does the digital transformation affect your products / business?
N.N: Today, the most successful companies are those who take part in the development of digitalization.
We focus a lot on upgrading our digital efforts to strengthen our global position even further. For example, we concentrate on communication through online media to connect with current and potential customers as well as other stakeholders. We are especially active on LinkedIn.
We have also developed a new website with the aim to lift our customer focus enabling our customers to buy products directly from the web shop.
We are also in the process of digital transformation internally, by digital integration of IT & manufacturing, automation etc.
E.E: Tell us about research and development in your company.
N.N: Innovation is a core value of Resino Inks, and 20 % of our talented employees work within research and development.
We have innovation projects in close cooperation with customers, who provide valuable input on their customers’ needs and as a result, we can assure developments fit exactly to the market demands.
This innovative approach between Resino and its customers ensures good results, particularly when special printing properties are required on complicated substrates.
E.E: How do you overcome the new challenges and this more competitive environment?
Innovation is key in this competitive environment. Therefore, we continuously have our innovative approach to problem solving which has been very beneficial.
E.E: Tell us about the company’s future strategies and how you will adapt to the future.
N.N: Sustainability is an issue we must continuously consider in our product developments, both in the form of renewable resources and biodegradability.
Our ambition is to develop biodegradable inks to offer prints for biodegradable packaging.
