Brancher - Printing Inks Co.

Acquisition of BRANCHER - Juin 2012

Société Brancher — 2012-11-20T17:50:14Z

We have the pleasure to announce that SUZHOU KINGSWOOD PRINTING INKS has acquired 100% of BRANCHER Co. effective on June 1st, 2012.

KINGSWOOD guarantees the best business continuity for BRANCHER Co preserving 82 employees at the Head Office and 3 domestic agencies. The subsidiary in Poland, Brancher Central Europe, is also preserved.

SUZHOU KINGSWOOD PRINTING INKS Co is the leading conventional offset printing inks manufacturer in China. KINGSWOOD has 250 employees and a turnover of 55M€, 35% of which is made outside of China. Originally a family business, KINGSWOOD became a Public Company listed at Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

The KINGSWOOD's acquisition of BRANCHER will make the best use of BRANCHER's assets and expertise. The new strategy will be built on BRANCHER's strengths by:

· Maintaining the current sheetfed production in France and specializing the development in UV inks, Liquid inks, specific inks for foodstuff packaging industry and high added-value products (Base Concentrates for mixing stations, Smart'Up inks for special effect and security printing.

· Generating cost savings due to the strong synergy between booth entities and the economies of scale in terms of purchasing power.

· Keeping the commitment to the high levels of quality and services for which BRANCHER has been renowned for decades.

· Upgrading R&D center in order to improve BRANCHER's portfolio and develop new technology inks.

· Ensuring the promotion of BRANCHER's trademark in the world.

· Developing aggressively sales in France and Worldwide.

· Providing access to new markets for all BRANCHER's products via KINGSWOOD's current sales network.

This dynamic business plan is exceptionally attractive for BRANCHER's partners and customers providing increased long term market competitiveness and new opportunities.

Brancher Company improves its carbon footprint – December 2011

Philippe Juillet — 2011-12-28T10:06:39Z

The production plant of the Company Brancher is located in a department, Eure et Loir, that already has a fleet of 137 wind turbines.

The opening in 2012 of a new photovoltaic power plant in Crucey-Villages will allow the Company Brancher to further improve its carbon footprint.

Be remembered that our Company limits CO₂ emissions transportation-related through its network of local stations Dayamix System(r), located in areas with a high density of printing companies. It thus contributes to the preservation of the Environment.

New packaging for Brancher products– November 2011

Philippe Juillet — 2011-11-15T14:50:04Z

Brancher is changing the labelling of its offset and UV products. This is for two reasons: to allow printers to more easily achieve rigorous traceability, and to improve the technical information available about the products.

In addition, by removing the white from the 1 kg and 2.5 kg metal vacuum containers Brancher is responding to shortage of titanium white pigment and the corresponding increase in prices. This simpler metal packaging allows Brancher to reduce its carbon footprint.
A barcode in the code 128 format is included on the labels of the offset and UV products. It contains 16 numerical characters. The first nine identify the product while the following seven are the manufacturing batch number. The new barcode can be read by a scanner at the place and time when it is used in the printing works. This makes it easy to meet traceability requirements for materials used in printing food packaging (regulation (EC) 1935/2004).
The icons below relate to the PSO certification of certain CMYK ranges, and for other products to their suitability for printing food packaging.
Les The last two icons indicate Brancher's commitment to protecting health and the environment.
Finally, the labelling of dangerous preparations (European Directive of 31st May 1999) remains unchanged.

Launch of new UV Photon LOLM range in South Africa – June 2011

Philippe Juillet — 2011-06-29T09:58:35Z

South Africa has a high-tech graphics industry capable of responding to the needs of both its export and its domestic markets.

The printing of food packaging is already facing the challenge of the new European regulations which require the use of “LOLM” (low odour, low migration) inks.

Lead by Stéphane Atoumo, International Development Director, a BRANCHER team spend 4 days working alongside Mike Lourens and Ian Trethowan of IMVUSA, the distributor of BRANCHER inks in the Eastern Cape province. Their shared goal was to present the new Photon LOLM range to the EH WALTON PACKAGING (Pty) Ltd. printing company, located in Port Elizabeth, with whom a three-way technical development partnership has been formed. EH WALTON's ambition is to be the first in South Africa to develop expertise in printing food packaging in accordance with the new European regulations.

