The Ink Industry Recovers (Slowly) from COVID-19
The world is a very different place since the COVID-19 pandemic began early in 2020. Estimates place a global death toll of nearly 4 million people, and there are dangerous new variants. Vaccinations are being administered as quickly as possible, with some estimates that 23% of the world’s population received at least one dose.
In talking with leading ink manufacturers for this year’s Top Ink Companies Report, there are a couple of clear messages. The first is that every ink company faced significant challenges in maintaining raw material supply. Key ink ingredients were in short supply, either due to shutdowns or products being redirected to other uses. If ingredients were available, transportation and logistics offered their
own obstacles.
Second, ink companies report that their people were able to overcome the many challenges that the pandemic created. Many executives credited their employees with making all of the difference this year.
Third, there is a belief that we are headed for some stability moving forward. It may be in the form of a “new normal,” whatever that may be, but many ink industry leaders are seeing an uptick in activities. Hopefully this will continue, and the pandemic will soon be mostly behind us.
The Top International Ink Companies
(Ink and Graphic Arts Sales)
DIC/Sun Chemical $4.9 billion
Flint Group $2.1 billion
Sakata INX $1.41 billion
Siegwerk Group $1.36 billion
Toyo Ink $1.19 billion
Huber Group $779 million
Fujifilm North America $400 million*
SICPA $400 million*
ALTANA AG $390 million*
T&K Toka $382 million
Kao $300 million*
Dainichiseika Color $241 million
CR\T, a Division of Quad Graphics $200 million*
Wikoff Color $200 million*
DuPont $175 million*
Yip’s Chemical $160 million
EFI $150 million*
UFlex $111 million
Marabu GmbH & Co. KG $107 million
Tokyo Printing Ink $103 million
Zeller+Gmelin $100 million*
Sanchez SA de CV $97 million
DEERS I/Daihan Ink $90 million
HP $90 million*
Doneck Euroflex S.A. $79 million
Nazdar $75 million*
Central Ink $58 million
Letong Chemical $55 million*
Ink Systems $50 million*
International Paper $50 million*
Epple Druckfarben $48 million
Post time: Aug-17-2021
