Fujifilm Opens First Dispersion Manufacturing Facility in US

FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants Inc. (FFIC), a U.S. subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation, recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the official opening of its first of two new facilities in New Castle, Delaware, dedicated to the production of aqueous ink inkjet dispersions.

The New Castle site is Fujifilm’s first dispersion manufacturing facility in the U.S. According to the company, the $19 million investment will create more than 21 new professional, managerial, engineering, and skilled labor jobs. The newly added space, at approximately 8,100 square feet, includes manufacturing and process control equipment — adding to the current 40,000 square feet of occupied manufacturing space at the site, which employs 90 people.

“It’s an exciting day for Fujifilm,” says Ian Wilkinson, FFIC president and chief operating officer. “I am proud that we have been able to deliver this brand-new production facility according to our original plan, despite the challenges that the pandemic presented us with, and we’re here to celebrate that today. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who were a part of this project, from our own teams to our vendors and local and state dignitaries. I have no doubt that this expansion will continue to create significant growth opportunities for both Fujifilm and the customers we serve.”

In addition to this new facility, the construction of a second facility, which will add 11,000 square feet of new operational space to the overall site, began this spring and is expected to be operational by summer 2023. Upon completion, the two plants are said to double Fujifilm’s production capacity of pigment dispersions in the U.S. to meet the demand for inkjet printing globally.

“This expansion would not have been possible without the exceptional efforts of our global project team both here in New Castle and the U.K.,” states Melissa Toledo, Delaware general manager, FFIC. “The excitement of our team regarding this expansion is palpable, and we are looking forward to continued growth both in our production capacity and job creation here in New Castle.”

Fujifilm’s inkjet dispersions

Fujifilm supplies aqueous inks to digital printing equipment manufacturers and reactive dispersant (RxD) pigment dispersions to ink formulators.

According to the company, its RxD pigment dispersion products are important to the development of aqueous inkjet inks for a variety of inkjet markets, including packaging, textile, and commercial printing. Through a cross-linking technology, each pigment particle is locked in a secure polymer cage, resulting in a stable dispersion that enables the design of ink formulations that can meet performance requirements.