A Finnish innovation project launched in early 2025 aimed to develop printing ink from spent coffee grounds
Adara has been involved in the project from the beginning, contributing its expertise in evaluating the suitability and practical performance of printing inks.
Building on the original innovation, Siegwerk developed a printing ink based on coffee-derived pigments and renewable raw materials. The ink was recently tested in industrial corrugated board production at Adara. The successful trial demonstrated that printing ink produced from coffee industry side streams can deliver high-quality print results even on an industrial scale. It also highlighted the potential to create new value-added applications for industrial by-products.
“The most exciting moment of the project came in 2025, when we moved from laboratory research to printing tests in an industrial environment. The biggest challenge was achieving sufficient intensity and contrast with the coffee-based pigment. It was fantastic to see in November 2026 that the ink we had developed also performed flawlessly in Adara’s industrial production. Looking at the high-quality finished print, we had a strong feeling that we had truly succeeded!” says Satu Autio, Colour Specialist at Adara.
This achievement has been made possible through collaboration across the entire value chain. The development project involved Marvaco, Meira Oy, Natural Indigo Finland, Siegwerk and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), including its Biocolores research group.
The successful industrial trial required not only long-term product development but also strong production expertise. Introducing a new solution into manufacturing is possible when the professionals operating the machinery have the knowledge, experience and skills needed to ensure high-quality results, even when working with innovative materials and technologies.
We are proud to be part of developing solutions that promote the circular economy and open up new opportunities!