USA Ink Suppliers

[Dirtroadie]

Assuming that the claim is accurate, if an inkjet cartridge is
supposedly made with ink "manufactured in the USA," how many possible
ink producers does that encompass?

I'm just referring to the ink, not the cartridge. I recognze that
cartridges produced in the USA (if there are such things ) could use
ink from elsewhere and that there are Chinese manufactured cartridges
using Ink produced in the USA.

DR

 

[Kevin]

Could be dozens. If you're talking about ink in an OEM cartridge, there
would be only one. Only Epson inks would be found in genuine Epson ink
cartridges. Same for HP or Lexmark or Canon and so on.

 

[Dirtroadie]

Could be dozens.

And those would be...? Can you identify any? In my limited knowledge,
Formulabs is about the only one I am aware of.

If you're talking about ink in an OEM cartridge, there
would be only one. Only Epson inks would be found in genuine Epson ink
cartridges. Same for HP or Lexmark or Canon and so on.

No, I'm not talking about OEM. And I would guess that no OEM ink is
manufactured in the USA. I suppose HP could be, but it seems unlikely
and I don't know. That' the sort of information I'm fishing for.

DR

 

[Tony]

And those would be...? Can you identify any? In my limited knowledge,
Formulabs is about the only one I am aware of.


No, I'm not talking about OEM. And I would guess that no OEM ink is
manufactured in the USA. I suppose HP could be, but it seems unlikely
and I don't know. That' the sort of information I'm fishing for.

DR

Formulabs have ink manufacturing facilities in Tijuana Mexico and in Badalona
Spain, so far as I know they do not manufacture ink in the USA. They are owned
by Sensient (since August or September this year) and they formulate and
manufacture bulk inks for OEM's (plural and unspecified) as well as aftermarket
suppliers. They have been in business for more than 40 years. Sensient have
been in business for more than 50 years making inks (obviously they made
non-inkjet inks in their early years). If I remember correctly they originally
made their name by formulating a fast drying ballpoint ink.
Tony

 

[Tony]

Formulabs have ink manufacturing facilities in Tijuana Mexico and in Badalona
Spain, so far as I know they do not manufacture ink in the USA. They are owned
by Sensient (since August or September this year) and they formulate and
manufacture bulk inks for OEM's (plural and unspecified) as well as
aftermarket
suppliers. They have been in business for more than 40 years. Sensient have
been in business for more than 50 years making inks (obviously they made
non-inkjet inks in their early years). If I remember correctly they originally
made their name by formulating a fast drying ballpoint ink.
Tony

Oops, sorry I was thinking about something else, Sensient acquired Formulabs in
about 2001.
Tony

 

[Dirtroadie]

Oops, sorry I was thinking about something else, Sensient acquired Formulabs in
about 2001.

Regardless of date
Here's more detail:
http://www.sensient-tech.com/corporate/formulabs_jump.htm
and
http://www.formulabs.com/

Close enough to meet my definition of USA ink.
So are there others?

DR

 

[Tony]

Regardless of date
Here's more detail:
http://www.sensient-tech.com/corporate/formulabs_jump.htm
and
http://www.formulabs.com/

Close enough to meet my definition of USA ink.
So are there others?

DR

It certainly looks like the ink is formulated in the USA in their labs and I
believe the company is US owned, so I agree that this is US ink.

Try
http://www.b2b-bestof.com/manufacturers/US/printing_ink/1/

This is probably not a definitive list, Formulabs are the only one I have heard
of.
I am interested in why you are researching this?
Tony

 

[zakezuke]

Close enough to meet my definition of USA ink.

So are there others?

Media Street and Image Specalists... both make ink out of New York
IIRC, however Image Specalists though states on their sites the means
they ship overseas.

http://www.image-specialists.com/ordering.htm
" containers for overseas shipments
20 Foot Container

26,240 lbs Net (11,927.27 Kgs)
656 - 5 gallon pails (22 pallets)

40 Foot Container

40,960 lbs Net (18,618.18 Kgs)
1,024 - 5 gallon pails (36 pallets)"

 

[Don Phillipson]

Could be dozens. If you're talking about ink in an OEM cartridge, there
would be only one. Only Epson inks would be found in genuine Epson ink
cartridges. Same for HP or Lexmark or Canon and so on.

It seems unlikely that these printer manufacturers
(1) maintain their own chemical plants to produce
their own ink, and/or
(2) after issuing specifications for ink, buy from only one
chemical plant out of the many capable of producing
to those specifications.

 

[Dirtroadie]

This is probably not a definitive list, Formulabs are the only one I have heard
of.
I am interested in why you are researching this?

Essentially just trying to use advertised information ("made in USA")
to assess the probability that an ink manufacturer is, in fact,
Formulabs.

DR

 

[ZR]

Regardless of date
Here's more detail:
http://www.sensient-tech.com/corporate/formulabs_jump.htm
and
http://www.formulabs.com/

Interesting that I didn't find anywhere on their site to search for
vendors/retailers of their ink. So how can you confirm someone's claim that
(s)he is selling Formulabs ink?