Thierry Perrot, BRANCHER's head of UV R&D, was present for industrial trials of the new Photon LOLM. After 48 hours of uninterrupted tests, the inks were found to have excellent stability and colouring power, as well as remarkable drying performance, as tested on various types of cardboard.

Hosted jointly by Magali Richard, BRANCHER's Director of R&D, and Ian Trethowan of IMVUSA, a technical conference on the topic of inks and the safety of food packaging gave rise to a wave of interest from EH WALTON managers. They took BRANCHER's advice with a view to becoming the first company in South Africa to conform to the new European regulations on the printing of food packaging.

Following conferences in Uruguay, Russia, Poland and South Africa, the next will be held in Greece in July.

Printing on Food Packaging: last April's technical seminar aroused the interest of many professionals. May 2011.

Philippe Juillet — 2011-05-25T09:07:03Z

The food packaging manufacturing industry is at the head of a marked trend towards vigilance and care in relation to the materials supplied to the public.

Delphine OTTENIO of the Pulp and Paper Research & Technical Centre, Christian GIMENEZ of Intertek laboratories and Magali RICHARD, R&D director for Brancher, took it in turns on 7th April to present the regulations and issues applying to this sector.

The printing of food packaging aroused the interest of many professionals, because it offers them an opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition.

In addition to the necessary technical expertise, the contributors showed how the complexity of the regulatory framework places a high level of responsibility on the printer. By allowing certain participants to assess their level of knowledge, the seminar increased their interest in investing in a specialist area which is more complex than they imagined.

Brancher took advantage of this to reaffirm its commitment to protecting human health via its LO/LM formulations.

Success for the new Natura V Series. Printing of foodstuff packaging. Feb 2011.

Philippe Juillet — 2011-02-15T16:04:37Z

Launched in July of 2010 in the French and export markets, the sales of Natura V Series have jumped to more than 52,000 kg during the first six months.

The speed of this success is due to the guidance provided by the Brancher Company concerning the new regulations applicable to foodstuff packaging. The company organized seminars and workshops in 2010 for printers in Russia, Poland, and, of course, France.
Natura V was formulated according to the EuPIA (European Printing Ink Association) guide applicable to inks for foodstuff packaging to ensure that it conformed to the inertia criteria of regulation CE 1935/2004. The Natura V inks have the double advantage of being low odor (LO) and low migration (LM).
Naturally, the Natura V formula contains neither heavy metal-based pigments, CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction) substances, nor substances of very high concern (SVHC). Therefore, they present no danger to human health. Use of exclusively vegetable-based thinners allows Natura V to be classed within the category of Vegetable Inks.
Retaining exceptional inking stability even at high speed, Natura V conforms to the colorimetric standard ISO 2846. Its color strength makes it possible to enhance the visual impact of foodstuff packaging. A new technical seminar will take place at Tremblay Les Villages (28), headquarters of the Brancher Company, on 7 April 2011 addressing the theme "The Printing of Foodstuff Packaging."

BRANCHER highlights its commitment to protecting human health (January 2011)

Philippe Juillet — 2011-01-13T14:30:42Z

BRANCHER has long been committed to respect for the environment and protection of the safety of individuals. In order to respond to the reinforcement of regulations aiming to protect human health, Brancher's R&D department has carried out a major revision of its formulations.

For the sake of transparency and in order to answer many customers' question, Brancher Company has created a logo specifically for health friendly products.

Products on which this logo is applied comply with the following characteristics:

1. The absence of pigments based on heavy metals in the inks, such as lead, cadmium, chromium VI and mercury.

2. Absence of CMR (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to Reproduction) substances in the formulations.

Classification and labelling of CMR substances pursuant to Directive 67/548/EEC

In particular, the R&D department has replaced cobalt salts and hydroquinone (category 3 carcinogenic according to Directive 67/548/EEC relating to dangerous substances) in all its formulations.

Furthermore, these formulations use modified GumRosin resins without phenol (category 3 mutagenic according to Directive 67/548/EEC relating to dangerous substances) or formaldehyde (category 3 carcinogenic according to Directive 67/548/EEC relating to dangerous substances).

