Odak Kimya Holds Innovation Days Event

Odak Kimya Hosts Innovation Days Event Odak Kimya organized the Innovation Days event held in Istanbul on 9-10-11 May, also marking the company's 25th anniversary. At the event, 14 international sector professionals from X-Rite Pantone, IM Group, SDL Atlas, IGT and Just Normlicht—representing the Paints & Plastics, Textiles, Automotive, Paper and Printing & Packaging sectors—came together for the first time to share the latest developments with participants.

Odak Kimya General Manager Ayla Çuhadaroğlu Delivers Keynote

Odak Kimya General Manager Ayla Çuhadaroğlu delivered the opening address of the event. Çuhadaroğlu stated: "For 25 years, we have been present wherever colour exists. In the early years, we worked in what we classified as the industrial paints and plastics sector. In the years that followed, our product range expanded with the addition of a new sector each year. Today we have come to serve all sectors including paints, plastics, automotive, textiles, printing and packaging. Additionally, by adding complementary products around these sectors over the years, we have transformed into a supplier that provides end-to-end solutions in the industry," she said. Noting that their mission since embarking on this path in 1998 has been to bring Turkish industrialists together with high-technology products and to be a solution provider rather than a product supplier in applications based on colour excellence, Çuhadaroğlu stated: "With our strong partnerships, we are moving with confidence towards becoming a global brand. In our 25-year journey, we are proud to have witnessed the increasing speed of the sector's integration of technical solutions into workflows, the recognition that adaptation to these solutions increases competitiveness, and the sector's ability to keep pace with digitalization. If we have made some difference in our sector, it is thanks to our well-equipped team," she said.

"Innovation Day Has Become the Brand of Our Knowledge-Sharing Events"

Highlighting that the Innovation Days events have become a hallmark of Odak Kimya's knowledge-sharing initiatives, Çuhadaroğlu said, "We held our first seminar in 2000. Our events continued until 2013. In 2013, we named these events Innovation Day following a partnership with X-Rite. From that day forward, Innovation Day has become the brand of our knowledge-sharing events."

14 Speakers Shed Light on the Future of Industries Over 3 Days

Fourteen international sector professionals from the world's leading brands presented developments related to the Paints – Plastics, Textiles and Printing – Packaging sectors to participants during the three-day Innovation Days. X-Rite Pantone presented next-generation desktop, portable and contactless devices across all stages from design to production, quality control and formulation software, InLine colour measurements and digital colour solutions together with PANTONE, while brand owner-supply chain colour management programmes were presented as separate topics for the textiles and printing-packaging sectors. Information was shared on the patented and innovative production machines from IEC+ within IM GROUP and all services provided, along with dispensing systems from INKMAKER, Vale-Tech and REXSON, and filling system solutions from TECHNOPAILS. Solutions from SDL ATLAS's high-performance innovative test equipment and quality test consumables supporting the quality control process and optimal process management were also presented. LED lighting technology transition and solutions were shared with participants through JUST NORMLICHT. IGT Testing Systems presented solutions regarding paper printability test methods and ink printing process proof equipment to participants. Francesco Tomasello, Pantone Global Vice President of Sales, delivered a presentation at the event. Emphasizing that they are the first partner people think of when it comes to colour in design, Tomasello stated, "When people talk about colour, they talk about Pantone. Trends come from us. Pantone colour palettes are created as a source of inspiration for designers and represent the first design phase where the product colour is determined. In many areas such as printing, packaging, textiles and home decoration, Pantone products are now the starting point for colour communication." Felix Schmollgruber, X-Rite Pantone CP&M, EMEA Sales Director, shared disruptions experienced in daily colour communication processes when physical standards are used. Schmollgruber explained how the use of physical standards hinders supply chain colour consistency despite suppliers producing within tolerances, and also discussed the Netprofiler solution, which controls device conditions for correct digital workflow and process operation in the supply chain. Sandor Tatrai, X-Rite Pantone Sales Manager (CP&M, EE/MEA), stated "One in 12 men worldwide and one in 250 women see colours differently," emphasizing that being a company capable of providing solutions to every sector where colours are important is what makes X-Rite different. Pieter Mulder, X-Rite Global Strategic Sales Manager, delivered one of the presentations at Innovation Day. Noting that suppliers are scattered across the world, Mulder shared that brands come to them to ensure colour consistency. Commenting on digital colour workflow, Mulder stated: "Digital colour workflow is an important point for brands to ensure shelf colour consistency of their products. If you follow digital workflow, your market entry and colour specification and approval time decreases. We must aim to implement the same processes worldwide." Another speaker at the event, Andrea Villa, IM Group Asia Regional Sales Manager, said, "Dispensing systems are used in every area where you need to consistently produce something specific. Without dispensing systems, you might need to produce these manually. You cannot complete the printing job with zero waste, but if you have a dispensing system, you can now recover your inks by producing the recipe you want, when you want, and in the quantity you want." Eric Jan Verweij, IGT National Sales Manager, noted that through simulation of printing processes in the ink kitchen and formulating colour recipes according to ink transfer amounts on the printing machine, printing machine downtime is reduced. He also shared with participants that IGT Test Systems' paper printability tests help improve quality in paper production and contribute to cost savings. Abdel H. Naji, Just Normlicht Import, Marketing and Sales Director, who presented on the banning of fluorescent lamps at the event, stated that a major change is occurring in lighting technology, which also impacts standardized lighting. Naji shared the necessity of transitioning to LED technology due to approaching restrictions on fluorescent light sources and the advantages this transition will bring.