DIC Group Develops Cobalt Free and Environment-Friendly Driers for Coatings and Inks

Tokyo, Japan—DIC Corporation has developed a drier agent that expedites the drying of coatings and printing inks by accelerating oxidative polymerization without cobalt compounds.

Compliant with European environmental regulations, DIC has begun shipping samples through group company Sun Chemical Corporation, based in New Jersey (U.S.A.), and its European affiliates of the new drier as part of its DICNATE series to coatings and printing manufacturers across Europe. DIC will focus marketing efforts on that region moving forward with a target for annual sales of DICNATE of ¥1.0 billion by fiscal year 2025.

Driers are metal carboxylates that are mixed into coatings and printing inks to hasten curing and drying of coated and printed materials. While cobalt driers are commonly used, cobalt compounds have come under public discussion due to their effects on health and environment. Accordingly, demand for cobalt-free alternatives has continued to increase, particularly in Europe.

Tests conducted in DIC laboratories confirm that the drying performance of DICNATE MV130A used with alkyd coatings or sheetfed offset printing inks is equal to or better than that of cobalt driers.

”We look forward to the expansion of sales of this new product helping to reduce the impact of driers on the environment.” said Satoshi Hashi, Product Manager of Performance Materials Product Division, DIC Corporation. “DIC will continue to promote product development in partnership with Sun Chemical to better meet the needs of DIC Group customers.”

“In partnership with our parent company DIC Cooperation, we are proud to offer these unique, environmentally-friendly new driers to our customers.” said Dr. Stefan Hellwig, Business Development and Technical Service Manager, Advanced Materials, Sun Chemical Corporation. “To support our continued focus on sustainability, these new driers offer highly effective drying performance at low environmental and health impact to satisfy the most urgent market needs.”

Guided by its DIC111 medium-term management plan, the DIC Group is working to provide environment-friendly, high-performance offerings with the aim of both contributing to society and achieving sustainable growth. Going forward, the Group will continue to supply highly functional products that meet the needs of customers in the market for printing inks and coatings, thereby expanding the global scale of this key business.

* The GHS is an internationally agreed-upon system for consistently classifying and clearly labeling the hazards of chemical products, thereby helping to prevent accidents and protect people.

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DIC Develops Quick-Acting Drier for Coatings and Printing Inks (June 15, 2020)

DIC Corporation (DIC) is one of Japan's most diversified fine chemical companies and the heart of the DIC Group. Worldwide, the DIC Group encompasses over 170 subsidiaries, including Sun Chemical Corporation, across 60+ countries. The DIC Group portfolio is organized into three segments: Packaging & Graphic, Color & Display, and Functional Products notably for electronic, automotive, and building materials. The DIC Group is constantly working to promote and develop sustainable solutions to exceed customer expectations and better the world around us. With combined annual sales of more than $7 billion and 22,000+ employees worldwide, DIC Group companies support a diverse collection of global customers. Please visit our website for more details.

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC Group, is a leading producer of printing inks, coatings and supplies, pigments, polymers, liquid compounds, solid compounds and application materials. Together with DIC, Sun Chemical has annual sales of more than $7.5 billion and over 20,000 employees supporting customers around the world. Sun Chemical is a subsidiary of Sun Chemical Group Coöperatief U.A. in the Netherlands and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, in the United States.