WEST DES MOINES, — Soy ink's U.S. market share is on the grow, telling a story of success and sustainability.
According to a trade group, use of the alternative to petroleum-based ink has quadrupled in the United States during the previous decade, from less than 5% in 1989 to 22.5% today. That's equal to the oil from more than nine million bushels of soybeans. And there's still room to grow, according to the group: When soy ink reaches its full potential, it could consume more than 40 million bushels of soybeans annually.
According to Jo Patterson, coordinator of the National Soy Ink Information Center in Des Moines, one fourth of the nation's 50,000-plus commercial printers use soy ink, as do a third of U.S. newspapers. More than 90% of the nation's daily newspapers use color soy ink, Patterson said.
And soy ink apparently is making great strides in Asia, where soybeans originated more than 5,000 years ago. According to Patterson, there is a tremendous opportunity for market growth in Asia, where soy ink is making news as leading printers, corporations and newspapers are making the switch from petroleum-based ink to soy ink.
Panasonic is the highest profile corporate user of soy ink in Japan, with its video and audio divisions worldwide using soy ink on packaging, instruction sheets and catalogs, according to a spokesperson there.
Matsushita Electronics Group, the world's largest manufacturer of consumer electronics, produces Panasonic. As a result of working with ASA in Japan, Matsushita has committed to incorporating soy ink into more of its packaging materials, promotional brochures, and consumer instructional booklets.
Shin Nihon Kogyo, a printer working for Matsushita Electronics Group exclusively, has also made the switch to soy ink. Its main plant in Osaka uses only soy ink, with plans to switch to soy ink in all plants nationwide. It is estimated Shin Nihon Kogyo will use about 96 metric tons of heat-set and sheet-fed soy ink annually in its main plant, and about 165 metric tons when soy ink is used nationwide.
Korea's two largest daily newspapers, with a combined circulation of more than 4.7 million, began using soy ink about two years ago. In Taiwan, Yuen Foong Yu -- one of the country's largest newspaper publishing companies -- has conducted a preliminary soy ink study.
According to the National Soy Ink Information Center, soy has a rich history and offers businesses sustainable advantages:
- Soy ink was developed by the American Newspaper Publishers Association (ANPA), now known as the Newspaper Association of America (NAA). Marketing began in 1987.
- Little more than a decade ago, not one U.S. newspaper used soy ink. Market growth has been phenomenal -- from six newspapers using soy ink in 1987 to more than 3,000 today. This figure includes more than 90 percent of the nation's daily newspapers (primarily using color soy ink).
- Major newspapers using soy ink include: Denver Post, The Los Angeles Times, Detroit Free Press, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Boston Globe, Washington Times, St. Petersburg (Florida) Times and USA Today.
- Soy ink is available for newspapers, magazines, commercial printing, packaging, business forms and many other uses. About one-fourth of the nation's 50,000+ commercial printers use soy ink.
- High-profile users of commercial soy ink include: SC Johnson Wax, Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), Minnesota Timberwolves, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, World Wildlife Fund, Harley-Davidson and Ford Motor Company.
- Soy ink contains non-toxic soybean oil, the same oil that's found in cooling oils, salad dressings, margarine, mayonnaise and thousands of other foods. However, petroleum-based pigments, resins and other solid materials are added, which make the ink inedible.
- Soybean oil is extracted from soybeans, a sustainable resource produced by nearly 400,000 American farmers, making it an abundant product.
- Soybean oil's clarity allows pigments to reach their full potential, resulting in deep, rich, bright colors.
- Soy ink delivers a high-quality printed piece -- as good as or better than petroleum-based ink.
- Soy ink is naturally low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and its use can reduce emissions causing air pollution.
- Although soy ink is not totally biodegradable due to its pigment and resin content, it is considered environmentally friendly as it offers varying degrees of degradability.
- Soy ink maintains its lithographic stability throughout the entire print job, so the press operator makes fewer adjustments during production and rejects fewer copies because of inferior quality.
- Laboratory tests at Western Michigan University have shown that soy ink is compatible with the de-inking process of recycling. Soy ink is removed more effectively than petroleum-based ink, resulting in less paper fiber damage and a brighter paper. The waste is not considered hazardous and can be treated more easily, completely and cost-effectively.
- Color soy news ink and commercial soy-based printing ink are cost-competitive with petroleum-based ink. Only black soy ink for newsprint is priced about 25 percent higher than petroleum ink, but increased mileage may help offset the cost.
- Any printer, publisher or other user of soy ink is eligible to obtain the SoySeal trademark, which tells readers soy ink has been used. There is no charge for use of the trademark.
- Approximately 100 U.S. ink manufacturing companies produce at least one soy ink product.
The National Soy Ink Information Center has a strong identity as the information clearinghouse and resource for soy ink manufacturers and users. The center was established in 1993 by the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), and is located in the ISA office in Urbandale, Iowa. The center is funded by U.S. soybean producers.
