Flint Announces Price Increases for Energy Curable Products

PLYMOUTH, MI—April 1, 2010—Flint Group North America has announced 6% price increases on all energy curable inks and coatings for sheetfed, liquid packaging and web offset applications, effective immediately.

Raw material costs and supply shortages are the main drivers. The printing industry and its suppliers continue to fight the trend of increasing raw material costs, as well as the threat of global shortages of certain base materials that are integral to the manufacture of printing consumables.

Diane Parisi, Vice President, Supply Chain Americas, explains: “We’re seeing price increases in nearly all raw material sectors and in all major geographies serving graphic arts chemicals and consumables manufacturers. The result is significant.”

“In the area of raw materials capacity,” continues Parisi, “one particularly troubling trend is with acrylic acid. Our suppliers require acrylic acid to make acrylated materials that are used in Flint Group’s energy curable inks and coatings.” A major North American supplier of acrylic acid significantly reduced capacity, while another experienced a fire which has caused them to cease production. The result is severe shortages with no immediate relief for consumables manufacturers.

“Our research and forecasts are quite telling,” says Parisi. “We don’t see any signs of improved raw material costs or supply in the near term."

Michael Podd, Business Director Sheetfed Inks, notes that Flint Group’s global procurement group has minimized the impact on customers as much as possible. "Unfortunately,” he adds, “the extent of these energy curable cost increases can not be fully mitigated by supply chain, manufacturing and formulation initiatives.”

Customers will be notified directly by Flint Group's sales organization to discuss the impact on the particular products they purchase. Flint Group will honor their contractual obligations in implementing the increases.

Flint Group
Flint Group is dedicated to serving the global printing and packaging industry. The company develops, manufactures and markets an extensive portfolio of printing consumables, including: a vast range of conventional and energy curable inks and coatings for most offset, flexographic and gravure applications; pressroom chemicals, printing blankets and sleeves for offset printing; photopolymer printing plates and sleeves, plate-making equipment and flexographic sleeve systems; pigments and additives for use in inks and other colorant applications. With a strong customer focus, unmatched service and support, and superior products, Flint Group strives to provide exceptional value, consistent quality and continuous innovation to customers around the world. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Flint Group employs some 7300 people. Revenues for 2008 were €2.4 billion (US $3.5 billion). On a worldwide basis, the company is the number one or number two supplier in every major market segment it serves. For more information, please visit www.flintgrp.com.