The global Ink Resins Market Study analyzes and forecasts the market size across 6 regions and 24 countries for diverse segments -By Type (Modified Rosin, Hydrocarbon, Modified Cellulose, Acrylic, Polyamide, Polyurethane, Others), By Technology (Oil-Based, Solvent-Based, Water-Based, UV-Curable-Based), By Printing Process (Lithography, Gravure, Flexography, Others), By Application (Printing & Publication, Flexible Packaging, Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons, Others).
Ink resins are key components of printing ink formulations used in various printing processes such as offset printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing, and digital printing, providing adhesion, durability, and color stability to printed materials on substrates such as paper, cardboard, plastics, and metals. One key trend shaping the future of ink resins is the development of sustainable and eco-friendly resin formulations to meet regulatory requirements, consumer preferences, and industry standards for reduced volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and environmental impact in printing operations. Resin manufacturers are innovating new resin chemistries, such as water-based resins, UV-curable resins, and bio-based resins derived from renewable feedstocks, with improved performance characteristics such as low odor, fast curing, and compatibility with diverse printing substrates, ensuring high-quality printing results while minimizing emissions and health risks for printing operators and end-users. Additionally, advancements in resin synthesis, polymerization techniques, and formulation additives are enhancing ink stability, rheological properties, and printability, enabling the development of specialty inks for niche applications such as food packaging, security printing, and 3D printing. Moreover, the integration of digital printing technologies, such as inkjet printing and electrophotography, is driving demand for ink resins with tailored properties and functionalities, enabling high-speed printing, variable data printing, and customization capabilities for on-demand and personalized printing applications. As printing industries seek to improve sustainability performance, reduce environmental footprint, and comply with regulatory standards, the market for ink resins is poised for innovation and growth, with opportunities for collaboration, research, and market expansion to meet the evolving needs of ink manufacturers, printers, and regulatory authorities.
The market report analyses the leading companies in the industry including Arakawa Chemical Industries Ltd, BASF SE, Covestro AG, Evonik Industries AG, Hydrite Chemical Co., IGM Resins, Indulor Chemie GmbH, Kraton Corp, Lawter, The Dow Chemical Company.
A prominent trend in the ink resins market is the increasing demand for environmentally friendly and low-VOC (volatile organic compound) resins. With growing awareness of environmental sustainability and regulatory restrictions on VOC emissions, there is a rising preference for ink formulations that utilize resins with minimal environmental impact. Manufacturers are developing water-based and UV-curable ink resins that offer reduced VOC emissions, improved safety profiles, and enhanced print quality. This is driving the commitment to sustainability and the adoption of eco-friendly ink formulations across various printing applications, including packaging, labels, publications, and textiles.
A key driver propelling the ink resins market is the expansion of packaging and labeling industries worldwide. The packaging sector, driven by e-commerce, consumer goods, and food and beverage industries, is experiencing robust growth, leading to increased demand for high-quality printing inks and coatings. Ink resins play a critical role in formulating inks that adhere to various substrates, resist abrasion, and provide vibrant colors and visual appeal. Similarly, the labeling industry, encompassing product labeling, brand identification, and security labeling, relies on ink resins to produce durable and attractive labels that withstand handling, transportation, and environmental exposure. The growing demand for packaging and labeling solutions is driving the need for innovative ink resins that meet the evolving performance and sustainability requirements of these industries.
An opportunity for growth in the ink resins market lies in the development of specialty resins for niche printing applications. While conventional ink resins cater to mainstream printing needs, there is a demand for specialized formulations tailored to specific printing requirements and substrates. For example, specialty resins are developed for printing on non-porous substrates such as plastics, metals, and ceramics, or for applications requiring high chemical resistance, heat resistance, or outdoor durability. Additionally, the emergence of new printing technologies such as digital printing, 3D printing, and functional printing presents opportunities for ink resin manufacturers to innovate and develop resins optimized for these cutting-edge printing processes. By focusing on niche markets and developing differentiated products, ink resin suppliers can capitalize on untapped opportunities and differentiate themselves in the competitive printing industry landscape.
The ink resins market follows a well-established value chain with raw material acquisition, where chemical manufacturers including BASF and Dow Chemical supply base chemicals for synthetic resin production, while Hercules Inc. sources natural resins including rosin for ink applications. Resin processing and modification involve companies including Evonik Industries AG and Allnex, which manufacture synthetic resins including acrylics and polyesters through polymerization and modification processes.
