Siegwerk received the Sustainability Award 2026 in the Research & Development category on November 11, 2026, in Utrecht, the Netherlands, for UniLEAF, a water-based flexographic ink solution for paper and board. The award was presented during a ceremony at the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Utrecht. It recognized the formulation’s replacement of conventional acrylic resins with polymers derived from bio-based raw materials.
UniLEAF, short for “Low Energy Acrylic Free,” builds on Siegwerk’s UniNATURE product range. According to the company, the formulation removes acrylic resins from its water-based flexo ink extender while maintaining performance and efficiency. Initial industrial trials showed an additional 50% reduction in CO₂ footprint compared with UniNATURE. The share of biogenic carbon in the formulation more than doubled following the removal of acrylic resins.
The trials also recorded energy savings of more than 15% during drying, while maintaining the same production speed. Siegwerk said the bio-based resin system can be incorporated into standard ink manufacturing operations without major investment in production technology. It also reported that manufacturing efficiency and finished-product quality remained unchanged.
The award’s Research & Development category cited these measured industrial trial results. The results cited are from initial industrial trials. Siegwerk did not provide details on the trials’ scale or participating sites.
Thibaud Liard, Business Unit Head Paper & Board EMEA at Siegwerk, said: “With UniLEAF, we have challenged a long-standing industry convention by eliminating acrylic resins from water-based flexo ink extender while maintaining the performance and efficiency our customers need.”