DIC India is expanding its portfolio of narrow-web printing inks and coatings, with a focus on LED-UV curing, low-migration solutions and process optimisation. The company is also preparing to strengthen its domestic manufacturing capabilities, positioning India as a production and export hub for UV and UV LED inks.
Speaking at Loupe India 2026, Sanjay Pant, business head, NW of DIC India and Adesh Katariya, DGM – technical (Flexo and NW), DIC India, discussed the company’s product portfolio, emerging applications and plans for the Indian market.
Pant expects the narrow-web segment to maintain its growth momentum, with the market expanding beyond conventional label applications into wider formats and shorter-run packaging jobs. “The next decade would be the decade of narrow web or the flexo machines,” Pant said, adding that the market could continue growing at around 15% CAGR over the next five years.
He noted that the definition of narrow web is also changing, with presses now extending to the mid-web category having 35- and 40-inch widths. As converters increasingly move short-run work from gravure to flexo, DIC sees opportunities across a broader range of applications.
A portfolio spanning UV, LED and water-based systems
Katariya outlined a range of solutions designed to address the changing requirements of label and packaging converters. The company’s principal showcase was SolarWave ECG, a dual-curing ink system developed for extended color gamut printing.
The system is designed to operate with both UV and UV LED curing, SolarWave ECG enables a wider color gamut using a standard set of process inks, reducing dependence on spot colors, simplifying press setup and minimising ink inventory. Its low viscosity and high color strength make it particularly suitable for high-definition printing with modern flexographic plates featuring higher screen rulings, delivering excellent ink transfer and consistent print quality. “This ink system is designed to deliver the highest possible print quality while simplifying the printing process and reducing ink inventory at the printer’s facility,” Katariya said.
DIC also showcased SolarFine, a high-mileage UV Flexo ink range intended to reduce ink consumption and the overall cost of printing. The company also presented low-migration inks , SolarWave FSP sourced from Sun Chemical, which Pant identified as a key growth area for the Indian market.
Alongside these products, DIC displayed water-based inks and coatings, including AquaThene and AquaFine inks ranges, for applications across paper and film substrates. The portfolio also includes solvent-based inks for central impression flexo printing, particularly for wraparound labels. For this segment, the company is promoting its Sigma CPP with Sigma WAL Antistatic OPV for wrap around label and SolvaSleeve white for Shrink sleeve Labels.
Ink kitchens and color management
Beyond its ink portfolio, DIC is focusing on solutions that help printers manage production requirements more efficiently. Katariya explained that the company’s Solaris IMS concept uses a common range of UV Flexo concentrates – SolarVerse that can be combined with different technology varnishes to produce inks suited to specific applications.
The approach allows printers to prepare spot colors at their facilities while adapting the ink system to different curing technologies and performance requirements. This concept offers better cost, process and Inventory optimisation, with the highest possible performance properties,” Katariya said.
The company also showcased SunColor Box, a hardware-and-software solution for spot-color matching. The system enables converters to formulate and dispense special colors, including colors from the Pantone range, and reuse returned ink from the press more efficiently. These solutions are intended to help printers optimise ink consumption, reduce costs and improve production efficiency.
DIC is also collaborating with raw material suppliers and group laboratories to develop next generation technologies, including the conversion of gravure jobs to flexo and the transfer of CI flexo work to narrow-web presses. The company is developing fast-curing solutions for lamination applications, targeting short-run jobs that can be converted from gravure to narrow-web flexo.
Sustainability and low-migration solutions
The transition towards LED curing and water-based systems is another important area of focus for DIC. Pant sees LED technology as a step towards more sustainable printing, citing lower heat generation and reduced ozone emissions compared with conventional UV systems.
Pant also highlighted the company’s solvent-based and water-based inks for recyclable label applications, which are already being used globally. DIC is working with Indian printers to establish these solutions in the domestic market and is developing a UV-based option.
For food packaging, the company is promoting its low-migration ink portfolio, including SolarWave FSP, a UV LED-curable flexo ink system, and Rayoflex UV-curable flexo inks. These solutions target food and pharmaceutical label applications, alongside water-based systems designed for specific uses such as ice-cream cone packaging.
Pant said the company’s focus on low-migration inks reflects the changing needs of the market, with DIC working to strengthen its offering in India.
Gujarat plant to support manufacturing and exports
DIC’s plans for the Indian market extend beyond its product portfolio. Katariya said the company is preparing a dedicated UV ink manufacturing facility at its Gujarat plant, with operations expected to begin around January 2027. The facility is intended to support domestic demand while also serving as an export base for other Asian markets. “We are promoting DIC India as a hub for UV and UV LED solutions for the DIC Asia-Pacific entities,” Pant said.
The company is also investing in its Noida CTD laboratory capabilities, including advanced analytical instruments to support in-depth material characterisation and next-generation formulation development in India. These investments are expected to strengthen local product development and enhance technical support for printers and brand owners.
Pant emphasised the importance of combining expertise in chemistry, printing and mechanical engineering to address the technical challenges faced by printers. “Together we will prevail in this market and we will grow. We will be able to support the market, and they will grow and we will grow accordingly,” he concluded.