Distribution is facilitated by chemical distributors including Brenntag AG and specialty ink resin distributors including Reichhold, Inc. Further, end-users in the printing ink industry, including major players including Flint Group and DIC Corporation, utilize these ink resins to manufacture a diverse range of printing inks for applications including offset printing, flexography, and gravure. Additionally, specialty ink producers cater to specific ink formulations including UV-curable or inkjet inks, which require tailored resin solutions to meet performance requirements.
The modified rosin segment is the largest sector in the Ink Resins Market, driven by diverse pivotal factors contributing to its dominance. Modified rosin resins are widely used in the formulation of printing inks due to their excellent compatibility with various ink components, including pigments, solvents, and additives. Rosin, derived from natural pine tree sources, undergoes chemical modification to enhance its properties and performance characteristics for specific ink applications. Modified rosin resins offer diverse advantages, including excellent adhesion to substrates, good pigment wetting and dispersibility, high gloss, low odor, and fast-drying properties, making them suitable for a broad range of printing processes and substrates. In addition, modified rosin resins exhibit excellent printability, ink film integrity, and resistance to abrasion, chemicals, and heat, ensuring the durability and quality of printed materials. Additionally, modified rosin resins are cost-effective compared to other ink resin types, making them a preferred choice for formulators seeking to balance performance with cost considerations. Further, the versatility and adaptability of modified rosin resins enable their use in various ink formulations, including flexographic, gravure, offset, and screen printing inks, as well as specialty inks for packaging, labels, publications, and industrial applications. As the demand for high-quality printing continues to grow in packaging, publishing, advertising, and other industries, the modified rosin segment of the ink resins market is expected to maintain its leading position and witness sustained growth in the foreseeable future.
The UV-curable-based segment is the fastest-growing sector in the Ink Resins Market, driven by diverse critical factors propelling its rapid expansion. UV-curable ink resins offer significant advantages over traditional oil-based, solvent-based, and water-based ink systems, making them increasingly popular in various printing applications. UV-curable inks contain reactive monomers and oligomers that polymerize and cure rapidly upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, resulting in instant drying and curing of the printed ink film. This rapid curing process eliminates the need for drying time and enables high-speed printing operations, improving productivity and reducing production downtime. Additionally, UV-curable inks produce vibrant colors, sharp images, and high-resolution prints with excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrates, including paper, plastic, metal, and glass. In addition, UV-curable ink resins offer superior durability, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, and outdoor weatherability, making them ideal for applications requiring long-lasting and high-performance printed materials, such as labels, packaging, signage, and displays. Further, UV-curable inks are environmentally friendly, as they contain minimal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), leading to reduced emissions and improved workplace safety compared to solvent-based ink systems. Additionally, UV-curable inks facilitate energy-efficient printing processes, as they require less energy for drying and curing compared to thermal drying methods used in traditional ink systems. As industries prioritize sustainability, productivity, and quality in their printing operations, the UV-curable-based segment of the ink resins market is poised for significant growth, presenting lucrative opportunities for industry stakeholders.
The flexography segment is the fastest-growing sector in the Ink Resins Market, driven by diverse critical factors propelling its rapid expansion. Flexographic printing, also known as flexo printing, is a versatile and widely used printing process for packaging, labels, newspapers, and other printed materials. Flexo printing utilizes flexible relief plates and fast-drying ink systems to transfer images onto various substrates, including paper, film, foil, and cardboard, with high speed and precision. Flexographic printing offers diverse advantages over other printing processes, such as lithography and gravure, making it increasingly popular in the packaging and label printing industries. Firstly, flexo printing allows for efficient and cost-effective production of large volumes of printed materials, thanks to its high-speed capabilities and suitability for long print runs. In addition, flexographic printing offers excellent print quality, color vibrancy, and image resolution, making it suitable for a wide range of applications requiring vibrant and attractive packaging designs. Additionally, advancements in flexo-printing technology, such as improved ink formulations, plate-making processes, press automation, and digital printing integration, enhance the efficiency, flexibility, and versatility of flexo-printing operations. Further, the growing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging solutions drives the adoption of water-based and UV-curable inks in flexographic printing, further fueling the growth of the segment. As brand owners and converters seek to differentiate their products with high-quality packaging and labels while meeting sustainability goals, the flexography segment of the ink resins market is poised for significant growth, presenting lucrative opportunities for industry stakeholders.
