An interview from Mr. S.M.Birla, Director, Kwality Chemical Industries.
We manufacture Printing Inks, Pigments, Phenolic and Alkyd Resins, Flushed Pigments, Fluorescent Concentrates, UV and WB Coatings.
Corrugman : Could you brief us about Kwality Chemical Industries Pvt Ltd ?
S.M.Birla : Kwality Chemical Industries Pvt Ltd, established in 1981 is a leading provider of Printing Inks, Pigments, Flushed pigments, Resins, Concentrates for Ink mixing stations for conventional oil , UV & water base areas, Fluorescent concentrates and coatings for various industries. It is an ISO: 9001:2015 certified and govt recognized One Star Export House.
CM : What are your company’s envisions?
SMB : The company envisions to bring vibrancy & cheer to the world through its colors produced in a sustainable & environmentally conscious process. It aims to offer customized products of consistent quality at cost-effective prices to fulfil the evolving needs of the printing , Packaging and coating industries.
CM : What are Kwality Chemical Industries Core product offerings in the corrugated industry ?
SMB : The company has 6 manufacturing units in Navi Mumbai area and to mention very specifically, our backward integrated manufacturing facility allows control over raw material quality , flexibility to produce customized products and offer better prices.
“The team at Kwality tries to understand each customer’s individual requirements and offers solutions providing maximum value for money“
CM : How does Kwality Chemical Industries Choose raw materials ?
SMB : We carefully analyze the raw materials for all the key properties of inks like, pigment strength, viscosity, flow, stability , resin gloss etc. We choose them from Internationally reputed brands only for quality consistency and test each batch before we put those in production.
CM : How do resins impact drying and adhesion?
SMB : They are entirely responsible for drying and adhesion of the ink. Water based inks dry primarily by evaporation of water while resins are essential to forming a solid film as the water is evaporated off. Resins (specially acrylics or polyurethanes) coalesce into a continuous film that holds pigments and additives in place.
Some resins primarily responsible for drying for example, Acrylic Resins: Known for fast drying and good gloss. Adhesion depends on the resin’s ability to bond with the surface and maintain that bond over time. Surface Interaction: Resins must wet and anchor to the substrate (like paper, film, or fabric). The resin’s polarity and functional groups influence how well it bonds.
Mechanical & Chemical Bonding:
Mechanical: Resins can “lock in” to surface roughness. Chemical: Some resins form covalent or hydrogen bonds with the surface. Flexibility & Resistance: Good resins provide resistance to cracking, water, and chemicals, helping the ink film stay intact.
CM : How does Kwality Chemical Industries use additives to modify rheology ?
SMB : Additives are key components in water-based inks, especially for modifying rheology—which is how the ink flows and behaves under stress. Here’s how they work: Thickening additives increase viscosity to control ink flow, reduce dripping/sagging, and improve print definition. They work by forming a network that entangles with water and resin molecules, slowing flow. Most water- based inks are pseudoplastic—they thin under shear (like when printed), then recover.
Rheology modifiers enhance this behavior: low viscosity during printing for smooth application, high viscosity at rest to prevent settling or dripping. Rheology modifiers help suspend pigments evenly, preventing settling. Some additives also interact with pigment surfaces to enhance dispersion. With Surfactants: Too much surfactant can reduce thickening efficiency by disrupting network formation.
CM : How do temperature and shear forces affect the stability of Kwality Chemical?
SMB : Industries formulations? – Temperature and shear are inversely related to the stability of the ink. Temperature and shear forces significantly affect the stability of water- based inks, particularly in terms of viscosity, pigment dispersion, and film formation.
Increased temperature reduces ink viscosity by lowering the water’s surface tension and weakening intermolecular forces in resins and thickeners. This can lead to ink runniness, affecting print quality and edge sharpness. Higher temperatures speed up water evaporation, potentially leading to: Skinning or drying on press & Nozzle clogging (in inkjet systems).
CM : What QC tests ensure consistency at Kwality Chemical Industries liquid-based products?
SMB : We analyze the substrate on which the printing is to be done and the press parameters like speed, etc. to design the ink accordingly.
CM : How does pH influence water- based products at Kwality Chemical Industries?
SMB : pH plays a critical role in the performance, stability, and application of water-based inks. Since many components in these inks (resins, thickeners, dispersants) are pH-sensitive, even slight changes can significantly alter their behavior.
A. Resin Solubility and Film Formation : Many water-based resins are pH-dependent, especially acrylics and styrene-acrylics, which are stabilized as salts (usually ammonium or sodium salts).At higher pH (~8–9): Resins remain ionized and soluble/dispersible in water. At lower pH (<7): Resins may precipitate or lose stability, leading to: Gelling, Hazy appearance, Poor film formation Example: Lowering pH too much can “crash” the resin, causing sedimentation or flocculation.
B. Pigment Dispersion and Stability : Pigment dispersants often rely on electrostatic repulsion, which is pH- dependent. If pH drops below optimal levels, Dispersant efficiency declines. Pigments may flocculate or settle out. For many pigment systems, pH 8–9 is ideal to maintain dispersion.
C. Rheology and Thickener Performance : pH-sensitive thickeners (like alkali-swellable emulsions or polyacrylic acids) require neutral to basic pH to fully thicken the ink. At low pH: Thickeners may not swell properly. Viscosity drops. At high pH: Viscosity increases but may become unstable if too high.
D. Printability and Drying : Drying Rate: pH can influence the coalescence temperature of resins, which affects drying. Adhesion and Rub Resistance: Poor pH control can affect film formation, leading to weak adhesion or easily abraded surfaces.
E. Equipment and Corrosion : If pH is too low (<6): It can corrode metal components in printing equipment. If too high (>9.5): It can degrade rubber rollers or affect nozzle performance (especially in inkjet systems).
CM : What innovations is Kwality Chemical Industries adopting?
SMB : Sustainability is the key to the future of packaging, hence we are working closely with our vendors to develop raw materials that are bio- renewable to help improve the recycling potential of products printed with our inks.
CM : What about your serviceability and capacity of supplies?
SMB : We are increasing our serviceability across Pan India and a way towards that we have depot in Delhi, Kolkata and as well as we have ink mixing kitchen in Kolkata and for Delhi it is to start soon. We are currently producing 4500 MT /annum printing Inks, 1680 MT/annum coatings , 1000MT / annum pigments and 2500 MT/annum resins and our products are now sold globally in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, China, Africa and other parts of South East Asia.
We have participated in Print Pack 2025 and the response was extremely encouraging for us. We also have taken some initiatives in industry-education interface in some parts of our country to help budding students to blossom in coming times.