 

[measekite]

AT THE VERY LEAST THE PRINTER MFG ENGINEER THE INK FORMULA FOR THE
PARTICULAR PRINTER AND MAINTAIN QUALITY CONTROL AND TOTAL CONTROL OVER
THE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT USED FOR INK MFG. OR IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY
SPINNED OFF A COMPANY THAT MAKES THEIR INK WHERE THEY OWN A CONTROLLING
INTEREST.

IN THE CASE OF CANON THE BOXES SAY MADE IN JAPAN. NOW DOES THAT MEAN
THAT THE CART IS MADE AND FILLED IN JAPAN OR THATTHE CART IS MADE IN
JAPAN AND FILLED SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THE POINT IS IT IS EITHER CANON, HP, OR EPSON AND WAS DESIGNED FOR THE
PRINTER AND THE QUALITY IS MAINTAINED BY THE PRINTER MFG.

 

[measekite]

Interesting that I didn't find anywhere on their site to search for
vendors/retailers of their ink. So how can you confirm someone's claim that
(s)he is selling Formulabs ink?

IT SEEMS THAT IN THE AFTERMARKET BUSINESS YOU CANNOT CONFIRM ANYTHING.
THAT IS ONE REASON THAT ONE SHOULD USE THE PRINTER MFG INK.

NOT ONLY CAN YOU NOT CONFIRM ANTHING BUT NONE OF THE VENDOR LABELS CAN
BE TRACED LIKE A REAL BRAND SO ONE CAN SORT OUT PROBLEMS AND QUALITY
ISSUES. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU GET FROM WHO YOU GET IT FROM.

 

[measekite]

Tony wrote:




Essentially just trying to use advertised information ("made in USA")
to assess the probability that an ink manufacturer is, in fact,
Formulabs.

DR

IF THE INK IS MADE IN ONE COUNTRY AND THE CART IS MADE IN ANOTHER
COUNTRY THEN (AND THIS IS *NOT THE CASE)* THEN THE BOX AND LABEL SHOULD
READ CART MADE IN - AND INK MADE IN-.

TO MAKE THINGS WORSE YOU CAN HAVE 3 COUNTRIES INVOLVED - CARTS MADE IN
AND CARTS FILLED IN AND INK MADE IN. YOU CAN EVEN HAVE THE INK
FORMULATED IN ONE COUNTRY, MFG IN ANOTHER AND STILL FILLED IN ANOTHER.

 

[measekite]

Media Street and Image Specalists... both make ink out of New York
IIRC, however Image Specalists though states on their sites the means
they ship overseas.

http://www.image-specialists.com/ordering.htm
" containers for overseas shipments
20 Foot Container

YOU CANNOT TELL ANYTHING FROM THEIR WEBSITE. THEY DO NOT DISCLOSE
ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR LABEL.

 

[measekite]

Could be dozens. If you're talking about ink in an OEM cartridge, there
would be only one. Only Epson inks would be found in genuine Epson ink
cartridges. Same for HP or Lexmark or Canon and so on.

DATS RIGHT

 

[Dirtroadie]

Media Street and Image Specalists... both make ink out of New York
IIRC, however Image Specalists though states on their sites the means
they ship overseas.

Looks like Lyson has US facilities too
http://www.lysonusa.com/

DR

 

[drc023]

There are quite a few manufacturers of ink products that you can find listed
on B2B sites. However, the listings tend to group all ink companies into the
same boat. Offset and web press applications (and other traditional printing
methods) most likely have the most sources, followed by screen printing inks
and then by digital printing applications which can be subdivided into
numerous categories.

As to the consumer grade inkjet industry here is a list of US based
companies with web sites I could find. Some of the companies are foreign
owned, but have manufacturing facilities in the US, i.e. Lyson. There are
many more companies manufacturing inkjet ink, but they are for high end and
industrial applications which don't really apply to this discussion.

http://www.inktechnology.com/products/inkjet.html
http://www.lyson.com/
http://www.mediastreet.com/site/index.html
http://www.formulabs.com/
http://repeatotype.com/
http://www.amjet.com/
http://www.image-specialists.com/default.asp
http://www.independentink.com/consumer.html
http://www.collinsink.com/index.php
http://www.graphicutilities.com/desktop.cfm
http://www.reinkkit.com/

 

[Tony]

There are quite a few manufacturers of ink products that you can find listed
on B2B sites. However, the listings tend to group all ink companies into the
same boat. Offset and web press applications (and other traditional printing
methods) most likely have the most sources, followed by screen printing inks
and then by digital printing applications which can be subdivided into
numerous categories.

As to the consumer grade inkjet industry here is a list of US based
companies with web sites I could find. Some of the companies are foreign
owned, but have manufacturing facilities in the US, i.e. Lyson. There are
many more companies manufacturing inkjet ink, but they are for high end and
industrial applications which don't really apply to this discussion.

http://www.inktechnology.com/products/inkjet.html
http://www.lyson.com/
http://www.mediastreet.com/site/index.html
http://www.formulabs.com/
http://repeatotype.com/
http://www.amjet.com/
http://www.image-specialists.com/default.asp
http://www.independentink.com/consumer.html
http://www.collinsink.com/index.php
http://www.graphicutilities.com/desktop.cfm
http://www.reinkkit.com/

Ron
My research was very brief, unlike yours.
It is reasonable to expect many of the worlds manufacturers (dare I say
formulators?) of ink would be US based.
Thanks for the clarification.
Tony