SOUTH NORMANTON, UK – 2nd September 2026 – Sun Chemical announces the launch of SunLit OptiPace, the latest evolution of its Pace technology platform for high-performance sheetfed printing. Building on the global success of SunLit ProPace—now established as Sun Chemical’s best-selling sheetfed ink series worldwide—OptiPace marks the second major release from the Pace platform and reinforces Sun Chemical’s leadership in advanced sheetfed ink innovation.
With SunLit OptiPace, Sun Chemical extends the proven Pace performance base with enhanced pigmentation for greater color strength, improved resistance and lower ink consumption. The result is a high-strength solution designed to help printers achieve lower ink film weights, faster throughput, cleaner production and more consistent results on modern high-speed sheetfed presses.
As printers increasingly prioritize reduced misting, lower dampening levels, shorter make-ready and stable color at higher speeds, Sun Chemical’s Pace platform stands apart as a proven, globally adopted solution. ProPace established the benchmark in production environments around the world; OptiPace now advances that benchmark further with stronger color intensity, improved efficiency and the same press stability that has made Pace technology a success with customers globally.
Key features include:
- Higher print fidelity enables lower ink film weights, delivering cleaner tonal clarity and improved consistency across print runs. Superior print performance and lower applied cost: Its low tack grade enables it to perform well on poor quality and low grammage materials, while helping to reduce applied costs by reducing the frequency of blanket washes.
- Accelerated drying and conversion: Derived from Pace technology, the ink has the ability to reduce water settings by 10-20%, which means SunLit OptiPace dries more rapidly than standard conventional sheetfed inks, supporting rapid post-print conversion and reducing waste and downtime.
SunLit OptiPace is vegetable oil-based, containing up to 80% bio-renewable content and no PTFE wax, reflecting Sun Chemical’s long-standing leadership in sustainable innovation – delivering high-performance solutions that support customers’ environmental goals without compromise.
James Buchanan, Product Director, Sheetfed Systems, Sun Chemical, commented: “ProPace proved the strength of the Pace platform and has become our best-selling global sheetfed ink series. With OptiPace, we are not taking the first step, we are advancing an already proven platform into its next generation. OptiPace delivers stronger color, lower consumption and the same press stability, drying performance and sustainability benefits that have made Pace technology such a success with printers worldwide.”
Sun Chemical delivers unmatched value by combining continuous investment in R&D with deep application expertise and one of the industry’s most comprehensive portfolios of proven solutions. As an innovation leader in printing inks, Sun Chemical continues to define performance standards, enabling customers to achieve higher efficiency, reduced operational risk, and measurable progress toward their sustainability objectives.
To learn more about Sun Chemical’s SunLit portfolio, visit: https://www.sunchemical.com/graphics-product-sunlit/
