Pigments for ink manufacturing

Our pigments for industrial ink manufacturing

Pigments are the primary colourants used in ink manufacturing, playing a crucial role in determining the colour, opacity, and stability of the inks produced.

As the world’s largest cadmium pigment manufacturer, we work with leading pigment manufacturers to offer the most comprehensive selection of raw pigments and colourants for ink manufacturing.

Our pigments for ink manufacturing include:

• Carbon blacks: Used for deep black, high-opacity printing inks. These are commonly employed in commercial printing, packaging, consumer printer ink cartridges, office supplies and black pen inks, and more. Carbon blacks are essential for producing rich black tones and excellent opacity.
• Phthalocyanine pigments: Ideal for inks where strong blues and greens are required. These pigments offer high tinting strength and lightfastness, making them perfect for flexographic, gravure, and offset inks. They’re also frequently used in the production of office supplies where blue inks are required.
• Azo pigments: Known for providing vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows, these pigments are widely used in packaging inks, coatings, and general printing applications. Azo pigments are an essential choice for the production of inks for markers, gel pens, and highlighters, whilst being used in ink manufacturing for textile and fabric printing. Azo pigments offer high colour strength and stability in a variety of printing processes.
• Fluorescent pigments: Delivering bright, high-visibility colours, fluorescent pigments are essential for security inks, highlighter pens, and specialty inks. These pigments are designed to stand out and provide excellent brightness under UV light.
• Organic pigments: High-performance colourants with excellent dispersion and stability, suitable for solvent-based, water-based, and UV-curable inks.

For more technical information about our pigments (including colour index, chemical compositions, particle size, solubility) or minimum quantity orders and lead times, speak to our team today.

Get in touch for a free competitive quote.

Our additives for industrial ink manufacturing

Additives are critical components in ink formulations, allowing manufacturers to optimise the properties and attributes of inks. At James M. Brown, we supply high-quality raw additives that help ink manufacturers produce superior inks with enhanced processing characteristics and stability.

• Defoamers: Defoamers are ideal to reduce or eliminate foam formation during the ink production process. By reducing the likelihood of foaming during use, defects in ink usage can be avoided.
• Wetting agents: Wetting agents reduce the surface tension of inks produced, allowing for them to spread more easily on the substrate and form a uniform layer. They also help in penetrating porous surfaces, like paper, which can be especially important in commercial printing or for manufacturing inks for office and school supplies.
• Dispersing agents: Dispersing agents work to stabilise pigment particles by reducing their tendency to agglomerate or settle out of liquid inks. This improves the stability of the inks produced, ensuring even colour distribution and consistent performance, whether used for commercial printing, writing, textile printing or any intended ink usage.
• UV stabilisers: UV stabilisers absorb or block UV radiation, preventing it from interacting with the ink’s pigments or binders. This helps to maintain the colour integrity and appearance of inks. This is especially important for inks used in packaging, signage and outdoor advertising, where inks are exposed to UV and light.

At James M. Brown, we supply additives to ink formulators and manufacturers worldwide. We offer cost effective solutions to control the drying time, viscosity, adhesion, dispersion, and any number of ink attributes to ensure maximum product quality and consistency.

Get in touch for a free competitive quote.

Detailed applications

With over 95 years of industry experience, we ensure ink formulators and manufacturers have access to quality, cost-effective pigments across the globe for any ink formulation requirement. Our ink pigments and additives range accommodate a wide variety of ink manufacturing applications, including:

• Commercial printing inks: Our pigments are essential for creating high-quality and consistent printing in commercial applications, including books, newspapers, and magazines. Carbon blacks are commonly used for rich black printing, while phthalocyanine pigments are ideal for blue and green hues in full-color prints.
• Consumer printer inks: James M. Brown supplies premium pigments for use in home and office printer cartridges. From black inks to cyan, magenta, and yellow hues, our pigments provide excellent print clarity, sharpness, and fast-drying performance for high-quality everyday printing.
• Packaging inks: Packaging requires vibrant, eye-catching colors that withstand handling and environmental conditions. Our azo pigments provide vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges, while organic pigments ensure long-lasting prints for product labels and packaging materials.
• Security inks: Our fluorescent pigments and specialty additives are widely used in security inks, which are designed for use in banknotes, ID cards, and anti-counterfeit labels. These pigments provide high visibility under UV light, making them difficult to replicate.
• Textile printing: For textile printing (including fashion and home textiles), we supply pigments that offer excellent washfastness and durability. Our phthalocyanine pigments are ideal for producing vibrant blues and greens, while azo pigments deliver vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges for clothing, bedding, and other fabric products.
• Pen inks: James M. Brown provides a wide range of pigments used in ballpoint pens, gel pens, felt-tip markers, and highlighters. Our carbon black pigments give deep black ink for pens, while our azo and phthalocyanine pigments deliver vibrant colours for a variety of writing and drawing instruments. Our fluorescent pigments are key for manufacturing highlighter and neon-coloured inks for office and school supplies.

Require bulk pigment supplies for ink manufacturing? Our team is on hand to provide expert advice, from choosing between pigment types (such as organic, inorganic, composite), chemical composition, and colour index.

For expert advice and a free, competitive quote – get in touch with us today.