By Type
Modified Rosin
Hydrocarbon
Modified Cellulose
Acrylic
Polyamide
Polyurethane
Others
By Technology
Oil-Based
Solvent-Based
Water-Based
UV-Curable-Based
By Printing Process
Lithography
Gravure
Flexography
Others
By Application
Printing & Publication
Flexible Packaging
Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons
Others
Arakawa Chemical Industries Ltd
BASF SE
Covestro AG
Evonik Industries AG
Hydrite Chemical Co.
IGM Resins
Indulor Chemie GmbH
Kraton Corp
Lawter
The Dow Chemical Company
*- List Not Exhaustive
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Introduction to 2024 Ink Resins Market
1.1 Market Overview
1.2 Quick Facts
1.3 Scope/Objective of the Study
1.4 Market Definition
1.5 Countries and Regions Covered
1.6 Units, Currency, and Conversions
1.7 Industry Value Chain
2 Research Methodology
2.1 Market Size Estimation
2.2 Sources and Research Methodology
2.3 Data Triangulation
2.4 Assumptions and Limitations
3 Executive Summary
3.1 Global Ink Resins Market Size Outlook, $ Million, 2021 to 2030
3.2 Ink Resins Market Outlook by Type, $ Million, 2021 to 2030
3.3 Ink Resins Market Outlook by Product, $ Million, 2021 to 2030
3.4 Ink Resins Market Outlook by Application, $ Million, 2021 to 2030
3.5 Ink Resins Market Outlook by Key Countries, $ Million, 2021 to 2030
4 Market Dynamics
4.1 Key Driving Forces of Ink Resins Industry
4.2 Key Market Trends in Ink Resins Industry
4.3 Potential Opportunities in Ink Resins Industry
4.4 Key Challenges in Ink Resins Industry
5 Market Factor Analysis
5.1 Value Chain Analysis
5.2 Competitive Landscape
5.2.1 Global Ink Resins Market Share by Company (%), 2023
5.2.2 Product Offerings by Company
5.3 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
5.4 Pricing Analysis and Outlook
6 Growth Outlook Across Scenarios
6.1 Growth Analysis-Case Scenario Definitions
6.2 Low Growth Scenario Forecasts
6.3 Reference Growth Scenario Forecasts
6.4 High Growth Scenario Forecasts
7 Global Ink Resins Market Outlook by Segments
7.1 Ink Resins Market Outlook by Segments, $ Million, 2021- 2030
By Type
Modified Rosin
Hydrocarbon
Modified Cellulose
Acrylic
Polyamide
Polyurethane
Others
By Technology
Oil-Based
Solvent-Based
Water-Based
UV-Curable-Based
By Printing Process
Lithography
Gravure
Flexography
Others
By Application
Printing & Publication
Flexible Packaging
Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons
Others
8 North America Ink Resins Market Analysis and Outlook To 2030
8.1 Introduction to North America Ink Resins Markets in 2024
8.2 North America Ink Resins Market Size Outlook by Country, 2021-2030
8.2.1 United States
8.2.2 Canada
8.2.3 Mexico
8.3 North America Ink Resins Market size Outlook by Segments, 2021-2030
By Type
Modified Rosin
Hydrocarbon
Modified Cellulose
Acrylic
Polyamide
Polyurethane
Others
By Technology
Oil-Based
Solvent-Based
Water-Based
UV-Curable-Based
By Printing Process
Lithography
Gravure
Flexography
Others
By Application
Printing & Publication
Flexible Packaging
Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons
Others
9 Europe Ink Resins Market Analysis and Outlook To 2030
9.1 Introduction to Europe Ink Resins Markets in 2024
9.2 Europe Ink Resins Market Size Outlook by Country, 2021-2030
9.2.1 Germany
9.2.2 France
9.2.3 Spain
9.2.4 United Kingdom
9.2.4 Italy
9.2.5 Russia
9.2.6 Norway
9.2.7 Rest of Europe
9.3 Europe Ink Resins Market Size Outlook by Segments, 2021-2030
By Type
Modified Rosin
Hydrocarbon
Modified Cellulose
Acrylic
Polyamide
Polyurethane
Others
By Technology
Oil-Based
Solvent-Based
Water-Based
UV-Curable-Based
By Printing Process
Lithography
Gravure
Flexography
Others
By Application
Printing & Publication
Flexible Packaging
Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons
Others
10 Asia Pacific Ink Resins Market Analysis and Outlook To 2030
