"Bio-Lactite offers tremendous cost savings and can print onto many more materials, including PVC-free substrates," said Mutoh Europe marketing manager Nick Decock. "The benefits are clear, they handle more materials, use less energy to print and dry and are lower cost."

Derived from corn, Bio-Lactite can be retrofitted to existing machines, currently Mutoh’s Rockhopper 3 Extreme roll-fed and ValueJet hybrid rigid and roll-to-roll machines.

"Mutoh has always pioneered ink developments, including eco solvent, and each time we have made sure that our install base can use the new inks," claimed Decock.

Bio-Lactite is a new formulation, which the firm started developing 18 months ago; it is the company’s second-generation corn-derived ink.

"Compared to our first generation Mubio, corn-derived ink Bio-Lactite is more stable, needs lower maintenance, has a wider colour gamut and doesn’t require an air purifier," said Decock.

Bio-Lactite inks are available in 220ml, 440ml and 1l packages costing €55 (£48.84), €85 and €179 respectively.

The new Mutoh inks offer an alternative to the thermally cured water-based polymer inks such as HP’s latex technology, Sepiax’s Aquares and Elements from IGS as well as eco-solvent products.