Deeper Color with Less Ink: Breaking Down the SunLit OptiPace Launch

When first-time print buyers run into color shifts or delayed deliveries, their immediate instinct is to blame the design file. Most of the time, that is not the case

Pressrooms have two hidden bottlenecks that print buyers almost never see:

・Washdown downtime: The press has to stop periodically to clean a rubber cylinder called the blanket. If residual ink buildup is not cleared off, colors will shift on subsequent sheets. Every wash cycle means stopped machinery, wasted materials, and waiting around, which eats directly into time and budget

・Drying delays: Ink on paper must dry to a certain point before finishing steps like laminating, cutting, and folding can start. When ink dries too slowly, the entire finishing line grinds to a halt

Both issues become especially noticeable during high-speed runs. With presses running fast, any bottleneck gets magnified. Sun Chemical launched SunLit OptiPace specifically to tackle the rhythm of this production line, not just to pitch vague promises about prettier colors

Here is the bottom line: making an ink perform well is not about laying down more ink, but about using less ink to get deeper color

At the heart of OptiPace is higher pigmentation, allowing every gram of ink to produce richer, deeper tones. With denser pigment, press operators do not need to lay down a thick ink film on the sheet to hit target density. A thinner ink film brings immediate practical perks: faster drying, less residual buildup on the blanket, and fewer stops for washdowns

Another key change is dampening solution consumption. Sheetfed offset printing relies on the balance between oil and water: image areas take ink, while non-image areas use dampening solution, an aqueous mix, to stay clean and repel ink. Water balance is notoriously difficult to stabilize at high press speeds. Too much water dilutes the ink, washing out color, while too little water causes scumming on the plate. Built on Sun Chemical's Pace technology platform, OptiPace operates reliably at lower water settings. According to Sun Chemical figures, fountain solution usage drops by 10-20%, directly cutting the risk of color drift

James Buchanan, Product Director of Sheetfed Systems at Sun Chemical, put it this way: 'ProPace was already our best-selling sheetfed ink series globally. OptiPace is not starting from scratch, it pushes an already proven platform one generation further.' That statement carries weight. OptiPace comes backed by a global production track record, not as an unproven lab experiment

Yes. That matters a lot for print projects working with tight budgets

Conventional high-performance inks share a common drawback: higher tack. High-tack ink pulls harder on the paper surface during impression. On lightweight stocks or sheets with uneven surfaces, this readily causes picking, where surface fibers are pulled loose by the ink, leaving fine details looking rough and fuzzy

OptiPace uses a low-tack formulation that runs smoothly on lower-grade or lightweight sheets. Printers do not have to dump on extra ink to compensate for paper flaws, and paper dust will not foul the blanket as quickly, avoiding frequent washdown stops

For print buyers, this means that even if your budget rules out premium coated stock, working with a printer using OptiPace still gives you a solid shot at consistent, clean results on more economical paper

In recent years, many brand clients in Taiwan have started asking print suppliers for environmental documentation, driven by their own ESG reporting requirements

OptiPace offers two concrete specifications on this front:

・Up to 80% bio-renewable content: Roughly 80% of the ink formulation comes from vegetable oils such as soy or linseed rather than petroleum sources. That does not mean waste ink can go down the drain, since chemical waste disposal must still follow standard regulations. But on procurement documents, this serves as a concrete metric to back up green supply chain claims

・Free of PTFE wax: PTFE is a fluoropolymer classified as a persistent pollutant that barely breaks down in the environment, and the EU REACH chemicals framework continues to tighten restrictions on these substances. Formulating without PTFE is no longer just a bonus point for ink manufacturers, but a necessary step to keep up with regulatory crackdowns

If your brand maintains sustainable purchasing logs, you can ask your printer directly whether their ink meets these two criteria when placing an order. Printers can usually provide a Technical Data Sheet to back it up

You do not need to buy ink yourself, as that is the printer's job. But understanding this layer gives you much more specific questions to ask when evaluating shops and discussing specifications

Here are a few practical angles to bring up:

・Ask what ink series the printer currently runs, and whether they use high-performance formulations tailored for high-speed presses. This directly affects how reliable their turnaround times will be

・If your job demands high color fidelity, such as retail packaging or high-end lookbooks, ask about their color management workflow and whether their inks hold up across multi-color process runs

・If you have sustainability requirements, ask whether they offer bio-based or low-VOC ink options, and request specification sheets upfront

If you are comparing commercial print suppliers in Taiwan, MINDS (MS) specializes in mid-to-high-end bespoke commercial printing and can provide hands-on advice on paper selection and color management. If your project calls for standard specs and fast online ordering, MYS offers retail printing from business cards to posters, with clear specs and an easy entry point

・High-performing ink wins on pigment concentration. Reaching the same color saturation requires a thinner ink film, which dries faster

・A 10-20% cut in fountain solution usage directly lowers the risk of color drift and downtime for blanket washdowns during high-speed runs

・A low-tack formula makes the ink workable on lightweight or lower-grade stocks, meaning buyers do not have to upgrade paper grade just to safeguard print quality

・An 80% bio-based profile alongside a PTFE-free recipe gives buyers verifiable metrics backed by spec sheets for ESG reporting

・OptiPace marks the second generation of the Pace platform, building on ProPace, which was already Sun Chemical's best-selling sheetfed ink series worldwide

The real takeaway for small and mid-sized commercial printers in Taiwan goes beyond just switching inks. It shows how much pressroom efficiency hinges on ink chemistry, especially washdown frequency and drying times, which directly shape quoting margins and turnaround reliability. Having watched press floors and buyer dynamics for years, I see print shops talk constantly about press models while rarely explaining why they chose a particular ink. For buyers, asking about ink selection gives you a sharp filter when vetting vendors. Your next move is straightforward: pull up the ink spec sheets from your current print vendors to check for bio-renewable percentages and PTFE clauses. If those details are present, file them away. If not, add them to your checklist for the next quote request

・Sun Chemical Launches SunLit OptiPace High-Performance Sheetfed Printing Inks