ECO-INNOVATIVE WATER-BASED INKS FOR THE CERAMIC SECTORS

Project Information

ECO-INK

Grant agreement ID: 740179

DOI

10.3030/740179

Project closed

EC signature date 2 December 2016

Start date 1 January 2017

End date 31 May 2017

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Nanotechnologies

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

METCO SRL
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ECO-INK (ECO-INNOVATIVE WATER-BASED INKS FOR THE CERAMIC SECTORS)

Reporting period: 2017-01-01 to 2017-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The ECO-INK project proposes a green innovation within the ceramic tiles domain: the water based inks.

The main objectives of ECO-INK in Phase1 were to explore new market opportunities and boost the competitiveness of Metco srl business, while addressing EU/global challenges on Climate Change and following the indications of the “Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants” & the "Stimulating technologies for sustainable development: an environmental technologies action plan for the European Union": ECO-INK inks are made by replacing part of the solvent and naphtha substances, harmful to human health and the environment, with water for polished gres porcelain tiles production by digital printing.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

At the end of Phase1, technical results of several tests of different digital printing heads were collected and the technical feasibility of the project was thus reached.

From the economic point of view, Metco realized a Business Plan, including a Market & Competitors analysis, and envisaged a commercialization strategy. The economic viability of the water based inks is forecasted in 2 business scenarios in an international market where Metco is well-known.

To scale up and further demonstrate the ECO-INK project Metco will apply for the SME Instrument phase 2 funding.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The CONSERVATIVE SCENARIO has a timeline of the forecast till 2023 with these envisaged figures:
- Employment creation: considering a 50,000€\year salary, in 2019 +40, in 2020 +40, in 2021 +50, in 2022 +140 and in 2023 +160 resources will be hired.
- Prices assumptions:
o The selling price of the ECO-INK is estimated 22€/kg in 2019, then decreasing of -10% in 2020, -8% in 2021, -5% in 2022 and 2023 assuming that other competitors will produce similar water based inks.
o The selling price of the post treatment is 3.5€/kg in 2019, then decreasing of -10% in 2020, -8% in 2021, -5% in 2022 and 2023 assuming that other competitors will produce similar water based inks.
- NET PROFITS (profits - costs) : about 9M€ in 2019, 15M€ in 2020, 21M€ in 2021, 28M€ in 2022 and 40M€ in 2023.

The OPTIMISTIC SCENARIO has a timeline of the forecast till 2025 with these envisaged figures:
- Employment creation: considering a 50,000€\year salary, in 2019 +40, in 2020 +50, in 2021 +150, in 2022 +100 resources will be hired, reaching the maximum capacity.
- Prices assumptions:
o The selling price of the ECO-INK is estimated 22€/kg in 2019, then decreasing of -15% in 2020 and 2021, -10% in 2022 and 2023, -8% in 2024 and 2025 assuming that other competitors will produce similar water based inks.
o The selling price of the post treatment is 3.5€/kg in 2019, then decreasing of -15% in 2020 and 2021, -10% in 2022 and 2023, -8% in 2024 and 2025 assuming that other competitors will produce similar water based inks.
- NET PROFITS (profits - costs) : about 9M€ in 2019, 25M€ in 2020, 49M€ in 2021, 71M€ in 2022, 82M€ in 2023, 62M€ in 2024 and 37 in 2025.

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