The Asia-Pacific region continues to stand as the powerhouse of global ink consumption, with nearly every major multinational ink manufacturer operating significant production facilities across its key markets. Today, industry leaders report steady, broad-based growth — driven primarily by the expanding packaging sector.
Masamichi Sota, president of the Packaging & Graphic Business Group and GM of the Printing Material Products Division at DIC Corporation, says the region remains resilient and dynamic. After a period of economic stagnation between late 2023 and early 2024, Sota notes that the market began showing signs of gradual recovery from mid-2024. “DIC expects significant market growth in China, India, Indonesia, and Thailand,” he adds, confirming the company’s continued strategic focus on these territories.
At Sakata INX, the story is similar. Tsutomu Katayama, GM of the Corporate Communications Department, explains that Japan’s market has regained momentum. Despite early declines in consumer spending due to rising prices, consumption rebounded steadily. Packaging ink volume saw year-on-year growth, supported both by increased sales and price adjustments tied to higher raw material costs.
Katayama adds that structural reforms are underway across the business. “In Southeast and South Asia — especially Indonesia, India, Vietnam, and Thailand — increased demand drove strong gains in packaging ink sales, delivering solid revenue and profit growth. China, however, faced sluggish demand due to broader economic challenges.”
From the vantage point of Flint Group, the region’s outlook remains positive. Lina Gu, GM for China and Southeast Asia, reports that packaging markets across Asia-Pacific are performing well, with strong momentum in narrow web, paper & board, and flexible packaging. She highlights a clear technological shift: the transition from solvent-based to water-based inks, and from gravure to flexographic processes — particularly in flexible packaging and label applications.
Digital printing is also accelerating. Once a minor segment, digital ink consumption is rising rapidly, especially in China. “Narrow web hybrid presses — combining flexo and digital — are becoming increasingly popular for their flexibility,” Gu explains. “Digital corrugated printing is also gaining traction as converters seek more agile, value-driven production models.”
hubergroup is capturing this momentum through localized production and sustainability-led strategies. The company’s Shenzhen mixing station for MGA food-safe inks is meeting growing demand for low-migration, eco-friendly packaging. Meanwhile, Southeast Asian markets such as Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines continue to expand on the strength of their packaging and label sectors.
However, the region is not without its challenges. Tariffs have emerged as a major concern, creating volatility in costs and supply chains. Katayama notes that industries exporting to the United States — especially in Vietnam — have been affected since the announcement of possible new tariffs. “Some customers have been impacted, which has influenced ink sales volumes,” he reports. Ongoing inflation and rising prices across Asia add further pressure.
Sota echoes these concerns. “Tariff uncertainty is impacting economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region,” he says. With rising trade protectionism disrupting supply chains and elevating costs, countries with significant U.S.-bound exports are seeing a slowdown in packaging demand heading into 2025.
Despite these headwinds, the fundamentals of the Asia-Pacific ink market remain strong. The region’s expanding population, robust manufacturing base, and accelerating shift toward sustainable, high-performance packaging solutions continue to position it as the world’s most influential ink market — and the engine driving the industry into its next phase of growth.
