SOUTH NORMANTON, UK – 8th September 2026 – The launch of SunPak® DFC inPace strengthens Sun Chemical’s leadership in direct food contact (DFC) sheetfed inks, offering a more sustainable, economical, and visually engaging packaging solution. Concurrently, the addition of a new green pigment to the AquaSafe® water-based ink portfolio enhances design flexibility while meeting European food safety requirements and sustainability objectives.
Launch of SunPak® DFC inPace
Sun Chemical is expanding its leadership in direct food contact (DFC) packaging with the launch of SunPak® DFC inPace, an advanced sheetfed offset ink system for folding carton applications.
Manufactured at Sun Chemical’s Badalona Centre of Excellence for food packaging, DFC inks and coatings benefit from dedicated DFC production capabilities that ensure consistent quality, strong regulatory compliance, and reliable supply across EMEA.
As Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) regulations drive demand for more sustainable packaging, SunPak® DFC inPace helps packaging manufacturers and brand owners reduce plastic use, improve recyclability, and create engaging consumer experiences without compromising performance.
Powered by Sun Chemical’s proprietary Pace Technology, SunPak® DFC inPace and DFC coatings deliver:
- Direct food contact compliance
- Elimination of plastic laminates and inserts
- Simplified recyclable packaging designs
- High bio-based carbon content verified through Carbon-14 testing
- Reduced material usage and production steps
- Potential EPR fee reductions
- Enhanced internal package printing for stronger consumer engagement
AquaSafe®: Next-Generation Water-Based DFC Inks
Sun Chemical also expanded its AquaSafe® water-based DFC ink portfolio with nine new base colors, delivering a broader color gamut, improved vibrancy, and greater color accuracy. Designed for direct food contact applications, AquaSafe inks are compatible with paper, paperboard, flexible films, and aluminium foil, enabling brands to replace plastic barriers with more sustainable packaging solutions while maintaining food safety and performance.
Expanded Color Gamut, including an innovative new green. Both SunPak® DFC inPace and AquaSafe® now feature an extended color gamut, including a newly developed food-compliant green pigment. The enhanced palette delivers greater design freedom, stronger color impact, and improved print performance for both exterior and interior package graphics. To accelerate color development, Sun Chemical integrated GamutViewer® into SunColorBox, enabling brand owners and packaging manufacturers to verify color achievability before production. This reduces rework, minimises waste, and improves manufacturing efficiency.
Nicolas Betin, Director of Product Strategy EMEA & Global Sustainability Business Leader at Sun Chemical, said: “Packaging producers and brand owners are looking to simplify packaging, improve recyclability, and enhance consumer engagement. With SunPak® DFC inPace and the expanded AquaSafe® portfolio, we are providing solutions for both offset and flexographic applications that help customers achieve sustainability, compliance, operational efficiency, and creative freedom.”
Learn more about Sun Chemical’s DFC solutions: https://www.sunchemical.com/packaging-product-sunpak-dfc-inpace/
