Collins Inkjet Corporation
Kao Collins Corporation is a Cincinnati-based industrial inkjet ink manufacturer (subsidiary of Japan's Kao Corporation) serving packaging, marking/coding, corrugated, textile, and food/pharmaceutical printing customers across the Americas with proprietary water-, solvent-, UV-, LED-, EB-, and bio-based ink formulations qualified for 12+ printhead platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Collins Inkjet Corporation does
Kao Collins Corporation (formerly Collins Inkjet Corporation, founded 1994 and now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan's Kao Corporation) is a Cincinnati-headquartered industrial inkjet ink manufacturer with 101-250 employees serving packaging, marking/coding, corrugated, textile, security, and food/pharmaceutical printing customers across the Americas via US, Canadian, Mexican, and Brazilian offices. Its portfolio covers six formulation families — water-based, solvent-based, UV curable, LED curable, EB curable, and bio-based mineral-oil-free (MOF) — qualified across more than a dozen printhead platforms including HP, Brady, Dimatix, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Xaar, Kodak, Xerox, Epson, Colordyne, and SII Printek. Branded formulations such as SIGMA (12-hour decap), NEXXO (Brady TIJ), LUNAJET (nanodispersion water-based), and MOF anchor a differentiated regulatory-ready portfolio (EuPIA, REACH SVHC, FDA food-grade, PFAS-free, Swiss mineral-oil compliance), with proprietary chemistry protected by US Patent #US7789955.
The business generates revenue through a B2B quotation-based model spanning four streams: (1) sale of proprietary and custom inkjet inks via direct sales and distributors; (2) custom ink development and white-label/OEM private-label formulation services under multi-year contracts; (3) hardware sales of the X-BAR inline print module and Universal Controller that retrofit analog presses with digital variable-data printing powered by Fujifilm Samba G3L technology; and (4) printhead refurbishment, controller repair, color matching, and bulk ink supply services. Go-to-market combines direct technical engagement with chemists, a multilingual regional distributor network, and co-development relationships with HP SPS, Brady/Funai, Fujifilm, and Kodak as core platform partners. Channel demand generation is reinforced by content marketing (Ink Tank blog), active participation in drupa 2024, FESPA 2024, Pack Expo, and PRINTING United Expo 2024, and SEO-optimized ink catalogs segmented by formulation, substrate, application, and printhead.
Collins Inkjet Corporation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Collins Inkjet Corporation
- Legal name
- Kao Collins Corporation
- Website
- https://kaocollins.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Kao Collins Corporation is a Cincinnati-based industrial inkjet ink manufacturer (subsidiary of Japan's Kao Corporation) serving packaging, marking/coding, corrugated, textile, and food/pharmaceutical printing customers across the Americas with proprietary water-, solvent-, UV-, LED-, EB-, and bio-based ink formulations qualified for 12+ printhead platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Collins Inkjet Corporation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Printing Inks
- NAICS
- Printing Ink Manufacturing (32591), Printing Ink Manufacturing (325910)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Printing Inks (IMAEAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Packaging Inks (IMAEAHAH)
Keywords
Where Collins Inkjet Corporation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cincinnati
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Collins Inkjet Corporation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Industrial Inkjet Ink Sales: Sale of proprietary and custom-formulated inkjet inks for industrial printing applications. Revenue generated through direct sales and distributor channels for HP, Brady, Dimatix, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Xaar, Colordyne, SII Printek, Kodak, Xerox, and Epson printhead technologies.
- Custom Ink Formulation Services: Custom ink development and color matching services for OEM partners and specific customer requirements. White-label and private label ink formulations for OEM partners.
- Printhead Services: Printhead refurbishment and controller repair services. Technical support for inkjet systems.
- X-BAR Print Module Sales: Sale of X-BAR print modules and Universal Controllers for retrofitting existing analog printing systems with digital inline printing capabilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard ink formulations |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom formulation services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Collins Inkjet Corporation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Collins Inkjet Corporation (operating as Kao Collins Corporation) manufactures and supplies industrial inkjet inks — including water-based, solvent-based, oil-based, UV/LED/EB curable, security, and food-grade formulations — for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and industrial printing applications. The company also designs and sells digital printing hardware, notably the X-BAR Print Module and Universal Controller, and provides ancillary services such as custom ink formulation, printhead refurbishment, color matching, and bulk ink supply systems.
Product overview
Kao Collins (formerly Collins Inkjet Corporation) is an industrial inkjet ink manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of ink products organized by formulation type (water-based, solvent-based, UV/LED/EB curable, bio-based MOF) and by printhead compatibility (HP, Brady, Dimatix, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Xaar, Kodak, Epson, Xerox, SII Printek, Colordyne). The product portfolio centers on specialty inks for industrial applications including packaging, marking and coding, food-grade, security, textile, and cardboard printing. Key branded ink products include SIGMA solvent ink (12-hour decap), NEXXO for Brady TIJ, LUNAJET water-based ink (nanodispersion for flexible film), and MOF bio-based inks. Hardware offerings include the X-BAR print module for inline variable data printing integrated with analog presses, and the Universal Controller supporting multiple print systems. The company provides comprehensive services including custom ink formulation, private-label/OEM manufacturing, printhead refurbishment, color matching, and bulk ink supply.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- X-BAR: High-throughput inline print module for industrial printers with maximum uptime and premium quality.
