Inks Modern Technology Factory (IMTF) will soon add two more items to its production line: pad printing ink and toners.

The company, part of Riyadh-based Modern Plastics Technology, was established two years ago in co-operation with German-based Zeller & Gmelin, producers of UV ink, according to the company’s industrial engineer Nasser Mohammed.
Mohammed says plans are underway to introduce production lines in early 2007 to begin manufacturing pad printing ink and toners for export across the Gulf.
“Our initial operations included the production of UV inks,” he continued. “Since then, we have added a number of other items serving the printing fields: packaging, labels, commercials and other specialties.
Mohammed says the company offers two types of UV inks, invisible ink and partially visible inks. 
“Our invisible inks are completely invisible under normal light but shine a bright white, blue or red under ultraviolet (UV) or black light,” he explained. “The invisible ink dries without any visible trace.  The ink can be marked on paper, wood, plastic, skin and many other surfaces.  The invisible inks fluoresce in either the visible or infrared spectrum.
“In addition, we also have a variety of partially visible inks that shine brightly under UV light, but that sometimes can be detected depending on the surface,” he continued. “On a coloured surface or skin, the ink is very difficult to detect, although on white paper, you can see the ink as faded colours under normal light. Under UV light, the colours become very sharp and vibrant.”
Other IMTF products include dry offset ink, flexo ink for paper and foil, letter press ink, waterless ink, lacquers and special inks.
“This year, we added silk screen printing ink to our product line in co-operation with another well-known German manufacturer, Marabuwerke,” he added.
Mohammed says many types of this ink are produced for silk screen applications, mainly containers and bottles printing ink, CD & DVD printing ink, glass and metal printing ink, and graphic printing ink.
“More than half of our production is dedicated for export throughout the Gulf, and to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Egypt where we have sole distributorship from our associate,” he noted. “Other associates relating to printing are working with us and we represent them in the same territory.”
Associates include Kiwo (screen printing chemicals), Saati (screen printing mesh and accessories), Zecher (anilox rollers), Polywest (sleeve systems) and X-Rite (colour management systems).
In line with its ambitions, Mohammed says the company is careful not to compromise on quality and imports all its raw materials.
“With the same consideration in mind, the company has opened specialised laboratories for the different types of ink with the highest standards for testing ink quality and for developing new products,” he added.