DuPont, recognized for transforming and empowering the industry with its vision for inkjet printing and ink innovation, caught the eyes of visitors by showcasing an extended range of pigment inks at ITMA 2023. DuPont focused on ecological requirements by answering the demand of the textile industry concerning the innovations that have been shown at the exhibition.
The company’s booth concept highlighted the pigment ink developments in terms of sustainability and technology. DuPont’s DTF product, Artistri® P1600, emphasized having more productivity, brighter colours, and safer design disciplines, which attracted intense interest from customers as the major statement of the booth.
DuPont’s Global Business Leader Tucker Norton and EMEA Business Leader Gary Weyman, making an evaluation of ITMA 2023 to Textilegence, noted that the exhibition was highly positive, and they welcomed numerous visitors from different countries. Norton said that after the pandemic it is exciting to come back together with an international gathering and detailed the experience at ITMA 2023: “I think it is very exciting to see what the latest innovations are at the show. It is about learning what is the latest in the market, and what the key trends are. You miss that when you are remote.”
DuPont enhances the range of pigment inks answering the market’s expectations
Focusing on the innovation of pigment inks, DuPont showed that they have developed them and regards them as one of the company’s core competences. Gary Weyman stated that pigment is their main focus since it will be the future and the essential of the industry and pointed out that they have launched DTF Product, Artistri® P1600’s extended range of pigment inks at the exhibition. Emphasizing the strong presence of DuPont in the sector, Weyman detailed their booth’s showcase: “Artistri P1600 is our major statement and what we are most proud of. And we are actively ready to go to the market. We have got some customers already using it and are very happy with the product. In addition, we are showing our DTG and roll-to-roll pigment inks in a range of viscosities, low, medium, and high. We are stating that our focus, our future lies with pigment because of the way the market perceives it and the ecological requirements. That is where we feel we have a good match with market expectations.”
Tucker Norton also noted that DuPont makes innovations regarding the market’s needs and transformation. He evaluated the reason for the main emphasis on pigment as: “Frankly, from a business perspective, it is more sustainable. It is where we can bring our innovation to bear. DTF is growing at double-digit percent rates. It is taking share from DTG (Direct to Garment). And there is a lot of need for a higher opacity, higher productivity type of ink. And that is what we are bringing to market to help address those needs.” Besides, he pointed out that DTF Artistri P1600 offers brighter colors, higher productivity, and safety by design principles and does not contain ethylene glycol, which has been a concern for producers and end-users.
Dupont highlights the transformation in the industry with its 2030 sustainability vision
Showing DuPont’s purpose is to use science and innovation to create a sustainable world, the company’s 2030 vision aims to reduce emissions, waste, and water management by contributing to the environment. In this context, Tucker Norton explained that over 80% of their projects in terms of innovation have a very clear tie to some element of sustainability. He also specified that pigment inks do not require processes that consume high levels of energy and water and added that pigment inks are more versatile and environmentally friendly.
Gary Weyman said that sustainability is DuPont’s top-down initiative which they are working on collaboratively. By stating that they provide their products based on customers’ demand and need, he disclosed: “DuPont businesses are required to work towards 2030 sustainability goals. In the case of switching from reactive to pigment, we have a team of technical application specialists who will work with customers. They work with suppliers and make sure that the customers are happy with the product and that is what we are doing, in addition, to making sure that with that transition goes at the speed the customer wants to go. We make this journey by including meeting with the customers providing assurance and looking for innovative ways, for example, to get the hand feel and the tactile qualities that you would expect to have. We are aware of that and working on that level of support.”
“Türkiye is leading the way in the conversion to pigment”
Gary Weyman and Tucker Norton expressed their gratitude regarding the visitors from all over the world that interested company’s booth, especially from Türkiye. Weyman stated that Turkish customers have a lot of energy concerning the transformation and conversion of the industry, saying: “I think Türkiye is leading the way in the conversion to pigment. They are at the stage where they are saying that they must work out and move to pigments soon. So, Turkish conversations are at the forefront.”
In this context, Norton added that Türkiye has a really important role for them by disclosing: “A lot of very entrepreneurial businesspeople in Türkiye create new businesses and want our assistance. We are excited about that. It is especially pleasing to be here at ITMA 2023 together with our distribution partner for Turkiye, Promar Industrial Chemicals. We hope that some of the more macro factors can move to the sidelines so that we can see maybe the true potential that Türkiye is going forward.”