OSAKA SEALING PRINTING CO., LTD. (Head office: Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, President: Matsuguchi Tadashi), a member of the OSP Group, is pleased to announce that it has succeeded in developing a "flexible packaging material using water-based gravure printing and non-solvent lamination."

Water-based gravure printing, which uses inks that use less organic solvents, and non-solvent lamination, which uses adhesives that do not use organic solvents, are products that combine environmentally friendly "printing" and "lamination" methods. By adopting these methods, it is possible to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds. In addition to reducing the environmental burden, it is also possible to suppress the impact on the health of operators caused by the odor of solvents.

*Printing is an image design *Non-sol lamination method

■ Issues to be overcome during the development process

Water-based gravure printing uses water and alcohol-based solvents that are less volatile than conventional solvents, so slow drying was an issue. In addition, the print quality is not stable due to the characteristics of water-based ink, which was also an issue that water-based gravure printing had to overcome. This time, by optimizing the gravure plate making conditions and doctor blade, and by thoroughly managing the ink during printing, we have been able to achieve a beautiful finish equivalent to oil-based gravure printing. Osaka Sealing Printing has been promoting non-solvent lamination, an environmentally friendly lamination method, for some time. Since it has become possible to achieve both physical properties and appearance quality, which were issues with water-based gravure printing, we have combined the printing method and lamination method.

■ OSAKA SEALING PRINTING CO., LTD. Company Profile

• Company name: OSAKA SEALING PRINTING CO., LTD.

• Address: 1-8 Obasecho-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

• Representative: Matsuguchi Tadashi

• Founded: 1927

• Business description: Manufacturing and sales of stickers, labels, film products, Carton Package, and sales of labeling systems

• URL: https://www.osp.co.jp/

■OSP Holdings Company Profile

• Company name: OSP HOLDINGS CO., LTD.

• Address: 6-8 Ajihara Honmachi Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

• Representative: Matsuguchi Tadashi

• Founded: 1969

• Business description: Business planning and management of the corporate group and related operations

• URL: https://www.osp-holdings.co.jp/

Founded in 1927, the OSP Group is a comprehensive packaging company with a total of 15 companies (9 domestic and 6 overseas), and has 18 production bases nationwide to fulfill its mission of social infrastructure, mainly food distribution. Since its founding, the company has expanded its business scope in response to changes in the times, such as customer needs and the social environment. Currently, the company provides products and services that enrich society and the lives of customers through the planning, design, and manufacturing of stickers and labels, Carton Package, and promotional materials. In order to achieve high quality and stable supply, the group also operates in a wide range of areas, from material procurement, development and manufacturing of sticker and label printing base paper and printing peripherals, to designing and research and development of labeling systems.