History
200+ Years of Innovation at Sun Chemical
Beginning with the inspiring legacy of Lorilleux and Samuel Morrill in the early 1800’s, Sun Chemical has delivered 200 years of color expertise, innovative technology and an ongoing commitment to quality and service for our customers. With close to 10,000 worldwide trademarks and over 3,000 granted patents in various global jurisdictions in its history, Sun Chemical takes pride in producing solutions tailor-made to meet the individual needs of customers.
Below is an interactive timeline that celebrates our long history of achievements and leadership in the industries and markets we serve. As you scroll down and learn more about our unique history, you will discover our fierce commitment to working for you through research and development that will bring customers new innovative and sustainable solutions.
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Lorilleux is founded
Abril 20, 1818![Lorilleux is founded](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Pierre-Lorilleux.jpg)
One of the first commercial producers of inks is founded as Lorilleux & Cie. Lorilleux & Cie is the first specialty ink company of its kind, in a time when most printers make their own inks.
The Geo. H. Morrill Company
Abril 20, 1830Samuel Morrill begins manufacturing printing inks in the kitchen of his Andover, Massachusetts, home.
Morrill Company obtains patent
Abril 20, 1853The Morrill Company obtains the first patent on their ink-making process.
The introduction of carbon black
Abril 20, 1864![The introduction of carbon black](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Geo-Morrill-black-ink-ad-1.jpg)
The Morrill Company begins producing carbon black from natural gas.
Coates Brothers & Company is founded
Abril 20, 1877![Coates Brothers & Company is founded](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1877-coates-01206-640.jpg)
Located in London, the business is capitalized at 2600 £.
Ault & Wiborg is founded
Janeiro 1, 1878![Ault & Wiborg is founded](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1878-aw_liggett_300h-1.jpg)
Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ault & Wiborg is a fast-growing printing inks manufacturer that quickly expands its business abroad, focusing on the UK market.
Four-color process debuts
Abril 20, 1906![Four-color process debuts](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1906-eagleprintingworks150_128_hr.jpeg)
The Eagle Printing Ink Company develops four-color wet process inks.
The first litho press is invented
Abril 20, 1907![The first litho press is invented](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1907-fuchs.jpg)
Fuchs & Lang build the first rotary tinplate lithography press. G. Siegle begins manufacturing pigments in Staten Island, NY.
Rotogravure is introduced
Abril 20, 1910![Rotogravure is introduced](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Gravure-Transfer-Paper-SublimationtoFabric.jpg)
Rotogravure, a printing process in which letters and pictures are transferred from an etched copper cylinder to a web of paper, plastic or similar material in a rotary press, is invented.
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Historic mergers
Abril 20, 1929![Historic mergers](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1929-90759997.jpg)
A.B. Ansbacher merges with G. Siegle and the Ansbacher-Siegle Company is formed. During the same year, The Morrill Company merges with Eagle, Sigmund Ullman, Fuchs & Lang and American to form General Printing Ink (GPI). GPI becomes the first ink manufacturer with coast-to-coast operations.
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Pigmented flexo Inks
Abril 20, 1936GPI Corp’s Sun Chemical division develops the first pigmented flexo inks.
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GPI becomes Sun Chemical
Abril 20, 1945![GPI becomes Sun Chemical](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/logo.png)
GPI changes its name and Sun Chemical is born. Printing inks remain its principal business.
Web offset lithography is born
Abril 20, 1947Web offset lithography, which works by first transferring an image photographically to ink printing plates, is pioneered
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Performance Pigments division is formed
Abril 20, 1957![Performance Pigments division is formed](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SunChemical-Old-Photo1.jpg)
Sun Chemical acquires Ansbacher-Siegle and begins to create a new division, known today as Performance Pigments.
Ler mais![](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/history1958.png)
Solvent-based flexo inks are introduced
Abril 20, 1958![Solvent-based flexo inks are introduced](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/12_history_1958.jpg)
Solvent-based flexo inks are created for use on polyethylene films.
Quinacridone is manufactured
Abril 20, 1966Sun Chemical begins to manufacture quinacridone out of its Newark, New Jersey, facility, marking the company’s entry into the high-performance pigments market.
Federal Colors Laboratories is acquired
Abril 20, 1968![Federal Colors Laboratories is acquired](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SunFederal-Plates.jpg)
Sun Chemical buys Federal Color Labs in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Water-based inks are created
Abril 23, 1970The first water-based inks are introduced for use on paper and film.
Pigment manufacturing begins
Abril 23, 1978Sun Chemical begins to manufacture pigments in Muskegon, Michigan.
EB inks go commercial
Abril 23, 1980Sun Chemical commercializes EB inks. In the same year, they acquire the phthalo pigment business from American Cyanamid.
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Sun Chemical grows
Abril 23, 1987![Sun Chemical grows](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/DIC-Logo.jpg)
Sun Chemical is acquired by Dainippon Ink and Chemicals (DIC). Sun Chemical also merges with Hartmann and Kohl & Madden to form one global company.
BASF is acquired
Abril 23, 1991Sun Chemical buys the BASF packaging and commercial inks business.
