Michelman & HP Indigo: A History of Collaborative Innovation

The digital printing industry continues to benefit from 15 years of collaborative innovation between Michelman and HP Indigo. While HP Indigo frequently offers printers, converters, and paper mills new options in presses and application techniques on a variety of substrates, we evolve along with them, offering advanced priming solutions that optimize paper and film substrates to produce the best possible printed output. 

Michelman’s DigiPrime® is the recommended brand of in-line and off-line primers for HP Indigo commercial and labels & packaging presses. Both Sapphire and DigiPrime® for HP Indigo presses help achieve different coating requirements, and Michelman China has been partnering with Beijing-based Syntax Technology in serving the region’s customers with DigiPrime® primers. Their excellent adhesion to a wide variety of substrates and HP Indigo ElectroInk offers versatility and security for applications ranging from magazines to label printing to flexible packaging. Michelman provides the only HP-certified primers for their presses with solutions that offer: 

• Outstanding print receptivity on multiple substrates
• Excellent ink adhesion
• Food compliant options
• Compliant options for use in compostable packaging
• Environmentally friendly water-based chemistry
• Blanket compatibility

IN-LINE & OFF-LINE PRIMERS ADVANTAGES

DigiPrime®, used by many digital press owners around the world because of its ability to improve ink receptivity, rub resistance, blanket compatibility, and image quality on most types of paper, plastic, and film, also provides improved productivity and efficiency for digital printing on both commercial and labels & packaging presses.

Furthermore, HP Indigo has high capacity presses equipped with in-line priming applicators (ILPs). Michelman has developed primers specifically for this equipment and the applications associated with each. Utilizing Michelman’s primers offer other productivity and cost advantages.

• Reduced substrate certification time due to superior adhesion to HP Indigo ElectronInk
• Economically efficient substrate treatment because of very low coat weights
• Less ink usage while maintaining outstanding image and print quality 
• Reduced operating costs with the extended service life of HP Indigo blanket 

OVERPRINT VARNISHES

Our DigiGuard® water-based and UV curable overprint varnishes protect and enhance the appearance of printed materials. Various grades are available for commercial print production; form, fill, and seal packaging; and food contact applications. 

For HP Indigo digital press owners expanding into the growing high-performance label printing market, including segments such as personal care products and household chemicals, Michelman offers DigiGuard® 901, a strengthener for HP Indigo validated UV OPVs used with Michelman’s in-line primers. It enables enhanced water, chemical, and thermal durability. This technology helps create durable labels that can stand up to scuffing in transit, water, heat, cold, and chemicals for excellent results. 

MICHELMAN’S FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

Protecting the environment is not just a trend; it is one of our most serious commitments. Solvent-free DigiPrime® is environmentally-friendly and prioritizes health and safety during use. These water-based primers are safer to apply, conserve resources, and better protect printed materials. Our regulatory affairs knowledge keeps pace with ever-changing industry regulations, and our scientists develop new primers and OPVs with a “sustainability first” approach. 

Michelman and HP Indigo engage our marketing, technical, and executive teams in bi-annual meetings to help facilitate and implement innovative and sustainable technology for printers, converters, and paper mills. Through constant innovation and collaboration, we aim to not only meet the ever-changing industry standards but also surpass them.

• Our HP-certified Michelman primers for flexible packaging have recently passed extensive testing for ecotoxicity, heavy metals, and fluorine content, which conform to leading industry standards such as ASTM and the European Committee of Standardization.¹ 
• Additionally, our repulpable DigiPrime® grades have been favored by paper mills for more than a decade.

^{1 – Organic Waste Systems Laboratories testing certified up to specified limits. Contact your representative for more details.}

THE VALUE OF PARTNERING WITH MICHELMAN

Michelman has a long tradition of innovation and sustainability with environmentally-friendly chemistry. Our global collaboration centers incorporate dedicated space, technical expertise, and cutting-edge technology to promote collaborative innovation between partners, customers, service providers, and suppliers of multiple industries’ value chains. With facilities all over the world, including the Advanced Material Collaboration Center (AMCC) at our global headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Michelman Innovation Centre for Coatings (MICC) in Mumbai, India, the Michelman Asia-Pacific Technology & Innovation Centre, and the Michelman (China) Sustainability Center in Shanghai, China, we accelerate the development of innovative and sustainable water-based technology. Because of this, we can engage with OEMs in the development of next-generation equipment, and with ink and substrate producers to expand the digital space. Innovations in digital printing depend on the entire ecosystem, working together and collaborating across the supply chain.