- LUNAJET
- SIGMA
- NEXXO
- MOF
Quantifiable outcome
- X-BAR print module delivers 1,200 dpi resolution at up to 1,000 feet per minute
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Collins Inkjet Corporation
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Collins Inkjet Corporation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Collins Inkjet Corporation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SolenisminorMentioned in article about sustainable packaging. Solenis contributes expertise in functional additives and surface coatings for PFAS-free molded fiber packaging solutions.
- HP Specialty Printing Systems (SPS)coreLong-term ink partner supplying standard and custom fluids in factory-new HP thermal inkjet (TIJ) cartridges. Develops inks for HP's largest installed base of any inkjet technology worldwide. Supports HP SPS for passport printing, industrial marking, and various OEM applications.
- FujifilmcoreX-BAR print module powered by Fujifilm Samba G3L inkjet technology. Partnership enables Kao Collins to offer advanced inline digital printing modules for retrofitting analog printing systems.
- Brady (Funai)coreDevelops NEXXO solvent ink specifically for Brady's revolutionary solvent-compatible thermal inkjet cartridges. Brady's 12mm throw distance enables printing on curved and recessed surfaces for food and pharmaceutical packaging.
- OEM Partners (White-Label)coreOEM equipment manufacturers incorporate Kao Collins white-label inks into their printing solutions. High-performance inks meet unique printing requirements, ensure regulatory compliance, and support sustainability goals.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Collins Inkjet Corporation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nazdar Ink Technologies: US-based specialty manufacturer of digital, screen, and pad printing inks with comparable substrate coverage, B2B industrial focus, and custom formulation services. Closely matches Collins' profile as a mid-sized independent inkjet ink specialist serving packaging, marking/coding, and OEM customers.
- Marabu GmbH & Co. KG: German manufacturer of screen printing, pad printing, and digital printing inks with a similar specialty-chemicals profile. Comparable in offering custom ink formulations across industrial substrates (glass, plastic, metal, textiles) and serving industrial OEM customers globally.
- Wikoff Color Corporation: US-based specialty ink manufacturer with digital inkjet ink capabilities serving similar B2B industrial customers in packaging and labeling. Comparable size, custom formulation services, and substrate breadth to Collins' core business.
Broad incumbents
- INX International Ink Co. One of the largest global printing ink manufacturers with a substantial digital/inkjet ink division alongside offset, flexo, and gravure portfolios. Broader scale than Collins but overlapping in industrial inkjet ink formulations for packaging and labeling markets.
- Sun Chemical (DIC Corporation): World's largest printing ink manufacturer with a comprehensive inkjet ink portfolio serving packaging, commercial, and industrial printing. Substantially larger and broader than Collins but a direct competitor in the same industrial inkjet ink chemistries.
- Flint Group: Major global supplier of printing inks and consumables with an established digital/inkjet ink business serving industrial and packaging markets. Overlaps with Collins across packaging and label inkjet applications but operates at significantly greater scale.
- Artience Co., Ltd. (formerly Toyo Ink): Japanese-headquartered printing ink manufacturer with a global footprint and significant industrial inkjet offerings. Comparable in heritage and product breadth but materially larger; relevant for cross-region competitive dynamics and Kao's broader printing solutions context.
- DuPont (Artistri): Operates an industrial inkjet ink business (Artistri brand) for textile, packaging, and commercial applications. Competes with Collins in industrial inkjet chemistries, particularly in textile and packaging verticals where both companies offer pigment and dye-based formulations.
Others
- Fujifilm: Key technology partner (Samba G3L printhead embedded in X-BAR) and simultaneously a major player in industrial inkjet inks for packaging and commercial printing. The relationship is both a partnership dependency and a competitive overlap in inkjet ink markets.
- HP Specialty Printing Systems: Long-term ink partner with the largest global installed base of thermal inkjet technology. HP also markets its own branded inks, creating a partner-competitor dynamic that is central to Collins' go-to-market and a key channel for volume.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Collins Inkjet Corporation social profiles
Digital presenceCollins Inkjet Corporation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Collins Inkjet Corporation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Collins Inkjet Corporation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Collins Inkjet Corporation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Collins Inkjet Corporation
What does Collins Inkjet Corporation do?
Collins Inkjet Corporation (operating as Kao Collins Corporation) manufactures and supplies industrial inkjet inks — including water-based, solvent-based, oil-based, UV/LED/EB curable, security, and food-grade formulations — for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and industrial printing applications. The company also designs and sells digital printing hardware, notably the X-BAR Print Module and Universal Controller, and provides ancillary services such as custom ink formulation, printhead refurbishment, color matching, and bulk ink supply systems.
Is Collins Inkjet Corporation a public or private company?
Collins Inkjet Corporation is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Collins Inkjet Corporation founded?
Collins Inkjet Corporation was founded in 1994. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Collins Inkjet Corporation based?
Collins Inkjet Corporation is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.
How does Collins Inkjet Corporation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Industrial Inkjet Ink Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Ink Formulation Services, printhead Services and X-BAR Print Module Sales.
Who are Collins Inkjet Corporation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nazdar Ink Technologies, Marabu GmbH & Co. KG and Wikoff Color Corporation. Broad incumbents are INX International Ink Co., Sun Chemical (DIC Corporation), Flint Group, Artience Co., Ltd. (formerly Toyo Ink) and DuPont (Artistri). Others are Fujifilm and HP Specialty Printing Systems.
Does Collins Inkjet Corporation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Collins Inkjet Corporation.
What industry is Collins Inkjet Corporation in?
Collins Inkjet Corporation's product category is Industrial Printing Inks. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAHAG, Printing Inks, with a secondary code of IMAEAHAH, Packaging Inks. Its NAICS code is 32591.