10.1 Introduction to Asia Pacific Ink Resins Markets in 2024
10.2 Asia Pacific Ink Resins Market Size Outlook by Country, 2021-2030
10.2.1 China
10.2.2 India
10.2.3 Japan
10.2.4 South Korea
10.2.5 Indonesia
10.2.6 Malaysia
10.2.7 Australia
10.2.8 Rest of Asia Pacific
10.3 Asia Pacific Ink Resins Market size Outlook by Segments, 2021-2030
By Type
Modified Rosin
Hydrocarbon
Modified Cellulose
Acrylic
Polyamide
Polyurethane
Others
By Technology
Oil-Based
Solvent-Based
Water-Based
UV-Curable-Based
By Printing Process
Lithography
Gravure
Flexography
Others
By Application
Printing & Publication
Flexible Packaging
Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons
Others
11 South America Ink Resins Market Analysis and Outlook To 2030
11.1 Introduction to South America Ink Resins Markets in 2024
11.2 South America Ink Resins Market Size Outlook by Country, 2021-2030
11.2.1 Brazil
11.2.2 Argentina
11.2.3 Rest of South America
11.3 South America Ink Resins Market size Outlook by Segments, 2021-2030
By Type
Modified Rosin
Hydrocarbon
Modified Cellulose
Acrylic
Polyamide
Polyurethane
Others
By Technology
Oil-Based
Solvent-Based
Water-Based
UV-Curable-Based
By Printing Process
Lithography
Gravure
Flexography
Others
By Application
Printing & Publication
Flexible Packaging
Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons
Others
12 Middle East and Africa Ink Resins Market Analysis and Outlook To 2030
12.1 Introduction to Middle East and Africa Ink Resins Markets in 2024
12.2 Middle East and Africa Ink Resins Market Size Outlook by Country, 2021-2030
12.2.1 Saudi Arabia
12.2.2 UAE
12.2.3 Oman
12.2.4 Rest of Middle East
12.2.5 Egypt
12.2.6 Nigeria
12.2.7 South Africa
12.2.8 Rest of Africa
12.3 Middle East and Africa Ink Resins Market size Outlook by Segments, 2021-2030
By Type
Modified Rosin
Hydrocarbon
Modified Cellulose
Acrylic
Polyamide
Polyurethane
Others
By Technology
Oil-Based
Solvent-Based
Water-Based
UV-Curable-Based
By Printing Process
Lithography
Gravure
Flexography
Others
By Application
Printing & Publication
Flexible Packaging
Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons
Others
13 Company Profiles
13.1 Company Snapshot
13.2 SWOT Profiles
13.3 Products and Services
13.4 Recent Developments
13.5 Financial Profile
Arakawa Chemical Industries Ltd
BASF SE
Covestro AG
Evonik Industries AG
Hydrite Chemical Co.
IGM Resins
Indulor Chemie GmbH
Kraton Corp
Lawter
The Dow Chemical Company
14 Appendix
14.1 Customization Offerings
14.2 Subscription Services
14.3 Related Reports
14.4 Publisher Expertise
By Type
Modified Rosin
Hydrocarbon
Modified Cellulose
Acrylic
Polyamide
Polyurethane
Others
By Technology
Oil-Based
Solvent-Based
Water-Based
UV-Curable-Based
By Printing Process
Lithography
Gravure
Flexography
Others
By Application
Printing & Publication
Flexible Packaging
Corrugated Cardboard & Cartons
Others
Countries Analyzed
North America (US, Canada, Mexico)
Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe)
Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South East Asia, Rest of Asia)
South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America)
Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Rest of Middle East, South Africa, Egypt, Rest of Africa)
Global Ink Resins is forecast to reach $4 Billion in 2030 from $3.2 Billion in 2024, registering a CAGR of 3.9% over the outlook period
Emerging Markets across Asia Pacific, Europe, and Americas present robust growth prospects.
Arakawa Chemical Industries Ltd, BASF SE, Covestro AG, Evonik Industries AG, Hydrite Chemical Co., IGM Resins, Indulor Chemie GmbH, Kraton Corp, Lawter, The Dow Chemical Company
Base Year- 2023; Estimated Year- 2024; Historic Period- 2018-2023; Forecast period- 2024 to 2030; Currency: Revenue (USD); Volume