The Right Ink Makes Your Message Stand Out
By Mike Mitchell, President, Arrow Inks
Email: mike.mitchell@arrowinks.com
Online: www.arrowinks.com
From MAIL Magazine February-March 2020 issue:
The first hands-on experience a customer has with your product is the visual impression made by the envelope, packaging, and labeling on the piece. The right inks and formulations for your specific printer and application can improve packaging appearance and customer response to your product.
While appearance is the first factor, it’s only one of many factors to consider in your ink choice. Functionality such as barcode readability and adhesion across various substrates is also a key element. In addition to functionality, the efficiency of the printing process and the unit cost are major factors as well.
For instance, some inks dry faster at the nozzle and require additional purging and operator intervention, while other inks run smooth and efficiently saving time and money.
Finding that balance in your supplies to provide both the ROI and the professional impression that lasts on your finished products is an art that requires flexibility and choice in the print supply space.
Drop on Demand UV inkjet technology gained ground in the card personalization high-speed commercial applications in the early 2000’s. Piezo inkjet using UV inks became the solution for plastic card processing when most applications called for solvent based MEK printing at the time. As piezo Drop on Demand printing has become more widely accepted the marketing requirements and customer applications have changed from plastic cards to more eco-friendly options such as special mailing stocks, coated papers, labels, and tags.
Arrow Inks’ formulations have evolved with the market to bring new and alternative solutions to support our customer partners allowing printers more CHOICE and leveling the playing field in this particularly narrow consumable market.
Arrow Inks is a Veteran Owned Small Business (VSOB) located in Fort Pierce, FL. All of our inks are made in the USA with only the finest quality ingredients under the strictest of standards resulting in formulations that pack intense color per drop with very fine and ultra-reliable jetting characteristics yielding premium quality print.
We specialize in Drop on Demand replacement inks for high speed single pass Mailing, Card Perso, Tag & Label Applications. Customers are happily using Arrow Inks’ non-OEM formulations that are compatible replacements for use with their Atlantic Zeiser™, Buskro™, Domino™, DPI™, Industrial Inkjet™, MCS™, and Kirk Rudy™ printers, and many more.
Arrow Inks compare favorably as they are specifically formulated for compatibility with the print head assemblies used within each printer, allowing for a smooth ink with long nozzle open times resulting in great print without the purging and maintenance.
Here are just a few things some of our customers are touting about Arrow Inks:
“My original reason for trying your ink was for the cost savings. As we have been running your ink for several months now, we have been very satisfied with the performance of the ink and the outstanding customer service your company has provided.”
“The white ink was amazing. Far exceeded the expectations. It actually made the OEM white ink look like a poor excuse for ink. Your ink runs super clean.”
“Arrow Orders are confirmed quickly and normally ship the same day. The product quality is outstanding and very consistent. Arrow is a critical partner.”
Challenge: Ink Tying
One of the challenges printing companies have faced which is limiting supply solutions and optimum print quality in the industry is something deemed illegal and highly improper in many countries and industries– Ink Tying. Be aware that some printer manufacturers have decided to “tie” the ink to the printer with RFID verification so the printer will only operate with their products.
If you try a different, perhaps more effective and affordable solution, the print system contains software stops to prevent the use of non-OEM inks, ruining productivity and removing your CHOICE. Regardless of the ink effectiveness, availability, production limitations, or price, some printer manufacturers limit your options to shop for superior solutions.
This is a response to the innovative digital ink solutions from companies like Arrow Inks and the fair market pricing which has brought more choice to the market the past few years. As we all know, no one print supplier can meet all your supply requirements. Successful companies, like yours, need to keep options open to stay versatile and competitive.
Not all printer manufacturers are going this route so make sure you find out first, so your competitors won’t have the upper hand in new and affordable ink solutions for your continuously evolving requirements. When it’s time to consider that next printer, make inks a bigger part of the consideration. After all, your ink investment over time is much more substantial than the printer itself – don’t get tied.
In summary, all printing companies like you should have the CHOICE to find the best supply solutions to give you the optimum print quality and production efficiency at reasonable prices. The ability to choose an ink supplier that will become a trusted partner and level the playing field, is a freedom every printing company should have.
For those interested in seeing what an alternative ink supplier can provide, contact Arrow Inks at: orders@arrowinks.com or email Mike Mitchell directly at mike.mitchell@arrowinks.com