PolyOne Launches New Textile Printing Technology in China: Wilflex™ EPIC™ Rio Non-Phthalate Ink Mixing System

March 31, 2017

SHANGHAI – March 31, 2017 – PolyOne today announced the Chinese launch of non-phthalate Wilflex™ EPIC™ Rio, a new color mixing system for screen-printing textile inks. The EPIC Rio system is designed using the latest pigment technology and formulated for optimum color strength, wet-on-wet printing and low temperature cure. 

EPIC Rio inks are PANTONE® approved, with an extended color range of 18 single pigment finished ink mixing components, which balance color accuracy, vibrancy and opacity for peak press performance and color design. 

Unlike water-based inks, plastisol-based EPIC Rio ink does not dry in screens during production, and can also be left in screens overnight, saving printers’ time on clean-up and set-up during shift changes. Wet-on-wet capabilities help eliminate expensive flash units; as a result, the inks require fewer print heads to execute multiple color designs. In addition, designers can add more colors to their graphics without using larger screen presses for a cost effective solution.

As the most opaque finished color system in the Wilflex Ready-For-Use (RFU) range, the EPIC Rio system helps screen printers save ink and money by achieving color-on-press quicker, even with fine mesh-counts. The increased opacity of EPIC Rio also offers greater processing flexibility with regard to mesh screen selection, print strokes, and direct print capability without losing accuracy to PANTONE® color standards. 

Kevin Romine, Wilflex Product Manager, commented, “With the increased color strength of EPIC Rio, printers can achieve prints with exceptionally soft hand using fine mesh screens while maintaining bright and vibrant colors in their design. The matches to Pantone color standards are spot on. The color accuracy and vibrancy provides the ‘wow’ factor, and printers will be pleased with the increased opacity.”

Designed for ease of printing on a manual press without tiring the press operator, EPIC Rio inks are also appropriate for larger production runs with an automatic press. They perform well over a wide range of mesh sizes and press parameters, so printability for either manual or automatic textile screen-printing is outstanding. 

The inks are creamy right out of the bucket and stay consistently creamy throughout production runs. EPIC Rio inks are also designed to perform over a wide range of mesh sizes and press parameters, and provide consistently exceptional results for large or small runs. 

About Wilflex
PolyOne Wilflex Inks are more than just textile inks. Wilflex focuses on total ink-room management, providing the most efficient, cost-effective environment possible to help you win in competitive marketplaces. The Wilflex™ brand of inks emerged in the early 1960’s as screen printing on t-shirts gained popularity for self-expression allowing the Wilflex™ brand to gain global recognition. Wilflex continued to make history twenty years later, when it provided design freedom allowing hundreds of color options with the introduction of the first plastisol mixing system. The Wilflex™ distribution footprint covers 55 countries across the globe supporting the wide range of Wilflex™ ink chemistries.  Epic™ RIO is the latest ink system initiative, driven by market need for the latest pigment technology into formulations having excellent color strength. 

Pantone® is a registered trademark of Pantone, LLC.  

About PolyOne
PolyOne Corporation, with 2016 revenues of $3.3 billion, is a premier provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions. The company is dedicated to serving customers in diverse industries around the globe, by creating value through collaboration, innovation and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Guided by its Core Values, Sustainability Promise and No Surprises PledgeSM, PolyOne is committed to its customers, employees, communities and shareholders through ethical, sustainable and fiscally responsible principles. For more information, visit www.polyone.com.

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Photo Credit:  PolyOne
Photo Caption: EPIC Rio - designed to deliver a premium print with soft hand feel and vibrant colors

EDITORS: For a high-resolution image, please click here: Wilflex™ EPIC™ Rio
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Media contact 

Naomi Bennett
PolyOne Corporation
Marketing Communications Manager
+44 151 632 8800
naomi.bennett@avient.com