What would switching to these water-based inks cost compared to current solvent-based inks?+
The project objective mentions estimated total investments of approximately €1,421,375 for the scale-up phase, with €994,963 in EU co-financing requested. Based on available project data, the inks are described as enabling production at affordable and competitive pricing suitable for the medium-high level market. Specific per-unit cost comparisons are not provided.
Can these inks run on existing industrial ceramic printing lines?+
The project specifically developed a new printing head and its waveform suitable for the water-based inks, suggesting existing equipment may need adaptation. Demo tiles were manufactured in real production scenarios with selected clients, confirming the technology works at industrial scale. Integration details would need to be discussed with the coordinator.
What is the IP situation — can I license or buy these inks?+
Metco SRL is the sole owner and developer (single-partner SME-2 project), which simplifies licensing discussions. The project aimed to reach market-ready status and planned commercialization through Metco's existing international sales network. Licensing or purchase terms would need to be negotiated directly with Metco.
Which colors are available and can the full color range be printed?+
The project formulated magenta, cyan, and yellow water-based inks, with physical demo objects delivered for cyan and yellow. Phase 2 focused on enlarging the gamut of these three base colors, which together can produce a wide range of printed designs on ceramic tiles.
Has this been tested in a real factory environment?+
Yes. The project explicitly manufactured demo polished gres porcelain tiles in real production scenarios with a selected number of clients. Physical demo tiles and ink samples (cyan and yellow) were delivered as project outputs, confirming performance under actual factory conditions.
What regulations does this help comply with?+
By eliminating organic solvents from ceramic inks, the technology directly reduces VOC emissions and workplace toxicity — both increasingly regulated in the EU and globally. Based on available project data, specific regulatory certifications are not mentioned, but the reduction in carbon footprint and toxicity addresses key environmental compliance pressures.
Where can I buy these inks today?+
The project closed in March 2021 and aimed to initiate commercialization through Metco's existing international sales network spanning Italy, Spain, Poland, Turkey, Egypt, Russia, Korea, China, Brazil, and India. Current commercial availability would need to be confirmed directly with Metco SRL.
