Rotogravure Printing Ink Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Rotogravure Printing Ink Market is projected to expand from USD 4.29 Billion in 2025 to USD 5.19 Billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 3.22%. These inks are low-viscosity fluids, usually water- or solvent-based, designed explicitly for the gravure process utilized in the mass production of flexible packaging, catalogs, and magazines. A primary factor fueling this growth is the surging global requirement for flexible packaging within the food and beverage industries, which depend on rotogravure capabilities to maintain high-quality, consistent image reproduction across extensive print runs.

Conversely, the market confronts substantial obstacles stemming from economic volatility and strict environmental mandates regarding volatile organic compounds. These conditions have fostered a difficult operational landscape for manufacturers, resulting in volume reductions within major regions. For instance, the Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie reported that in 2024, the sales volume for the German paints, coatings, and printing inks sector fell by 4 percent to 1.4 million tons, highlighting the concrete effects of these economic and regulatory pressures on the industry.

Market Drivers

The growth of the flexible packaging sector serves as the main engine for the rotogravure printing ink market, driven largely by increased consumption of packaged food and beverages. Brand owners continue to prioritize rotogravure for its capacity to produce consistent, high-density colors on thin film substrates, a critical factor for both visual appeal and barrier protection. This technique remains the standard for large-scale production, offering cost effectiveness while maintaining image quality. This demand is reflected in financial data; the Flexible Packaging Association's 'State of the U.S. Flexible Packaging Industry Report' from March 2024 estimates that the industry achieved 42.9 billion dollars in annual sales for 2023, a value that directly stimulates ink consumption as converters maximize press utilization to satisfy retail supply chains.

Furthermore, rapid industrialization across emerging Asia-Pacific economies is significantly altering consumption trends for rotogravure inks. As urbanization speeds up in countries such as Vietnam and India, there is a concurrent rise in organized retail and demand for branded goods, creating a need for superior packaging solutions. This regional evolution enables manufacturers to balance slower expansion in developed markets by leveraging these growing industrial hubs. According to Artience Co., Ltd.'s 'Financial Results for Fiscal Year 2024' released in February 2025, net sales rose by 9.0 percent to 351.1 billion yen, bolstered by increased liquid ink sales in Southeast Asia and India. Similarly, DIC Corporation reported in 2025 that its Packaging and Graphic segment yielded 569.8 billion yen in sales for fiscal year 2024, demonstrating the enduring global dependency on packaging inks.

Market Challenges

Economic unpredictability and the elevated operational expenses resulting from regulatory compliance present a significant hurdle to the growth of the rotogravure printing ink sector. These financial strains raise overheads for converters, making the substantial initial setup costs associated with rotogravure cylinders increasingly difficult to justify as print run lengths decrease. As a result, manufacturers are seeing diminished order volumes as end-users shift towards flexographic or digital printing alternatives, which offer reduced capital risks and quicker turnaround times during volatile market periods.

This decline in volume is especially severe within the commercial publishing industry, where economic prudence has hastened the move away from physical print media. Recent industry data quantitatively illustrates the impact of these challenges. According to the European Printing Ink Association, sales volumes for publication inks in Europe fell by 5.2 percent to 200,000 tonnes in 2024. This downward trend indicates that current economic circumstances and regulatory pressures are actively constraining output in traditional market segments, thereby restricting the industry's overall growth prospects.

Market Trends

A pivotal evolution in the market is the broad transition toward toluene-free and mineral oil-free formulations, spurred by stricter food safety regulations and rigorous brand compliance requirements. Manufacturers are actively reformulating ink chemistries to exclude hazardous solvents and mineral oils that present migration risks, thereby ensuring rotogravure remains suitable for sensitive food packaging applications. This shift is gaining speed as emerging market regulations increasingly align with stringent global safety standards to safeguard consumer health. For example, in its 'Sustainability Report 2023' released in March 2024, Siegwerk announced it had successfully converted its India facility to produce 100 percent mineral oil-free liquid inks, highlighting the industry's commitment to eliminating restricted substances from the supply chain.

Concurrently, the incorporation of renewable and bio-based resin materials is transforming ink development as the sector strives to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. This trend entails the use of vegetable oils and plant-derived binders to substantially lower the carbon footprint of printed products, directly supporting the circular economy objectives of major FMCG brands. These botanical formulations are being engineered to replicate the durability and drying speeds of traditional solvent-based systems. Reflecting the commercial success of this approach, Sakata Inx Corporation reported in February 2025, within its 'Consolidated Financial Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024', that net sales grew by 7.5 percent to 245.5 billion yen, a performance largely attributed to the rising global sales of environmentally friendly packaging inks.

Key Players Profiled in the Rotogravure Printing Ink Market

• Flint Group
• DIC Corp.
• TOYO INK SC HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
• Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co., Ltd.
• Sakata INX Corp
• T&K TOKA CO., LTD.
• Tokyo Printing Ink Manufacturing Co.Ltd.
• Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA,
• Hubergroup Deutschland GmbH
• Wikoff Color Corp

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Rotogravure Printing Ink Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Rotogravure Printing Ink Market, by Technology:

• Solvent-Based
• Water-Based
• Others

Rotogravure Printing Ink Market, by Resin Type:

• Nitrocellulose
• Polyamide
• Polyurethane
• Acrylic
• Others

Rotogravure Printing Ink Market, by Colorants:

• Pigments Based
• Dyestuff Based

Rotogravure Printing Ink Market, by Viscosity of Ink:

• Liquid Inks
• Screening Inks
• Paste Inks

Rotogravure Printing Ink Market, by Application:

• Packaging
• Publication
• Product
• Promotion

Rotogravure Printing Ink Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Rotogravure Printing Ink Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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