SIEGBURG, Germany — Siegwerk, a supplier of printing inks for packaging applications and labels, and Varcotec, a specialist in overprint varnishes made for the printing industry, have entered into a distribution partnership for Varcotec's Lock 3 antimicrobial coating technology in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa). This dispersion varnish is the first of its kind and was developed in cooperation with a spin-off company affiliated with the University of Regensburg, Germany. Several independent testing institutions have already confirmed the antimicrobial effectiveness of this product.
“With the integration of Varcotec's innovative product technology, we are adding a unique solution for various applications and packaging industries to our portfolio, thereby once again reinforcing the holistic nature of our offers for the packaging market,” said Hanns Martin Kaiser, Vice President Paper & Board EMEA and Liquid Food Packaging at Siegwerk. Even if printed surfaces on packaging generally do not constitute a hazard, consumers continue to be exposed to potentially contaminated surfaces. As different germs (e.g. viruses, bacteria, fungi) exhibit varying survival times, the Lock 3 technology makes a valuable contribution to avoid risks of transmitting bacterial and viral infections when products’ printed surfaces (outer packaging, partitions, exercise books, etc.) are handled by multiple people in short time. Lock 3 antimicrobial solutions help to provide extra security in a multitude of applications by interrupting chains of infection early on.