HIGH-VISCOSITY INK, HIGHER PACKAGING POTENTIAL

Digital printing was once expected to make its way into the corrugated packaging sector. However, real-world adoption has unfolded far more slowly than early predictions suggested. While there have been notable successes – particularly in short run, on demand and customisation-driven applications – digital solutions have struggled to scale across mainstream corrugated production.

Packaging can be a tough space. High capital investment, added infrastructure requirements and workflow complexity have all contributed to a mismatch between the capabilities of current digital platforms and the economic realities faced by converters. High-viscosity ink technology introduces a fundamentally different approach. It addresses value-chain challenges at their source by rethinking the chemistry rather than redesigning machinery.

“Ink chemistry needs to be the first thought, not an afterthought”

The broader packaging value chain is under unprecedented pressure to deliver efficiency. Add to that the growing demands of sustainability and the meticulous needs of material sourcing for production through post-consumer recovery (recyclables). Although the porous structure of a corrugated board makes it tricky to print onto, it allows it to be one of the most easily recycled materials. Market pressure is rising for lighter-weight recyclable packaging – yet digital compatibility has lagged. The digital printing reality for this material has often relied on primers, coatings and multi-step processes which lead to increased cost, complicated manufacturing and constraints in substrate choice. 

The cost of new single-pass or hybrid-digital systems required for digital adoption, has become one of the greatest barriers. Beyond the machinery price tag there is also the installation footprint, infrastructure requirements and service additions which steeply escalate total investment. Once the machine is installed the need for primers, bonding agents or additional coating steps further inflates per-box manufacturing costs. Risking performance and output can be a non-starter.

Digital corrugated printing operates within one of the most intricate ecosystems in the packaging world. Substrates alone introduce significant complexity – converters work with coated boards, uncoated kraft, recycled grades, micro flutes, lightweight alternatives and more. Traditional digital-ink systems often require primers tailored to each substrate type. This forces printers to manage additional stock keeping units (SKUs), multiple application steps and highly specialised workflows. This equals more time, cost and opportunity for error. 

Compounding this, many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) develop equipment with limited visibility into the day-to-day realities of converters. This results in solutions that perform well in controlled environments, but fail to account for the demands of high-volume, mixed material production floors. The disconnect between equipment design and real-world manufacturing needs is a major reason digital adoption has progressed more slowly than predicted. These process additions, workflow complications, substrate variability and the need for extra equipment illustrate why the packaging value chain remains difficult to navigate and why chemistry-first innovations are vital to simplifying the ecosystem.

Cutting through the noise and keeping manufacturing processes simple is essential. High-viscosity ink introduces a fundamentally different strategy – solving value-chain challenges at their origin by transforming 
the chemistry rather than the machinery.

By enabling reliable direct-to-board printing – whether the material is coated, uncoated, primed, unprimed or recycled – these inks remove the need for primers and bonding agents altogether. Eliminating these steps simplifies production. Additionally, it reduces downtime and consumable SKUs, and aligns more closely with sustainability goals by reducing the chemical load entering the packaging value chain. Instead of building increasingly complex systems around substrate preparation, high-viscosity chemistry shifts the focus to creating a single ink platform capable of meeting adhesion, durability and quality requirements across a wide range of materials.

“High-viscosity chemistry shifts the focus to creating a single ink platform”

Beyond simplifying the process, high-viscosity inks also improve print efficiency and visual performance. Because they deliver equal or superior optical density using only a fraction of the ink volume, converters benefit from reduced consumption, faster drying and a wider colour gamut. These are critical factors for both productivity and brand-level print quality. High-viscosity ink supports near-infrared (NIR) drying, hence eliminating the need for long, energy-intensive hot-air drying tunnels. Meeting expectations with new productivity is a win. 

These efficiencies become especially important as converters push towards high speed, single-pass digital production, where drying limitations and ink lay down are frequent bottlenecks. 

Lower ink usage also directly reduces cost per print, helping recalibrate the total cost of ownership equation that has historically disadvantaged digital solutions in the corrugated space. Now converters can print high-quality graphics directly onto the materials they want, while using a finish that matches brand expectations. High-viscosity inks reduce system complexity, improve cost efficiency and help future-proof digital corrugated production. 

Many print systems rely on legacy assumptions – low-viscosity inks, high-energy drying and coated substrates. However, shifting towards on-demand chemistry requires OEMs to rethink hardware, fluid paths and drying architecture. Co-ordination across the value chain becomes fundamental to making new technologies work. Digital corrugated adoption stalled partly because OEMs focused on hardware, not chemistry. 

Taking the inverse approach means starting with ink chemistry that solves the ecosystem pain points. It then becomes easy to scale equipment around it. A major gap in current innovation cycles was that fluid and ink chemistry are often considered too late in system development. This leads to inefficiencies, excessive testing cycles and higher environmental impact. On-demand chemistry offers a path forward. Integrating fluid formulation early enables a better system design, reduced waste and greater overall value creation. Ink innovation can drive cost reduction, simplify workflows and align with converter realities. 

Nazdar’s high-viscosity ink platform is now advancing through the commercialisation pipeline, supported by promising results from ongoing trials and OEM collaborations. High-viscosity ink on corrugated board has consistently demonstrated significant performance gains. These shine when compared to standard viscosity ink sets – particularly in ink lay down efficiency, optical density and adhesion across coated, uncoated and recycled boards. It continues to validate high-viscosity ink as not only technically viable, but also commercially compelling, shaping the path towards broader market introduction.

Sustainability has emerged as a central advantage. By eliminating primers and bonding agents, high-viscosity inks reduce chemical load within the packaging value chain and help maintain cleaner, more efficient recycling streams. The chemistry performs reliably on recycled and lightweight substrates – including micro flutes – supporting the industry’s shift towards lower weight, lower impact materials. Reduced ink consumption also means lower shipping weight and a smaller carbon footprint throughout the logistics cycle. The overall print process becomes significantly more recycling-friendly, aligning with the environmental and regulatory priorities shaping the future of corrugated packaging.

High-viscosity ink chemistry represents a pivotal shift in how the industry approaches digital corrugated printing – one that fundamentally reshapes total cost of ownership (TCO) and return on investment (ROI). By eliminating primers, reducing ink consumption and enabling direct-to-board printing across a wider range of substrates, this chemistry removes costly process steps and resolves longstanding inefficiencies that have held back digital adoption. Instead of relying on increasingly complex equipment iterations, high-viscosity ink redefines the economics of digital printing at source, where the greatest impact can be made.

Nazdar’s role in this evolution centres on solving the barriers that have persisted for years by transforming the chemistry inside it. This chemistry-first mindset allows converters to simplify workflows, reduce operational burden, improve sustainability efforts and meet the quality expectations of major brands without compromising productivity. It is the performance that converters have been seeking. High-viscosity ink does not just enhance digital corrugated printing – it unlocks the potential for broader, more sustainable and more economically viable adoption across the entire packaging value chain.