Crude Oil Prices Push Up Ink Costs

PLYMOUTH, MI/WEST CHICAGO, IL—Rising crude oil prices continue to put pressure on ink makers to find ways to recoup cost increases. Imposing a surcharge of $0.10/lb. on all heatset, coldset and news inks, is the approach being taken by the Flint Group North America Publication and News Inks divisions. Central Ink is implementing a range of price increases, including $0.12/lb. on all non-heatset black inks and 8 percent on colors, as well as a flat 6 percent for all heatset inks. Additionally, Sun Chemical’s Performance Pigments division is raising pigment prices by 10 to 30 percent. All of these increases are effective July 1.

“The majority of ink products are derived from crude oil and news ink, itself, consists of 50 to 70 percent crude oil,” noted Bradley J. Dahleen, Central Ink’s vice president of sales and marketing.