Narrow web flexo printers in North America are set to benefit from a strategic agreement between Mark Andy Print Products and Sun Chemical that will see the former distribute the latter’s narrow web inks, coatings, adhesives and colour management solutions in the region.
Included under the agreement are Sun Chemical’s portfolio of UV, UV LED, water-based, and specialty narrow web technologies, including SolarFlex Max D, SolarWave, AquaVerse solutions, SolarLam UV laminating adhesives, and SunLam solvent-free adhesives. Converters can access a single source for inks, coatings, adhesives, plates, anilox rolls, doctor blades, mounting tapes, and other critical pressroom consumables supported by the combined technical expertise of both organisations.
“This agreement significantly expands the level of support we can bring to the pressroom,” said Ralph Jenkins, vice president of sales and business development at Mark Andy Print Products. “Converters are managing tighter colour tolerances, shorter runs, a broader mix of applications, and increasing pressure to maintain consistency across jobs and facilities. By combining Mark Andy’s narrow web expertise and customer reach with Sun Chemical’s technical and formulation capabilities, we can help customers address those challenges through a more complete and coordinated approach.”
The companies will work together to evaluate substrates, ink and coating requirements, curing performance, migration considerations, regulatory requirements, and other technical factors that are becoming increasingly important as converters expand beyond traditional pressure-sensitive label applications.
The partnership also creates a broader platform for improving colour consistency across jobs, production runs, presses, and facilities. Mark Andy customers gain access to Sun Chemical’s SunColorBox ecosystem, which complements Mark Andy Print Products’ Color Smart Program, in which specialists evaluate the interconnected pressroom variables that influence repeatability, reviewing how plates, mounting tape, anilox rolls, doctor blades, ink, and press settings work together to affect colour performance.
Dennis Sweet, vice president for narrow web tag and label at Sun Chemical, commented: “Together, we can help customers achieve greater colour consistency, productivity, streamline operational efficiency and address increasingly complex label and flexible packaging requirements. This partnership creates a stronger, more comprehensive support platform for the narrow web market.”
Further development of the partnership is anticipated, with the potential for Mark Andy and Sun Chemical to introduce ink dispensing technologies at Mark Andy facilities and selected customer locations. These systems will allow spot colours to be produced closer to the point of use, helping converters streamline colour matching and ink delivery, reduce excess inventory and waste, and dispense the quantities required for individual production needs.
The companies are also collaborating on high-speed flexographic applications, including low-migration ink performance and curing at elevated press speeds. This work combines Mark Andy’s press and web-handling expertise with Sun Chemical’s ability to develop and refine ink chemistry for specific equipment, substrates, curing systems, regulatory requirements, and end-use applications.
The two companies will formally introduce the agreement to the broader market at LOUPE Americas 2026 in Chicago, where they are planning co-ordinated technical content, demonstrations, customer programming, and educational activities focused on ink performance, colour consistency, pressroom productivity, and the continued convergence of label and flexible packaging production.
