Press Centre

Xaar, the leading independent manufacturer of industrial inkjet printheads, is very pleased to announce today that Ferro is joining the Xaar Approved Ink Partner Scheme. Ferro, a major global supplier of technology-based performance materials for manufacturers, is a worldwide leader of frits, glazes, pigments and inks to the ceramic tile decoration market.

In recent years Xaar has been working very closely with selected key ceramic ink manufacturers to optimize ceramic inkjet inks. The aim is to guarantee optimal printing performance with the Xaar 1001 printhead, which has a patented ink recirculation system. This ‘through-flow’ ink system means the heads are inherently resistant to clogging and work well with both high viscosity inks and heavy pigment particles. This makes the Xaar 1001 ideal for working with ‘difficult’ ceramic inks and withstanding the tough conditions of industrial production lines.

Pedro Hausdorff, Country Manager Ferro Spain S.A., comments: ‘Inkjet printing is changing the world of ceramic decoration. It is helping companies to be more competitive by having a more flexible workflow. This gives them improved profitability. More than 100 machines worldwide are already using Keraminks® from Ferro. Working with Xaar is the best way to continue our aim of providing full customer satisfaction.”

Xaar works with six major OEM’s globally who produce tile-printing machines using the Xaar 1001. Ferro ceramic inks will play an important role in offering a wide variety of colours to the end- users of these machines.

‘This is an exciting time for the ceramic tile manufacturing industry,’ remarks Marguerite Quinn, Ink Business Manager at Xaar. ‘The new industrial ceramic inkjet printers coming to market are changing the dynamics of tile manufacture and sales. Providing the market with a choice of quality inks is going to be of paramount importance for the future growth of this industry.’

ENDS

About Xaar

Xaar is the world’s leading independent supplier of industrial inkjet printheads, inks and peripheral equipment to commercial printing and industrial manufacturing markets. Xaar’s innovative technology offers OEM customers and licensees commercial advantage through product differentiation, productivity, and faster time-to-market.

About Ferro

Ferro Corporation (www.ferro.com) is a leading global supplier of technology-based performance materials for manufacturers. Ferro materials enhance the performance of products in a variety of end markets, including household furnishings such as ceramic tiles. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the Company has approximately 5,200 employees globally. Ink jet business is being coordinated from Europe at Ferro Spain SA in Castellón, Spain

Contacts

Xaar:  Elena Knight, Marketing Communications Manager, Tel: +44 (0)1223 423663, Email: elena.knight@xaar.com

SplashPR:  Ruth Clark, Tel: +44 (0)1580 241177, Email: ruth@splashpr.co.uk

Ferro Corporation:  Pedro Hausdorff, Tel: +34 964504465, Email: hausdorffp@ferro.com