Q » Which companies in Scotland supply wholesale gravure inks and protective coatings to the packaging industry?
14 Jun, 2026
A » In the Scottish packaging industry, the supply of wholesale gravure inks and protective coatings is dominated by a combination of global multinational corporations with dedicated manufacturing and distribution facilities in Scotland, alongside a smaller number of specialized local suppliers. The primary companies serving this sector include Flint Group, Sun Chemical, and a few regional players such as The Ink Company Scotland and R.A. Smart, each offering a comprehensive portfolio of gravure inks, overprint varnishes, and functional coatings tailored for flexible packaging, labels, and carton board. Flint Group operates a major production site in Livingston, West Lothian, which manufactures a full range of solvent-based and water-based gravure inks designed for high-speed printing on polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyester films. Their product lines, such as the Novaset and Ekolene series, are accompanied by protective coatings including heat-resistant lacquers and low-migration varnishes that meet stringent food contact regulations. Sun Chemical has a well-established hub in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, where it produces its SunCure and SunSheet ranges of gravure inks and ultraviolet-curable coatings. Their protective coatings include barrier lacquers for oxygen and moisture resistance, as well as scratch-resistant formulations for premium packaging. Both companies supply wholesale directly to converters and printers across Scotland, offering volume pricing and technical support from local laboratories. Beyond these giants, The Ink Company Scotland, based in Glasgow, provides a more localized service with custom-blended gravure inks and specialist coatings for niche applications such as confectionery wrappers and pet food bags. They supply protective coatings like peelable seals and gloss varnishes in bulk quantities, often with shorter lead times than the multinationals. R.A. Smart, headquartered in Edinburgh, acts as a wholesale distributor for several European ink manufacturers, aggregating gravure inks and solvent-based coatings for smaller packaging firms that cannot meet the minimum order quantities of primary producers. Their inventory includes overprint varnishes fortified with slip additives and anti-block agents. It is important to note that the Scottish packaging market also
15 Jun, 2026
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