Posted: September 25, 2009

(Nanowerk News) The RUSNANO Supervisory Council has agreed to co-finance a project for the manufacture of nano-ink and hi-tech digital printing equipment.

The project will produce large-format digital inkjet UV printers and UV nano-ink. Production of solvent nano-ink to complete the product line is also planned.

This is the first project of the Novosibirsk Region to be approved for financing by RUSNANO. The applicant, Novosibirsk company SUN, is the only one in Russia specializing in development and production of large-format digital inkjet UV printers and UV ink. Over the last three years SUN has developed an innovative digital UV-printing system which utilizes nano-sized pigments and additives in its nano-ink and ultra-bright gallium nitride heterostructure-based UV light-emitting diodes in its printers.

In addition to conventional printing of promotional products, printers utilizing SUN’s technology enable printing on furniture, tile, glass, equipment, electronic devices, suspended ceilings, decorative panels, and other materials. The products of project company will render superior quality color reproduction and high light resistance and will provide improved efficiency, lower TCO resulting in lower print costs, and longer shelf life.

The end users of a project, representing a wide variety of Russian industries, will gain a competitive edge which will allow them to upgrade their products (printing expendables, construction materials, furniture, household appliances) with enhanced consumer properties. Other sectors like solar cells and printable electronics will also benefit from this technology by introducing digital inkjet printing into their production cycles.

The project participants - RUSNANO, SUN, and financial co-investors— will contribute to the project company’s equity and provide loans for working capital and equipment leasing. Estimated project investments total 1.114 billion rubles, including 166 million rubles from RUSNANO.

The investment return period of a project is set at 2.5 years with revenues estimated to reach 5.7 billion rubles in 2015. Additional research and development activities required for the development of ink compositions for various print head models and carrier materials and an upgrade of printer design for commercial production are to be completed by the end of 2010. The production lines are to be constructed by early 2011.

"This project will allow us to set up a high-technology production in Novosibirsk, competitive in the global market. The project is very promising and SUN has done a great deal of its preparation. Our task is to support the project and promote SUN as one of the global market leaders in large-format UV printing equipment and ink" said Dmitry Lisenkov, RUSNANO Managing Director.

In the early stages, the products will be targeted primarily at Russian market. Future sales will be expanded into Europe, North America, and Asia both through its own dealerships and contracts with independent distributors.

The project’s target market is large-format digital inkjet UV printers and UV ink. The market volume of UV printers in 2008 amounted to 2,766 printers (with a forecasted growth of 85% by 2013) and 607 million dollars in revenues (with a forecasted growth of 63% by 2013). The market volume of UV ink in 2008 was 1,638 thousand liters (with a forecasted growth of 117% by 2013) and 248 million dollars in revenues (with a forecasted growth of 64% by 2013). The potential market share for SUN NEO UV-LED Evolution printers is estimated at 25%. (The current leader of this segment of the market is OCE Arizona 200/250GT at 33%. The SUN NEO UV-LED Evolution printer exceeds this model in all key parameters.) The potential share for UV ink is 100% for SUN NEO UV-LED Evolution printers.

The SUN group of companies is the only developer and manufacturer of printers and ink for large-format digital inkjet UV printing in Russia. The first of four companies that comprise this group was Infinity Service Center, established in 2001. Infinity mainly specializes in the maintenance and repair of large-format digital inkjet printers, both solvent and UV. In 2005, SUN-Engineering (producer of UV printers) and Sobolek (producer of sovent and UV ink) were founded. SUN, formed in 2006, runs logistics and internal/external marketing for the manufacturing entities of the group. On August 21, 2008 the company became a member of the SibAcademInnovation Association.