UV flexo inks go commercial
Abril 23, 1992The first UV flexo inks are commercialized by Sun Chemical. In the same year, Sun Chemical acquires KVK in Koge, Denmark, marking the company’s first step into European pigment manufacturing.
US Ink is acquired
Abril 23, 1993![US Ink is acquired](https://www.sunchemical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1993-usink.jpg)
Sun Chemical acquires a top producer of cold-set publication inks, United States Printing Inks.
Moscow Inks is bought out
Abril 23, 1994Sun Chemical acquires Moscow Printing Inks.
Zeneca Inks is acquired
Abril 23, 1996Sun Chemical strengthens their packaging inks department in North America with the acquisition of Zeneca Specialty Inks.
Sun Chemical enters joint venture
Abril 23, 1997Sun Chemical and Eastman Kodak enter a $1 billion, 50/50 joint venture to form Kodak Polychrome Graphics.
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Sun Chemical grows globally
Abril 23, 1999The company acquires Coates Lorilleux in France, SWALE Process in the UK and GB Products International Flexo Plate Division, and partners with Tintas in Latin America.
Bayer Pigments is acquired
Abril 23, 2003Sun Chemical buys Bayer’s high-performance organic pigment business.
More acquisitions and growth
Abril 23, 2004Sun Chemical acquires Rycoline Products, Inc. and buys the assets of CBS Printas, the printing ink business of CBS Holding, a publicly traded company in Turkey.
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Sun Branding Solutions is formed
Abril 23, 2006Sun Chemical acquires Watt Gilchrist and forms Sun Branding Solutions.
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Frankfurt and Dahej packaging plant
Abril 23, 2010Sun Chemical opens state-of-the-art food packaging plant in Frankfurt and sheet-fed ink hub in Dahej, India.
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Kankakee packaging plant
Abril 23, 2011Sun Chemical opens state-of-the-art packaging plant in Kankakee, IL, and expands into high definition plate technology in Concord, CA.
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PantoneLIVE ™ and Benda-Lutz
Abril 23, 2012Partnership with X-Rite/Pantone and Esko on PantoneLIVETM Sun Chemical acquires Benda-Lutz.
Kingfisher Colours Limited Acquired
Abril 27, 2015Sun Chemical Acquires Kingfisher Colours Limited
Gwent Electronic Materials Purchased
Abril 27, 2016Sun Chemical and the DIC Corporation Acquire Gwent Electronic Materials Ltd.
Sun Chemical Grows
Abril 27, 2017Sun Chemical Acquires Transitions Digital Graphics, LLC
Sun Chemical Acquires Joules Angstrom U.V. Printing Inks Corp.
Sun Chemical Acquires RJA Dispersions Business
Sun Chemical Acquires C.T.LAY to Expand Portfolio for Plastic and Security Cards
Janeiro 22, 2018Sun Chemical and its parent company, DIC Corporation, have acquired C.T.LAY S.R.L.
Sun Chemical and DIC Corporation Acquire Luminescence Holdings Ltd.
Fevereiro 6, 2018
Sun Chemical and its parent company, DIC Corporation, have acquired Luminescence Holdings Ltd., a manufacturer of currency, tax stamp, passports, ID cards, secure documents and brand protection inks for the security market.
Sun Chemical Acquires PPG’s Metal Deco Ink Business
Março 8, 2018Sun Chemical has acquired the Metal Deco ink business of PPG, a US-based global supplier of paints, coatings and specialty materials. PPG, with a well consolidated portfolio, and Sun Chemical are both long standing players in the metal packaging industry.
Sun Chemical Acquires High-Purity Oxides Business of Cathay Industries
Julho 2, 2018Sun Chemical and its parent company, DIC Corporation, have acquired the high-purity iron oxides business of Cathay Industries, located in Valparaiso, Indiana, U.S.A.
Sun Chemical Names Myron Petruch President and Chief Executive Officer
Janeiro 1, 2019
Sun Chemical has appointed Myron Petruch as its President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2019.
Sun Chemical signs distributor agreement with Icaro International.
Junho 11, 2020Agreement expands reach for electronic materials across Mexico.
Sun Chemical and DIC acquire digital inks business from Sensient Technologies Corporation
Dezembro 11, 2020Acquisition strengthens the company’s digital inkjet ink capabilities.
Sun Chemical and DIC acquire Seller Ink Industria e Comércio de Tintas e Vernizes Ltda.
Dezembro 11, 2020Acquisition expands Sun Chemical’s Latin American presence in both security ink and metal decorating markets.
Sun Chemical/DIC Acquire BASF’s Global Pigments Business
Junho 30, 2021
Sun Chemical and DIC Corporation Finalizes Acquisition means significant expansion of global pigments expertise & innovation capabilities.
The Future
As Sun Chemical moves forward, we will continue our commitment to delivering quality, service and innovation to our customers. As we relentlessly seek the most inventive ways to satisfy our customers’ needs, we will strive to provide outstanding service and breakthrough, tailored solutions. With more than 176 subsidiaries worldwide and a broad breadth and depth of resources from which to draw, Sun Chemical is prepared to help our customers take on the global challenges of tomorrow.