ACTEGA, manufacturer of coatings, printing inks, adhesives and sealants for the packaging and printing industry, is significantly expanding its production capacities for water-based and UV overprint varnishes. As a result, global production output will increase to more than 150,000 tons per year. On the one hand, around 2 million euros were invested in a new integrated site in Brazil. "In the future, 180 employees are to conduct research and development here on an area of 12,000 square meters and drive production forward," explains Andrei Sotkeviciene, Managing Director at ACTEGA in Brazil. "For this purpose, we have not only set up a state-of-the-art 500 square meter research laboratory, but have also installed new facilities for the production of overprint varnishes". On the other hand, ACTEGA has recorded a significant increase in production capacities, especially for UV coatings, due to the integration of Schmid Rhyner AG. The company from Adliswil, Switzerland, with almost 80 employees and a turnover of around 50 million euros specialises in solutions in the field of print finishing and digital printing.
"ACTEGA consists of 11 companies with worldwide production facilities and sales offices," explains Andreas Gipp, Head of Global Business Line Paper and Board. "With our production sites in Europe, North and South America and China, we can not only better serve internationally operating printing groups and be closer to our customers, but also proactively support them in their growth". This also makes it possible to react more flexibly to local customer requirements.
Focus on new technologies
To differentiate themselves in the market, more and more printers are using UV Touch & Feel coatings or coatings for special visual effects such as MotionCoatTM, UV Silver and UV Micro Structure. These are used on sophisticated folding cartons, including packaging for food, beverages, pharmaceuticals or tobacco, as well as on other print products. In addition to the further development of such products known in the market, including coatings for direct and indirect food contact, ACTEGA will continue to focus strongly on new technologies and products in the future.
One focus here will be on digital printing and digital varnishing. Competence and technology centres have already been in place since 2016 at the locations Lehrte near Hanover (Germany) and Cinnaminson in New Jersey (USA). Not only are all R&D activities bundled here, but also the inks, primers and overprint varnishes required for the use of digital printing technologies are made available. In addition, ACTEGA offers a wide range of digital coatings, in LM and non-LM quality, for sheet-fed and web printing, based on the DiVar technology developed and patented by Schmid Rhyner.
Another example of the focus on new technologies is EcoLeaf. Already in the industrialization process at ACTEGA since 2017 and soon to be commercially available, EcoLeaf enables metallization without film, thus improving the sustainability of all associated processes. "Already now we generate more than 25% of our sales with new products, R&D expenditures comprise 10%", explains Andreas Gipp. "It is in our interest to conduct intensive research and continuously develop products. For example, we are currently working on a next generation of barrier coatings, made possible by novel aqueous elastomeric dispersions based on Yunico® technology, which are free of emulsifiers and solvents".
Product safety and sustainability
ACTEGA addressed the issue of sustainability at an early stage with appropriate product solutions. "With the soon available new product line ACTGreen® we have taken another important step in this direction," says Dr. Lisa Schönenberg, Global Portfolio Manager Paper & Board. "This is a new, sustainable portfolio of water-based coatings for folding boxes and labels. All matt and gloss coatings are formulated on the basis of renewable or recycled raw materials. Depending on functionality and desired properties, the products can thus exhibit a sustainability of more than 60%." ACTEGA is thus also in line with the objectives of the ALTANA Group. For example, the specialty chemicals group will zero its CO2 emissions from production and energy procurement worldwide by 2025 in order to consistently protect the climate and the environment.
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