Specialty chemicals group Altana has paid €100m for a minority stake in Benny Landa’s proposed Nano printing technology. The cash will be used for completing the development of Nanography, Landa’s water-based digital printing process, including engineering and production ramp-up of Landa Nanographic printing presses and building of manufacturing plants for Landa NanoInk colorants.

Landa’s nanographic printing press

Altana’s stake is not just financial, the company says it is “also as a starting point for a long-term strategic partnership to bring digital printing solutions to the commercial, packaging and publishing markets.” Altana is already in print with its ownership of BYK Additives & Instruments, Eckart Effect Pigments, and Actega Coatings & Sealants. First proposed at drupa two years ago the Nano technology is designed to combine the best of offset and digital, producing offset quality print at offset speeds, but with no plates, no makeready, no waste, and variable data. Since Landa announced Nano printing – electrifying an otherwise dull drupa – the questions have focused on whether he is capable of pulling it off. Such was the brilliance of his presentation he persuaded some 400 printers from around the world to stump up $10,000 each for a place in the queue. Offset press manufacturers have been more sanguine, although virtually all of them have signed up to be partners. First beta sites were expected to be happening around now, although the end of this year now seems more likely, with a B1 carton press on a Komori chassis thought to be favourite to get out of the traps.  

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