Tokyo:DIC Corporation is set to globally launch its ECOVART gravure ink, which uses significantly less solvent than traditional inks, with a focus on Japan, the People's Republic of China (PRC), and Southeast Asia.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, DIC Corporation highlighted that the low-solvent ECOVART ink reduces the volume of naphtha-derived solvents used by packaging materials printing companies. This innovation helps mitigate procurement risks, improves printing productivity, and lowers volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.

Packaging materials printing companies are under increasing pressure to reduce VOC emissions and environmental impact while ensuring stable raw material supplies and managing solvent procurement costs. ECOVART will be featured at DIC's booth during the Tokyo International Packaging Exhibition 2026 (TOKYO PACK 2026), and its sales are expected to expand in the PRC, where strict solvent-use restrictions are in place, and across Southeast Asia, a region anticipating continued market growth.

Initially launched in India in 2022, ECOVART has experienced steady sales growth. DIC plans to leverage its experience in the Indian market to support the global expansion, starting with Japan and targeting the PRC and Southeast Asia.

ECOVART is supplied as a press-ready ink, already adjusted to the appropriate viscosity for printing, which reduces the need for additional solvent dilution and viscosity adjustments typically required with conventional gravure inks. This efficiency shortens processing times, eases operator workloads, minimizes solvent purchases, and simplifies inventory management, while also limiting exposure to price fluctuations.

Testing by DIC confirms that ECOVART can cut solvent use by at least 50 percent. The ink allows customers to meet environmental targets and supports solvent recovery, potentially further reducing the environmental impact of printing processes. Additionally, ECOVART has a higher color density than conventional gravure inks, enabling printers to achieve the desired density with less ink while maintaining print quality.

DIC Corporation intends to continue expanding ECOVART sales globally, aiming to reduce solvent use and VOC emissions, enhance productivity, and contribute to a more sustainable packaging printing industry and circular economy.