3. Absence of substances of very high concern (SVHC) listed in Annex XIV of Regulation 1907/2006/EEC (REACH). These substances are defined as follows:

Substances classified as category 1 or 2 CMR according to Directive 67/548/EEC
Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) substances
Very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances, in accordance with the criteria of Annex XIII of the REACH regulation.
Substances with properties which affect the endocrine system or for which it has been scientifically proven that they have serious effects on human health or the environment.

4. Absence of photo initiators based on ITX- and benzophenone (and derivatives thereof). The replacement of these substances in the UV formulations has been done by our R&D laboratories following various health warnings issued by the EFSA – European Food Safety Agency (ITX: 2005, 4-methyl-benzophenone: 2009)

The “Préservation de la Santé Humaine” (Health Friendly) logo will be added to process Logo 18000 and Krypto next February, and process Design next April.

Magali Richard january 10, 2011

R&D Director

BRANCHER expands its international network (January 2011)

Philippe Juillet — 2011-01-13T14:28:28Z

(Summary of article by Jean-Jacques TALPIN which appeared in the daily newspaper LA TRIBUNE on 27th December 2010, in the section PME EN CROISSANCE [growing small and medium sized companies])

A specialist in inks and varnishes for the graphics industry, the company is continuing its development outside of France despite the printing crisis.

"We have a global view of our market”…explains CEO S Brancher, who relies on the reactivity: “our lead times are between 12 and 24 hours".

A specialist in inks and varnishes for the graphics industry, the company is continuing its development outside of France despite the printing crisis.

With the recent establishment of two colourimetric stations in Romania and Ukraine, Brancher has taken another step towards achieving a global network.

Brancher now exports almost 50% of its annual 3,000 tonnes of ink to some sixty countries.

Its growth is based on the “Dayamix System” network, which is made up of all of its colourimetric stations. Hosted by partners, these offer a local service to meet the growing demand for specific colours achieved by mixing.

The “Dayamix System” network now includes 26 stations worldwide, and six new ones will be added in 2011, in Egypt, Belarus, Tunisia, Chile and Argentina.

For several years now Brancher has had a presence in a growing market: high-quality packaging. Brancher's R&D department has invested heavily in inks for food packaging, with special formulations and inks which have low odour and with which the pigments are not transferred to the food.

From this year, all colourimetric stations will be able to provide special inks for printing on food packaging.

The sector of inks for food packaging is especially demanding in terms of quality, innovation and responsiveness: three of the characteristics on which Brancher prides itself.

Sébastien BRANCHER january 10, 2011

CEO

Best wishes (January 2011)

Philippe Juillet — 2011-01-13T14:23:02Z

Meilleurs vœux pour 2011

Very happy & prosperous New years

Feliz año Nuevo 2011

News Flash : Acceleration of price rises for raw materials for printing ink industry from July 2010

Philippe Juillet — 2010-12-15T14:14:31Z

GumRosin-based phenolic resins for offset inks and varnishes

As we publish this newsflash, we are informed that offset resins, whose main ingredient is GumRosin, are going to see a new and significant increase in price from the start of 2011, which will mean their prices will have doubled since the start of 2010.

Hopes that GumRosin prices would return to more reasonable levels in the third quarter were disappointed. The rapid increase in price from august onwards reached a record level from october of this year.

General price rises for all raw materials

Current heavy demand and the impact of the 2008/2009 economic and financial crisis have resulted in supply shortages for several months now.

More generally, 2010 saw a sharp and significant rise in the costs of many raw materials from the second quarter, both for vegetable- and oil-based materials:

- Offset inks: Oil-based solvents, linseed oil and soy oil, GumRosin resins

- UV inks: monomers and oligomers, photoinitiators

- Flexo inks: Solvents, acrylic resins, nitrocelluloses

- The pigments used in the manufacturing of all types of inks have also not escaped this trend – carbon black, titanium dioxide, violet 023, phtalocyanine blue and green and other organic pigments.

A new rise in the prices of printing inks is now inevitable from the start of 2011.